Another author who appears to have been missing off my radar
for some reason is Mercedes Lackey. Prolific since the mid-1980s I’m slightly
surprised it has taken me so long to delve into her work. At last count the Valdemar series numbers somewhere in
the order of 20-30 books so it is going to take a long time to get through
them! First up though is the Heralds of
Valdemar series, and book #1 Arrows
of the Queen.
**SPOILER ALERT**
Lackey’s Valdemar world is typical of the fantasy genre; with magic, tales from the time of legends, guardians, political infighting and other “standard” plot devices too numerous to name. But the first of these was written in 1987 and the fact that they are still relevant, interesting and enjoyable is testament to the skills of Lackey. Yes these are obviously first novels and there isn’t quite the depth of character or the layers of storytelling but this is still a fantastic introduction to the world of Valdemar and its Heralds.
Talia is a young girl from the Hold – a kind of uber-strict Amish community that eschews all contact with the outside world and has some very strange (what we might term “medieval”) ideas about woman and their place in society. Talia dreams of becoming a Herald, a guardian of good, but unfortunately that dream seems a million miles away. Until the day she is told she will be married off and she runs away.
From there her adventures begin; she finds a Companion, horse-like creatures who “choose” the Herald whom they will be bound to. The Companion Chooses her and before Talia knows it she is off to live out her dream in the capital. Obviously things don’t quite go according to plan and before she knows it she is involved in political intrigue, power struggles and the usual shenanigans that greet life at court.
Lackey’s world is beautifully created, and there is a refreshing innocence to the writing and the story telling that mimics the innocent way in which Talia initially sees the world and her situation.
Unlike large numbers of “coming of age” stories where the character meets opposition, mistrust and sometimes hatred at every corner there is a pleasant aspect to this book. Talia is welcomed (generally) with open arms into the Collegium and the focus is on her coming to terms with her new position, rather than having to fight tooth-and-nail to be accepted. This allows Lackey to advance the story quicker so that the “getting to know you” period at the start of the book is shorter and drags less than can often be the case.
Though not a long book there is still plenty of time for Lackey to develop her key characters and their interactions with each other, to the point that the loss of one of the main protagonists towards the end of the book is genuinely a downer. They might not be the most complex characters but they work within the framework Lackey has set out. Sometimes the character development and plot development can be incongruous but the two elements travel alongside each other nicely here.
The story itself is not terribly complicated or unique but that does not mean it is unenjoyable, far from it. Lackey generates enough intrigue and interest to keep you turning the pages and there is plenty to suggest that there is a lot more to come as her writing matures and we get further into the series.
As a starter for a series though, this is very good indeed. It draws you into it in a very uncomplicated manner and doesn’t overload you with information too quickly. Some may prefer to get all the relevant data upfront but I like how she brings in what she needs when she needs it, all the while ensuring that she retains continuity and without destabilising the story or the characters within.
Verdict: 4.5 stars
out of 5 – A charming and intriguing entrance into the Valdemar series with
good characters, a plot with enough about it and a genuine feeling of care and
attention which gives you confidence that even better is to come.
Till next time,
DT
Till next time,
DT
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