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Enter the thrilling third volume in the epic Collegium Chronicles . In Mercedes Lackey's classic coming-of-age story, the orphan Magpie pursues his quest for his parent's identity with burning urgency-while also discovering another hidden talent and being trained by the King's Own Herald as an undercover agent for Valdemar. Shy Bardic Trainee Lena has to face her famous but uncaring father, one of Valdemar's most renowned Bards. And Healing Trainee Bear must struggle against his disapproving parents, who are pressuring Bear to quit the Healers' Collegium because he lacks the magical Healing Gift. Each of the three friends must face his or her demons and find their true strength as they seek to become the full Heralds, Bards, and Healers of Valdemar.
326 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2011
310 people are currently reading
2556 people want to read
About the author
Mercedes Lackey
441 books9,527 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 410 reviews
October 6, 2011
I wondered at times reading this if Mercedes Lackey has gotten so much worse, or it's just my tastes have changed this much since she thrilled me in my early twenties with her tales of Valdemar, with its sentient "companions"--horse-shaped magical beings who partner "heralds" who help police, defend and act as judges for the kingdom. But no, it wasn't that long ago I did a reread of Valdemar, and the earlier ones, especially the books with Vanyel and Talia, were still great comfort reads for me I loved immersing myself in, and not just for nostalgic reasons. I felt Lackey jumped the shark over a decade ago (with Exile's Honor) and phones these in now, yet I did like the first two volumes of the Collegium Chronicles series, Foundation and Intrigues, quite a bit more than this one.
It didn't begin well. An entire first chapter of a game of Kirball, and let me tell you, it ain't Qudditch. Of course, I'm not one to tolerate even ordinary spectator sports, but really. No. Just no. Much too much Kirball in this book. But that wasn't the worst. I was tempted to rate this even lower than I have, and the reason really is Mags. Mags is the protagonist and main point of view character of this series. He's very close in character to Skif of the first Valdemar books. He's an orphan who was saved from crushing poverty when he was "chosen" to be a herald by his companion Dallen, and he's helping the kingdom even as a trainee by using the seamier side of his background undercover. However, Skif at least wasn't made to think and speak this way: "Tis like mebbe when 'e was s'posed t'be hangin' 'bout th' others, but whatever made th' furst mad sent 'im mad too." This style of writing with its elisions, apostrophes, deliberate misspellings and tortured grammar nearly drove me mad, and I found myself skipping and skimming over any passages where Mags would speak or think in this style--which was very, very frequently.
Are there some good things about this novel that I suffered to the end? Sure. I do like how through Mag's friends Bear the Healer-trainee, Lena the Bard-trainee and Amily--love interest and daughter of the "King's Own"--Lackey gives us a wider look at the collegium than just through the eyes of the Heralds. The friendship between them was a particular highlight of the last book. But I'm scratching my head in vain trying to think of a way this novel distinguishes itself from other books set in Valdemar other than Mags incredibly annoying patois. And given the book ends with several unanswered questions, I don't think Lackey is done with Mags, though I suspect I may be done with him after this one.
It didn't begin well. An entire first chapter of a game of Kirball, and let me tell you, it ain't Qudditch. Of course, I'm not one to tolerate even ordinary spectator sports, but really. No. Just no. Much too much Kirball in this book. But that wasn't the worst. I was tempted to rate this even lower than I have, and the reason really is Mags. Mags is the protagonist and main point of view character of this series. He's very close in character to Skif of the first Valdemar books. He's an orphan who was saved from crushing poverty when he was "chosen" to be a herald by his companion Dallen, and he's helping the kingdom even as a trainee by using the seamier side of his background undercover. However, Skif at least wasn't made to think and speak this way: "Tis like mebbe when 'e was s'posed t'be hangin' 'bout th' others, but whatever made th' furst mad sent 'im mad too." This style of writing with its elisions, apostrophes, deliberate misspellings and tortured grammar nearly drove me mad, and I found myself skipping and skimming over any passages where Mags would speak or think in this style--which was very, very frequently.
Are there some good things about this novel that I suffered to the end? Sure. I do like how through Mag's friends Bear the Healer-trainee, Lena the Bard-trainee and Amily--love interest and daughter of the "King's Own"--Lackey gives us a wider look at the collegium than just through the eyes of the Heralds. The friendship between them was a particular highlight of the last book. But I'm scratching my head in vain trying to think of a way this novel distinguishes itself from other books set in Valdemar other than Mags incredibly annoying patois. And given the book ends with several unanswered questions, I don't think Lackey is done with Mags, though I suspect I may be done with him after this one.
October 27, 2011
I find insulting the suggestion that Lackey's latest Valdemar entry is more suitable for young adults. Insulting to the YA audience, that is. They're better than the weaksauce plotting here, and the book's bland characters. Nor would they tolerate the protagonist's spoken dialect—an apostrophe-laden mess that makes Mark Twain's use of dialect in Huckleberry Finn look positively light-handed, and which had me praying for chapters at a time that the protagonist would be gagged, rendered mute, or would sleep so that I wouldn't have to read it. And any generation raised on Harry Potter would see through Kirball as the blatant Quidditch rip-off it is.
I rather enjoyed the first two books in Lackey's return to Valdemar. It's a shame that the third not only progresses the series not an inch, but makes absolutely no sense at all .
I rather enjoyed the first two books in Lackey's return to Valdemar. It's a shame that the third not only progresses the series not an inch, but makes absolutely no sense at all .
April 14, 2012
I have been a Mercedes Lackey fan for years. I own almost everything she has published and absolutely everything from her Valdemar series, many of which I've reread numerous times. Unfortunately, I have noticed a downward slide in her writing and the latest installment of The Collegium Chronicles, Changes (which everyone assumed to be the third in her typical trilogy) was more of the same.
While there is some character development and anticipated romances blossom, the characterization was uninspired. Mags is still the same scared little boy who seems to whine regularly about any and everything, which I found rather frustrating. Also, his dialect has not improved, which is curious. He has been at the Collegium for nine or so months, but the way he speaks is unchanged. I would have thought that by book three his speech would have improved to readability with a few choice words keeping the rough dialect, even slipping back into it when angry like anyone who grew up with a pronounced accent does, but nothing has changed. Not only does it point to more questions on the development of this character, it makes for a trying and unenjoyable read.
He also seems surrounded by characters just as whiney and just as underdeveloped. They spend half of the novel arguing with each other and the other half throwing tantrums. While their families are interesting antagonists and they seem to have intriguing obstacles to overcome, the actual characters don't live up to it. It seemed like middle school all over again, not in a good 'live and grow' way, but in an 'I don't know if I can keep reading this' way. I found myself skimming over most of these chapters and missing little.
Kirball is another point in the series that needs addressing. I was intrigued in book two by the idea of war games, which are discussed in other Valdemar novels, but, when I learned more about the game, I quickly lost interest. Kirball is the Quidditch of Valdemar and, because it ties so closely to what another author has done, I expected it to be more. It's not however, and the numerous chapters devoted to it were tedious.
Another worrisome aspect of the novel is the numerous questions that are, as of yet, unanswered. In fact, more questions have been posed in a way that seems as if Lackey is trying to stretch this series farther than it should have ever attempted to stretch. As if, by posing more questions and leaving others still unanswered, the cliffhangers will be enough to keep people reading.
Overall this was a very disappointing book from one who has shown herself to be a great writer. The last few Valdemar novels have had trite storylines with predictable and underdeveloped characters and Changes did not deviate from this. If you're a die-hard Lackey fan, like me, then read it because you can't not read something she writes, but borrow it from someone and prepare to be disappointed.
While there is some character development and anticipated romances blossom, the characterization was uninspired. Mags is still the same scared little boy who seems to whine regularly about any and everything, which I found rather frustrating. Also, his dialect has not improved, which is curious. He has been at the Collegium for nine or so months, but the way he speaks is unchanged. I would have thought that by book three his speech would have improved to readability with a few choice words keeping the rough dialect, even slipping back into it when angry like anyone who grew up with a pronounced accent does, but nothing has changed. Not only does it point to more questions on the development of this character, it makes for a trying and unenjoyable read.
He also seems surrounded by characters just as whiney and just as underdeveloped. They spend half of the novel arguing with each other and the other half throwing tantrums. While their families are interesting antagonists and they seem to have intriguing obstacles to overcome, the actual characters don't live up to it. It seemed like middle school all over again, not in a good 'live and grow' way, but in an 'I don't know if I can keep reading this' way. I found myself skimming over most of these chapters and missing little.
Kirball is another point in the series that needs addressing. I was intrigued in book two by the idea of war games, which are discussed in other Valdemar novels, but, when I learned more about the game, I quickly lost interest. Kirball is the Quidditch of Valdemar and, because it ties so closely to what another author has done, I expected it to be more. It's not however, and the numerous chapters devoted to it were tedious.
Another worrisome aspect of the novel is the numerous questions that are, as of yet, unanswered. In fact, more questions have been posed in a way that seems as if Lackey is trying to stretch this series farther than it should have ever attempted to stretch. As if, by posing more questions and leaving others still unanswered, the cliffhangers will be enough to keep people reading.
Overall this was a very disappointing book from one who has shown herself to be a great writer. The last few Valdemar novels have had trite storylines with predictable and underdeveloped characters and Changes did not deviate from this. If you're a die-hard Lackey fan, like me, then read it because you can't not read something she writes, but borrow it from someone and prepare to be disappointed.
May 21, 2012
I’m just going to cut to the chase here and confess my extreme disappointment in this book, and indeed, in the progression of this “trilogy.” If my review of Intrigues, I said:
"The story was slow, tedious, and it involved long descriptions of a made-up sporting event that reminded me of Quiddich (at least in terms of how little I wanted to read long passages about it)."
I’m afraid this sums up my impression of Changes as well, especially because the “trilogy” is not yet over. That’s right — there will be a fourth book in this series. A fifth? A sixth? I can’t say, but definitely a fourth.
This series may have lost me. I have been a fan of Mercedes Lackey in the past, but there’s something missing from these books — and I don’t just mean a conclusion. She does tend to spend a lot of time dealing with society, politics, and relationships, and it has never bothered me before. In fact, those are usually some of my favorite parts, but in this series I am not feeling a particular connection to the characters, not even Mags. I did in the first book, when he was rescued from slavery in a mine, but since then he has become someone different, and many of his changes are kind of brushed away by the idea that his companion shielded his mind early on. To me, this feels like it goes beyond the role of the companion (as established in her other books), and it actually makes heralds less interesting. Makes them seem more like a tool of the companions, and less their own people.
The romance in this series is just plain awful. This is yet another thing I normally enjoy in Lackey’s books (except for the fact that she has a horrible tendency to skip important moments in a relationship), but I have no idea why Mags is with Amaline (sp? audio version) nor why Bear is interested in Leena (sp? audio version). All I know is the book tells me it’s so — I don’t feel it in the least.
But despite all that, I might have given this series an overall 3-star “eh, read it if you like Lackey” rating if it had just done one thing for me: ENDED! The end of this book reminds me so forcibly of the end of book 2 that I might as well not have read this at all. The people are still having the same problems, and spinning the same wheels. They learned nothing new about their enemy. At the end of book 2, they capture an agent and he dies before saying a word. At the end of book 3, they capture 2 agents and they die before saying a word. Come to think of it, at the end of book 1 they capture an agent, and he dies without saying a word.
Anyone annoyed yet? I am. I can’t honestly recommend this series any longer, not even to Lackey fans, and I’m not at all sure I will finish. I might *IF* book 4 is really the last book and if I have nothing better to read.
www.christineamsden.com
"The story was slow, tedious, and it involved long descriptions of a made-up sporting event that reminded me of Quiddich (at least in terms of how little I wanted to read long passages about it)."
I’m afraid this sums up my impression of Changes as well, especially because the “trilogy” is not yet over. That’s right — there will be a fourth book in this series. A fifth? A sixth? I can’t say, but definitely a fourth.
This series may have lost me. I have been a fan of Mercedes Lackey in the past, but there’s something missing from these books — and I don’t just mean a conclusion. She does tend to spend a lot of time dealing with society, politics, and relationships, and it has never bothered me before. In fact, those are usually some of my favorite parts, but in this series I am not feeling a particular connection to the characters, not even Mags. I did in the first book, when he was rescued from slavery in a mine, but since then he has become someone different, and many of his changes are kind of brushed away by the idea that his companion shielded his mind early on. To me, this feels like it goes beyond the role of the companion (as established in her other books), and it actually makes heralds less interesting. Makes them seem more like a tool of the companions, and less their own people.
The romance in this series is just plain awful. This is yet another thing I normally enjoy in Lackey’s books (except for the fact that she has a horrible tendency to skip important moments in a relationship), but I have no idea why Mags is with Amaline (sp? audio version) nor why Bear is interested in Leena (sp? audio version). All I know is the book tells me it’s so — I don’t feel it in the least.
But despite all that, I might have given this series an overall 3-star “eh, read it if you like Lackey” rating if it had just done one thing for me: ENDED! The end of this book reminds me so forcibly of the end of book 2 that I might as well not have read this at all. The people are still having the same problems, and spinning the same wheels. They learned nothing new about their enemy. At the end of book 2, they capture an agent and he dies before saying a word. At the end of book 3, they capture 2 agents and they die before saying a word. Come to think of it, at the end of book 1 they capture an agent, and he dies without saying a word.
Anyone annoyed yet? I am. I can’t honestly recommend this series any longer, not even to Lackey fans, and I’m not at all sure I will finish. I might *IF* book 4 is really the last book and if I have nothing better to read.
www.christineamsden.com
November 2, 2024
This is a great middle book, moving the story further, giving us some answers but still leaving questions for the next two books. I don't mind that this series moves slowly, and I love spending time with the characters and seeing how they grow, but I do think this series could be three books, not five, and would be much more suspenseful and satisfying that way. That being said, again, for me, I like that I feel like I'm "binging" this series by reading three and still having 2 more to look forward to, so no true complaints from me.
Just some side notes that have been bothering me since I started Redoubt (book 4). Other readers on here have complained about two major things in this series: Mags’ dialect and how he should’ve grown out of it by book 3 and kirball being a “rip off” of quidditch.
First, Mags does have a strong dialect that can be frustrating to read at times. However, it’s done with a purpose, and in book 3 specifically Mags says that he can speak without it but doesn’t feel like himself when he does and that the dialect helps him do what he needs to do working for the King’s Own, so it’s acknowledged and explained. I suspect Lackey makes Mags lose it completely in book 4 due to reader complaints more than any other reason. Second, kirball is like quidditch only in the way that it’s played at a school and involves a ball and goals to win. The games are completely different, AND Lackey thanks Kipling for kirball in the beginning of book 2 because THAT’S her inspiration for the game (according to a website, a short story about a polo game that Kipling, of whom Lackey is a huge fan, apparently, wrote). Just because Harry Potter fans think of quidditch when reading about kirball doesn’t mean Lackey ripped JKR off. Writers can still invent their own games that are played at schools and involve a ball. If invention was banned after someone made up something popular, we wouldn’t have American football and baseball and a bunch of other things that are similar to but not the same as things that came before them.
I’m off my soapbox now.
Just some side notes that have been bothering me since I started Redoubt (book 4). Other readers on here have complained about two major things in this series: Mags’ dialect and how he should’ve grown out of it by book 3 and kirball being a “rip off” of quidditch.
First, Mags does have a strong dialect that can be frustrating to read at times. However, it’s done with a purpose, and in book 3 specifically Mags says that he can speak without it but doesn’t feel like himself when he does and that the dialect helps him do what he needs to do working for the King’s Own, so it’s acknowledged and explained. I suspect Lackey makes Mags lose it completely in book 4 due to reader complaints more than any other reason. Second, kirball is like quidditch only in the way that it’s played at a school and involves a ball and goals to win. The games are completely different, AND Lackey thanks Kipling for kirball in the beginning of book 2 because THAT’S her inspiration for the game (according to a website, a short story about a polo game that Kipling, of whom Lackey is a huge fan, apparently, wrote). Just because Harry Potter fans think of quidditch when reading about kirball doesn’t mean Lackey ripped JKR off. Writers can still invent their own games that are played at schools and involve a ball. If invention was banned after someone made up something popular, we wouldn’t have American football and baseball and a bunch of other things that are similar to but not the same as things that came before them.
I’m off my soapbox now.
May 25, 2022
I'm of two minds about this book.
On the one hand, I'm into the plot enough that I'd like to see how it all turns out.
On the other, this volume felt really slapped together.
Writers should at least know how to write and editors ought to be able to spot typos. Neither happened all that well in this book.
I separate quality of writing into three categories while I read.
There's the Patrick Rothfuss type "Wow" where I go back and glory over a particularly delicious turn of phrase.
There's the "gets the job done/doesn't get in the way," which contains the vast majority of authors.
Then there's this book.
Every few pages, I'm annoyed that Lackey uses a "that" when a "who" is correct. Or just generally throws in a gratuitous "that" here and there. You know, the "that says that he is the sort of person that likes to sleep late" type writing.
And the editing is atrocious. On one page, a statement is attributed to a character who's not in the conversation. On others, words are dropped from the middle of a sentence. Once, letters were dropped from a word. Annoying.
Lackey also has a tendency to suddenly decide it's time to end the book. Six pages from the finish I couldn't possibly see how it was going to wrap up and, boom, it was done.
That said, I put it down and looked for the fourth in the series . . .
On the one hand, I'm into the plot enough that I'd like to see how it all turns out.
On the other, this volume felt really slapped together.
Writers should at least know how to write and editors ought to be able to spot typos. Neither happened all that well in this book.
I separate quality of writing into three categories while I read.
There's the Patrick Rothfuss type "Wow" where I go back and glory over a particularly delicious turn of phrase.
There's the "gets the job done/doesn't get in the way," which contains the vast majority of authors.
Then there's this book.
Every few pages, I'm annoyed that Lackey uses a "that" when a "who" is correct. Or just generally throws in a gratuitous "that" here and there. You know, the "that says that he is the sort of person that likes to sleep late" type writing.
And the editing is atrocious. On one page, a statement is attributed to a character who's not in the conversation. On others, words are dropped from the middle of a sentence. Once, letters were dropped from a word. Annoying.
Lackey also has a tendency to suddenly decide it's time to end the book. Six pages from the finish I couldn't possibly see how it was going to wrap up and, boom, it was done.
That said, I put it down and looked for the fourth in the series . . .
November 19, 2011
First of all, there were a lot of typos, which detracted from my reading enjoyment, but I never really got into these characters. I read the whole series because its Valdemar, and I usually enjoy Lackey's Valdemar books, but I was bored through a lot of it. The suspense was missing. Yes, the kingdom is in danger and the new Herald Trainee Mags is the only one who can save it. . . I've heard it before and, frankly, it was done better the first time.
I was also confused about the time of the setting. I believe this series takes places shortly after The Last Herald-Mage, but it feels more like a contemporary to Take a Thief, which takes place hundreds of years later. Should a city/kingdom have a different feel to it after so much time? I was expecting a cameo by a very young Selenay throughout the last half of book.
I was also confused about the time of the setting. I believe this series takes places shortly after The Last Herald-Mage, but it feels more like a contemporary to Take a Thief, which takes place hundreds of years later. Should a city/kingdom have a different feel to it after so much time? I was expecting a cameo by a very young Selenay throughout the last half of book.
October 13, 2011
Changes, another Collegium novel featuring the orphan Mags, was about as pleasurable to read as the previous two (Foundation and Intrigues).
I LOVED the many trilogies that Mercedes Lackey has written, all taking place in Valdemar. But this particular series seems like it was intended for a young adult audience. Much is spelled out by way of Mags thinking to himself, or talking to his friends or Dallen (his Companion). [Don't get me wrong; I love books where the characters have to actually THINK, it's just that in this series the plot (and thought) tend to be even more spelled out, which can ruin suspense and/or action sequences.] Kirball is Lackey's equivalent of Quiddich, and the main characters are either students or teachers.
One major complaint: Mags has a dialect that is AWFUL to read. Now, I have seen dialects done right -- The Help by Kathryn Stockett is one such novel, where the dialect actually transports you. In this series, Mags' horrible dialect should've gotten better after being taken out of the mine and brought to school. I don't mind his made-up words, but there are so many apostrophes and omitted letters when Mags talks that it interrupts the flow of simply reading the book. You had to stop, re-read and decipher what's trying to be said, and it's annoying. A little bit lighter touch on the dialect would've kept the character in place without having been so jarringly different from the rest of the writing.
Bottom line is that I still enjoy stories set in Valdemar, but the Collegium series is light and fluffy compared to other series/trilogies. These books are good, but they're definitely not Lackey at her best.
I LOVED the many trilogies that Mercedes Lackey has written, all taking place in Valdemar. But this particular series seems like it was intended for a young adult audience. Much is spelled out by way of Mags thinking to himself, or talking to his friends or Dallen (his Companion). [Don't get me wrong; I love books where the characters have to actually THINK, it's just that in this series the plot (and thought) tend to be even more spelled out, which can ruin suspense and/or action sequences.] Kirball is Lackey's equivalent of Quiddich, and the main characters are either students or teachers.
One major complaint: Mags has a dialect that is AWFUL to read. Now, I have seen dialects done right -- The Help by Kathryn Stockett is one such novel, where the dialect actually transports you. In this series, Mags' horrible dialect should've gotten better after being taken out of the mine and brought to school. I don't mind his made-up words, but there are so many apostrophes and omitted letters when Mags talks that it interrupts the flow of simply reading the book. You had to stop, re-read and decipher what's trying to be said, and it's annoying. A little bit lighter touch on the dialect would've kept the character in place without having been so jarringly different from the rest of the writing.
Bottom line is that I still enjoy stories set in Valdemar, but the Collegium series is light and fluffy compared to other series/trilogies. These books are good, but they're definitely not Lackey at her best.
October 15, 2011
This a well crafted tale, nice plot turns and a great addition to Lackey's "Collegium Chronicles". My only complaint is that Daw Books has apparently let all their proofreaders go. I understand a typo or two but this edition, especially the second half is rife with inconsistent tenses, misspellings and missing words. I'm not complaining about Lackey's creative spelling to indicate Mags' accent, they left in a semi-colon in place of the letter 'l' in one word. Sloppy.
May 5, 2018
The book is good, but it's not. Hopefully by the time I'm done with this review, I'll have clarified why I think that.
I admit it. It's been a long time since I read anything that was considered new by ML. Except for a collaboration book she did with another author in which the style and feel were so very NOT like ML's work that I wonder just how much involvement she really had with the project in the first place. Other than that, the newest ML book I'd have read came from the 90's.
Is this just how her work plays out now? Because if so, I might have to bid farewell to one of my favorite authors. She's just not up to the same fire and fury she used to be, in my opinion.
Or is this some attempt to appeal to the YA crowd? If that's the case, then I'm very disappointed there, too, because that feels like selling out to me. Keep it natural. Don't try to appease a different crowd because you think that's how you'll make more money. An established author like ML should never feel like they have to do anything like that.
The story?
It's okay. It's good, but not good. I suppose my opinions of ML and her earlier work has something to do with how I feel about that, and maybe I'm wrong for letting pre-conceived opinions like that have any influence on the present. But there it is. The story would be fine, I think, if it wasn't in a universe that has been well established over all this time. If it had been its own world or even within the same universe, but not about Heralds, Bards, etc, then I'd probably feel differently about it. But it is. And I don't think it should be.
Tournaments... NO! I literally skipped the first chapter of this book and have skipped chapters in the preceding books because of Kirball. It's ridiculous and, in my opinion, almost any time you see something like a tournament in a book, it's a filler. ML had the creativity to help incorporate the game into something useful in the plot, but I hate these things. They're stupid. And it reminds me of Harry Potter, which I can't stand (to the chagrin of my fellow fantasy lovers). I've mentioned in the reviews of the other books in this series that this whole thing feels like ML's attempt at a Harry Potter-style universe, and that's another thing that feels "sell out" to me, too.
The characters are mostly likeable. Though I don't have a high opinion of Mags. Everybody else has a pretty unique, if not predictable personality, but Mags doesn't, really. And he seems kind of "Mary Sue", though I'm not entirely sure I've been thinking of that term correctly. It's like he can do anything, he's good at nearly everything, especially when it's something important. He's good at that Kirball thing. He's good at weapons and fighting. He's good at his "other job" to the point it's actually getting completely unbelievable! He's just too good at everything!
The main characters are teenagers. However, they talk and act like seasoned adults. No, no, don't come for me with the pitchforks and the loose. I'm not saying teenagers can't be clever and mature. But that ALL of them, even the minor characters from Mags' Kirball team, act like they've had a lot of life experience, and based on what's been told about them in the story, they haven't. That's a pet peeve of mine in fantasy books. Children, teenagers, and younger adults acting like they've had 40 years of life experience. No, they haven't, and it's just getting to a point that it's a trope.
The mystery aspect of it is okay, I guess. It keeps a reader interested. I just feel like it's being PUSHED, you know? Like, ML feels like she can't keep this series on its feet if she doesn't keep dangling the figurative carrot in front of us, but it's not even all that good of a carrot, ultimately. It's just that we're in this now, and we might as well follow it and see where it goes.
I like the book well enough. I like the series well enough. It's just that it doesn't seem like it should be centered on Heralds and such the way it is, or at least it should've been marketed transparently as YA if that's what it was supposed to be. I'm used to ML's adult work, so seeing this is just... well, it's just watered down! It's missing features I'm used to with ML and it disappoints me so much!
It's a fine book. Just... that's all. It's just okay.
I admit it. It's been a long time since I read anything that was considered new by ML. Except for a collaboration book she did with another author in which the style and feel were so very NOT like ML's work that I wonder just how much involvement she really had with the project in the first place. Other than that, the newest ML book I'd have read came from the 90's.
Is this just how her work plays out now? Because if so, I might have to bid farewell to one of my favorite authors. She's just not up to the same fire and fury she used to be, in my opinion.
Or is this some attempt to appeal to the YA crowd? If that's the case, then I'm very disappointed there, too, because that feels like selling out to me. Keep it natural. Don't try to appease a different crowd because you think that's how you'll make more money. An established author like ML should never feel like they have to do anything like that.
The story?
It's okay. It's good, but not good. I suppose my opinions of ML and her earlier work has something to do with how I feel about that, and maybe I'm wrong for letting pre-conceived opinions like that have any influence on the present. But there it is. The story would be fine, I think, if it wasn't in a universe that has been well established over all this time. If it had been its own world or even within the same universe, but not about Heralds, Bards, etc, then I'd probably feel differently about it. But it is. And I don't think it should be.
Tournaments... NO! I literally skipped the first chapter of this book and have skipped chapters in the preceding books because of Kirball. It's ridiculous and, in my opinion, almost any time you see something like a tournament in a book, it's a filler. ML had the creativity to help incorporate the game into something useful in the plot, but I hate these things. They're stupid. And it reminds me of Harry Potter, which I can't stand (to the chagrin of my fellow fantasy lovers). I've mentioned in the reviews of the other books in this series that this whole thing feels like ML's attempt at a Harry Potter-style universe, and that's another thing that feels "sell out" to me, too.
The characters are mostly likeable. Though I don't have a high opinion of Mags. Everybody else has a pretty unique, if not predictable personality, but Mags doesn't, really. And he seems kind of "Mary Sue", though I'm not entirely sure I've been thinking of that term correctly. It's like he can do anything, he's good at nearly everything, especially when it's something important. He's good at that Kirball thing. He's good at weapons and fighting. He's good at his "other job" to the point it's actually getting completely unbelievable! He's just too good at everything!
The main characters are teenagers. However, they talk and act like seasoned adults. No, no, don't come for me with the pitchforks and the loose. I'm not saying teenagers can't be clever and mature. But that ALL of them, even the minor characters from Mags' Kirball team, act like they've had a lot of life experience, and based on what's been told about them in the story, they haven't. That's a pet peeve of mine in fantasy books. Children, teenagers, and younger adults acting like they've had 40 years of life experience. No, they haven't, and it's just getting to a point that it's a trope.
The mystery aspect of it is okay, I guess. It keeps a reader interested. I just feel like it's being PUSHED, you know? Like, ML feels like she can't keep this series on its feet if she doesn't keep dangling the figurative carrot in front of us, but it's not even all that good of a carrot, ultimately. It's just that we're in this now, and we might as well follow it and see where it goes.
I like the book well enough. I like the series well enough. It's just that it doesn't seem like it should be centered on Heralds and such the way it is, or at least it should've been marketed transparently as YA if that's what it was supposed to be. I'm used to ML's adult work, so seeing this is just... well, it's just watered down! It's missing features I'm used to with ML and it disappoints me so much!
It's a fine book. Just... that's all. It's just okay.
November 20, 2011
A continuation of Lackey's Valdemer series. This latest book is the third book in her series about three trainees in the Collegium, Mags, who is clearly being trained to become a spy or the King's Own, Bear, a gifted non magical healer, who has to fight bigotry on the part of his family -- who think healing is for only the magically gifted, and Lena, a shy bardic trainee, who has to suffer at the hands of her obnoxious bullying self indulgent father.
Really however, it feels to me that the Bear story and the Lena story are just there as filler. The main story and the only one worth reading is the Mags story as he is a non traditional trainee but (as many of Lackey's character's) a powerful magical mindspeaker.
The nub of this tale is that certain agents of another land are trying to kidnap Mags because they know something about his unknown past and/or Amily, the King's Own daughter, so they can blackmail him into doing things their way. At the same time, Lackey uses Bear and Lena to illustrate how Valdemer has to change to adapt to new influences.
The back and forth espionage battle between Mags and Nikolas on one side and Stone and Ice (the enemy agents) is not a bad story but its all so predictable, and the ending just augers another volume in this tale.
As an aside, I have read many of these books and there is a use of a strange stone in the bowels of the Collegium, which vaguely, ever so vaguely I think was in another novel. It makes me think that the past of this land is like the past books in my mind -- vague whisperings.
I am invested in this Mags story, but luckily I have been able to take the books out of the library, as I cannot recommend paying money for these novels.
But if you have read the first two books, you probably should read this one -- just know that what little is resolved will be primarily with respect to minor characters.
the main story resolution -- well that's still in the future.
Really however, it feels to me that the Bear story and the Lena story are just there as filler. The main story and the only one worth reading is the Mags story as he is a non traditional trainee but (as many of Lackey's character's) a powerful magical mindspeaker.
The nub of this tale is that certain agents of another land are trying to kidnap Mags because they know something about his unknown past and/or Amily, the King's Own daughter, so they can blackmail him into doing things their way. At the same time, Lackey uses Bear and Lena to illustrate how Valdemer has to change to adapt to new influences.
The back and forth espionage battle between Mags and Nikolas on one side and Stone and Ice (the enemy agents) is not a bad story but its all so predictable, and the ending just augers another volume in this tale.
As an aside, I have read many of these books and there is a use of a strange stone in the bowels of the Collegium, which vaguely, ever so vaguely I think was in another novel. It makes me think that the past of this land is like the past books in my mind -- vague whisperings.
I am invested in this Mags story, but luckily I have been able to take the books out of the library, as I cannot recommend paying money for these novels.
But if you have read the first two books, you probably should read this one -- just know that what little is resolved will be primarily with respect to minor characters.
the main story resolution -- well that's still in the future.
October 26, 2014
3.75 stars
Reread extravaganza continues! Previous parts were reviewed here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
So I'm continuing rereading the series in readiness for Closer to Home Valdemar The Herald Spy 1 and things are getting a bit more interesting here in book 3. Mags is helping Nikolas in the city, there are fresh baddies (or should I say of the same origins but better versions? Bad guys mk2?) and everyone is growing up and facing up to things - hence the title I expect. We still get vague mysterious hints alluding to Mags' origins and possible connections to the baddies but we focus on Lena, Bear and Amily a bit more in this volume which actually adds considerably to the story I think as well as seeing Mags demonstrating some action scenes to keep it all exciting. Lena's dad's part was obvious from the beginning; but then from all we'd seen in previous books it was exactly in his character. The heartstone interactions.....well, they served a purpose but I have to admit they seemed weird and out of place somehow.
On the whole however this book shows the series and the characters of Mags and his friends really coming into their own and developing into the type of people I definitely want to read more adventures about and the rereadaganza luckily continues with Redoubt Valdemar Collegium Chronicles 4!
Reread extravaganza continues! Previous parts were reviewed here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
So I'm continuing rereading the series in readiness for Closer to Home Valdemar The Herald Spy 1 and things are getting a bit more interesting here in book 3. Mags is helping Nikolas in the city, there are fresh baddies (or should I say of the same origins but better versions? Bad guys mk2?) and everyone is growing up and facing up to things - hence the title I expect. We still get vague mysterious hints alluding to Mags' origins and possible connections to the baddies but we focus on Lena, Bear and Amily a bit more in this volume which actually adds considerably to the story I think as well as seeing Mags demonstrating some action scenes to keep it all exciting. Lena's dad's part was obvious from the beginning; but then from all we'd seen in previous books it was exactly in his character. The heartstone interactions.....well, they served a purpose but I have to admit they seemed weird and out of place somehow.
On the whole however this book shows the series and the characters of Mags and his friends really coming into their own and developing into the type of people I definitely want to read more adventures about and the rereadaganza luckily continues with Redoubt Valdemar Collegium Chronicles 4!
December 5, 2011
Book 3 of the Collegium Chronicles was just like the others. Well written, fast paced; I liked it very much. However, it seems that I am forever to wonder about my previous concerns; mostly not knowing Dallen. The world is expanding a bit, but still not enough for me. The stakes are getting higher and Mags is maturing. But I still know little about his ancestry, which I was hoping to be reveiled now. Alas, the author is instead making sure that I read the next one to find out. But you know what they say the sign of a true author is one that keeps you reading against your will. (Hehehehehe)
One thing that caught my eye though was the crystal, if you read it you now what I mean, but I think it extends the characters abilities nicely and explains much. I still am not sure about the Bond with Chosen and Companion but the crystal leaves nibbles for me to chew on. I also enjoy Amily and Mag's relationship, it is the very little romance needed to complete the tale. Lastly, is it only me who thinks Mags deserves his Whites? I mean how many students actually do what he does, except maybe Harry Potter.
Another 8/10, good job Mercedes Lackey. Sad am I that i will have to wait so long for the last book in this tale.
One thing that caught my eye though was the crystal, if you read it you now what I mean, but I think it extends the characters abilities nicely and explains much. I still am not sure about the Bond with Chosen and Companion but the crystal leaves nibbles for me to chew on. I also enjoy Amily and Mag's relationship, it is the very little romance needed to complete the tale. Lastly, is it only me who thinks Mags deserves his Whites? I mean how many students actually do what he does, except maybe Harry Potter.
Another 8/10, good job Mercedes Lackey. Sad am I that i will have to wait so long for the last book in this tale.
June 22, 2025
This is the third book in the Collegium Chronicles. Our main character Mags is still looking for foreign agents that want to bring Valdemar down. His mentor, Nickolas is training him to be a spy for the king. All of Haven seems to be at each other's throats. Is it because of the heat or is it something more magical and sinister going on? Is the enemy the same people or is it a new group? The enemy seems to be after Mags and will stop at nothing including kidnapping his girlfriend to get at him. Everywhere Mags turns there seems to be someone after him and a new threat.
June 6, 2017
Awesome way to distract the mind when it is threatening to set off an anxiety attack.
August 31, 2022
A fun romp but with an unsatisfactory conclusion.
November 21, 2011
I am extremely disappointed. In this third installment of the Collegium Chronicles it becomes painfully obvious that these three books together should have been the first volume in this story. And that it should have been an actual new and original addition to the world of Valdemar. The blurbs advertised this series as an explanation of how and why the collegium system came to be as opposed to the mentor system of the Vanyel books and we were promised some kind of meaningful conflict over this issue. There wasn't any. Oh look, there are too many trainees, let's start a collegium system even though some people disagree with that plan. And that's about all we got.
Also, there seemed to be virtually no original plot in this story:
Mags' backstory was remarkably similar to Skif's - abandoned orphan makes good by getting chosen but still retains a certain amount of his street-smart (or bumpkin) qualities to misdirect people.
So was the whole helping to foil a plot of bad guys by putting himself in danger bit.
Mags being trained in spying and subterfuge was so the same as Alberich working with the previous weaponsmaster (whose name I am blanking on right now).
Sports game as war training was already done in the Alberich books and much more effectively, I might add.
His companion giving him the knowledge he needed to function and his inability to fit into the Herald life at first was also already done, and much better, with Alberich.
So was the plot against the crown concept.
And, the foreign assassins and how the magic ban effects them thing was fully explored in Talia and Elspeth with Hulda and the assassins who come after her.
So basically, Mags story is a combination of Skif and Alberich, right down to the unlikely romance (Alberich and Myst) with Amily. And I liked the character of Amily, but there really wasn't a deep meaningful relationship built. One moment they were realizing they like each other and the next everyone assumes they are engaged and she is referred to as his "love."
Nothing new folks. I would have really liked an actual exploration of the development of the collegium, or really anything that furthred the greater storyline of Valdemar.
Can we please have something about Iftel and the griffins from the north now? And can it have Tremane in it? Because I really like him.
Oh, and can someone PLEASE edit the next book before it goes out. There were so many typos in my copy I could hardly stand it!
Also, there seemed to be virtually no original plot in this story:
Mags' backstory was remarkably similar to Skif's - abandoned orphan makes good by getting chosen but still retains a certain amount of his street-smart (or bumpkin) qualities to misdirect people.
So was the whole helping to foil a plot of bad guys by putting himself in danger bit.
Mags being trained in spying and subterfuge was so the same as Alberich working with the previous weaponsmaster (whose name I am blanking on right now).
Sports game as war training was already done in the Alberich books and much more effectively, I might add.
His companion giving him the knowledge he needed to function and his inability to fit into the Herald life at first was also already done, and much better, with Alberich.
So was the plot against the crown concept.
And, the foreign assassins and how the magic ban effects them thing was fully explored in Talia and Elspeth with Hulda and the assassins who come after her.
So basically, Mags story is a combination of Skif and Alberich, right down to the unlikely romance (Alberich and Myst) with Amily. And I liked the character of Amily, but there really wasn't a deep meaningful relationship built. One moment they were realizing they like each other and the next everyone assumes they are engaged and she is referred to as his "love."
Nothing new folks. I would have really liked an actual exploration of the development of the collegium, or really anything that furthred the greater storyline of Valdemar.
Can we please have something about Iftel and the griffins from the north now? And can it have Tremane in it? Because I really like him.
Oh, and can someone PLEASE edit the next book before it goes out. There were so many typos in my copy I could hardly stand it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2021
This was baadddd. And I mean BAAADDD. I never thought I would say that about a Mercedes Lackey book, but I can see now why there are so many negative reviews for this book.
November 3, 2019
Where to begin with Changes...Well, if you can make it through the first 60 pages, the plot picks up rather quickly and sets a nice pace until the last 50 pages. As we follow Mags, we still have to deal with a lot of the same issues as the previous book, making the reader less motivated to continue. The main characters are all dealing with their same issues and don’t really get anywhere with them. Of course, none of them can have serious, character-building dialogues because they aren’t deep at all, but joking and unnatural. Romantic relationships have no build up, so it jumps out of the blue that Mags has a real love interest and not just a slight crush. There are also several continuity issues that hinder the story. For example, all of a sudden the collegium is referred to as “the hill” because of some information revealed halfway through when it has never been called that before. Also, the vroni apparently don’t work and are forgotten when they were just brought up in the previous book. Lastly, companions have the ability to dodge lightning that is aimed for them. Is it because of the enemy’s spells? Well, we never find out because it’s never mentioned again. Truly, I enjoy the thought of Mags being different and targeted in all of the books, but when the plot is the same for two or three of your books, it’s time to think about what direction you want to take it in. The pacing of the book is nice as there is excitement and action, yet it’s hard for a reader to invest in it with so many writing errors (seriously, I counted 15 grammar, spacing, and general issues). As long as you take it slow and don’t think too hard about the story, it can be enjoyable.
October 21, 2011
*sighs blissfully* Ah, Valdemar...that wonderous and fantastic land that has brought me so much happiness over the years. As soon as I bought this book and ran my hands over the cover I felt tears welling up because there are just so mnay beautiful memories associated with Valdemar and Heralds, and Companians. This is the third book in Lackey's Collegium series, and it is much like the last two. There is a lot of Kirball, lots of actions scenes, lots of mystery and political intrigue, budding romance and strengthening friendships. This book is another gem written by Mercedes Lackey. If you love her works, then I have no doubt you will love this as well.
The one and only complaint I have with this book is Mags' dialogue throughout the text. When speaking of dialect, he reminds me alot of Skif ( a young Herald from the earlier books who lives much of his young life as a thief). But whereas Skif develops a 'cleaned up' dialect after living in the Collegium for some time, Mags does not, for whatever reason. It just looks very strange written out and it slightly hard to understand at times, which can slow down the reading and throw off the book's pace. But other than that, this story is amazing and you will definately treasure it as I did!
The one and only complaint I have with this book is Mags' dialogue throughout the text. When speaking of dialect, he reminds me alot of Skif ( a young Herald from the earlier books who lives much of his young life as a thief). But whereas Skif develops a 'cleaned up' dialect after living in the Collegium for some time, Mags does not, for whatever reason. It just looks very strange written out and it slightly hard to understand at times, which can slow down the reading and throw off the book's pace. But other than that, this story is amazing and you will definately treasure it as I did!
December 3, 2011
I intended to buy this, but when I discovered that the library had it, I decided to borrow it instead. I am glad I did. This book… it wasn’t good, but it wasn’t bad either. One reason could be that I thought it was the final book in the triology, which meant that I expected more action. Judging from the loose plot threads at the end, I suspect that there is at least one more book in the series. A lot of things happens, both to Mags, Amity, Lena and Bear. It was interesting to follow Mags gradual realization about the kind of Herald he will be, and his wrangling with the ethics of the decisions he has to make. What I regret in this book, is that it is solely focused on Mags because a lot of the subplots circle around his friends. It would have been nice to follow them too, instead of hearing second hand what had happened to them.
The thing that annoyed me most, is the dialect that Mag’s speak. It is one of my pet peeves when characters speaks dialects. Yes, I understand why, but I still don’t like it.
So will I buy it when it is out in paperback? I am not sure. Maybe. And that’s a big Maybe.
The thing that annoyed me most, is the dialect that Mag’s speak. It is one of my pet peeves when characters speaks dialects. Yes, I understand why, but I still don’t like it.
So will I buy it when it is out in paperback? I am not sure. Maybe. And that’s a big Maybe.
July 15, 2017
Another fabulous installment in the Valdemar series. I am very much enjoying the Collegium Chronicles.
Read
May 18, 2017The story begins with happy times. Mags is safe and the crazy killed is dead. But this changes when Nickolas asks Mags to come and help him find some supcisious people down in the city of Haven. While acting the part of a deaf boy, Mags manages to find what seems to be kin to the crazy foreign killers. But this time, they are professionals who are protected from Mindspeech by shields that no Herald can penetrate. Even though these new killers are protected, Mags still finds a way to see what they are up to: kidnap his love Amily, who can't fight back. Join Mags as he struggles to find a way to stop the killers while keeping his love safe.
This book is an amazing sequel to the other books because it builds on the plot of the overall series. The book is filled with magic and plotting and enough mystery to keep the end in shadow. I would recommend this book to anyone who liked the first two. It is an amazing read and it never get boring.
This book is an amazing sequel to the other books because it builds on the plot of the overall series. The book is filled with magic and plotting and enough mystery to keep the end in shadow. I would recommend this book to anyone who liked the first two. It is an amazing read and it never get boring.
September 20, 2018
It was a little slower than the first two but it was pretty good overall :) I just wish the characters were stronger and less whiny.. but I can see that they have grown since book 2 and appreciate that! I couldn't stand Lena at times and I like that she is getting a little better, lol. And Bear is alright.. but just alright. He's a little self centered. As for Amily, she's just.. eh. Not a great character and definitely not a good choice for Mags' love interest, I think. Too needy, and again, self centered. I would prefer him being with someone independent like Gennie! In book 4 I would like to see him get some less self centered and selfish friends.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2019
Mags and Dallen need to find the people that are still in Valdemar trying to hurt the kingdom. Between his work in Kurball ( quiditch on horses ), his work with Nicholas (the King's master spy) and his learning to use his talent, this year is quite challenging for Mags. There are spies in the collegium and the palace. 3 of them to be precise, but the collegium is based on trust.
This was well written and the children that are in the collegium schools are true to their ages and this is especially true in the latter part of this story. Lot's of action for the younger reader.
This was well written and the children that are in the collegium schools are true to their ages and this is especially true in the latter part of this story. Lot's of action for the younger reader.
January 12, 2019
Stayed up until 2 A.M because I had to know what happened.
August 15, 2021
Man did those Kirball scenes get repetitive by the end! But overall a fun book with that comfort read feel that I always experience with the Valdemar books.
February 25, 2022
I feel that Mags' way of speaking is much thicker in this book.
May 4, 2023
Me in the opening chapter of this book: Oh no, not more Kirball. (But Kirball will ultimately play a significant role in an important plot development, and after the first chapter there's almost no more of it until that moment comes.)
Me in the middle of this book: Sigh, I forgot how much active management of other people's emotional states there is in a Lackey book. These people are all about butting in under the banner of caring, and it's fucking exhausting. Can they never once just give a person space to work through their own stuff at their own pace? But then, as I mentioned in my review of Intrigues, the major characters are teens who seem to have a new or recurring emotional crisis every other day, so maybe they really do need to be the targets of aggressive, if benign, interference. But do I really have to hear all about how they're going to engage in an elaborate and secret plan to make person X feel better and have higher self-esteem? And how the fucking Dean of the Collegium is all, "Yes, yes, great idea, I certainly have a personal stake in helping one young Trainee manage his two friends' mental states, I don't have anything else to do."
I'm also beginning to think of this series as a parable on the ways families can hurt the ones they love. I suspect that at least once in every book, our orphan protag Mags will be heard to mutter, “I'm beginnin' t' think it ain't so bad, bein' an orphan,” after seeing the emotional gauntlets his friends Lena and Bear go through repeatedly at the hands of their wacky relatives. In particular, I grew heartily tired of hearing about the many machinations of Lena's father Bard Marchand, and Lena's endless fits of tears and sulking.
Me in the final 30 minutes of this book: I fell asleep and when I woke to the ending music, I didn't even care enough to go back and replay the last bit to find out what happened. That's how little the plot was holding my interest by the end. Apparently, it had the exact same ending as Books 1 and 2: .
The interesting thing about this series, for me as a diehard Valdemar fan, is that this is our first view inside the bond of a Herald Trainee and a Companion who are both truly powerful Mindspeakers. They inhabit each other's minds and work together hand in hoof, so to speak, more than I think we've ever seen with any other Herald-Companion pair. They're almost one mind. We also finally get an explanation of why Mags is doing such advanced things with his Gift when he seemingly has not had very much training in it yet.
Did I like it enough to vread the next one right away? Unfortunately, this series is going downhill for me: Book 1 was a solid 4, Book 2 was a 3.5, and now Book 3 is down to a 3. And maybe not even quite a 3, but more of a 2.5 rounded up. I still at least sort of like it. But I no longer like it enthusiastically, and I'm no longer sure the answer to this standard question is yes. At this point, only the most diehard Valdemar fans can still be enthusiastic about this series, and even a lot of them are jumping ship.
Audio Notes: Mags carefully maintains his ridiculously folksy accent as part of his training under Herald Nikolas, and narrator Nick Pohdel faithfully maintains it as well. I'm getting heartily sick of it in audio, and other reviewers are sick of the print version of it too. Here in Book 3, they stopped doing all the Mindspeaking dialogue in a hollow tinny voice to distinguish it from regular speech. I'm just as happy because long conversations between Mags and Dallen in that tinny voice were really getting on my nerves, but it does mean it's not as easy to tell instantly whether a given line of dialogue is mental or spoken. And also, thank goodness someone finally told Podehl it's pronounced Coll-EE-gium, and not Coll-EH-gium.
Me in the middle of this book: Sigh, I forgot how much active management of other people's emotional states there is in a Lackey book. These people are all about butting in under the banner of caring, and it's fucking exhausting. Can they never once just give a person space to work through their own stuff at their own pace? But then, as I mentioned in my review of Intrigues, the major characters are teens who seem to have a new or recurring emotional crisis every other day, so maybe they really do need to be the targets of aggressive, if benign, interference. But do I really have to hear all about how they're going to engage in an elaborate and secret plan to make person X feel better and have higher self-esteem? And how the fucking Dean of the Collegium is all, "Yes, yes, great idea, I certainly have a personal stake in helping one young Trainee manage his two friends' mental states, I don't have anything else to do."
I'm also beginning to think of this series as a parable on the ways families can hurt the ones they love. I suspect that at least once in every book, our orphan protag Mags will be heard to mutter, “I'm beginnin' t' think it ain't so bad, bein' an orphan,” after seeing the emotional gauntlets his friends Lena and Bear go through repeatedly at the hands of their wacky relatives. In particular, I grew heartily tired of hearing about the many machinations of Lena's father Bard Marchand, and Lena's endless fits of tears and sulking.
Me in the final 30 minutes of this book: I fell asleep and when I woke to the ending music, I didn't even care enough to go back and replay the last bit to find out what happened. That's how little the plot was holding my interest by the end. Apparently, it had the exact same ending as Books 1 and 2: .
The interesting thing about this series, for me as a diehard Valdemar fan, is that this is our first view inside the bond of a Herald Trainee and a Companion who are both truly powerful Mindspeakers. They inhabit each other's minds and work together hand in hoof, so to speak, more than I think we've ever seen with any other Herald-Companion pair. They're almost one mind. We also finally get an explanation of why Mags is doing such advanced things with his Gift when he seemingly has not had very much training in it yet.
Did I like it enough to vread the next one right away? Unfortunately, this series is going downhill for me: Book 1 was a solid 4, Book 2 was a 3.5, and now Book 3 is down to a 3. And maybe not even quite a 3, but more of a 2.5 rounded up. I still at least sort of like it. But I no longer like it enthusiastically, and I'm no longer sure the answer to this standard question is yes. At this point, only the most diehard Valdemar fans can still be enthusiastic about this series, and even a lot of them are jumping ship.
Audio Notes: Mags carefully maintains his ridiculously folksy accent as part of his training under Herald Nikolas, and narrator Nick Pohdel faithfully maintains it as well. I'm getting heartily sick of it in audio, and other reviewers are sick of the print version of it too. Here in Book 3, they stopped doing all the Mindspeaking dialogue in a hollow tinny voice to distinguish it from regular speech. I'm just as happy because long conversations between Mags and Dallen in that tinny voice were really getting on my nerves, but it does mean it's not as easy to tell instantly whether a given line of dialogue is mental or spoken. And also, thank goodness someone finally told Podehl it's pronounced Coll-EE-gium, and not Coll-EH-gium.
October 26, 2011
Third in the Valdemar: Collegium Chronicles which provides us with background on how the current three colleges—Bardic, Herald, and Healer—came to exist using the mystery that surrounds Bardic Trainee Mags.
The Story
Having uncovered the group of assassins seeking to destablize Valdemar, Nikolas, the King's Own Herald, is still suspicious. He believes that the original group never left Haven and he is determined to find and eliminate them using an undercover role he created years ago. In this, he intends to include young Mags, a Bardic Trainee, to whom he has been teaching spycraft techniques.
A tricky dance of spying on extremely able assassins while balancing the more public promotion of the changes in the Colleges through the new sport of Kirball along with the individual issues rising up amongst Mags' friends leaves Mags with a very tense summer. Bear's innovations bring praise from the Healers at Haven even as his Healer family despises him for not having a Gift while Amily grows more and more impatient for her promised surgery to deliver her from her crippled state while under threat. Lena. Lena almost has it worst of all with her selfish, egotistical father, Bard Marchand, as he defrauds those around him and betrays everyone for his own ends.
The Characters
While Mags is the obvious lead with a great deal of strength of character and high morals, he is seconded by Nikolas and his own Companion, Dallen, with Bear, a Healer Trainee, with no Gift but amazing skills. Additional strong support comes from Lena, a Gifted Bardic Trainee, in love with Bear and Amily, Nikolas' crippled daughter who is loved by Mags.
Nikolas grants Mags permission to assemble his own support team as the two of them escalate their own relationship of teacher-student...and friends. It's an interesting trick demonstrating the power of being friends with people from all levels of society and age groups.
My Take
The central theme for this particular sub-series within the main series of Valdemar is of the development of the three Collegiums into a more central educational system instead of the previous apprentice-mentor roles. Using Mags as the central character allows Lackey to set up scenarios of attack while giving power to children as the resolution builds their self-confidence...which is what we want for our own children. Mags brings personality and empathy while his adventures create a fascinating story.
I strongly encourage parents to introduce their kids to the Valdemar series. There is such strength of character and high moral values expressed in this series. Lackey does an amazing job of creating a fascinating series of stories that I simply can't put down until I have finished them. And then I feel rather desperate to find the next! I HATE having to wait for #4 in this particular subset!!
The Cover
The cover is basically the same concept as the first two although initially it appears different. It's simply more complex in its background of a red-toned chessboard with rooks representing the castle at Haven creating the diagonal lines. It does include the gold-framed picture-in-picture with a red-trimmed Dallen rearing up to protect Mags from a masked abductor recalling the scene from the Kirball exhibition game. The one false note is the series of ropes around Dallen's neck as someone attempts to control his efforts.
The Story
Having uncovered the group of assassins seeking to destablize Valdemar, Nikolas, the King's Own Herald, is still suspicious. He believes that the original group never left Haven and he is determined to find and eliminate them using an undercover role he created years ago. In this, he intends to include young Mags, a Bardic Trainee, to whom he has been teaching spycraft techniques.
A tricky dance of spying on extremely able assassins while balancing the more public promotion of the changes in the Colleges through the new sport of Kirball along with the individual issues rising up amongst Mags' friends leaves Mags with a very tense summer. Bear's innovations bring praise from the Healers at Haven even as his Healer family despises him for not having a Gift while Amily grows more and more impatient for her promised surgery to deliver her from her crippled state while under threat. Lena. Lena almost has it worst of all with her selfish, egotistical father, Bard Marchand, as he defrauds those around him and betrays everyone for his own ends.
The Characters
While Mags is the obvious lead with a great deal of strength of character and high morals, he is seconded by Nikolas and his own Companion, Dallen, with Bear, a Healer Trainee, with no Gift but amazing skills. Additional strong support comes from Lena, a Gifted Bardic Trainee, in love with Bear and Amily, Nikolas' crippled daughter who is loved by Mags.
Nikolas grants Mags permission to assemble his own support team as the two of them escalate their own relationship of teacher-student...and friends. It's an interesting trick demonstrating the power of being friends with people from all levels of society and age groups.
My Take
The central theme for this particular sub-series within the main series of Valdemar is of the development of the three Collegiums into a more central educational system instead of the previous apprentice-mentor roles. Using Mags as the central character allows Lackey to set up scenarios of attack while giving power to children as the resolution builds their self-confidence...which is what we want for our own children. Mags brings personality and empathy while his adventures create a fascinating story.
I strongly encourage parents to introduce their kids to the Valdemar series. There is such strength of character and high moral values expressed in this series. Lackey does an amazing job of creating a fascinating series of stories that I simply can't put down until I have finished them. And then I feel rather desperate to find the next! I HATE having to wait for #4 in this particular subset!!
The Cover
The cover is basically the same concept as the first two although initially it appears different. It's simply more complex in its background of a red-toned chessboard with rooks representing the castle at Haven creating the diagonal lines. It does include the gold-framed picture-in-picture with a red-trimmed Dallen rearing up to protect Mags from a masked abductor recalling the scene from the Kirball exhibition game. The one false note is the series of ropes around Dallen's neck as someone attempts to control his efforts.
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