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Valdemar: The Last Herald-Mage #1
Magic's Pawn
Mage-Craft—
Though Vanyel has been born with near-legendary abilities to work both Herald and Mage magic, he wants no part of such things. Nor does he seek a warrior's path, wishing instead to become a Bard. Yet such talent as his if left untrained may prove a menace not only to Vanyel but to others as well. So he is sent to be fostered with his aunt, Savil, one of the famed Herald-Mages of Valdemar.
But, strong-willed and self-centered, Vanyel is a challenge which even Savil can not master alone. For soon he will become the focus of frightening forces, lending his raw magic to a spell that unleashes terrifying wyr-hunters on the land. And by the time Savil seeks the assistance of a Shin'a'in Adept, Vanyel's wild talent may have already grown beyond anyone's ability to contain, placing Vanyel, Savil, and Valdemar itself in desperate peril...
Though Vanyel has been born with near-legendary abilities to work both Herald and Mage magic, he wants no part of such things. Nor does he seek a warrior's path, wishing instead to become a Bard. Yet such talent as his if left untrained may prove a menace not only to Vanyel but to others as well. So he is sent to be fostered with his aunt, Savil, one of the famed Herald-Mages of Valdemar.
But, strong-willed and self-centered, Vanyel is a challenge which even Savil can not master alone. For soon he will become the focus of frightening forces, lending his raw magic to a spell that unleashes terrifying wyr-hunters on the land. And by the time Savil seeks the assistance of a Shin'a'in Adept, Vanyel's wild talent may have already grown beyond anyone's ability to contain, placing Vanyel, Savil, and Valdemar itself in desperate peril...
349 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 6, 1989
About the author
Mercedes Lackey
631 books8,862 followersMercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,105 reviews
March 22, 2008
I feel the need to explain myself. First, I read this when I was fifteen. The rating I gave it is the one I gave it when I first read it. And I admit, I still love it, even though I am a more discerning reader and can tell it's really not as great as I thought it was when I was only a squealy fangirl. End Discaimer.
The main character is Vanyel Ashkevron; he's the eldest son of a minor noble. Vanyel's not like the rest of his brothers or cousins, who take after his father; they're all tall, strong, and not stupid really, just not very interested in intellectual pursuits. Vanyel is the only one who takes after his mother, which means he's kind of short, scrawny, likes books, and is a fairly decent musician. He wants more than anything to be able to abdicate his position as heir, and study to become a Bard in Valdemar's capital, Haven. His duty-minded father isn't about to let him, though.
Eventually, Vanyel's father decides that he ought to go to Haven to study, not music, but fighting, how to be a good Lord, etc... and he is fostered with his aunt, Herald Mage Savil. A Herald is kind of like a hybrid police oficer/soldier/FBI agent, with super powers. People become Heralds only if they get Chosen by a Companion; Companions are benevolent guardian spirits who inhabit the bodies of white horses, and can sense people who have special powers (Gifts), like telepathy (mind speech), telekinesis (fetching), fire-starting, or the ability to do magic. Companions can also look into a person's heart and see if they are Good, besides just being Gifted, so it's absolutely unimaginable to think of there ever being a bad Herald. Back to the summary:
Vanyel has to go live with Savil, but is not pleased by the prospect. He knows he isn't getting special treatment; he's being gotten out of the way, because of mounting tension between him and his family. So, he decides that since no one cares about him, then he won't care about anyone, either, and convinces himself that the world is against him and it's better to just ignore other people. Which helps him make tons of friends when he gets to Haven (seriously, he's popular with the other noble kids). Other "regular" people (Bards, Healers, Heralds and their trainees), think he's an arrogant snob and avoid him. Even his aunt can't stand him. Except for one person--Tylendel, who is Savil's trainee and lives with her and Vanyel. Tylendel is an Empath as well as a mage, and can sense Vanyel's loneliness and depression, and reaches out to him.
Vanyel distrusts Tylendel at first, but he eventually breaks down and opens up to Tylendel. When that happens, Vanyel also finds the courage to confess that he also has a crush on Tylendel. Tylendel, who is openly gay, also has a crush on Vanyel.
They keep their romance a secret from everyone except Savil, which would have been hard to do in any case, since they all live together. Savil agrees to keep quiet, and even starts to warm to Vanyel, since he's starting to drop the whole since-they-don't-like-me-I-don't-like-them-either attitude.
To make an already long summary less long, by the end of the book Vanyel has been Chosen, to everyone's everlasting shock. He has the most powerful mage gift of anyone, ever. In addition he also has nearly every other Gift--mind speech, Empathy, fetching. The reason he suddenly got these powers is complicated and full of major spoilers, but suffice it to say that this book is full of Angst.
Now, the review:
First, some technical critiques: whoever was the copyeditor for this book needs to be fired. Typos abound, not to mention there's one or two continuity problems, but they're pretty minor. Also, the dialogue can be a little awkward in places, but again, just a few, so I can overlook that.
The whole tolerance theme gets shoved in your face a lot. I think one reviewer said in places it starts to read like a PFLAG pamphlet. But that was necessary, I think, considering her target audience, young adults. Now, she may brag that she has fans of all ages and backgrounds, but even if she didn't start out to write YA novels that's what she ended up doing (in my opinion). Subtlety really doesn't have a place in YA, because none of us were particularly astute when we were thirteen and up. So I can forgive the book for getting a little preachy.
A lot of people say they couldn't handle this book because Vanyel was just so damn whiny. Well, he is, actually, I can't refute that, except to say he's a teenager. Teenagers whine. I didn't notice that when I first read it, and I got upset to hear people say that, because to me, Vanyel wasn't whiny, he was just stating facts! His life sucked! I believed that, because I thought my life sucked sometimes, too.
One thing about Misty, she can create believable characters who are easy to relate to. If Vanyel had been any less fleshed out, any less compelling, then when she sprung the whole "he's gay" surprise on her readers, then I would have been disgusted and stopped reading. But even though I was cringing in the back of my mind and thinking, ew, he's gay? Why did she go and ruin the book that way for? I kept reading, because I was already far too emotionally invested in him to just abandon his story. And surprise, surprise, I ended up changing my mind about gay people.
This is not an "eh, it was okay" book; you either love or hate it. And I am unapologetic fan.
The main character is Vanyel Ashkevron; he's the eldest son of a minor noble. Vanyel's not like the rest of his brothers or cousins, who take after his father; they're all tall, strong, and not stupid really, just not very interested in intellectual pursuits. Vanyel is the only one who takes after his mother, which means he's kind of short, scrawny, likes books, and is a fairly decent musician. He wants more than anything to be able to abdicate his position as heir, and study to become a Bard in Valdemar's capital, Haven. His duty-minded father isn't about to let him, though.
Eventually, Vanyel's father decides that he ought to go to Haven to study, not music, but fighting, how to be a good Lord, etc... and he is fostered with his aunt, Herald Mage Savil. A Herald is kind of like a hybrid police oficer/soldier/FBI agent, with super powers. People become Heralds only if they get Chosen by a Companion; Companions are benevolent guardian spirits who inhabit the bodies of white horses, and can sense people who have special powers (Gifts), like telepathy (mind speech), telekinesis (fetching), fire-starting, or the ability to do magic. Companions can also look into a person's heart and see if they are Good, besides just being Gifted, so it's absolutely unimaginable to think of there ever being a bad Herald. Back to the summary:
Vanyel has to go live with Savil, but is not pleased by the prospect. He knows he isn't getting special treatment; he's being gotten out of the way, because of mounting tension between him and his family. So, he decides that since no one cares about him, then he won't care about anyone, either, and convinces himself that the world is against him and it's better to just ignore other people. Which helps him make tons of friends when he gets to Haven (seriously, he's popular with the other noble kids). Other "regular" people (Bards, Healers, Heralds and their trainees), think he's an arrogant snob and avoid him. Even his aunt can't stand him. Except for one person--Tylendel, who is Savil's trainee and lives with her and Vanyel. Tylendel is an Empath as well as a mage, and can sense Vanyel's loneliness and depression, and reaches out to him.
Vanyel distrusts Tylendel at first, but he eventually breaks down and opens up to Tylendel. When that happens, Vanyel also finds the courage to confess that he also has a crush on Tylendel. Tylendel, who is openly gay, also has a crush on Vanyel.
They keep their romance a secret from everyone except Savil, which would have been hard to do in any case, since they all live together. Savil agrees to keep quiet, and even starts to warm to Vanyel, since he's starting to drop the whole since-they-don't-like-me-I-don't-like-them-either attitude.
To make an already long summary less long, by the end of the book Vanyel has been Chosen, to everyone's everlasting shock. He has the most powerful mage gift of anyone, ever. In addition he also has nearly every other Gift--mind speech, Empathy, fetching. The reason he suddenly got these powers is complicated and full of major spoilers, but suffice it to say that this book is full of Angst.
Now, the review:
First, some technical critiques: whoever was the copyeditor for this book needs to be fired. Typos abound, not to mention there's one or two continuity problems, but they're pretty minor. Also, the dialogue can be a little awkward in places, but again, just a few, so I can overlook that.
The whole tolerance theme gets shoved in your face a lot. I think one reviewer said in places it starts to read like a PFLAG pamphlet. But that was necessary, I think, considering her target audience, young adults. Now, she may brag that she has fans of all ages and backgrounds, but even if she didn't start out to write YA novels that's what she ended up doing (in my opinion). Subtlety really doesn't have a place in YA, because none of us were particularly astute when we were thirteen and up. So I can forgive the book for getting a little preachy.
A lot of people say they couldn't handle this book because Vanyel was just so damn whiny. Well, he is, actually, I can't refute that, except to say he's a teenager. Teenagers whine. I didn't notice that when I first read it, and I got upset to hear people say that, because to me, Vanyel wasn't whiny, he was just stating facts! His life sucked! I believed that, because I thought my life sucked sometimes, too.
One thing about Misty, she can create believable characters who are easy to relate to. If Vanyel had been any less fleshed out, any less compelling, then when she sprung the whole "he's gay" surprise on her readers, then I would have been disgusted and stopped reading. But even though I was cringing in the back of my mind and thinking, ew, he's gay? Why did she go and ruin the book that way for? I kept reading, because I was already far too emotionally invested in him to just abandon his story. And surprise, surprise, I ended up changing my mind about gay people.
This is not an "eh, it was okay" book; you either love or hate it. And I am unapologetic fan.
December 19, 2007
By popular demand (ok a friend asked me to "do the one with the blue-eyed telepathic horses and the owls you could ride on"), a review of the Vanyel books. This series, with it's billowing clouds of adolescent angst, gay boys, and yes, blue-eyed telepathic horses, basically got me through my teenage years. I would lock myself in my room and sob. Oh the tragedy! Oh the gayness! Oh the telepathic horses!
Note: I don't think the owls were in this series. Or the magic valleys where there were lizard servants to cater to your every whim. Yes, lizards magically genetically modified to be slaves but happy about it. Nice huh?
Note: I don't think the owls were in this series. Or the magic valleys where there were lizard servants to cater to your every whim. Yes, lizards magically genetically modified to be slaves but happy about it. Nice huh?
Read
February 6, 2022“If you do not touch,” said Moondance, as if he read Vanyel’s thought, “You do not live. If you seal yourself away inside your barriers, you seal out the love with the pain. And though love sometimes brings pain, you have no way of knowing if the pain you feel now might not bring you to love again.”
Spoilers follow and a discussion of homophobia and abuse. There is also one really brief mention of sexual violence and pedophilia.
So What’s It About?
Vanyel lives in misery, knowing that he is different from the rest of his family and surviving under their disapproval because of it. Everything changes when he is shipped off to live with his aunt Savil, however – Vanyel discovers a magic all his own and is soon forced to confront what he has long repressed as he grows closer to his fellow mage Tylendel. What follows is love like he has never known, but with it comes even greater suffering.
What I Thought
I’ve said before and I’ll say it again and again: Mercedes Lackey walked so every current author of gay YA fantasy could run. I can think of only a few other authors who were writing gay characters as positively, passionately and frequently as Lackey during the time period in which she was writing, and the first thing that I want to make apparent is that I’m totally aware that any criticism I make of this book cannot and should not take away from how much it must have meant to its young gay readers. Indeed, the book’s Goodreads is full of reviews that say pretty much this exact thing, and I am a huge fan of this article by YA author Tessa Gratton about how much the series meant to her when she was growing up.
The book’s overall message is one of love and acceptance – that being gay does not make you a freak or a monster, that it is nothing to be ashamed of. And even if you have been treated as though there is something wrong with you, it will not always be so- there will be other people who will love you fiercely, protect you and support you. You will find your people. The most powerful and cathartic scene in the book to me is when Vanyel’s mentor Savil and his sister defend Vanyel from his father’s cruelty, toxic masculinity and homophobia:
“You come storming in here when we’ve maybe—maybe—got him stable, without so much as a ‘please’ or a ‘may I,’ you don’t even ask if he’s in any shape to put two words together in a sensible fashion! Oh, no, all you can do is scream that I’ve made him into a catamite when you sent him to be made into a man. A man!” She laughed, a harsh cawing sound that clawed its way up out of her throat. “My gods—what the hell did you think he was? Tell me, Withen, what kind of a man would send his son into strange hands just because the poor thing didn’t happen to fit his image of masculinity?”…
“What kind of a man would let a brutal bully break his son’s arm for no damned reason?” the girl snarled. “What kind of a man would drive his son into becoming an emotional eunuch because every damned time the boy looked for a little bit of paternal love he got slapped in the face? What kind of a man would take anyone’s word over his son’s with no cause to ever think the boy was a liar?” Lissa faced down her father as if he had become her enemy. “You tell me, Father! What right do you have to demand anything of him? What did you ever give him but scorn? When did you ever give him a single thing he really needed or wanted? When did you ever tell him he’d done well? When did you ever say you loved him?”…
What kind of a man would care more for his own reputation than his son’s life? And now I have one boy dead, and one a hair from dying, and all you care about is that somebody might think you weren’t manly enough to father manly sons! Oh, get out of here, get out of my sight—”
You can feel how important this is to Lackey in the writing, how desperately she wants to convey this message of love and protection to her readers. For this scene alone I am glad that I read Magic’s Pawn. There is also the matter of Savil’s concern over the relationship that starts between Vanyel and Tylendel – there is some good stuff in there about the dangers of codependency and how vulnerable young couple are especially susceptible to it. Finally, I think the other main message of the book is about Vanyel learning not to close off his heart because of the hurt and pain that he has gone through:
“Better, I thought, not to touch at all than to touch and bring hurt upon myself and others. Better to do nothing than to make a move and have it be the wrong one. But even deciding to not touch or to be nothing is a decision, Vanyel, and by deciding not to touch, so as to avoid hurt, I then hurt those who tried to touch me.”
Despite all of these incredibly positive things, I do have some reservations about this book. I think the standards we have for gay representation have evolved a lot since the time in which this book was written – through no fault of the book’s own, and the only reason we’ve been able to develop these standards is because of authors like Lackey paving the way with representation to begin with. HOWEVER, as a modern reader…the entire plot of the story is essentially about Vanyel trying to survive after the death of his beloved partner. I think you could make the argument that the decision to kill off Tylendel falls under the Bury Your Gays trope, defined as the exploitative overuse of gay character deaths in media. I also wasn’t super pleased with the portion of the story where the sad broken white boy gets shipped off to heal by learning from the heavily Native-American-coded characters. The problem is not so much that these characters exist in the story, but that they feel tokenized and exotified, and their entire purpose in the story revolves around using their mystical wisdom to fix the broken white character.
In addition, for a book that hinges so significantly upon the love story, I can’t say that I ever felt an intense amount of investment in the relationship between Vanyel and Tylendel – it’s not a very convincing love story, to me at least, because of the speed with which they fall in love and more or less just suddenly declare themselves soulmates. I think you could definitely argue, however, that this decision was a deliberate statement upon the codependent Young Love nature of the relationship. Finally, I have to mention utterly random inclusion of the pedophilic-rapist villain who comes out of nowhere at the 95% mark and tries to seduce Vanyel into turning to the Dark Side. What was that about?!
I’m still trying to decide to what extent this is a story about resilience and healing and to what extent it is kind of just misery porn. I’d be super interested in hearing how you all weigh in!
Spoilers follow and a discussion of homophobia and abuse. There is also one really brief mention of sexual violence and pedophilia.
So What’s It About?
Vanyel lives in misery, knowing that he is different from the rest of his family and surviving under their disapproval because of it. Everything changes when he is shipped off to live with his aunt Savil, however – Vanyel discovers a magic all his own and is soon forced to confront what he has long repressed as he grows closer to his fellow mage Tylendel. What follows is love like he has never known, but with it comes even greater suffering.
What I Thought
I’ve said before and I’ll say it again and again: Mercedes Lackey walked so every current author of gay YA fantasy could run. I can think of only a few other authors who were writing gay characters as positively, passionately and frequently as Lackey during the time period in which she was writing, and the first thing that I want to make apparent is that I’m totally aware that any criticism I make of this book cannot and should not take away from how much it must have meant to its young gay readers. Indeed, the book’s Goodreads is full of reviews that say pretty much this exact thing, and I am a huge fan of this article by YA author Tessa Gratton about how much the series meant to her when she was growing up.
The book’s overall message is one of love and acceptance – that being gay does not make you a freak or a monster, that it is nothing to be ashamed of. And even if you have been treated as though there is something wrong with you, it will not always be so- there will be other people who will love you fiercely, protect you and support you. You will find your people. The most powerful and cathartic scene in the book to me is when Vanyel’s mentor Savil and his sister defend Vanyel from his father’s cruelty, toxic masculinity and homophobia:
“You come storming in here when we’ve maybe—maybe—got him stable, without so much as a ‘please’ or a ‘may I,’ you don’t even ask if he’s in any shape to put two words together in a sensible fashion! Oh, no, all you can do is scream that I’ve made him into a catamite when you sent him to be made into a man. A man!” She laughed, a harsh cawing sound that clawed its way up out of her throat. “My gods—what the hell did you think he was? Tell me, Withen, what kind of a man would send his son into strange hands just because the poor thing didn’t happen to fit his image of masculinity?”…
“What kind of a man would let a brutal bully break his son’s arm for no damned reason?” the girl snarled. “What kind of a man would drive his son into becoming an emotional eunuch because every damned time the boy looked for a little bit of paternal love he got slapped in the face? What kind of a man would take anyone’s word over his son’s with no cause to ever think the boy was a liar?” Lissa faced down her father as if he had become her enemy. “You tell me, Father! What right do you have to demand anything of him? What did you ever give him but scorn? When did you ever give him a single thing he really needed or wanted? When did you ever tell him he’d done well? When did you ever say you loved him?”…
What kind of a man would care more for his own reputation than his son’s life? And now I have one boy dead, and one a hair from dying, and all you care about is that somebody might think you weren’t manly enough to father manly sons! Oh, get out of here, get out of my sight—”
You can feel how important this is to Lackey in the writing, how desperately she wants to convey this message of love and protection to her readers. For this scene alone I am glad that I read Magic’s Pawn. There is also the matter of Savil’s concern over the relationship that starts between Vanyel and Tylendel – there is some good stuff in there about the dangers of codependency and how vulnerable young couple are especially susceptible to it. Finally, I think the other main message of the book is about Vanyel learning not to close off his heart because of the hurt and pain that he has gone through:
“Better, I thought, not to touch at all than to touch and bring hurt upon myself and others. Better to do nothing than to make a move and have it be the wrong one. But even deciding to not touch or to be nothing is a decision, Vanyel, and by deciding not to touch, so as to avoid hurt, I then hurt those who tried to touch me.”
Despite all of these incredibly positive things, I do have some reservations about this book. I think the standards we have for gay representation have evolved a lot since the time in which this book was written – through no fault of the book’s own, and the only reason we’ve been able to develop these standards is because of authors like Lackey paving the way with representation to begin with. HOWEVER, as a modern reader…the entire plot of the story is essentially about Vanyel trying to survive after the death of his beloved partner. I think you could make the argument that the decision to kill off Tylendel falls under the Bury Your Gays trope, defined as the exploitative overuse of gay character deaths in media. I also wasn’t super pleased with the portion of the story where the sad broken white boy gets shipped off to heal by learning from the heavily Native-American-coded characters. The problem is not so much that these characters exist in the story, but that they feel tokenized and exotified, and their entire purpose in the story revolves around using their mystical wisdom to fix the broken white character.
In addition, for a book that hinges so significantly upon the love story, I can’t say that I ever felt an intense amount of investment in the relationship between Vanyel and Tylendel – it’s not a very convincing love story, to me at least, because of the speed with which they fall in love and more or less just suddenly declare themselves soulmates. I think you could definitely argue, however, that this decision was a deliberate statement upon the codependent Young Love nature of the relationship. Finally, I have to mention utterly random inclusion of the pedophilic-rapist villain who comes out of nowhere at the 95% mark and tries to seduce Vanyel into turning to the Dark Side. What was that about?!
I’m still trying to decide to what extent this is a story about resilience and healing and to what extent it is kind of just misery porn. I’d be super interested in hearing how you all weigh in!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2021
I only realized at the very end of this that Valdemar is actually a gay club!! I was wondering why later in the story everyone just kept kissing this guy “full on the lips” after speaking only 2 words to him, and then I was like “ooooooh!! He’s in the club- Get it, Vanyel!!!” I don’t know why that wasn’t obvious to me earlier in the book, wow.
I appreciate that this tale was not MASC4MASC, but I do question the author’s choice to replace all the characters’ hearts with actual pudding cups.
If you like your coffee with 6 parts melodrama, 1 part horses, 1 part insta-love, and no actual coffee [with an umbrella garnish], this novel is 100% for you.
For added fun, do 40 push-ups for every time a character says “great good Gods!”. You will be fucking RIPPED when you’re finished with this bad boy.
On the real-real though, this was alright. Just not my jam. Or my pudding cup. But if you are into very soft and/or liquid foods, I imagine you would find this enjoyable.
I appreciate that this tale was not MASC4MASC, but I do question the author’s choice to replace all the characters’ hearts with actual pudding cups.
If you like your coffee with 6 parts melodrama, 1 part horses, 1 part insta-love, and no actual coffee [with an umbrella garnish], this novel is 100% for you.
For added fun, do 40 push-ups for every time a character says “great good Gods!”. You will be fucking RIPPED when you’re finished with this bad boy.
On the real-real though, this was alright. Just not my jam. Or my pudding cup. But if you are into very soft and/or liquid foods, I imagine you would find this enjoyable.
June 4, 2018
No! That blurb gets the book all wrong. What really happens is Vanyel is a young, somewhat vain, interested in music teenager at odds with his warrior father who sends him off to Savil because he doesn't know what else to do with him to make a REAL MAN of him. Vanyel reluctantly falls in love with a Herald in Training Tylendal who turns out to be his life bond soul mate. Then a tragedy strikes and THAT gives Vanyel his powers.
Dang. Who writes these things? Also Tylendal was a guy because Vanyel is a strong awesome gay hero. Books need more of these. The only thing is Mercedes Lackey puts poor Vanyel through hell. I just want to take him out of this book, give him a cup of tea and some cookies and a hug because he suffers so much!
I continue to love this book but I want to pull vanyel out and give him cake and cuddle him because he goes through hell.
Dang. Who writes these things? Also Tylendal was a guy because Vanyel is a strong awesome gay hero. Books need more of these. The only thing is Mercedes Lackey puts poor Vanyel through hell. I just want to take him out of this book, give him a cup of tea and some cookies and a hug because he suffers so much!
I continue to love this book but I want to pull vanyel out and give him cake and cuddle him because he goes through hell.
September 15, 2021
This was the first fantasy novel I ever read that had LGBTQ+ characters in it. Just two years before GoT came out. I was 14 and in the midst of knowing I liked boys and girls; but not really knowing if that was ‘allowed’. At that time bisexuality was mostly something that porn stars were and not normal, everyday people. I remember it being nice to read about a gay boy and feeling some normalization to same sex relationships.
Today this series may seem simple or too pandering for most; especially given the amazing LGBTQ+ fantasy readily available, but at the time of its publication it was a hidden gem.
My copy was bought at a store on Davies St in Vancouver off a single bookcase that had LGBTQ+ books on it. This was literally the only fantasy series in the tiny collection. I’m so thankful it’s no longer difficult to find stories like this.
Today this series may seem simple or too pandering for most; especially given the amazing LGBTQ+ fantasy readily available, but at the time of its publication it was a hidden gem.
My copy was bought at a store on Davies St in Vancouver off a single bookcase that had LGBTQ+ books on it. This was literally the only fantasy series in the tiny collection. I’m so thankful it’s no longer difficult to find stories like this.
June 1, 2020
Melodramatic, over-the-top, and as subtle as a brick to the skull, this is nevertheless an engrossing read. Vanyel's journey from a spoiled, effeminent musician-wannabee to a heart-broken, effeminent Herald-Mage is really engaging. Teenagers will especially find themselves drawn to this story. The one truly boring part is Vanyel's time spent healing with the elves (or whatever they're called--they're basically mystical Native Americans with equally mystical white hair and magical birds).
September 19, 2021
I obviously didn't read enough/any reviews before reading Magic's Pawn, because I didn't realise how heartbreaking it'd be. Vanyel is hard to love, but that's part of what makes him interesting; you just know he's got a fascinating developmental journey ahead of him. Meanwhile, the world of Valdemar continues to delight and will ever draw me in.
Trigger warnings:
The Plot
Whilst alluring, I don't think the blurb for this book accurately portrays what this book (as oppose to the series) is about. Vanyel is fifteen and the eldest son of a provincial Lord. He's unloved by everyone but his sister and mocked for his love of music and fine clothing, rather than whoring and martial combat. As a result, Vanyel turns into himself, determined never to rely on or care for others.
When Vanyel's father sends him to Haven, in a last ditch effort to make him into a 'man', Vanyel is put under the guardianship of his aunt, Herald-Mage Savil. Whilst most steer clear of the haughty young man, Savil's sixteen-year-old protégé, Tylendel, glimpses the sadness below the surface and determines to uncover the truth. What follows is the sweet, tragic tale of two boys who would do anything for one another, and might just be forced to.
The Characters
Vanyel is a complex character and a far cry from the usual hero of sword and sorcery. He's been so wounded by the emotional (and sometimes physical) trauma of his youth, that he's built walls around him a mile thick. He's clever and determined, but shows few people his true colours, preferring to feign swagger and confidence and keep people at arm's length. The result is that he drives away both enemies and potential friends, leaving him sad and vulnerable and alone, with little hope for the future and a bitter resentment of everyone and everything around him.
To say Vanyel's mental health and stability is poor would be an understatement–unusual for a hero, particularly at the time of writing (1989). At every turn, he's apt to self-destruct which, on top of exciting external events, makes for an interesting story. Many readers consider him whiny and pathetic, and, in some ways, I can see their point of view (I even felt it myself at times). I didn't love him, but I did think he made for an interesting character and I look forward to seeing how he'll grow and learn as the story progresses.
In stark comparison to Vanyel, Tylendel is hard not to love. He's kind and sweet, with a close and affectionate relationship to Savil. I can't help but wonder how things would have turned out for him had he never met Vanyel. I rather enjoy that I'll never know.
The World
I was first introduced to Valdemar when I read Foundation years ago. This series is set 100 years before that and stands on it's own two feet. The Collegium–the school for Heralds–has just been built and we're introduced again to Companions–the magical horses that Choose individuals who then become Heralds. All Heralds have some Mind Gifts–Mindspeech, Empathy, Fetching, etc–but here, in this day and age, some Heralds also possess Mage Gifts–purer magical gifts that, if left uncontrolled, reap havoc. It's a nice addition to a world I already loved. I find it easy to imagine and a comforting place to inhabit (though probably more so in Foundation than Magic's Pawn).
Story aside, I think Mercedes Lackey deserves kudos for writing a fantasy book (or a book at all) with a gay protagonist in 1989. LGBT+ characters are increasing common now, but were almost non-existent in fiction then. I found her commentary on toxic masculinity insightful, and appreciated her nuanced discussion about what makes a 'man' and a 'hero'.
My Recommendation
Whilst this isn't a hard book to read (I found I got through it at a good clip), it is quite emotionally-fraught which can take it's toll. I'd recommend it, but not widely and would give that warning. If you want an easier start to the Valdemar world, I would highly recommend Foundation. That's got more of an innocent, Harry Potter feel to it.
Personally, I'm keen to read the next in the Last Herald-Mage series, but want to take a break before doing so. I plan to continue on to read all of the books in the Valdemar world. If you're interested, you can find their publication order here, their chronological order here, and a large map here. In fact, the Valdemar Fandom is quite developed in general, if you're looking for more descriptions and trivia. You don't need it, but geeks like me may enjoy a perusal.
NB. Having now finished the Last Herald-Mage series, I can tell you that it’s one of the best epic fantasy series I’ve ever read and I’d recommend it widely. So if you’re unsure about whether to read this book, do; and if you’re unsure about whether to continue, because you weren’t sure about this one, do. If you need to be persuaded, read my review for the next book here.
"Pawn he is now–pawn he has been–" he said, his tone flat, his voice dropping half an octave. "Pawn to what he is and what he wills not to be. But will or no, the pawn is in play–and the play is a trial–"
Trigger warnings:
The Plot
Whilst alluring, I don't think the blurb for this book accurately portrays what this book (as oppose to the series) is about. Vanyel is fifteen and the eldest son of a provincial Lord. He's unloved by everyone but his sister and mocked for his love of music and fine clothing, rather than whoring and martial combat. As a result, Vanyel turns into himself, determined never to rely on or care for others.
'I'm going to be just as nasty as you are–but I'm going to do it with more style.'
When Vanyel's father sends him to Haven, in a last ditch effort to make him into a 'man', Vanyel is put under the guardianship of his aunt, Herald-Mage Savil. Whilst most steer clear of the haughty young man, Savil's sixteen-year-old protégé, Tylendel, glimpses the sadness below the surface and determines to uncover the truth. What follows is the sweet, tragic tale of two boys who would do anything for one another, and might just be forced to.
'Let no man be called coward for refusing the place for which he is not fit.'
The Characters
Vanyel is a complex character and a far cry from the usual hero of sword and sorcery. He's been so wounded by the emotional (and sometimes physical) trauma of his youth, that he's built walls around him a mile thick. He's clever and determined, but shows few people his true colours, preferring to feign swagger and confidence and keep people at arm's length. The result is that he drives away both enemies and potential friends, leaving him sad and vulnerable and alone, with little hope for the future and a bitter resentment of everyone and everything around him.
To say Vanyel's mental health and stability is poor would be an understatement–unusual for a hero, particularly at the time of writing (1989). At every turn, he's apt to self-destruct which, on top of exciting external events, makes for an interesting story. Many readers consider him whiny and pathetic, and, in some ways, I can see their point of view (I even felt it myself at times). I didn't love him, but I did think he made for an interesting character and I look forward to seeing how he'll grow and learn as the story progresses.
In stark comparison to Vanyel, Tylendel is hard not to love. He's kind and sweet, with a close and affectionate relationship to Savil. I can't help but wonder how things would have turned out for him had he never met Vanyel. I rather enjoy that I'll never know.
"He handed me the key himself, and he wanted me to have it."
The World
I was first introduced to Valdemar when I read Foundation years ago. This series is set 100 years before that and stands on it's own two feet. The Collegium–the school for Heralds–has just been built and we're introduced again to Companions–the magical horses that Choose individuals who then become Heralds. All Heralds have some Mind Gifts–Mindspeech, Empathy, Fetching, etc–but here, in this day and age, some Heralds also possess Mage Gifts–purer magical gifts that, if left uncontrolled, reap havoc. It's a nice addition to a world I already loved. I find it easy to imagine and a comforting place to inhabit (though probably more so in Foundation than Magic's Pawn).
Story aside, I think Mercedes Lackey deserves kudos for writing a fantasy book (or a book at all) with a gay protagonist in 1989. LGBT+ characters are increasing common now, but were almost non-existent in fiction then. I found her commentary on toxic masculinity insightful, and appreciated her nuanced discussion about what makes a 'man' and a 'hero'.
'The lecture about filial duty was bad enough–but the one about "proper masculine behaviour"–you'd have thought I'd been caught fornicating sheep! And all because I objected to having my bones broken. It's like I'm doing something wrong somewhere, but no one will tell me what it is and why it's wrong!'
My Recommendation
Whilst this isn't a hard book to read (I found I got through it at a good clip), it is quite emotionally-fraught which can take it's toll. I'd recommend it, but not widely and would give that warning. If you want an easier start to the Valdemar world, I would highly recommend Foundation. That's got more of an innocent, Harry Potter feel to it.
Personally, I'm keen to read the next in the Last Herald-Mage series, but want to take a break before doing so. I plan to continue on to read all of the books in the Valdemar world. If you're interested, you can find their publication order here, their chronological order here, and a large map here. In fact, the Valdemar Fandom is quite developed in general, if you're looking for more descriptions and trivia. You don't need it, but geeks like me may enjoy a perusal.
NB. Having now finished the Last Herald-Mage series, I can tell you that it’s one of the best epic fantasy series I’ve ever read and I’d recommend it widely. So if you’re unsure about whether to read this book, do; and if you’re unsure about whether to continue, because you weren’t sure about this one, do. If you need to be persuaded, read my review for the next book here.
April 22, 2008
Vanyel, only fifteen, is the oldest son and therefore heir to a Holding. His mother is seemingly weak-willed and obsessed with her vapours, while his father is such a Man that he needs must push Vanyel into Manly pursuits as well, which includes letting the incompetent and ignorant Armsmaster beat the crap out of him. Vanyel is more interested in music. He's also self-absorbed, introspective, selfish, arrogant, a bit petulant - in other words, young and spoilt, as well as very handsome. His father, Withen, decides to pack him off to his sister Savil, a Herald-Mage who lives in the capital, training young apprentices.
Vanyel's one meeting with his aunt Savil years ago didn't impress either of them, and being sent off into exile doesn't improve his manners. He hasn't shown any Gift, any ability in Mage powers or creativity, not even in music, which shatters his only dream: to be a Bard. Savil isn't like her brother, though, and with her favourite protege, Tylendel, keeps an eye on him to see if he really is an arrogant little shit, or if he's hurting inside and needs help.
His attraction to Tylendel only makes him hate himself more, and fear the older boy's reaction should he find out - even though Vanyel knows Tylendel is shay'a'chern - gay. When the two do finally take the plunge, they fall in love, and become lifebonded. When Tylendel's twin brother is murdered, though, his pain and grief sets him on a dangerous path of revenge and retribution, drawing Vanyel along with him, with tragic consequences.
What starts out as a fairly conventional, formulaic fantasy doesn't stay that way long. While the land of Valdemar may be fairly typical in fantasy fiction in terms of its culture, attitudes, prejudices, sophistication and class structure (i.e. boringly medieval-to-middle ages), it's not entirely patriarchal or old-fashioned. Contrary to what I would expect from a fantasy world that's been revisited so many times, it is not detailed or richly described: you get mostly only a cursory glance at the landscape, which is where falling back on fantasy stereotypes of a medieval-English setting comes in handy. This would normally have alienated, disappointed and bored the hell out of me, but for the characters and the story itself.
Although Lackey overuses italics - this when the story is narrated from Vanyel's point-of-view, to show his nature, but it wears thin pretty quickly - the prose is smooth and quite fast-paced. I much prefer these - I shall call them bildungsromen-style fantasy stories, compared to the Quest-motivated ones. I like stories where the characters are mostly stationary, where you get to watch them live, grow, mature, develop, learn through studies and interactions with others and, yes, adventures, but not quests. Quests get very boring, but it's more than that. There's something enjoyable about the low-key, homely, comfortable "static" fantasy story - most of the Harry Potter books are like this, especially The Order of the Phoenix, which a lot of people found boring but I really enjoyed - it's quite possibly my favourite even. It has precisely this quality, where you really get to know the characters, and you get to indulge in political scheming, feuds, that kind of thing. Magic's Pawn is one of those bildungsromen-type fantasies, but it's still a very busy book, and when adventure happens it certainly doesn't dither.
I did feel a bit like I'd walked in on a group of role-players and a game that's new but familiar: I had no trouble following the story or understanding the world, but because I haven't read any other books set in this world, there's a lot that isn't explained and plenty that you would expect would be dramatised but isn't - like the Companions (intelligent, magical horses) finding their Chosen (new Herald-Mages) - and the difference between a Herald and a Mage, or why some are both, is unclear. Also, what the Hawkbrothers do went mostly over my head; I really didn't understand that part of it.
Vanyel's story, though, was clear and passionately told. Despite his flaws - and he really is a self-indulgent, vain little shit most of the time - you still come to care for him and cheer him on. And I was proud of him, in the village scene at the end. I certainly want to read the next two, Magic's Promise and Magic's Price, to find out what happens with him.
Vanyel's one meeting with his aunt Savil years ago didn't impress either of them, and being sent off into exile doesn't improve his manners. He hasn't shown any Gift, any ability in Mage powers or creativity, not even in music, which shatters his only dream: to be a Bard. Savil isn't like her brother, though, and with her favourite protege, Tylendel, keeps an eye on him to see if he really is an arrogant little shit, or if he's hurting inside and needs help.
His attraction to Tylendel only makes him hate himself more, and fear the older boy's reaction should he find out - even though Vanyel knows Tylendel is shay'a'chern - gay. When the two do finally take the plunge, they fall in love, and become lifebonded. When Tylendel's twin brother is murdered, though, his pain and grief sets him on a dangerous path of revenge and retribution, drawing Vanyel along with him, with tragic consequences.
What starts out as a fairly conventional, formulaic fantasy doesn't stay that way long. While the land of Valdemar may be fairly typical in fantasy fiction in terms of its culture, attitudes, prejudices, sophistication and class structure (i.e. boringly medieval-to-middle ages), it's not entirely patriarchal or old-fashioned. Contrary to what I would expect from a fantasy world that's been revisited so many times, it is not detailed or richly described: you get mostly only a cursory glance at the landscape, which is where falling back on fantasy stereotypes of a medieval-English setting comes in handy. This would normally have alienated, disappointed and bored the hell out of me, but for the characters and the story itself.
Although Lackey overuses italics - this when the story is narrated from Vanyel's point-of-view, to show his nature, but it wears thin pretty quickly - the prose is smooth and quite fast-paced. I much prefer these - I shall call them bildungsromen-style fantasy stories, compared to the Quest-motivated ones. I like stories where the characters are mostly stationary, where you get to watch them live, grow, mature, develop, learn through studies and interactions with others and, yes, adventures, but not quests. Quests get very boring, but it's more than that. There's something enjoyable about the low-key, homely, comfortable "static" fantasy story - most of the Harry Potter books are like this, especially The Order of the Phoenix, which a lot of people found boring but I really enjoyed - it's quite possibly my favourite even. It has precisely this quality, where you really get to know the characters, and you get to indulge in political scheming, feuds, that kind of thing. Magic's Pawn is one of those bildungsromen-type fantasies, but it's still a very busy book, and when adventure happens it certainly doesn't dither.
I did feel a bit like I'd walked in on a group of role-players and a game that's new but familiar: I had no trouble following the story or understanding the world, but because I haven't read any other books set in this world, there's a lot that isn't explained and plenty that you would expect would be dramatised but isn't - like the Companions (intelligent, magical horses) finding their Chosen (new Herald-Mages) - and the difference between a Herald and a Mage, or why some are both, is unclear. Also, what the Hawkbrothers do went mostly over my head; I really didn't understand that part of it.
Vanyel's story, though, was clear and passionately told. Despite his flaws - and he really is a self-indulgent, vain little shit most of the time - you still come to care for him and cheer him on. And I was proud of him, in the village scene at the end. I certainly want to read the next two, Magic's Promise and Magic's Price, to find out what happens with him.
June 2, 2022
I simply adored this book and I didn't want it to come to an end. It was just getting good when it ended abruptly.
I have wanted to read Mercedes Lackey Valdemar books for a while now. I have the Arrow trilogy and I was going to start there and then decided to start here. Brian Lee Durfey in one of his reviews was talking about fan reactions to Mercedes Lackey and this trilogy. So, it moved it up my list ahead of Arrow.
From what I can gather, this is the first ever fantasy story with a queer protagonist. Our protagonist is young and this is YA so there is a whole lot of whining and overly dramatic stuff with the character. It seems that goes with the territory when one is coming out in a harsh climate.
The book was published in 1989 back in the dark days of all this stuff. This would have been a real light in the darkness for many people. I only recently heard about it and so I wish I had know about it back then.
There is so much that Mercedes handles well. I love how she describes the denial and freezing on the inside to pretend something isn't really there. It's just right on. She uses fantasy to explain the whole coming out process back then and it works brilliantly.
I loved Vanyel and Tylendal. They were a great pair.
Let me tell you, Mercedes lets you know that no one is safe. She is ruthless with her plot twists and willing to smash your heart into very tiny pieces.
This book was what I needed at the moment and so I need to get the rest of the trilogy. I want to know more of what happens to all our cast of characters. I'm intrigued and I thought the fantasy was well done too.
I did think that the whole 'companions' thing was explored enough. We get these cool animal companions and we don't really do a whole lot with them. Glowing horses is pretty cool.
A great story for Pride month, if you aren't afraid of teen angst.
I have wanted to read Mercedes Lackey Valdemar books for a while now. I have the Arrow trilogy and I was going to start there and then decided to start here. Brian Lee Durfey in one of his reviews was talking about fan reactions to Mercedes Lackey and this trilogy. So, it moved it up my list ahead of Arrow.
From what I can gather, this is the first ever fantasy story with a queer protagonist. Our protagonist is young and this is YA so there is a whole lot of whining and overly dramatic stuff with the character. It seems that goes with the territory when one is coming out in a harsh climate.
The book was published in 1989 back in the dark days of all this stuff. This would have been a real light in the darkness for many people. I only recently heard about it and so I wish I had know about it back then.
There is so much that Mercedes handles well. I love how she describes the denial and freezing on the inside to pretend something isn't really there. It's just right on. She uses fantasy to explain the whole coming out process back then and it works brilliantly.
I loved Vanyel and Tylendal. They were a great pair.
Let me tell you, Mercedes lets you know that no one is safe. She is ruthless with her plot twists and willing to smash your heart into very tiny pieces.
This book was what I needed at the moment and so I need to get the rest of the trilogy. I want to know more of what happens to all our cast of characters. I'm intrigued and I thought the fantasy was well done too.
I did think that the whole 'companions' thing was explored enough. We get these cool animal companions and we don't really do a whole lot with them. Glowing horses is pretty cool.
A great story for Pride month, if you aren't afraid of teen angst.
November 26, 2013
This is the first Mercedes Lackey book I have read.
First of all, this review might have been pushed up a notch if I could have had an ebook version and stripped it of all italics ever. As it was, my eyes were bleeding from being stabbed repeatedly by little slanted daggers. For emphasis.
The story is standard fanfic fare - super emo kid is hated by everyone, is sent off to "become a man" by his evil dad, falls madly in love with the Most! Beautiful! Guy! EVA! after 3 seconds, is bonded for life because of twu-wuv, shitty things happen, and he discovers he is super-amazing AKSHULLY....
I could have almost lived with this, because I am also a not-so-secret emo-jelly-baby, and my Achilles Heel is hurt/comfort and magical life-bonds and all the associated wangst.
But guh. No. I just had too many issues with the writing and even I can only take so much La! We are beautiful, and now we are in love! OH NO WOE IS ME!
(And it's getting two stars because even though I eye-rolled my way through the whole damn thing, I kinda want to read the next one. Oh god someone kill me now, for I have no shame.)
First of all, this review might have been pushed up a notch if I could have had an ebook version and stripped it of all italics ever. As it was, my eyes were bleeding from being stabbed repeatedly by little slanted daggers. For emphasis.
The story is standard fanfic fare - super emo kid is hated by everyone, is sent off to "become a man" by his evil dad, falls madly in love with the Most! Beautiful! Guy! EVA! after 3 seconds, is bonded for life because of twu-wuv, shitty things happen, and he discovers he is super-amazing AKSHULLY....
I could have almost lived with this, because I am also a not-so-secret emo-jelly-baby, and my Achilles Heel is hurt/comfort and magical life-bonds and all the associated wangst.
But guh. No. I just had too many issues with the writing and even I can only take so much La! We are beautiful, and now we are in love! OH NO WOE IS ME!
(And it's getting two stars because even though I eye-rolled my way through the whole damn thing, I kinda want to read the next one. Oh god someone kill me now, for I have no shame.)
February 16, 2017
Oh, what a validating novel this would be for a child who had no sports talent, but was being forced to participate anyway! Every boy convinced by his father to set aside his violin or book in order to fail dismally at baseball or hockey would be able to relate to Vanyel. Music is everything to Vanyel with academics running a close second, but his father only wants him to become a brutal swordsman.
Others who may relate: those who excelled in their own small pond (small town or small school), but find themselves out-shone by talented peers when they arrived at university. Vanyel is considered smart and musically talented at home, but once he is sent to his Aunt Savil at the school for Herald-Mages, his talents fall short of the mark.
Also a book for a youngster (in the 1980s) struggling with his/her sexual orientation. The good thing that comes out of this new situation is that Vanyel realizes that he is interested in boys—that’s why bedding girls at home was never alluring to him. And although some people are prejudiced against him for his orientation, the author makes it clear that they are “provincial” and not to be listened to. I was pleasantly surprised to find this viewpoint expressed so unequivocally in literature from the 1980s.
Like most teenagers, Vanyel is very self-centered. It goes with the territory, but it does make the kid hard to like (at least for a woman in her 50s). However, it was also disappointing that the instructors at the mage school made so little effort to see behind the arrogant pose that Vanyel used to protect himself. The situation improves as the book progresses, with Aunt Savil realizing that there is a great deal more to her nephew that she had previously realized and that maybe her brother was even thicker than she had thought. This is also a pretty standard plot device—I think of Simon in The Dragonbone Chair, who also starts as a self-involved teen (with fewer talents than Vanyel), but eventually becomes a person of character.
I had to wonder at the addition of the horse-like Companions—in order to become a Herald-Mage, one must be “chosen” by one of these superior, magical beings, who reminded me very much of the Houyhnhnms from Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels. Maybe in the next book, I will figure out why the Companions are necessary to this world.
Book 244 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project.
Others who may relate: those who excelled in their own small pond (small town or small school), but find themselves out-shone by talented peers when they arrived at university. Vanyel is considered smart and musically talented at home, but once he is sent to his Aunt Savil at the school for Herald-Mages, his talents fall short of the mark.
Also a book for a youngster (in the 1980s) struggling with his/her sexual orientation. The good thing that comes out of this new situation is that Vanyel realizes that he is interested in boys—that’s why bedding girls at home was never alluring to him. And although some people are prejudiced against him for his orientation, the author makes it clear that they are “provincial” and not to be listened to. I was pleasantly surprised to find this viewpoint expressed so unequivocally in literature from the 1980s.
Like most teenagers, Vanyel is very self-centered. It goes with the territory, but it does make the kid hard to like (at least for a woman in her 50s). However, it was also disappointing that the instructors at the mage school made so little effort to see behind the arrogant pose that Vanyel used to protect himself. The situation improves as the book progresses, with Aunt Savil realizing that there is a great deal more to her nephew that she had previously realized and that maybe her brother was even thicker than she had thought. This is also a pretty standard plot device—I think of Simon in The Dragonbone Chair, who also starts as a self-involved teen (with fewer talents than Vanyel), but eventually becomes a person of character.
I had to wonder at the addition of the horse-like Companions—in order to become a Herald-Mage, one must be “chosen” by one of these superior, magical beings, who reminded me very much of the Houyhnhnms from Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels. Maybe in the next book, I will figure out why the Companions are necessary to this world.
Book 244 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project.
June 5, 2018
Huh. I didn't read the blurb when I shelved this because I read it years before goodreads, but after reading Spider's review I notice that yes, the blurb is quite misleading. The main character is not sent to his aunt to get his magic powers trained. He doesn't have magic powers until SPOILER way later in the story. He is sent away from home because his father doesn't like that he is interested in music and clothes and books rather than sword fighting and knocking up the maids like a man should be. From his sorceress aunt's point of view he is just a minor annoyance.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
September 3, 2021
Well I just really enjoyed this. I think I was needing an emotional and affirming story, and there is much of both to be had here.
Structurally, Magic's Pawn reminded me a bit of the The Sword of Kaigen, in that there were a few different peaks and denouments, rather than one major event around which the tale revolves.
The characters were so lovely and hard to resist, plus, telepathic magical horses. Enough said :)
This I think I have learned: where there is love, the form does not matter, and the gods are pleased. This I have observed: what occurs in nature, comes by the hand of nature, and if the gods did not approve, it would not be there.
Structurally, Magic's Pawn reminded me a bit of the The Sword of Kaigen, in that there were a few different peaks and denouments, rather than one major event around which the tale revolves.
The characters were so lovely and hard to resist, plus, telepathic magical horses. Enough said :)
This I think I have learned: where there is love, the form does not matter, and the gods are pleased. This I have observed: what occurs in nature, comes by the hand of nature, and if the gods did not approve, it would not be there.
October 22, 2021
This was a fabulous old School fantasy and I will definitely be continuing the series. This is my first Mercedes Lackey and to my mind she’s on a par with Robin Hobb and Juliet Marillier. I loved the Companions, which I believe are a type of magical horse who bond for life with the Mage they choose. Vanyel, a young would- be bard has no magic until an accident infuses his body and ignites his Mage potential. This is a journey of self discovery and self determination, learning not to be codependent on a partner, bereavement, grief and learning to trust and accept help. Great read!
September 10, 2017
An emotionally destructive book. It started out so typically YA and then was like "surprise! Not a YA, this is open heart surgery. BTW we just ran out of anesthesia. Strap in!"
CONTENT WARNING:
Things to love:
-Van and Lendel. They are a great young couple who work to bolster each other. It's wonderful to see relationships built on mutual respect and affection, when so often in books it seems there's a skewed dynamic.
-Savil. She's tough and blunt but doing her best. She's wonderfully flawed but the currents of her love run deep.
-K'Tevra & Companions. A lot of this is standard fantasy, but the bonding of magic creatures to their mages, and the setting of k'Tevra were lovely. Great elements to distinguish the "castle and tower" type novels.
-The story. Usually there's a formula to these stories. This one breaks the formula and dives head long into sadness that usually only occurs once in a hero's story. We're led to believe that the characters are not to be strangers to heartache, and their struggles to remain sane are as tangible a threat as the bad guys casting magic. It's worth noting that Mercedes does an excellent job following us down with her tragedies. If you want to see what non-exploitative trauma looks like, this is a perfect example.
Things that made it hard to immerse:
-The narrative choices. The long internal monologues in italics, the overuse of em dashes and stress words, and the way Mindspeech was denoted made some of the reading difficult to follow. Also there could have been more clarity as to who was speaking when as there were some complex sentences with very few proper names.
-The first 20%. Reads like a super whiny YA for the first few chapters. Keep going. It gets way better.
-The pacing. I think we could have slowed a few things down and added a bit more meat. It was devastating as is, and communicated the important things, but the world is rich, and several big reveals were done via exposition after it had happened. I think it would have been much more powerful if we understood beforehand what was happening and why it would be a big deal.
Such a terribly sad book, but it was refreshing to have gay protagonists (and more than just one!!), strong women, loving relationships, and an author unafraid to explore human sorrow. I will definitely be continuing the series and recommend it highly, as long as you're okay with a good cry.
CONTENT WARNING:
Things to love:
-Van and Lendel. They are a great young couple who work to bolster each other. It's wonderful to see relationships built on mutual respect and affection, when so often in books it seems there's a skewed dynamic.
-Savil. She's tough and blunt but doing her best. She's wonderfully flawed but the currents of her love run deep.
-K'Tevra & Companions. A lot of this is standard fantasy, but the bonding of magic creatures to their mages, and the setting of k'Tevra were lovely. Great elements to distinguish the "castle and tower" type novels.
-The story. Usually there's a formula to these stories. This one breaks the formula and dives head long into sadness that usually only occurs once in a hero's story. We're led to believe that the characters are not to be strangers to heartache, and their struggles to remain sane are as tangible a threat as the bad guys casting magic. It's worth noting that Mercedes does an excellent job following us down with her tragedies. If you want to see what non-exploitative trauma looks like, this is a perfect example.
Things that made it hard to immerse:
-The narrative choices. The long internal monologues in italics, the overuse of em dashes and stress words, and the way Mindspeech was denoted made some of the reading difficult to follow. Also there could have been more clarity as to who was speaking when as there were some complex sentences with very few proper names.
-The first 20%. Reads like a super whiny YA for the first few chapters. Keep going. It gets way better.
-The pacing. I think we could have slowed a few things down and added a bit more meat. It was devastating as is, and communicated the important things, but the world is rich, and several big reveals were done via exposition after it had happened. I think it would have been much more powerful if we understood beforehand what was happening and why it would be a big deal.
Such a terribly sad book, but it was refreshing to have gay protagonists (and more than just one!!), strong women, loving relationships, and an author unafraid to explore human sorrow. I will definitely be continuing the series and recommend it highly, as long as you're okay with a good cry.
August 16, 2009
It was one of the worst books I've ever read. I read it because many people told me it was great, but, really, it was pure masochism. That level of stupid angst is almost unbearable. The worst things happen to the main hero and he's totally emo all the time. Oh, and tries to kill himself all the time. I was hoping for some light reading; instead, I ended up with a book that made me want to bang my head into the nearest wall because of it's sheer stupidity.
May 25, 2019
3.5 stars
Well, I was all ready to go with this one, geared up to finally get to this trilogy which has been on my Kindle for the last three years, actually looking forward to one of these - and then my friends "helpfully" reminded me of how the trilogy ends. Granted, there was a very brief detailing of Vanyel's legend in the Arrows of the Queen trilogy, very early on, but I had managed to forget it completely by this point. Being reminded - accidentally, granted - right as I was starting this book kind of soured me on the whole trilogy, but I did my best to power through that and read the book on its own merits.
It was actually pretty good. There were some rough patches. Lackey still doesn't know how to write romance and/or a convincing love story at all. The whole lifebond nonsense is so lazy and lacks any kind of investment by the reader to care about the characters in those pairings. Still, this was significantly improved over Talia and whatshisname from the Arrows of the Queen trilogy since we actually get to spend time with the couple and see them be couple-y. And I did care about Vanyel and Tylendel, even if I wasn't really feeling their uber special epic love. Vanyel is an interesting POV character since he's quite different from Talia and the horrid duo Tarma and Kethry. There are some similarities to Talia, in that they're both characters who have learned not to rely on others and who bottle things up, but they do so in different ways and for different reasons.
Clearly, since this was written in the late 80s/early 90s, Lackey was dealing with a much different social reality than we have today, so some of the stuff with Vanyel and Tylendel reads as "The More You Know" for queer characters, but I could generally role with it. I was worried that Lackey would be setting things up only to not deal with them until the last book again, but she didn't do that here.
There were some drama llamas, which included the very unfortunate trope of
I'm starting to understand the magic system here better, and it was interesting to see how magic works in Valdemar back in the days when they still had full-on magic and not just mind magic. The writing could still be better. The characters still feel like they're playing second fiddle to the world and still talking in exposition, but I'm getting used to it.
Well, I was all ready to go with this one, geared up to finally get to this trilogy which has been on my Kindle for the last three years, actually looking forward to one of these - and then my friends "helpfully" reminded me of how the trilogy ends. Granted, there was a very brief detailing of Vanyel's legend in the Arrows of the Queen trilogy, very early on, but I had managed to forget it completely by this point. Being reminded - accidentally, granted - right as I was starting this book kind of soured me on the whole trilogy, but I did my best to power through that and read the book on its own merits.
It was actually pretty good. There were some rough patches. Lackey still doesn't know how to write romance and/or a convincing love story at all. The whole lifebond nonsense is so lazy and lacks any kind of investment by the reader to care about the characters in those pairings. Still, this was significantly improved over Talia and whatshisname from the Arrows of the Queen trilogy since we actually get to spend time with the couple and see them be couple-y. And I did care about Vanyel and Tylendel, even if I wasn't really feeling their uber special epic love. Vanyel is an interesting POV character since he's quite different from Talia and the horrid duo Tarma and Kethry. There are some similarities to Talia, in that they're both characters who have learned not to rely on others and who bottle things up, but they do so in different ways and for different reasons.
Clearly, since this was written in the late 80s/early 90s, Lackey was dealing with a much different social reality than we have today, so some of the stuff with Vanyel and Tylendel reads as "The More You Know" for queer characters, but I could generally role with it. I was worried that Lackey would be setting things up only to not deal with them until the last book again, but she didn't do that here.
There were some drama llamas, which included the very unfortunate trope of
I'm starting to understand the magic system here better, and it was interesting to see how magic works in Valdemar back in the days when they still had full-on magic and not just mind magic. The writing could still be better. The characters still feel like they're playing second fiddle to the world and still talking in exposition, but I'm getting used to it.
February 26, 2016
Magic’s Pawn is absolutely brilliant! It took me about 100 to 150 pages to finally get into it, (when Vanyel finally meets his aunt Savil and her Herald trainee Tylendel, (too dangerously close to the OTC Tylenol)), but once I did I couldn’t let go. Mercedes Lackey had me smiling as I read, falling in love, crying my eyes out, and joyously cheering Vanyel on. It’s one of the best emotional roller coasters I’ve read.
I’ve only read her work The Obsidian Trilogy, which I loved and there are just as many big differences between the two as there are similarities. When she talks about Vanyel’s home, family, and upbringing, it reminded me of Kellen Tavadon. Primarily when it comes to magic and its practitioners, you can always tell when it’s Mercedes Lackey’s great handiwork. Her magic can be just as destructive as it is romantic. Also, like Kellen had his magical friend the unicorn Shalkan, the Herald-Mages of Valdemar have horses that choose them as Companions.
I was really looking forward to reading a great and adventurous fantasy adventure with a gay character, (the bonus would be if it had romance too.) There are so very few of them which are one of the things that makes this trilogy a jewel. Magic’s Pawn definitely delivers. The main character Vanyel is so vain in his obvious good looks, but like just about every son he tries so hard to please his father. In the end all his efforts gets him nothing but beat down. It’s no wonder he decides that whatever he does, he’ll never be good enough, so why even try.
Vanyel will go through so many trials of being shay’a’chern. He’ll try to hide his non-masculine behavior, he’ll find and loose his ashke, (beloved), he’ll know pain, lose, and despair as only I believe a shay’a’chern can know them. It will be him literally dying that will force him to choose to give in to its darkness or to become so much more and stronger and chose to continue to live on.
(There are other coming-of-age issues addressed in this fantastic novel, which are obvious to members of the openly gay community. Because face it, not everyone was supported when they were a closeted gay teen. Mercedes’s book is entertaining, easy to relate to, and an overall great read. I would highly recommend that parents read this book along with their maturing adolescent readers, even if their son or daughter isn’t gay there are similarities that heterosexual adolescents can relate to. Along with responsible parenting, there is so much tragedy in the world today that can be prevented with this great book.)
This is a trilogy that I’m looking forward to revisiting again and again. It’s a true gem and a must have for any fantasy reader’s permanent library.
I’ve only read her work The Obsidian Trilogy, which I loved and there are just as many big differences between the two as there are similarities. When she talks about Vanyel’s home, family, and upbringing, it reminded me of Kellen Tavadon. Primarily when it comes to magic and its practitioners, you can always tell when it’s Mercedes Lackey’s great handiwork. Her magic can be just as destructive as it is romantic. Also, like Kellen had his magical friend the unicorn Shalkan, the Herald-Mages of Valdemar have horses that choose them as Companions.
I was really looking forward to reading a great and adventurous fantasy adventure with a gay character, (the bonus would be if it had romance too.) There are so very few of them which are one of the things that makes this trilogy a jewel. Magic’s Pawn definitely delivers. The main character Vanyel is so vain in his obvious good looks, but like just about every son he tries so hard to please his father. In the end all his efforts gets him nothing but beat down. It’s no wonder he decides that whatever he does, he’ll never be good enough, so why even try.
Vanyel will go through so many trials of being shay’a’chern. He’ll try to hide his non-masculine behavior, he’ll find and loose his ashke, (beloved), he’ll know pain, lose, and despair as only I believe a shay’a’chern can know them. It will be him literally dying that will force him to choose to give in to its darkness or to become so much more and stronger and chose to continue to live on.
(There are other coming-of-age issues addressed in this fantastic novel, which are obvious to members of the openly gay community. Because face it, not everyone was supported when they were a closeted gay teen. Mercedes’s book is entertaining, easy to relate to, and an overall great read. I would highly recommend that parents read this book along with their maturing adolescent readers, even if their son or daughter isn’t gay there are similarities that heterosexual adolescents can relate to. Along with responsible parenting, there is so much tragedy in the world today that can be prevented with this great book.)
This is a trilogy that I’m looking forward to revisiting again and again. It’s a true gem and a must have for any fantasy reader’s permanent library.
September 10, 2021
I somehow managed to miss reading any of Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar stories when they were originally published. When GR friend Jeff mentioned this series was important to him, this was the impetus I needed to check this book out.
Vanyel is abused by his father and his father’s sword master, and after a particularly bad beating by the swordmaster, Vanyel is sent to his aunt Savil for training. She’s a mage, and instructor at a school, and though Vanyel shows no magical ability, she offers him a place at the training facility, as well as some guidance from a sympathetic relation.
Vanyel also meets and falls in love with a fellow and senior student, Tylendel. Bad stuff happens to the pair, due to a bad mage, and Vanyel grows up in a hurry, while dealing with incredible grief.
There’s some lovely, sensitive writing as Vanyel slowly opens up and begins trusting others. The world fascinated me, particularly the Companions, the telepathic, horse-like beings, so I’m going to read more in this series.
Vanyel is abused by his father and his father’s sword master, and after a particularly bad beating by the swordmaster, Vanyel is sent to his aunt Savil for training. She’s a mage, and instructor at a school, and though Vanyel shows no magical ability, she offers him a place at the training facility, as well as some guidance from a sympathetic relation.
Vanyel also meets and falls in love with a fellow and senior student, Tylendel. Bad stuff happens to the pair, due to a bad mage, and Vanyel grows up in a hurry, while dealing with incredible grief.
There’s some lovely, sensitive writing as Vanyel slowly opens up and begins trusting others. The world fascinated me, particularly the Companions, the telepathic, horse-like beings, so I’m going to read more in this series.
December 11, 2022
This was published in the 80s and I wish I had known about it as a closeted teen. These unabashedly gay characters would've meant the world to me then, and the book has important things to say about gayness that I really needed to hear. Even today it moved me. It's not a perfect book but I enjoyed it from start to finish and I'm eager to continue the trilogy.
December 9, 2018
Final Rating: 4.25/5
Final Rating for the whole series: 4.25/5
This book should be illegal. Call the police, because it just killed all of my feelings and did more than that - it crushed my soul, thanks a lot Mercedes Lackey!
It's filled with 85% pain and suffering, but those 15% of happiness bring me to life. It's been a roller coaster of emotions and I've been dying to read on and on and I just kept on reading while it killed me inside.
That's how big of a roller coaster it was. It started with down then up then down then down then up then down again and finally up again (it's HOPE!)
As all of you who are familiar are aware of my reviews, I love dark and heavy books, but this one was super heavy.
Let's talk about the most super awesome horrifying trigger that is actually the most (sadly) common trigger - suicidal thinking and all that comes with all suicide warnings, you've got it here.
We are dealing with depression, HEAVY EMOTIONAL DEPRESSION born from 16 years of heavy emotional abuse,, in which our beloved wonderful main character ended up with: 1) low self-worth and self-esteem [yet he managed to keep his arrogant facade keeping while he was dying inside], 2) suicidal thoughts, 3) having dreams crushed regularly, 4) doesn't quite understand love, 5) is codependent, 6) is just a teenager of sixteen who has been crushed so low that it's been a wonder he had been able to get up again and again until his hope was crushed again. Rinse and repeat. I wonder if Mercedes Lackey actually hated Van when she wrote him, I wonder.
Or: A very disastrous series of unfortunate events in the just discovered freedom of (very gay) and traumatized Vanyel Ashekvron, aka the biggest cutie you have ever met until he depresses you again with his feelings.
You have been warned.
While we are at feelings, Mercedes didn't really have to give me THAT MUCH FEELINGS FOR VANYEL BECAUSE ALL I WANTED TO DO IS HUG HIM FFS AND TELL HIM IT WILL GET BETTER, but i'm not really sure, cause he's pretty much the doom magnet.
►Vanyel Ashkevron comes from a very prestige family. And he's the heir - except he doesn't want to be one and would rather be a Bard and go away. Except his father (the ultimate douchebag) has other plans: to mold him into something he is not. But the worst is the fact that he's been going through such severe emotional abuse by his father (and physical by Jervis, the weapons-master). His only support - the only one who actually cares for him (Lissa) is suddenly taken away and he's left alone completely. His mother is nothing better than his father, and his siblings envy him and despise him at the same time, so nothing is ever good in Ashkevron household.
Until it gets too far and Van is sent to his Aunt Savil to learn his manners, to get rid of his music and to finally act like an heir he should be (or be sent away to an even worse place). And Van, dear poor haunted Van, acts in the first act of unexpected defiance by putting on a mask and goes out from the household with a bang.
Except his mask ends up taking it's permanent presence once in his Aunt's domain and it's very hard to break him out of it. And his nightmares, his very vivid nightmares, make things even worse.
► Savil, aka the Aunt and the Herald Mage is very prestigious mentor and caretaker of three people, most notably Tylendel, her personal Herald Mage apprentice. At first, neither of them are sure what to think of the very closed nephew that was sent to them, except there was one thing Savil had known: she ripped apart the letter sent to her by her brother, because she didn't want prejudices in her head about the boy whose mask was so carefully put that even she almost fell to his acting. But then again, both her and Tylendel (her very tallented son like apprentice) soon discover, weeks later, that he's a ticking bomb waiting to explode under all the quiet and arrogance and seriousness. And the first one to realize that was Tylendel.
And then, series of events bring Tylendel and Van closer, with Savil's approval, until a series of events string a series of tragedies.
►Vanyel, like i said above, is in constant emotional turmoil of ups and downs. In a while his moral compass gets so emotionally screwed that he gets the short end of the stick for everything. While he, who had never known true love, finally finds out what love is, his sense of love ends up twisted and turns into codependency. But that's something that he has to learn for himself.
► Tylendel was a blessing to read about, being true to himself, being caring, sympathetic and more than willing to give a chance to someone who has never known love before. He, as well, loves with all his heart. But a large part of the love is reserved for his twin brother, with whom he shares the Gift-bond of empathy and therefore they can always find a comfort in each others thoughts. There is also his animal companion Gala (the horse) who is as ridiculous as she is amazing.
► Savil is the best blessing out of three, because she is such a wonderfully written female character, that radiates justice, power and competence, while also being kind, caring, and very very supportive. At first, she is distrustful of Van and is having hard time cracking what he is thinking, but when she realizes everything, it makes her the most wonderful person, as she is trying her very best to do what is right, and will do everything in her power to help.
***
There are many, many of characters, but i WOULD write passages and passages so i focused on main trio for now.
Except i forget a very important character: Yfandes is the best of them all, and no one can convince me otherwise. She is the most awesome, wonderful, asjkdaskldasldasjldkajsdlk beautiful, amazing, supportive and FANTASTIC characters and she's worth EVERY SECOND PUT INTO READING THIS BOOK.
What I really loved was the fact that they breached the subject of masculinity and of gender normatives.
I appreciated the romance, it was well done and done with time and it was not plunged into that usual trope of "i fell in love with you first day and we must be together", it actually took around a month for them to get together and I loved every part of it.
I had to give it 0.5 stars less because I was sometimes confused with world building, so I hope the next two books will clear it up.
It was heavy, draining emotional journey as well, but it's been very invested into side characters and their emotions, so you get to feel the pain while you are reading their perspective! Yay!
Have fun suffering.
⚠ TYPE OF SERIES: series
⚠ Point of View:third pov, multiply people
⚠ Cliffhanger: no
⚠ Triggers: suicide, suicidal thoughs, suicide attempt, lots of pain, suffering, homophobia
⚠ Love triangle: no
⚠ Angst: 85%
⚠ Supernatural: it's fantasy: mages, colddrakes, talking bonded animal partners
⚠ Explicit content: not at all
◈ Magic's Pawn (Valdemar: Last Herald-Mage #1)
◈ Magic's Promise (Valdemar: Last Herald-Mage #2)
◈ Magic's Price (Valdemar: Last Herald-Mage #3)
Final Rating for the whole series: 4.25/5
"There is no shame in loving. (...) This I think I have learned: where there is love, the form does not matter, and the gods are pleased. This I have observed: what occurs in nature, comes by the hand of nature, and if the gods did not approve, it would not be there. I give you these things as food for your heart and mind.”
This book should be illegal. Call the police, because it just killed all of my feelings and did more than that - it crushed my soul, thanks a lot Mercedes Lackey!
It's filled with 85% pain and suffering, but those 15% of happiness bring me to life. It's been a roller coaster of emotions and I've been dying to read on and on and I just kept on reading while it killed me inside.
That's how big of a roller coaster it was. It started with down then up then down then down then up then down again and finally up again (it's HOPE!)
As all of you who are familiar are aware of my reviews, I love dark and heavy books, but this one was super heavy.
Let's talk about the most super awesome horrifying trigger that is actually the most (sadly) common trigger - suicidal thinking and all that comes with all suicide warnings, you've got it here.
We are dealing with depression, HEAVY EMOTIONAL DEPRESSION born from 16 years of heavy emotional abuse,, in which our beloved wonderful main character ended up with: 1) low self-worth and self-esteem [yet he managed to keep his arrogant facade keeping while he was dying inside], 2) suicidal thoughts, 3) having dreams crushed regularly, 4) doesn't quite understand love, 5) is codependent, 6) is just a teenager of sixteen who has been crushed so low that it's been a wonder he had been able to get up again and again until his hope was crushed again. Rinse and repeat. I wonder if Mercedes Lackey actually hated Van when she wrote him, I wonder.
Or: A very disastrous series of unfortunate events in the just discovered freedom of (very gay) and traumatized Vanyel Ashekvron, aka the biggest cutie you have ever met until he depresses you again with his feelings.
You have been warned.
While we are at feelings, Mercedes didn't really have to give me THAT MUCH FEELINGS FOR VANYEL BECAUSE ALL I WANTED TO DO IS HUG HIM FFS AND TELL HIM IT WILL GET BETTER, but i'm not really sure, cause he's pretty much the doom magnet.
►►► STORY & CHARACTERS:
►Vanyel Ashkevron comes from a very prestige family. And he's the heir - except he doesn't want to be one and would rather be a Bard and go away. Except his father (the ultimate douchebag) has other plans: to mold him into something he is not. But the worst is the fact that he's been going through such severe emotional abuse by his father (and physical by Jervis, the weapons-master). His only support - the only one who actually cares for him (Lissa) is suddenly taken away and he's left alone completely. His mother is nothing better than his father, and his siblings envy him and despise him at the same time, so nothing is ever good in Ashkevron household.
Until it gets too far and Van is sent to his Aunt Savil to learn his manners, to get rid of his music and to finally act like an heir he should be (or be sent away to an even worse place). And Van, dear poor haunted Van, acts in the first act of unexpected defiance by putting on a mask and goes out from the household with a bang.
I’m not going to make this easy for you, Father. Not after what you’ve done to me; not after what you tried to do to me just now. I’m going to follow my sire’s example. I’m going to be just as nasty as you are—but I’m going to do it with more style.
Except his mask ends up taking it's permanent presence once in his Aunt's domain and it's very hard to break him out of it. And his nightmares, his very vivid nightmares, make things even worse.
Safe. He was safe here. No one could touch him. As long as he stayed in this isolation, this wilderness, no one could touch him.
He opened his eyes wide in the dream, and breathed the words out. “If no one touches me—no one can hurt me. All I have to do is never care.”
It was like a revelation, a gift from the hitherto-uncaring gods. This place, this wilderness of ice—if he could hold it inside him—if he could not-care enough—he could be safe. No matter what happened, who hated him, no one could ever hurt him again.
Not ever again.
► Savil, aka the Aunt and the Herald Mage is very prestigious mentor and caretaker of three people, most notably Tylendel, her personal Herald Mage apprentice. At first, neither of them are sure what to think of the very closed nephew that was sent to them, except there was one thing Savil had known: she ripped apart the letter sent to her by her brother, because she didn't want prejudices in her head about the boy whose mask was so carefully put that even she almost fell to his acting. But then again, both her and Tylendel (her very tallented son like apprentice) soon discover, weeks later, that he's a ticking bomb waiting to explode under all the quiet and arrogance and seriousness. And the first one to realize that was Tylendel.
And then, series of events bring Tylendel and Van closer, with Savil's approval, until a series of events string a series of tragedies.
►Vanyel, like i said above, is in constant emotional turmoil of ups and downs. In a while his moral compass gets so emotionally screwed that he gets the short end of the stick for everything. While he, who had never known true love, finally finds out what love is, his sense of love ends up twisted and turns into codependency. But that's something that he has to learn for himself.
► Tylendel was a blessing to read about, being true to himself, being caring, sympathetic and more than willing to give a chance to someone who has never known love before. He, as well, loves with all his heart. But a large part of the love is reserved for his twin brother, with whom he shares the Gift-bond of empathy and therefore they can always find a comfort in each others thoughts. There is also his animal companion Gala (the horse) who is as ridiculous as she is amazing.
“Van, I think I know what you mean,” Tylendel said slowly. “There are times when—when being alone is a hurt that’s worse than dying. When it’s easier to die than to be alone. Aren’t there?”
Vanyel blinked, caught without words.
Tylendel’s voice was so soft he might well have been speaking to himself. “Sometimes, maybe it’s better to have had someone and lost them than to have never had anyone—”
► Savil is the best blessing out of three, because she is such a wonderfully written female character, that radiates justice, power and competence, while also being kind, caring, and very very supportive. At first, she is distrustful of Van and is having hard time cracking what he is thinking, but when she realizes everything, it makes her the most wonderful person, as she is trying her very best to do what is right, and will do everything in her power to help.
Her weakness—and what made her a bad Field Herald, although it was occasionally an asset in training proteges—was in dealing with people. She didn’t read them well, and she didn’t really know how to handle them in a crisis situation.
***
“I’ll help you all I can, son,” she said quietly. “I’ll help you all I can.”
There are many, many of characters, but i WOULD write passages and passages so i focused on main trio for now.
Except i forget a very important character: Yfandes is the best of them all, and no one can convince me otherwise. She is the most awesome, wonderful, asjkdaskldasldasjldkajsdlk beautiful, amazing, supportive and FANTASTIC characters and she's worth EVERY SECOND PUT INTO READING THIS BOOK.
►►► OVERALL:
What I really loved was the fact that they breached the subject of masculinity and of gender normatives.
I appreciated the romance, it was well done and done with time and it was not plunged into that usual trope of "i fell in love with you first day and we must be together", it actually took around a month for them to get together and I loved every part of it.
I had to give it 0.5 stars less because I was sometimes confused with world building, so I hope the next two books will clear it up.
It was heavy, draining emotional journey as well, but it's been very invested into side characters and their emotions, so you get to feel the pain while you are reading their perspective! Yay!
Have fun suffering.
►►► OTHER IMPORTANT INFO:
⚠ TYPE OF SERIES: series
⚠ Point of View:third pov, multiply people
⚠ Cliffhanger: no
⚠ Triggers: suicide, suicidal thoughs, suicide attempt, lots of pain, suffering, homophobia
⚠ Love triangle: no
⚠ Angst: 85%
⚠ Supernatural: it's fantasy: mages, colddrakes, talking bonded animal partners
⚠ Explicit content: not at all
►►► REVIEW(S) RELATED TO THIS BOOK:
◈ Magic's Pawn (Valdemar: Last Herald-Mage #1)
◈ Magic's Promise (Valdemar: Last Herald-Mage #2)
◈ Magic's Price (Valdemar: Last Herald-Mage #3)
February 27, 2013
4.25-4.5
If you're a spoiler tag reader like I am, then I will tell you now that my spoiler isn't going to be a spoiler spoiler. It just very obviously hints at some incredibly frustrating events, which you will stab yourself for if you ruin it for yourself.
Anyway, apart from that incredibly frustrating event, this was a very enjoyable book that hooked me nearly from beginning to end. Though my attention did stray for a few moments (because I finally received a book I've been dying to read), I didn't stop reading it until I reached the very end.
There are some parts (actually, one particular part) of the book where you will rage and maybe even cry. Maybe even rant at the incredible unfairness of the world like I did. But I guess you could say it wasn't really a sad ending. Not a HEA, not bittersweet (holy fuck thank God), but not happy either. It sort of just awkwardly straddles that line.
But anyway, all in all this was a very good book and I recommend it if you enjoy this genre, or perhaps it caught your eye.
*Note: After reading a review or two below about how utterly whiny and annoying Vanyel was, Magic's Pawn was bumped pretty drastically down my to read list. But just be aware that
- no he is not whiny. Yes he whines, but no, I don't think he's that annoying or whiny.
-My opinion maybe differ from you.
-I reckon he has a pretty legitimate reason to whine when he does. You have to admit, his character is complex and maybe a tiny bit fucked.
If you're a spoiler tag reader like I am, then I will tell you now that my spoiler isn't going to be a spoiler spoiler. It just very obviously hints at some incredibly frustrating events, which you will stab yourself for if you ruin it for yourself.
Anyway, apart from that incredibly frustrating event, this was a very enjoyable book that hooked me nearly from beginning to end. Though my attention did stray for a few moments (because I finally received a book I've been dying to read), I didn't stop reading it until I reached the very end.
There are some parts (actually, one particular part) of the book where you will rage and maybe even cry. Maybe even rant at the incredible unfairness of the world like I did. But I guess you could say it wasn't really a sad ending. Not a HEA, not bittersweet (holy fuck thank God), but not happy either. It sort of just awkwardly straddles that line.
But anyway, all in all this was a very good book and I recommend it if you enjoy this genre, or perhaps it caught your eye.
*Note: After reading a review or two below about how utterly whiny and annoying Vanyel was, Magic's Pawn was bumped pretty drastically down my to read list. But just be aware that
- no he is not whiny. Yes he whines, but no, I don't think he's that annoying or whiny.
-My opinion maybe differ from you.
-I reckon he has a pretty legitimate reason to whine when he does. You have to admit, his character is complex and maybe a tiny bit fucked.
March 24, 2012
Wow.
I just finished this book, and I gotta say that I can really see a high school girl swooning over it. Soooo much angst, sooooo much melodrama, sooooooo much pretty ponies, soooo much....well, adolescentness. I can see it all the way.
OTOH, as an adult, I have to do a lot of head shaking. For some of the very same reasons. The main character, Vanyel, is a self-absorbed self-pitying jerk of a teenager for most of the book. Fortunately, he's SUPPOSED to be a self-absorbed self-pitying jerk of a teenager -- and those certainly aren't unusual traits for a teenager -- so it's less offensive than it could be. And then everyone around him keeps making REALLY STUPID MISTAKES, OVER AND OVER -- whether trying to help him, or just to further their own aims -- just for the sake of advancing the plot, often acting out of character and usually just making everything much worse. And then there's this "kitchen sink" approach to the story -- need a plot device? throw something in there, who cares if there's any organic basis for it, just shoe horn it on in there and nobody will notice. Lots of artificiality going on, whether in character development, skill sets, or worldbuilding.
Nonetheless -- despite all my complaints -- at times the melodrama can be pretty effective, even for me. Specifically, after everything went to hell (I won't post spoilers, you'll know what I mean when you get there), even though I was rolling my eyes a bit at *everything* that was going wrong, I was moved by Vanyel's suffering. I might even have sniffled a time or two, although I'll deny that if you tell anyone.
Overall -- if you can temporarily take on the maturity level of a teenage girl, you'll probably enjoy this book. But if you insist on reading with logic and maturity in your heart like some old fuddy-duddy, then you'll probably hate it all to hell and gone. You decide.
I just finished this book, and I gotta say that I can really see a high school girl swooning over it. Soooo much angst, sooooo much melodrama, sooooooo much pretty ponies, soooo much....well, adolescentness. I can see it all the way.
OTOH, as an adult, I have to do a lot of head shaking. For some of the very same reasons. The main character, Vanyel, is a self-absorbed self-pitying jerk of a teenager for most of the book. Fortunately, he's SUPPOSED to be a self-absorbed self-pitying jerk of a teenager -- and those certainly aren't unusual traits for a teenager -- so it's less offensive than it could be. And then everyone around him keeps making REALLY STUPID MISTAKES, OVER AND OVER -- whether trying to help him, or just to further their own aims -- just for the sake of advancing the plot, often acting out of character and usually just making everything much worse. And then there's this "kitchen sink" approach to the story -- need a plot device? throw something in there, who cares if there's any organic basis for it, just shoe horn it on in there and nobody will notice. Lots of artificiality going on, whether in character development, skill sets, or worldbuilding.
Nonetheless -- despite all my complaints -- at times the melodrama can be pretty effective, even for me. Specifically, after everything went to hell (I won't post spoilers, you'll know what I mean when you get there), even though I was rolling my eyes a bit at *everything* that was going wrong, I was moved by Vanyel's suffering. I might even have sniffled a time or two, although I'll deny that if you tell anyone.
Overall -- if you can temporarily take on the maturity level of a teenage girl, you'll probably enjoy this book. But if you insist on reading with logic and maturity in your heart like some old fuddy-duddy, then you'll probably hate it all to hell and gone. You decide.
October 26, 2011
Look, sometimes you want to read challenging literary works, and sometimes you want to read light fantasy about pretty boys weeping emo tears into the manes of their soulbonded magic horses. Don't judge me.
Read
August 22, 2021I adored this trilogy when I was teenager and good lord it is probably the most teenagery book that ever teenagered. Nobody understands me! Nobody could ever love me! I will be alone forever! I will find my great love and it will end TRAGICALLY. The writing is fairly cheesy, including constant inner monologues from the characters, but the plotting, the strong female characters and waves of nostalgia are enough to make it just about stand up to rereading as an adult. Plus Lackey has to get credit for writing a gay protagonist in 1989, even if we have spent the intervening 30+ years learning to avoid the tropes she relies on. I cannot objectively rate this book so I'm not going to try.
Onward for more melodrama!
Onward for more melodrama!
June 20, 2022
Previous review Misunderstood youth who finds his true love and other special powers at his aunt's place. Good book. More Young Adult than I thought it would be, but still good. 3-1/2 stars.
Current review - AudiobookI didn't realize when I read the book versus listening to the book how much whining and passing out went on in this book. I do not plan reading any more of the books. Downgraded to 3 stars.
Current review - AudiobookI didn't realize when I read the book versus listening to the book how much whining and passing out went on in this book. I do not plan reading any more of the books. Downgraded to 3 stars.
January 6, 2014
I liked Vanyel. Goodreads consensus seems to be that he's a whiny little shit, and I'm not saying that's not true, but I liked him for his being a whiny little shit. Once in a while you're allowed to be.
Vanyel has bad luck with pretty much everything. He doesn't like up to his father's inflexible ideas of masculinity, he's being beaten for being effeminate, and no one understands him. Two out of the three are actual legitimate grievances, and if you think this angst is overblown just wait until the halfway point.
Vanyel is someone who's been abused. You can cut it however you like, and Lackey never actually goes out and says it, but it's clear from his past and it's clear from his behavior. He's reacted in pretty much the only way he knows how: pushing people away. He's kind of a douche in the process, but he's fifteen and while not all fifteen-year-olds are like that, I definitely was so it's kind of hard to hold against him. And, really, I found Vanyel's brooding fits to add some lighthearted amusement to an otherwise overly angsty book.
And I do mean angsty; tragedy after tragedy befalls our intrepid hero, and while I really enjoy reading about characters being miserable, it's overblown and so poorly handled that by the time I'm closer to laughter than tears.
I think part of the problem is that these books aren't particularly well-written. The dialogue is solid, even if Lackey doesn't need to italicize every other word to get her point across (really, this is just bad form; it's juvenile and it interrupts the flow of dialogue). The world is an interesting one when the book bothers to explain it and when that explanation isn't in the form of an info dump (hint: it's not often). The plot would be engaging if it was more refined -- the final confrontation came out of nowhere, there were deus ex machina magic bird people, and it just felt like the author was in such a hurry to get to the tragic, magical parts that she didn't bother to develop the buildup to those scenes. The problem with that being if there's no investment on the reader's part, the emotional payoff falls flat. Add all that into Vanyel, that character who I liked, being unconscious for half the book, and it makes Magic's Pawn a bit of a haphazard mess of a novel, far more like a series of short stories than an actual book.
Vanyel has bad luck with pretty much everything. He doesn't like up to his father's inflexible ideas of masculinity, he's being beaten for being effeminate, and no one understands him. Two out of the three are actual legitimate grievances, and if you think this angst is overblown just wait until the halfway point.
Vanyel is someone who's been abused. You can cut it however you like, and Lackey never actually goes out and says it, but it's clear from his past and it's clear from his behavior. He's reacted in pretty much the only way he knows how: pushing people away. He's kind of a douche in the process, but he's fifteen and while not all fifteen-year-olds are like that, I definitely was so it's kind of hard to hold against him. And, really, I found Vanyel's brooding fits to add some lighthearted amusement to an otherwise overly angsty book.
And I do mean angsty; tragedy after tragedy befalls our intrepid hero, and while I really enjoy reading about characters being miserable, it's overblown and so poorly handled that by the time I'm closer to laughter than tears.
I think part of the problem is that these books aren't particularly well-written. The dialogue is solid, even if Lackey doesn't need to italicize every other word to get her point across (really, this is just bad form; it's juvenile and it interrupts the flow of dialogue). The world is an interesting one when the book bothers to explain it and when that explanation isn't in the form of an info dump (hint: it's not often). The plot would be engaging if it was more refined -- the final confrontation came out of nowhere, there were deus ex machina magic bird people, and it just felt like the author was in such a hurry to get to the tragic, magical parts that she didn't bother to develop the buildup to those scenes. The problem with that being if there's no investment on the reader's part, the emotional payoff falls flat. Add all that into Vanyel, that character who I liked, being unconscious for half the book, and it makes Magic's Pawn a bit of a haphazard mess of a novel, far more like a series of short stories than an actual book.
August 4, 2021
This was one of those "at the time, it was so amazing to have found it" books that also was so very grounded in the "at the time, this is just what you had to expect to happen" books. Teenage me was so excited to see gay characters... and then those gay characters proceeded to suffer, and suffer, and suffer, and... Well.
I just found out they're making a television series from this series and I have no idea how to feel about this. It's 2021 now. On the one hand, queer fantasy characters with soft-feeling-emotionally-interesting-fellas? Yay. But it is 2021 now, and on the other hand? Even young me, when he read them, as much as he liked them and the world found the tortured/suffering/eventually dies-gay rather crushing. Like, it was one of the few gay characters in fantasy I'd bumped into and... OOF. And they're starting with Vanyel, so...
Slight optimism for the series, with a hope they'll update it to a 2021 sensibility and find a way to re-write out the vast majority of the suffering/angst? Do they change the ending? I mean, he's not the only gay character, so it's not exactly a bury-your-gays, but it's... very queer-guy-exists-in-pain-and-has-tragic-end and...
Like I said. I don't know.
(I should note my reaction to the third book was such that I never re-read them, and read them the years they came out, so I was, what, fourteen when I read the first one? For all I know my memory of these books is off, but I really do remember being so damn angry by the end of the trilogy, and this was before I'd learned about "bury your gays" in a formal way.)
I just found out they're making a television series from this series and I have no idea how to feel about this. It's 2021 now. On the one hand, queer fantasy characters with soft-feeling-emotionally-interesting-fellas? Yay. But it is 2021 now, and on the other hand? Even young me, when he read them, as much as he liked them and the world found the tortured/suffering/eventually dies-gay rather crushing. Like, it was one of the few gay characters in fantasy I'd bumped into and... OOF. And they're starting with Vanyel, so...
Slight optimism for the series, with a hope they'll update it to a 2021 sensibility and find a way to re-write out the vast majority of the suffering/angst? Do they change the ending? I mean, he's not the only gay character, so it's not exactly a bury-your-gays, but it's... very queer-guy-exists-in-pain-and-has-tragic-end and...
Like I said. I don't know.
(I should note my reaction to the third book was such that I never re-read them, and read them the years they came out, so I was, what, fourteen when I read the first one? For all I know my memory of these books is off, but I really do remember being so damn angry by the end of the trilogy, and this was before I'd learned about "bury your gays" in a formal way.)
September 16, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
I have read this book many times before, but I haven’t read it for a few years and so with the dual prods of finding a book to read for the TBR Pile Week for Reading Challenge Month, and with the television rights for the Last Herald-Mage being optioned, I decided to re-read the series. I was nervous, because the books we love as children might not be what we remember them. They might not be as good, the characters might not be as engaging, the writing that caught us as children might be simplistic or painful when read as an adult … and I am so happy to say that this book, Magic’s Pawn, is everything I remember. I honestly believe it’s the author’s best work.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
I have read this book many times before, but I haven’t read it for a few years and so with the dual prods of finding a book to read for the TBR Pile Week for Reading Challenge Month, and with the television rights for the Last Herald-Mage being optioned, I decided to re-read the series. I was nervous, because the books we love as children might not be what we remember them. They might not be as good, the characters might not be as engaging, the writing that caught us as children might be simplistic or painful when read as an adult … and I am so happy to say that this book, Magic’s Pawn, is everything I remember. I honestly believe it’s the author’s best work.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
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