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Valdemar: Heralds of Valdemar #3
Arrow's Fall
With Elspeth, the heir to the throne of Valdemar, come of marriageable age, Talia, the Queen's Own Herald returns to court to find Queen and heir beset by diplomatic intrigue as various forces vie for control of Elspeth's future.
But just as Talia is about to uncover the traitor behind all these intrigues, she is sent off on a mission to the neighboring kingdom, chosen by the Queen to investigate the worth of a marriage proposal from Prince Ancar.
319 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
176 people are currently reading
3728 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 604 reviews
April 20, 2014
Setting/World Building: 4/5.
Main Character: 4/5
Other Characters: 3/5. Kind of disappointed by the lack of depth to the villains.
Plot: 2/5
Writing: 2/5
Triggering/Issues: 2/5. Character death, but even worse, rape followed by torture (of the sexual sadist variety). Also triggering is the way the aftermath is handled (or rather, the way it isn't really handled at all).
AVERAGED TOTAL:3.1 out of 5, rounded to 3. 2.8 out of 5, rounded down to 2, after a few days had passed and I was still mad.
Oh, how this book disappointed me. I think one of the worst parts about this book is that it HAD all the makings of what could have been a great book. The previous two set up Talia coming into her own, and I thought here we were going to get the sort of climax, the real big test of her powers and strengths. There were political machinations and tensions between two realms, and in my head I could see it building into this epic battle where Talia has to use her powers to help them all save the day. But instead... Instead the book hit me with three whammies in a row and then it was all downhill from there.
So what happened? Well it all started with...
To be honest, it was so infuriating that I can't even spend much time on the other things that bugged me, like the stupid forced pseudo-love triangle that was really just the cause of all three of them thinking things and then never talking to each other. I hate when plots are like that. If your plot is only continued along by you making sure the characters just silence their thoughts and don't say anything even though they know they should, than it's dumb.
After the first two novels, which I loved so much, reading this one was a major disappointment best summed up by this gif:
Just imagine me happily opening this book and then realizing what's inside. That's pretty much exactly what happened...and to be honest, I'm not even sure how it got to 3 stars... probably because I do still like the world and the characters, I just really, really hate what was done to them and the plot. So, so disappointed.
ETA: After 2 days, I was still SO UPSET about the book and what happened, that I gave in and knocked it down to 2 stars, which frankly, it should have been the whole time.
Main Character: 4/5
Other Characters: 3/5. Kind of disappointed by the lack of depth to the villains.
Plot: 2/5
Writing: 2/5
Triggering/Issues: 2/5. Character death, but even worse, rape followed by torture (of the sexual sadist variety). Also triggering is the way the aftermath is handled (or rather, the way it isn't really handled at all).
AVERAGED TOTAL:
Oh, how this book disappointed me. I think one of the worst parts about this book is that it HAD all the makings of what could have been a great book. The previous two set up Talia coming into her own, and I thought here we were going to get the sort of climax, the real big test of her powers and strengths. There were political machinations and tensions between two realms, and in my head I could see it building into this epic battle where Talia has to use her powers to help them all save the day. But instead... Instead the book hit me with three whammies in a row and then it was all downhill from there.
So what happened? Well it all started with...
To be honest, it was so infuriating that I can't even spend much time on the other things that bugged me, like the stupid forced pseudo-love triangle that was really just the cause of all three of them thinking things and then never talking to each other. I hate when plots are like that. If your plot is only continued along by you making sure the characters just silence their thoughts and don't say anything even though they know they should, than it's dumb.
After the first two novels, which I loved so much, reading this one was a major disappointment best summed up by this gif:
Just imagine me happily opening this book and then realizing what's inside. That's pretty much exactly what happened...
ETA: After 2 days, I was still SO UPSET about the book and what happened, that I gave in and knocked it down to 2 stars, which frankly, it should have been the whole time.
December 18, 2020
3.5 stars
I keep finding myself wondering what I would've thought of these books when they were first published in the late 80s/early 90s. Those would've been my Babysitters' Club days and I no doubt would've loved these books too. Talking (sort of) magical horses? Adventures and intrigue? Yep, I would've eaten these up. Now though? I am liking them, sometimes even enjoying them, but the flaws are evident and keep me from really loving them, at least so far.
They are a product of their time, for sure. It's not even that storytelling has changed much since those days - Lord of the Rings was well before these books and much more complex and layered. But Lackey doesn't really play around much with tropes. The good guys are always good, the villains are of the mustache-twirling variety, and the romance ... *sigh*
The "romance" here is by far the most annoying thing about this book and the previous one. I don't like insta-love, and "fated mates"/"meant to be" is just the lazier, more boring version of that, and Lackey does next to nothing to convince me that Dirk and Talia are actually meant to be with each other besides telling the reader this constantly. They're kept apart for nearly all of the last book and this one, spend a grand total of maybe five pages together, if I'm being generous, and I'm supposed to give a crap about their relationship angst because Dirk's being a butt-hurt idiot wallowing in his self-inflicted man-pain and Talia and Kris are too busy being oblivious to the incredibly obvious problem (themselves) to figure out what's going on? I don't think so. It was so junior high. I was just waiting for one of them to pass each other a note during study hall. Except they're not in school anymore since they're supposed to be adults! *palmface* Then Lackey spends more time on than she does their entire friendship and courtship.
I'm bracing myself for more of these kindergarten romances but sincerely hoping that this sort of bubble-headed "love story" won't become an ongoing thing, or I'm going to get eye strain from all the eye rolling.
The fantasy elements were much better handled here, and the conflict was actually complicated enough to not be solved within a couple of pages - it's actually going to be ongoing, so I'm looking forward to that. Once Talia and Kris were in hot water, the story got a lot more interesting, and not just because the "romance" was put on the back burner for several chapters. The introduction of "real" magic, rather than the mind magic of the heralds, will hopefully expand this universe. I'm worried though that all the mages will be evil with no subtlety or nuance, like much everything else so far. (And dear lord, y'all, stop evil monologuing! Although Talia calling them out on their evil monologuing was funny, I'll admit.)
It was nice to see how far Elspeth has come since the first book, which was easily the most refreshing part of this book. She's still a teen and still makes mistakes, but when it's time to step up and grow up, she does with flying colors.
I keep finding myself wondering what I would've thought of these books when they were first published in the late 80s/early 90s. Those would've been my Babysitters' Club days and I no doubt would've loved these books too. Talking (sort of) magical horses? Adventures and intrigue? Yep, I would've eaten these up. Now though? I am liking them, sometimes even enjoying them, but the flaws are evident and keep me from really loving them, at least so far.
They are a product of their time, for sure. It's not even that storytelling has changed much since those days - Lord of the Rings was well before these books and much more complex and layered. But Lackey doesn't really play around much with tropes. The good guys are always good, the villains are of the mustache-twirling variety, and the romance ... *sigh*
The "romance" here is by far the most annoying thing about this book and the previous one. I don't like insta-love, and "fated mates"/"meant to be" is just the lazier, more boring version of that, and Lackey does next to nothing to convince me that Dirk and Talia are actually meant to be with each other besides telling the reader this constantly. They're kept apart for nearly all of the last book and this one, spend a grand total of maybe five pages together, if I'm being generous, and I'm supposed to give a crap about their relationship angst because Dirk's being a butt-hurt idiot wallowing in his self-inflicted man-pain and Talia and Kris are too busy being oblivious to the incredibly obvious problem (themselves) to figure out what's going on? I don't think so. It was so junior high. I was just waiting for one of them to pass each other a note during study hall. Except they're not in school anymore since they're supposed to be adults! *palmface* Then Lackey spends more time on than she does their entire friendship and courtship.
I'm bracing myself for more of these kindergarten romances but sincerely hoping that this sort of bubble-headed "love story" won't become an ongoing thing, or I'm going to get eye strain from all the eye rolling.
The fantasy elements were much better handled here, and the conflict was actually complicated enough to not be solved within a couple of pages - it's actually going to be ongoing, so I'm looking forward to that. Once Talia and Kris were in hot water, the story got a lot more interesting, and not just because the "romance" was put on the back burner for several chapters. The introduction of "real" magic, rather than the mind magic of the heralds, will hopefully expand this universe. I'm worried though that all the mages will be evil with no subtlety or nuance, like much everything else so far. (And dear lord, y'all, stop evil monologuing! Although Talia calling them out on their evil monologuing was funny, I'll admit.)
It was nice to see how far Elspeth has come since the first book, which was easily the most refreshing part of this book. She's still a teen and still makes mistakes, but when it's time to step up and grow up, she does with flying colors.
September 29, 2025
Well this went from revoltingly cozy to slightly traumatizing in less time than it takes to say "General DaShrimp, unleash the crustaceans!"
Thank fish the ending was despicably fluffy and full of horribly heart-warming stuff, otherwise I might have been scarred for life. (Because yes, I am getting shockingly soft in my old age 👵🏼.)
And now off toread listen to the next book in this quite scrumptious series I am 😬.
⚠️ Content warning: rape and torture. So beware and stuff.
· Book 1: Arrows of the Queen ★★★★
· Book 2: Arrow's Flight ★★★
Thank fish the ending was despicably fluffy and full of horribly heart-warming stuff, otherwise I might have been scarred for life. (Because yes, I am getting shockingly soft in my old age 👵🏼.)
And now off to
⚠️ Content warning: rape and torture. So beware and stuff.
· Book 1: Arrows of the Queen ★★★★
· Book 2: Arrow's Flight ★★★
January 15, 2015
I really didn't like this book. Everyone got inexplicably mad at each other and people fell in love at first sight (fine) and then got married without hardly spending any time together (what not fine!!). And then one character was like "oh yeah they raped me but whatever they hurt my body, that one lady 'raped your soul'". Are you kidding me? She was awful and broke his heart and cruel but comparing that to gang rape and torture is a disgusting equivalency that really papers over some shoddy plotting and storytelling. We're expected to treat the parallelism of their lives as signs of compatibility and it's just garbage.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2023
Arrows of the Queen is a book I discovered a couple years ago, and which I now consider one of my favorite novels. But then, I was slightly disappointed by Arrow's Flight. It's not a terrible book, and some crucial events occur that directly lead into Arrow's Fall. However, I found stretches of it boring, and despite its relatively short length, the story really dragged for me. Because of this, it took me a long time to finally decide to read this installment, which concludes the Heralds of Valdemar trilogy.
With Arrow's Fall, Heralds Talia and Kris have returned from their travels and are back in Valdemar. Familiar characters make their appearances, like Elspeth, Selenay, Dirk, Skif, and others. The book falls more into what I would consider traditional epic fantasy than the first two novels. There is political backstabbing, warring kingdoms, demonic monsters, evil mages, a "mua-ha-ha mustache-twirling" villain, and multiple POVs (although Talia is still the main character, we get more perspectives, and more often, than in the earlier books). It also struck me as being a much darker novel, with content warnings that would include rape and torture. While neither of these items were described in very graphic detail, they are present.
Like with Arrows of the Queen, there were some really emotional moments in this book, and one scene in particular made me tear up. I also enjoyed that the last chapter was a lengthy aftermath after the main conflict of the novel had resolved. I've read too many books that end rather abruptly, or where the "what came next" is wrapped up in a few brief paragraphs. Here, having invested ourselves in the characters over the course of three novels, we get some payoff to see where Talia and friends end up next. As an added bonus, my edition of the novel included lyrics to several songs Mercedes Lackey has written which are inspired by this trilogy. Even without knowing the accompanying music, they work well on their own as poetry.
The overarching Valdemar series spans (to date) nearly forty books, a number which soars past fifty if you include the multi-author anthologies. That said, Heralds of Valdemar is a self-contained trilogy with a satisfying conclusion. My understanding is that the Valdemar books are mostly like this, spanning a few thousand years of in-world history and covering the stories of a variety of main characters. I plan to read more from Mercedes Lackey, as she seems to hit a lot of the story elements that I personally enjoy.
With Arrow's Fall, Heralds Talia and Kris have returned from their travels and are back in Valdemar. Familiar characters make their appearances, like Elspeth, Selenay, Dirk, Skif, and others. The book falls more into what I would consider traditional epic fantasy than the first two novels. There is political backstabbing, warring kingdoms, demonic monsters, evil mages, a "mua-ha-ha mustache-twirling" villain, and multiple POVs (although Talia is still the main character, we get more perspectives, and more often, than in the earlier books). It also struck me as being a much darker novel, with content warnings that would include rape and torture. While neither of these items were described in very graphic detail, they are present.
Like with Arrows of the Queen, there were some really emotional moments in this book, and one scene in particular made me tear up. I also enjoyed that the last chapter was a lengthy aftermath after the main conflict of the novel had resolved. I've read too many books that end rather abruptly, or where the "what came next" is wrapped up in a few brief paragraphs. Here, having invested ourselves in the characters over the course of three novels, we get some payoff to see where Talia and friends end up next. As an added bonus, my edition of the novel included lyrics to several songs Mercedes Lackey has written which are inspired by this trilogy. Even without knowing the accompanying music, they work well on their own as poetry.
The overarching Valdemar series spans (to date) nearly forty books, a number which soars past fifty if you include the multi-author anthologies. That said, Heralds of Valdemar is a self-contained trilogy with a satisfying conclusion. My understanding is that the Valdemar books are mostly like this, spanning a few thousand years of in-world history and covering the stories of a variety of main characters. I plan to read more from Mercedes Lackey, as she seems to hit a lot of the story elements that I personally enjoy.
June 11, 2019
Later update:
I read this book several years ago and it ruined the series for me. I would not recommend this book to anyone. There is very heavy content (which IMO is unnecessary and used as a plot device) that is very poorly handled.
Many of my friends have rated it highly, but I can't get over these points, and I'm not willing to read the book again to see if I'd change my mind. (probably no)
(TW)
Original review:
Sigh...I wanted to like this book, but...
Things I liked:
Should I keep trying with this author? This is my first series by her.
I read this book several years ago and it ruined the series for me. I would not recommend this book to anyone. There is very heavy content (which IMO is unnecessary and used as a plot device) that is very poorly handled.
Many of my friends have rated it highly, but I can't get over these points, and I'm not willing to read the book again to see if I'd change my mind. (probably no)
(TW)
Original review:
Sigh...I wanted to like this book, but...
Things I liked:
Should I keep trying with this author? This is my first series by her.
January 23, 2022
DNF at I-have-no-idea-what percent, but very near the end.
I don't usually mark a book as "read" or write a review for it if I don't finish it, but I have some things to say about this one, and I think it deserves the criticism.
Lackey did a splendid job writing the first book in this trilogy, but only a passable job writing the sequel. This third book is a dumpster fire. Considering that these books are highly character-driven, it was rather disappointing to feel so disconnected and unsympathetic towards our main leads—even when they faced struggles that should've impacted me. While rather disappointing, I still would've read this book to end if it weren't for the crowning jewel of my disgust: how Lackey wrote SA affecting the main character.
In general, I try to stay away from books with major SA plot points, with it being simply too scarring and emotional for me to get past. Even in my limited experience with SA in books, I knew that the way Lackey handled it was wrong. Talia is directly assaulted and glosses over it in the span of a half-sentence. Everyone deals with trauma differently, but that honestly just left me feeling icky. It took away from the gravity and reality of the situation she endured and made it seem as if it was just another trial she went through. As soon as I read that, I closed the book.
If you feel I am overreacting and need a second opinion, there are plenty of other reviews you can refer to and hear the same thing. Read this book at your own discretion, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
I don't usually mark a book as "read" or write a review for it if I don't finish it, but I have some things to say about this one, and I think it deserves the criticism.
Lackey did a splendid job writing the first book in this trilogy, but only a passable job writing the sequel. This third book is a dumpster fire. Considering that these books are highly character-driven, it was rather disappointing to feel so disconnected and unsympathetic towards our main leads—even when they faced struggles that should've impacted me. While rather disappointing, I still would've read this book to end if it weren't for the crowning jewel of my disgust: how Lackey wrote SA affecting the main character.
In general, I try to stay away from books with major SA plot points, with it being simply too scarring and emotional for me to get past. Even in my limited experience with SA in books, I knew that the way Lackey handled it was wrong. Talia is directly assaulted and glosses over it in the span of a half-sentence. Everyone deals with trauma differently, but that honestly just left me feeling icky. It took away from the gravity and reality of the situation she endured and made it seem as if it was just another trial she went through. As soon as I read that, I closed the book.
If you feel I am overreacting and need a second opinion, there are plenty of other reviews you can refer to and hear the same thing. Read this book at your own discretion, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
March 24, 2013
And so the disappointing Arrows of the Queen trilogy ends. This book is actually the best of the three as far as being an actual fantasy novel - we have a real mage-war, lifebonding, near-death experiences, use of Gifts, and some political intrigue. Unfortunately, all this excitement literally happens in the final third of the book. The latter two-thirds are AGAIN plagued with the what-if-she-thinks, what-if-he-thinks of the second book. People, you are GROWN ADULTS, some of you with TELEPATHIC ABILITIES. Put down the bottle, stop angsting, and TALK already.
Talia lifebonds with a man she hardly knows, and they both "love" each other just because - their romance is deep and cheesy with very little actual substance.
The villain could be promising, and Lackey attempts to add a few plot twists using previous characters and mages, but it is all so poorly developed as to feel forced.
And Orthallen. For God's sakes, NO ONE likes him, NO ONE trusts him, quit tip-toeing around him and DO SOMETHING already! And again, for all his hinted evil, he has little development and a very sudden end.
The most fascinating part of Fall was the use of everyone's Gifts. We have linking, human transportation, fire-conjuring, all used in battle or for rescue. Excitement! FINALLY! Thank you, Lackey.
Overall, this trilogy is very forgettable and can be read in a matter of days. For those interested in Lackey's universe, it's a good introduction. However, her Herald-Mage series - the only other Lackey books I have read thus far - is superior, but again has angst problems. I hope to find a Lackey novel without them. More action, less going in circles with pity and doubt, please.
Talia lifebonds with a man she hardly knows, and they both "love" each other just because - their romance is deep and cheesy with very little actual substance.
The villain could be promising, and Lackey attempts to add a few plot twists using previous characters and mages, but it is all so poorly developed as to feel forced.
And Orthallen. For God's sakes, NO ONE likes him, NO ONE trusts him, quit tip-toeing around him and DO SOMETHING already! And again, for all his hinted evil, he has little development and a very sudden end.
The most fascinating part of Fall was the use of everyone's Gifts. We have linking, human transportation, fire-conjuring, all used in battle or for rescue. Excitement! FINALLY! Thank you, Lackey.
Overall, this trilogy is very forgettable and can be read in a matter of days. For those interested in Lackey's universe, it's a good introduction. However, her Herald-Mage series - the only other Lackey books I have read thus far - is superior, but again has angst problems. I hope to find a Lackey novel without them. More action, less going in circles with pity and doubt, please.
January 15, 2022
** 8th re-read in Jan 2017
This series is mature young adult. Love it!
Long series done in trilogies. Each trilogy follows the same protagonist for the tree books. The next three will follow someone new but familiar. There's a huge amount of peripheral characters and a couple one-off books to give you backstory on specific individuals.
This first trilogy (Arrows) follows Talia, a young and shy girl from a rough area that isn't known for treating women well. Italia gets "chosen" by one of the magical horse/companions of Valdemar to become a Herald.
Next trilogy follows Princess Elsbeth who is a recurring character in this first three books.
Magical fantasy world. Battles, war & redemption are common themes.
I enjoy this series every time I read it.
Absolutely recommended!
This series is mature young adult. Love it!
Long series done in trilogies. Each trilogy follows the same protagonist for the tree books. The next three will follow someone new but familiar. There's a huge amount of peripheral characters and a couple one-off books to give you backstory on specific individuals.
This first trilogy (Arrows) follows Talia, a young and shy girl from a rough area that isn't known for treating women well. Italia gets "chosen" by one of the magical horse/companions of Valdemar to become a Herald.
Next trilogy follows Princess Elsbeth who is a recurring character in this first three books.
Magical fantasy world. Battles, war & redemption are common themes.
I enjoy this series every time I read it.
Absolutely recommended!
July 7, 2019
Review to Come
August 15, 2020
Rereading this book is just so painful. The whole time you can't help but tell Talia to just no, stop, don't go, DON'T DO IT. sob.
These books are flawed, but gosh they're so very heartbreaking and comforting in the same breath.
These books are flawed, but gosh they're so very heartbreaking and comforting in the same breath.
February 8, 2024
Uh oh I’m all out of horse fantasy
March 25, 2019
All right, I need to get this review over with. I've been going over this in my head, wondering if I should change the star rating. I'd say this is a solid 3.5 and in my own personal files which uses a different scale I did give this one a lesser rating than the first, but a better one than the second.
Ok, so third book in the series, I can skip over all the good stuff that has remained solid: great world building, great characters (though perhaps too much focus on the main and not enough development for the supporting cast), great lore and magic system, decent plot and great writing. As far as the writing goes, Lackey does have a few epic moments as far as tension building is concerned and some very good set up and follow through.
There were three things however that greatly, and I mean greatly, bothered me:
1) The atrocious love story
2) Pitch black darkness purely for shock value
3) The somewhat anti-climactic none ending
1) The atrocious love story
I mean it was weird in the first one, sucked in the second one and just didn't get much better in this one. How am I supposed to root/feel with a couple that barely spends any time together at all? They love each other "in spite of themselves". Life bonding is just the most unromantic nonsense ever. They literally fell in love at first sight (when she was a kid for f's sake) and...that's it. Every tender or loving moment between them just seems sickly sweet and meaningless because of it. Not to mention there is an added, unnecessary, very predictable angsty love triangle on top of it. Just...why?!!
2) Pitch Black Darkness purely for shock value
This book suddenly took a Grimdark turn and I really don't like Grimdark and wasn't expecting it here. Worse still, it didn't need it.
.
3)The somewhat anti-climactic none ending
So Talia So now the other characters have to step up and As such it becomes a bit of a problem that we've hardly spent any time with them whatsoever. (this also greatly diminished some of Talia's interactions with them in my opinion, particularly Elspeth) Also the fact that the real villains were introduced this late in the story doesn't help either. So the end feels a little rushed, too neatly tied up, not really solves anything (I'm guessing this conflict carries over in the next books of the Valdemar universe) and hardly involves our main character who has been the overwhelming focus up to this point. That's a bit of a problem.
In the end, a decently written trilogy, but certainly not without its issues. Some of the parts were absolutely masterful and others left me scratching my head as to why Lackey decided to go in this direction. From a glance I would guess that there are no more books with Talia as the lead character? If this is true then it definitely feels like more could have been done with this. That being said, my overal experience with Lackey and Valdemar is a positive one. I don't think it'll be for everyone but it is most assuredly worth checking out. Recommend you give it a try if it sounds like something you'd like.
Ok, so third book in the series, I can skip over all the good stuff that has remained solid: great world building, great characters (though perhaps too much focus on the main and not enough development for the supporting cast), great lore and magic system, decent plot and great writing. As far as the writing goes, Lackey does have a few epic moments as far as tension building is concerned and some very good set up and follow through.
There were three things however that greatly, and I mean greatly, bothered me:
1) The atrocious love story
2) Pitch black darkness purely for shock value
3) The somewhat anti-climactic none ending
1) The atrocious love story
I mean it was weird in the first one, sucked in the second one and just didn't get much better in this one. How am I supposed to root/feel with a couple that barely spends any time together at all? They love each other "in spite of themselves". Life bonding is just the most unromantic nonsense ever. They literally fell in love at first sight (when she was a kid for f's sake) and...that's it. Every tender or loving moment between them just seems sickly sweet and meaningless because of it. Not to mention there is an added, unnecessary, very predictable angsty love triangle on top of it. Just...why?!!
2) Pitch Black Darkness purely for shock value
This book suddenly took a Grimdark turn and I really don't like Grimdark and wasn't expecting it here. Worse still, it didn't need it.
.
3)The somewhat anti-climactic none ending
So Talia So now the other characters have to step up and As such it becomes a bit of a problem that we've hardly spent any time with them whatsoever. (this also greatly diminished some of Talia's interactions with them in my opinion, particularly Elspeth) Also the fact that the real villains were introduced this late in the story doesn't help either. So the end feels a little rushed, too neatly tied up, not really solves anything (I'm guessing this conflict carries over in the next books of the Valdemar universe) and hardly involves our main character who has been the overwhelming focus up to this point. That's a bit of a problem.
In the end, a decently written trilogy, but certainly not without its issues. Some of the parts were absolutely masterful and others left me scratching my head as to why Lackey decided to go in this direction. From a glance I would guess that there are no more books with Talia as the lead character? If this is true then it definitely feels like more could have been done with this. That being said, my overal experience with Lackey and Valdemar is a positive one. I don't think it'll be for everyone but it is most assuredly worth checking out. Recommend you give it a try if it sounds like something you'd like.
August 17, 2021
This is the book that truly changed everything for me in the world of Valdemar. The other two books clearly show how hard and trying the life a Herald is. They emphasize how every Herald from 11-90 is ready to die for their country. Lackey isn't afraid to kill off characters through the course of Arrows of the Queen and Arrow's Flight, but this one drives the knife home.
Talia is just coming back from her circuit run and will be joining the court as the official Queen's Own with her own vote and everything. She still has to deal with the political drama that she had left behind, and the enemy in the dark who has been trying to chip away at her from the very first day she came to the Herald Collegium. Not only that but she has to deal with a proposal for the Princess (who still needs a little schooling in the sacrifices of being a Queen), her mentor Kris isn't happy with her, and her potential life-bonded partner is running away from her. The drama is higher than ever, but Lackey handles it well. Avoiding what could have been a cheesy soap opera.
Before long Talia and Kris have to go as ambassadors to a neighboring kingdom about the proposed proposal of marriage to the princess. The events that unfold are clearly chilling as the truth behind everything comes stalking out of the dark. Valdemar has been betrayed by one of it's very own, and dark power of the old Mages are coming out to threaten Valdemar.
The previous two books have brought me to silent tears, and many times watery eyes. However this book will bring out sobs of loss as the true meaning and price of a Herald takes center stage. Death isn't the hardest thing to deal with. Talia is tortured mercilessly for the pleasure of sadists, raped, and left to the simple solution of suicide. Even through it all her Herald duty keeps her alive.
For fans of epic battles this last book in the Arrows series does a fine job of it. There's resolve and hope at the end. However, the new enemy of Valdemar is not done with them, and will clearly be popping up in Elspeth's(the Heir apparent) books. From here I would highly suggest reading Vanyel's book in the Magic's Price series. It may being going back in time, but it explains a lot of things about the loss of Herald-mages and the "protection" that Valdemar has. It will also help greatly in Elpesth's Mage Wind series.
Sexual Content: Rape, dirty humor, and violent torture.
5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession!
Originally reviewed at Book Whispers.
Talia is just coming back from her circuit run and will be joining the court as the official Queen's Own with her own vote and everything. She still has to deal with the political drama that she had left behind, and the enemy in the dark who has been trying to chip away at her from the very first day she came to the Herald Collegium. Not only that but she has to deal with a proposal for the Princess (who still needs a little schooling in the sacrifices of being a Queen), her mentor Kris isn't happy with her, and her potential life-bonded partner is running away from her. The drama is higher than ever, but Lackey handles it well. Avoiding what could have been a cheesy soap opera.
Before long Talia and Kris have to go as ambassadors to a neighboring kingdom about the proposed proposal of marriage to the princess. The events that unfold are clearly chilling as the truth behind everything comes stalking out of the dark. Valdemar has been betrayed by one of it's very own, and dark power of the old Mages are coming out to threaten Valdemar.
The previous two books have brought me to silent tears, and many times watery eyes. However this book will bring out sobs of loss as the true meaning and price of a Herald takes center stage. Death isn't the hardest thing to deal with. Talia is tortured mercilessly for the pleasure of sadists, raped, and left to the simple solution of suicide. Even through it all her Herald duty keeps her alive.
For fans of epic battles this last book in the Arrows series does a fine job of it. There's resolve and hope at the end. However, the new enemy of Valdemar is not done with them, and will clearly be popping up in Elspeth's(the Heir apparent) books. From here I would highly suggest reading Vanyel's book in the Magic's Price series. It may being going back in time, but it explains a lot of things about the loss of Herald-mages and the "protection" that Valdemar has. It will also help greatly in Elpesth's Mage Wind series.
Sexual Content: Rape, dirty humor, and violent torture.
5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession!
Originally reviewed at Book Whispers.
July 17, 2024
Re-reading in 2024 thoughts.
Some general spoilers below, procede at your own risk.
And then there was the conclusion. What a mess! Why does Talia need to use arrows to pass on a message when Rolan could mindspeak to another Companion and have that Companion mindspeak to their Herald to convey the same information? Why don't heralds that can mindspeak (unlike Talia, who mindfeels) ask their Companions for advice about people all the time? Why does no one share valuable information? Why is there literally no intelligence gathering on neighbours? What's the point of trade if no information seems to be conveyed?
For these and other questions, don't look for answers on the pages of Heralds of Valdemar, because the worldbuilding is inconsistent and patchy. My least favourite thing, I suppose, is when it turns out Talia can mesmerise a person and implant a false personality so that that person will unwittingly pretend to be her at a party. It's not permanent, just for a few hours. Talia's Gift has never to this point seemed to extend to anything like that, not in the slightest. In fact, it's a huge leap that this could be done with Herald magic and not even just with Talia's super special magic. And the cherry on top of that is that this doesn't actually come in handy! (It could have if they'd used it earlier to try to make a break for the border.)
For all that frustration, and despite my misgivings about meh treatment of the rape storyline (recovery offpage and speeded up) and the completely boring miscommunications in love storyline, I still feel the charm of this world and story. I just see the ways it could have been so much better! Cashore's novels come to mind, or Megan Whalen Turner. But I guess nostalgia has its rights, and I never ~finished this series (my library didn't have Storms trilogy, and I hardly remember Winds), so onwards I go. That's what vacation is for.
Some general spoilers below, procede at your own risk.
And then there was the conclusion. What a mess! Why does Talia need to use arrows to pass on a message when Rolan could mindspeak to another Companion and have that Companion mindspeak to their Herald to convey the same information? Why don't heralds that can mindspeak (unlike Talia, who mindfeels) ask their Companions for advice about people all the time? Why does no one share valuable information? Why is there literally no intelligence gathering on neighbours? What's the point of trade if no information seems to be conveyed?
For these and other questions, don't look for answers on the pages of Heralds of Valdemar, because the worldbuilding is inconsistent and patchy. My least favourite thing, I suppose, is when it turns out Talia can mesmerise a person and implant a false personality so that that person will unwittingly pretend to be her at a party. It's not permanent, just for a few hours. Talia's Gift has never to this point seemed to extend to anything like that, not in the slightest. In fact, it's a huge leap that this could be done with Herald magic and not even just with Talia's super special magic. And the cherry on top of that is that this doesn't actually come in handy! (It could have if they'd used it earlier to try to make a break for the border.)
For all that frustration, and despite my misgivings about meh treatment of the rape storyline (recovery offpage and speeded up) and the completely boring miscommunications in love storyline, I still feel the charm of this world and story. I just see the ways it could have been so much better! Cashore's novels come to mind, or Megan Whalen Turner. But I guess nostalgia has its rights, and I never ~finished this series (my library didn't have Storms trilogy, and I hardly remember Winds), so onwards I go. That's what vacation is for.
June 3, 2021
After thinking about it more, I've decided to give this one star. At first I gave it 2 stars and honestly, there was even a small part of me that wanted to give this 3 stars if only for the fact that I love the world and its characters. But the book was poorly-paced, very problematic, and didn’t follow through on what could’ve been a good story. I really expected this final book to be explosive but that was not the case. Which is so sad because wow, that first book was SO good. I’m trying not to let this last book affect how about the first but ugh, I’m just pretty disappointed right now.
April 30, 2025
Arrow's Fall is the final book in the Heralds of Valdemar trilogy by Mercedes Lackey. Now that Talia's back from her internship and a full Herald, Talia takes her place at court in the full role as Queen's Own. There is intrigue afoot at court. Talia and Kris are sent on a mission to the neighboring kingdom of Ancar to see if their prince will be a suitable match for the Queen Selenay's heir, Elspeth.
The first half of the story reminded me so much of the first book as Talia reunites with everyone at the Collegium and learns her way around the court. Things take a decidedly dark turn in the second half once her mission is underway. This book is not for the faint of heart as it contains some trigger warnings for , though it's not described in too much detail. The set up makes for some highly emotional moments in the book that I wasn't expecting. We also get to see more Heraldic powers in use, which was exciting.
I had two quibbles with the story. Firstly, the romance. . Second, the villains aren't too deep though in a way it's refreshing to just have bad guys that are unambiguously bad so perhaps it's not as big a quibble as the first one.
That said, this was a satisfying ending to the series. I enjoyed my first foray into Valdemar and getting to know Talia. I'm glad the story gives us a little of what happens after and the characters end in a good place for the most part.
I listened to the audio book narrated by Christa Lewis. Lewis continues her outstanding performance in bringing the third book to life. This book is currently available in the Audible+ catalog.
The first half of the story reminded me so much of the first book as Talia reunites with everyone at the Collegium and learns her way around the court. Things take a decidedly dark turn in the second half once her mission is underway. This book is not for the faint of heart as it contains some trigger warnings for , though it's not described in too much detail. The set up makes for some highly emotional moments in the book that I wasn't expecting. We also get to see more Heraldic powers in use, which was exciting.
I had two quibbles with the story. Firstly, the romance. . Second, the villains aren't too deep though in a way it's refreshing to just have bad guys that are unambiguously bad so perhaps it's not as big a quibble as the first one.
That said, this was a satisfying ending to the series. I enjoyed my first foray into Valdemar and getting to know Talia. I'm glad the story gives us a little of what happens after and the characters end in a good place for the most part.
I listened to the audio book narrated by Christa Lewis. Lewis continues her outstanding performance in bringing the third book to life. This book is currently available in the Audible+ catalog.
October 4, 2018
This series ended up being something of a haphazard affair, with it ending on a weak note that one should have seen coming after the second book spent an extended period whereby two people ostensibly absolutely not in love kept acting like they were in love and calling one another pet-names to an infuriating extent. I think what’s frustrating about Lackey is how she masquerades, here, as a liberal forward-thinking writer with new and fresh ideological directions (for the 80s) but throws it all away for a bunch of conventional audience-pleasers. We had lesbianism, polyamory, casual sex I think all tossed out in the first book, but by the third book it felt like she was embarrassed by all of these concepts. Instead we end up with the worst love-triangle/misunderstanding I think ever written – Talia never loved Kris, they were just banging for months and acting like they were in love, but really all the time Talia and Dirk were “life-bonded” apparently a form of monogamy so string that the entirety of everyone must bow down before it; only Talia and Dirk and Kris all end up not talking to one another because Dirk think Kris loves Talia and even though Talia talks about being life-bonded to Dirk she never thinks to mention it. Yeah, I’m pretty damn confused writing that sentence. There's also the reversal on the attitude towards casual sex, which was a fun thing to do in the first book but the potential for Elspeth's downfall in the third. Yes, a character wants to blackmail the Queen's daughter for getting laid when she shouldn't. This wouldn't ruin my 80s fantasy fun if it weren't such an inconsistency and disappointment.
Then there’s an approach to abuse, rape and torture which makes Stephen Donaldson look subtle. Again, the problem was that in book 2 Lackey got so side-tracked with her Talia/Kris romance-that-was-absolutely-not-a-romance she forgot to feed in the plotline for books three, so yeah, that whirlwind of political intrigue and epic battles for the fate of the kingdom just happened incidentally towards the end in a fit of “oh yeah, this book needs a plot”. I did like Lackey’s almost nonchalant approach to epic fantasy which in its way definitely paved the way for the likes of Harry Potter and Robin Hobb but it’s just ultimately not as convincing as its successors. There’s definitely an attempt to push' quest and kingdom' sidelines into the background in order to focus on the psychological interactions between the characters and present a coming of age story that’s not so bound up with saving the kingdom or the world, but you can’t do this convincingly writing on the hoof anymore than you can any other storyline. So, But then, there’s always my final issue with the book.
I can’t stand Talia. Not because there’s anything particularly wrong with her character, but because the entire trilogy feels like one giant Talia love-in. Even when she’s going through her biggest crises it felt like every other page 10 characters were saying things like “you’re so special Talia”. Or “Havens, Little bird, I’ve never seen someone with such abilities as you” and Havens, did it get old. Lackey needs to grow as a writer here if the Valdemar sequence is going to be worth continuing – her style of communication between characters is affected to the point of annoyance, she clearly wants people reading her book to feel the happiness and the joy of this magical fantasy world, and I did from time to time, but not when the characters kept insisting what wonderful people the heralds all are and especially Talia.
Are the books fun, though? Yes, it’s a fun trilogy that works well enough as a nobody-girl finds herself in a magical world (one of the earlier female protagonists, I suspect) and becomes the focus of amazing and interesting things, but once the newness and wonder wears off it ultimately becomes a disappointing trilogy which fails to have the courage of its convictions, and fails to develop the convincing and unique style I initially thought it had the potential to do. There’s a foundation here for something more, so I will probably continue with the next books, but the Valdemar series has lost its good graces and is now in the position of needing to improve and be more convincing.
Then there’s an approach to abuse, rape and torture which makes Stephen Donaldson look subtle. Again, the problem was that in book 2 Lackey got so side-tracked with her Talia/Kris romance-that-was-absolutely-not-a-romance she forgot to feed in the plotline for books three, so yeah, that whirlwind of political intrigue and epic battles for the fate of the kingdom just happened incidentally towards the end in a fit of “oh yeah, this book needs a plot”. I did like Lackey’s almost nonchalant approach to epic fantasy which in its way definitely paved the way for the likes of Harry Potter and Robin Hobb but it’s just ultimately not as convincing as its successors. There’s definitely an attempt to push' quest and kingdom' sidelines into the background in order to focus on the psychological interactions between the characters and present a coming of age story that’s not so bound up with saving the kingdom or the world, but you can’t do this convincingly writing on the hoof anymore than you can any other storyline. So, But then, there’s always my final issue with the book.
I can’t stand Talia. Not because there’s anything particularly wrong with her character, but because the entire trilogy feels like one giant Talia love-in. Even when she’s going through her biggest crises it felt like every other page 10 characters were saying things like “you’re so special Talia”. Or “Havens, Little bird, I’ve never seen someone with such abilities as you” and Havens, did it get old. Lackey needs to grow as a writer here if the Valdemar sequence is going to be worth continuing – her style of communication between characters is affected to the point of annoyance, she clearly wants people reading her book to feel the happiness and the joy of this magical fantasy world, and I did from time to time, but not when the characters kept insisting what wonderful people the heralds all are and especially Talia.
Are the books fun, though? Yes, it’s a fun trilogy that works well enough as a nobody-girl finds herself in a magical world (one of the earlier female protagonists, I suspect) and becomes the focus of amazing and interesting things, but once the newness and wonder wears off it ultimately becomes a disappointing trilogy which fails to have the courage of its convictions, and fails to develop the convincing and unique style I initially thought it had the potential to do. There’s a foundation here for something more, so I will probably continue with the next books, but the Valdemar series has lost its good graces and is now in the position of needing to improve and be more convincing.
February 13, 2019
*Mild spoilers for Arrow’s Fall and earlier books in the trilogy.*
Going into Arrow’s Fall I was wondering how everything was going to wrap up. Since Talia had only just finished her internship and become a full fledged Herald in the previous book, I was concerned that we would not get enough of Talia as a Herald for the conclusion of the book to feel satisfying.
I must admit, I found Dirk & Talia’s romance to be exhausting. For one, it was basically insta-love, which is a pet peeve of mine. They barely spent any time together, so their romance didn’t feel believable. The constant insecurities they both had about their feelings for each other… I wanted to shake them both and mention to them that they should try actually TALKING to each other. Because it took them so long to get together, when they did finally get together it was underwhelming. I would have preferred them to NOT have had a romantic relationship and felt it would have fit in with the story better… We’ve been told from book 1 that Heralds almost never form permanent romantic attachments, so why was Talia & Dirk’s romance such a big part of the second and third books?
I was really expecting this book to be where Talia shined. Since she spent the previous book honing her powers & gaining control. I was expecting her to play a more crucial role in the looming conflict. Unfortunately events take place where Talia is torn down & weakened once again… Where was the building up of Talia in this series? Must she have been torn down each book? I honestly thought Talia was going to come from being a meek farm girl to becoming a strong & confident woman. We saw a glimpse of Talia’s potential at the end of the second book, but Lackey felt the need to keep Talia weak throughout the series. I was very frustrated with Talia’s character development.
While we finally get some action Arrow’s Fall, it was such a small part of the book. When the battle FINALLY happens, it was very underwhelming & felt very rushed. Talia was not even a big part of this conflict… How is the main character NOT involved in the climax of the book?! After the “climax” things are not really wrapped up in any way. We don’t get any closure with side characters like Elspeth, Skif, Selenay… We don’t really get any type of closure with the conflict with the rival kingdom & Prince Ancar. This book actually ends revolving around Talia & Dirk’s romance, which I just couldn’t care less about.
Unfortunately, I was very disappointing with Arrow’s Fall as the conclusion to this trilogy. I did not get any type of closure, nor did I feel satisfied.
Content warning: Rape & attempted suicide
Going into Arrow’s Fall I was wondering how everything was going to wrap up. Since Talia had only just finished her internship and become a full fledged Herald in the previous book, I was concerned that we would not get enough of Talia as a Herald for the conclusion of the book to feel satisfying.
I must admit, I found Dirk & Talia’s romance to be exhausting. For one, it was basically insta-love, which is a pet peeve of mine. They barely spent any time together, so their romance didn’t feel believable. The constant insecurities they both had about their feelings for each other… I wanted to shake them both and mention to them that they should try actually TALKING to each other. Because it took them so long to get together, when they did finally get together it was underwhelming. I would have preferred them to NOT have had a romantic relationship and felt it would have fit in with the story better… We’ve been told from book 1 that Heralds almost never form permanent romantic attachments, so why was Talia & Dirk’s romance such a big part of the second and third books?
I was really expecting this book to be where Talia shined. Since she spent the previous book honing her powers & gaining control. I was expecting her to play a more crucial role in the looming conflict. Unfortunately events take place where Talia is torn down & weakened once again… Where was the building up of Talia in this series? Must she have been torn down each book? I honestly thought Talia was going to come from being a meek farm girl to becoming a strong & confident woman. We saw a glimpse of Talia’s potential at the end of the second book, but Lackey felt the need to keep Talia weak throughout the series. I was very frustrated with Talia’s character development.
While we finally get some action Arrow’s Fall, it was such a small part of the book. When the battle FINALLY happens, it was very underwhelming & felt very rushed. Talia was not even a big part of this conflict… How is the main character NOT involved in the climax of the book?! After the “climax” things are not really wrapped up in any way. We don’t get any closure with side characters like Elspeth, Skif, Selenay… We don’t really get any type of closure with the conflict with the rival kingdom & Prince Ancar. This book actually ends revolving around Talia & Dirk’s romance, which I just couldn’t care less about.
Unfortunately, I was very disappointing with Arrow’s Fall as the conclusion to this trilogy. I did not get any type of closure, nor did I feel satisfied.
Content warning: Rape & attempted suicide
November 7, 2012
***some spoilers ahead!***
I never thought this series took off. It all felt like a big build up to nothing. The entire series, even this finale, felt like the main character encountered a problem then solved it, then encounters a new one, and solves it. There's no cohesion, no building up. In this book, the main bad guy is defeated rather handily, without much fan fair, actually. The secondary bad guy who might have held some depth besides just being evil, turns out to just be evil after all, and instead of a satisfying confrontation and resolution, he's quickly killed. BORING. And the romance was even worse. It felt like they were together because they were SUPPOSE to be, because of their lifebond, not because they actually fell in love or even really liked each other all that much. Instead of their differences and misunderstandings leading to strength and understanding, they barely acknowledge them until they are already married. SO ANNOYING. Even her bond with her companion gets just kind of shoved to the side at the end, there when other characters need to use it, but very little resolution there. It was OK, just not something I'd go to again, and not my first recommendation.
I never thought this series took off. It all felt like a big build up to nothing. The entire series, even this finale, felt like the main character encountered a problem then solved it, then encounters a new one, and solves it. There's no cohesion, no building up. In this book, the main bad guy is defeated rather handily, without much fan fair, actually. The secondary bad guy who might have held some depth besides just being evil, turns out to just be evil after all, and instead of a satisfying confrontation and resolution, he's quickly killed. BORING. And the romance was even worse. It felt like they were together because they were SUPPOSE to be, because of their lifebond, not because they actually fell in love or even really liked each other all that much. Instead of their differences and misunderstandings leading to strength and understanding, they barely acknowledge them until they are already married. SO ANNOYING. Even her bond with her companion gets just kind of shoved to the side at the end, there when other characters need to use it, but very little resolution there. It was OK, just not something I'd go to again, and not my first recommendation.
February 4, 2015
Dang, this one was downright boring. I really like Mercedes Lackey's other books and just can't figure out what went wrong for me with this one. The writing seems dumbed down in this series, but it was bearable in the first two volumes.
I appreciate that some of the seemingly stand-alone events in book 2 of this trilogy come full circle and the book got good for a few pages towards the last third, but it was very hard to slog through. Characters continue to be one-dimensional and the dialogue got old very quickly. Basically, every conversation is a discussion about a simple problem, such as "It's cold". Talia then says something like "Let's light a fire" and everyone then starts saying stuff like "Wow, what a genius idea. We all would have died of the cold had it not been for Talia. Whoever would have thought to use fire for warmth?"
Maybe the problem is that aside from the Collegium and a way-station, we haven't seen much of Valdemar. So why on earth the action in this novel takes place outside of Valdemar, in a land not even on the map, is beyond me. I'll probably give the next trilogy a try anyway.
I appreciate that some of the seemingly stand-alone events in book 2 of this trilogy come full circle and the book got good for a few pages towards the last third, but it was very hard to slog through. Characters continue to be one-dimensional and the dialogue got old very quickly. Basically, every conversation is a discussion about a simple problem, such as "It's cold". Talia then says something like "Let's light a fire" and everyone then starts saying stuff like "Wow, what a genius idea. We all would have died of the cold had it not been for Talia. Whoever would have thought to use fire for warmth?"
Maybe the problem is that aside from the Collegium and a way-station, we haven't seen much of Valdemar. So why on earth the action in this novel takes place outside of Valdemar, in a land not even on the map, is beyond me. I'll probably give the next trilogy a try anyway.
November 29, 2011
This is the strongest book in the trilogy, I think - the stakes are raised significantly, and there is some resolution to the major plot threads. The writing is again better than before. It's still flawed, though. The not-talking-to-each-other problem takes up the first third of the book, and is tedious in the extreme. The rape and torture in the middle third feels a bit... not gratuitous, exactly, but cheap, like Lackey couldn't think of a non-obvious way to heighten the tension. And the pacing is super weird - the major resolution comes two thirds of the way through the book, and there's quite a bit of Return to the Shire-style resolution that makes the book trail off rather than come to a measured halt.
I hate to sound like I really dislike these books, because I respect them in a lot of ways and they were the springboard for much better and more interesting work later on, but I would still not suggest them to adult readers without a lot of caveats.
I hate to sound like I really dislike these books, because I respect them in a lot of ways and they were the springboard for much better and more interesting work later on, but I would still not suggest them to adult readers without a lot of caveats.
October 7, 2014
Being home sick gives you lots of time to read books about magical horses. This one isn't as strong as the previous, but in my stuffed-up state it was entertaining enough.
June 26, 2019
Well that was a WILD ride. Pacing? Unnecessary. Consistent tone? That would just be limiting. The ending voyeuristically implies the dead best friend is possibly literally watching Talia's wedding night.
I did (mostly) enjoy it. It picked up with the political intrigue and magic horses where book 2 was so lacking in both. I didn't agree with the execution of some of the plot points but I can't say it was boring even if I did roll my eyes a lot at Dirk drinking himself into a stupor over literally nothing.
Mostly, I'm not nostalgic for these books specifically (because I've never read them before) but I *am* nostaltic for popular fantasy that is so self indulgent and written for adult women. YA is great and all but this is its own beast and I missed it.
cw: imprisonment and gang rape
I did (mostly) enjoy it. It picked up with the political intrigue and magic horses where book 2 was so lacking in both. I didn't agree with the execution of some of the plot points but I can't say it was boring even if I did roll my eyes a lot at Dirk drinking himself into a stupor over literally nothing.
Mostly, I'm not nostalgic for these books specifically (because I've never read them before) but I *am* nostaltic for popular fantasy that is so self indulgent and written for adult women. YA is great and all but this is its own beast and I missed it.
cw: imprisonment and gang rape
August 19, 2022
DNF at 60% I made it this far in to the series but I just couldn't keep going. I don't usually rate DNFs but since I've read so much of the series I feel qualified here. By this point I hate these characters, I hate this plot, and everything I liked about this world has been overturned to suit this story. This character feels like a bait and switch on a feminist character. I have skimmed the second half of this book to see if it gets better and read a ton of reviews for spoilers and I feel validated in my decision to give up. This review informs how I feel about the chunks I read of the second half of this book and just UGH so much wasted potential.
May 25, 2020
You know nostalgia be damned I think I have to knock this one down. I should spoiler but I’d want to know before reading: some very brutal rape, which is not at all dealt with, and then made equivalent with someone essentially being verbally cruel. All abuse is not rape, wow.
In addition kind of boring and unresolved. This trilogy is important to me but I when I do rereads in the future I’ll likely skip this one.
In addition kind of boring and unresolved. This trilogy is important to me but I when I do rereads in the future I’ll likely skip this one.
March 23, 2024
I audiobooked these during a crafting project. Perfect for listening while doing stuff. Not too complex, not too young, a familiar world and characters. Something I read decades ago so I didn't remember every little detail.
September 28, 2025
This was a re-read of an old favourite I first read as a teenager. I still love it.
April 28, 2019
A seriously beautiful conclusion to Talias journey. I will be reading more of Mercedes Lackeys stories because the worldbuilding and relationships are beautiful. I loved the conclusion to Talias story. About how everything went with her, Elspeth, Kris, Dirk and more. One I have missed these past two books are Janus. While only natural, he was one that I enjoyed but the glimses we get of him is really worth it.
I would say this book is all in all, about finding yourself and finding your true voice. Knowing what is right and what is wrong. And fighting your demons.
As I said in my previous review, if you love Tamora Pierces and Maria V. Snyder, these might be the books for you.
I would say this book is all in all, about finding yourself and finding your true voice. Knowing what is right and what is wrong. And fighting your demons.
As I said in my previous review, if you love Tamora Pierces and Maria V. Snyder, these might be the books for you.
January 11, 2023
I didn't get invested in the story until about over half way through. At that point, things got very dark very fast, especially for Talia. It's not for the faint of heart. I don't know that it was the best handled either. It felt like it was written for shock value. I wasn't thrilled with a certain plot point. Would I read more of these series? Maybe. The next one sounds interesting, at least.
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