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The Bard's Tale: Naitachal #1
Castle of Deception
When the Count's niece is kidnapped by elves, Kevin, a bard's apprentice, agrees to locate the young woman, unaware that she is not actually the Count's niece and that the elves are not actually elves
266 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
38 people are currently reading
1087 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 38 reviews
June 23, 2024
The Bard's Tale is a popular fantasy role-playing video game and franchise that debuted in 1985. (It was originally titled Tales of the Unknown, but the present name was adopted in the late 80s.) This book is the first of eight spin-off novels based on the game's world (written, I'm guessing, under contract), but they're mostly not direct sequels of each other and are written by different authors, though Lackey collaborated on the first three and Sherman wrote the fourth. No familiarity with the game or gaming in general is required to enjoy the book; Barb and I had none when we found the book at a flea market and read it in the early 90s (and still don't); we read it as a standalone, and it works perfectly well as one. We'd liked it, but like many pre-Goodreads reads, I'd never reviewed it, and didn't remember it well (and Barb not at all). So, we've now completed a second read together, and appreciate it anew!
Fantasy, of course, is a branch of literature disfavored by the lit-crit clerisy to begin with; and in their eyes the added stigma of origin in the Stygian darkness of video gaming seals its fitness for dismissal and ridicule. That not being my view, or Barb's, we proceeded to judge it on its merits, the same way we would any other novel. In our estimation, it stacks up pretty well, a fact probably attributable in large part to the professionalism, native talent and skilled literary craft of the co-authors. I've only ever read (and liked) single short stories by each lady in anthologies, and none of their singly-written novels. But though this work was written relatively early in their careers, both Lackey and Sherman became very prolific and well-regarded speculative fiction authors. This collaboration reads pretty seamlessly to me, since I'm not familiar enough with their individual styles to differentiate between them.
To be sure, this is not a deep work, nor a ground-breaking one. It's also not a vehicle for great religious or philosophical insight; such religion as exists in the Bard's Tale world is a vague polytheism, and the Powers don't put in any appearances (at least, not here). We can probably attribute the vivid, lived-in world building mostly to the same pre-packaged source. The low-tech, medieval-like feudal setting is conventional, and the quest structure a common one in the genre. With a 15-year-old protagonist (very close to 16, as he'd want pointed out!), an untried apprentice Bard who's bored by his training in a quiet backwater and hungering for adventure, it's a coming-of-age story, also a common theme in modern fantasy fiction. But it's a story that's told uncommonly well, with very fleshed-out, nuanced and mostly dynamic characters. There's a strong good vs. evil vibe (and the authors can tell the difference), and a light leavening of humor amid some heavier serious situations and themes. The fate of a kingdom will hang in the balance, and there's significant tension and danger (potentially or actually lethal) in much of the book.
Content issues are minimal, limited to an occasional h- or d- word. Most of those are spoken by mercenary warrior woman Lydia, who's one of our good guys/gals, but whose speaking style believably reflects a life mostly spent in rough company and seedy milieus. Actual violence in the book is there in places, but it's minimal and quickly over. There's no sexual content as such, and no real romance either. While Lydia doesn't wear the "metal bikini" featured for warrior women in a lot of fantasy that caters to "male gaze" --metal is costly, so warriors in this world tend to use leather instead-- it is mentioned a few times that her garb shows a lot of skin, and at one point she offers a practical explanation for that which doesn't hold water very well, IMO; but I took this as the authors' way of trying to neutralize a trope the Bard's Tale setting stuck them with. (They don't dwell on her physical attributes; and any males that try to get too familiar will regret it.) Because of the cuss words (though they didn't personally bother me much), I wouldn't call this a YA book; but I'd say all fantasy fans from teens on up could read this, and would probably enjoy it.
Fantasy, of course, is a branch of literature disfavored by the lit-crit clerisy to begin with; and in their eyes the added stigma of origin in the Stygian darkness of video gaming seals its fitness for dismissal and ridicule. That not being my view, or Barb's, we proceeded to judge it on its merits, the same way we would any other novel. In our estimation, it stacks up pretty well, a fact probably attributable in large part to the professionalism, native talent and skilled literary craft of the co-authors. I've only ever read (and liked) single short stories by each lady in anthologies, and none of their singly-written novels. But though this work was written relatively early in their careers, both Lackey and Sherman became very prolific and well-regarded speculative fiction authors. This collaboration reads pretty seamlessly to me, since I'm not familiar enough with their individual styles to differentiate between them.
To be sure, this is not a deep work, nor a ground-breaking one. It's also not a vehicle for great religious or philosophical insight; such religion as exists in the Bard's Tale world is a vague polytheism, and the Powers don't put in any appearances (at least, not here). We can probably attribute the vivid, lived-in world building mostly to the same pre-packaged source. The low-tech, medieval-like feudal setting is conventional, and the quest structure a common one in the genre. With a 15-year-old protagonist (very close to 16, as he'd want pointed out!), an untried apprentice Bard who's bored by his training in a quiet backwater and hungering for adventure, it's a coming-of-age story, also a common theme in modern fantasy fiction. But it's a story that's told uncommonly well, with very fleshed-out, nuanced and mostly dynamic characters. There's a strong good vs. evil vibe (and the authors can tell the difference), and a light leavening of humor amid some heavier serious situations and themes. The fate of a kingdom will hang in the balance, and there's significant tension and danger (potentially or actually lethal) in much of the book.
Content issues are minimal, limited to an occasional h- or d- word. Most of those are spoken by mercenary warrior woman Lydia, who's one of our good guys/gals, but whose speaking style believably reflects a life mostly spent in rough company and seedy milieus. Actual violence in the book is there in places, but it's minimal and quickly over. There's no sexual content as such, and no real romance either. While Lydia doesn't wear the "metal bikini" featured for warrior women in a lot of fantasy that caters to "male gaze" --metal is costly, so warriors in this world tend to use leather instead-- it is mentioned a few times that her garb shows a lot of skin, and at one point she offers a practical explanation for that which doesn't hold water very well, IMO; but I took this as the authors' way of trying to neutralize a trope the Bard's Tale setting stuck them with. (They don't dwell on her physical attributes; and any males that try to get too familiar will regret it.) Because of the cuss words (though they didn't personally bother me much), I wouldn't call this a YA book; but I'd say all fantasy fans from teens on up could read this, and would probably enjoy it.
August 19, 2017
*****3.5*****
This is a straightforward fantasy novel for young adults that is based on an old computer game called "The Bard's Tale." This book introduces a series of novels based on the game. The books in this series don't seem to be continuous. I don't plan on reading any of the other "Bard's Tale" novels, but they're not books I would absolutely reject looking into either. As a disclaimer, I'd never heard of the computer game, so I'd never played it. I've read some reviews where fans of the game complain that this book has little connection to it. However, that wasn't a problem for me at all.
It took me a little bit of time to really get into this story. I was curious right away--the book starts in media res, reminding me of the way The Riddle-Master of Hed begins. Lackey and Sherman throw their readers into their world with an emphasis on character and plot building rather than on world building. I don't mind this. Kevin is a great main character with a nice growth arc from beginning to end.
Kevin is thrown out of his safe little world when his Master Bard asks him to travel to Count Volmar's castle to copy a manuscript of such value that nobody can know about Kevin's job except the people who need to know for practicality's sake. The Bard asks a troupe of minstrels to safely deliver Kevin to the castle, but Kevin, tired of being seen and treated as a child, runs away from the troupe, only to be accosted by a group of elves. Eventually, he makes it to the castle on his own, and the main events of the plot unfold from there.
I like the characters in this book best. The companions include a pretty cool warrior named Lydia, a White Elf, a Dark Elf, and a mischievous, Puck-like fairy. Their travels are tightly contained, and the action is limited, but in a way, I like that. It reminded me of The Innkeeper's Song in its subtlety and limited scope but compact character building and mounting impression of danger and mystery. The villain, Carlotta, is truly evil, and her machinations add depth to an otherwise scanty plot.
The book, overall, is neither unique nor particularly special in terms of fantasy novels, but it's a good read. I was able to get through it quickly, and the action at the end made me want to read even more quickly to find out what happens. The ending is very neat and trite and even a little silly, but it makes sense, and it doesn't come entirely out of nowhere.
What surprised me the most about this book, published in 1992, is its underlying message of acceptance. Here are some sample quotes to show this secondary theme (the main theme is good versus evil, of course, but it also consists of friendship, trust, and courage, very Arthurian type stuff):
"'Look, kid, this sort of thing happens all the time when you happen to be both a warrior and a woman.' 'Well, maybe it wouldn't happen so often if you just didn't dress so--so--' 'So what, Kevin?' He shook his head, miserably embarrassed, wishing he'd kept his mouth shut. 'You know.' 'Ah, our little bardling is a prude!' 'I am not! But you--' 'Go around asking for it? Is that what you're trying to say? Listen to me, and listen well: I am a woman in a man's world. I'm not complaining; that's just the way things are. And as a woman, sure, I could wear a nice, proper gown that restricted every step I took, the sort of thing a lady wears--and get killed the first time I needed to move quickly... Besides, when I do have trouble, the fools are generally so busy looking at my...ah...endowments that they never see my knee or fist coming. So now, enough lecturing.'"
"'It may not be logical, but elf or human, we fear the unknown. And if that unknown takes the form of someone with a different shade of skin...or a different way of life...well, it's all too easy to let fear turn into hate.'"
"'Prejudice isn't a logical thing..., but it's...difficult to forget. As I've been proving so far. I admit I've had things fairly easy all my life. I was raised with love and Light. I never had a moment's doubt about who I was or about the career I chose. But you--I can only guess the struggle you had to be you, to be your own free soul.' 'What are you trying to say?' '...Maybe that the you you're creating is a being of whom you should be proud. Maybe that no matter what my people think of yours, or yours of mine, I know you...are not, you cannot be, an enemy.'
I love this message. It's so important for people to understand that what we look like and who our background says we should be do not matter in light of all the similarities we share as humans.
And the book, like A Midsummer Night's Dream, ends with a quote from a mischievous fairy: "'That's that... All the loose ends are nicely tied up. All right, everyone, enough talk. We've some heavy celebrating to do!'"
This is a straightforward fantasy novel for young adults that is based on an old computer game called "The Bard's Tale." This book introduces a series of novels based on the game. The books in this series don't seem to be continuous. I don't plan on reading any of the other "Bard's Tale" novels, but they're not books I would absolutely reject looking into either. As a disclaimer, I'd never heard of the computer game, so I'd never played it. I've read some reviews where fans of the game complain that this book has little connection to it. However, that wasn't a problem for me at all.
It took me a little bit of time to really get into this story. I was curious right away--the book starts in media res, reminding me of the way The Riddle-Master of Hed begins. Lackey and Sherman throw their readers into their world with an emphasis on character and plot building rather than on world building. I don't mind this. Kevin is a great main character with a nice growth arc from beginning to end.
Kevin is thrown out of his safe little world when his Master Bard asks him to travel to Count Volmar's castle to copy a manuscript of such value that nobody can know about Kevin's job except the people who need to know for practicality's sake. The Bard asks a troupe of minstrels to safely deliver Kevin to the castle, but Kevin, tired of being seen and treated as a child, runs away from the troupe, only to be accosted by a group of elves. Eventually, he makes it to the castle on his own, and the main events of the plot unfold from there.
I like the characters in this book best. The companions include a pretty cool warrior named Lydia, a White Elf, a Dark Elf, and a mischievous, Puck-like fairy. Their travels are tightly contained, and the action is limited, but in a way, I like that. It reminded me of The Innkeeper's Song in its subtlety and limited scope but compact character building and mounting impression of danger and mystery. The villain, Carlotta, is truly evil, and her machinations add depth to an otherwise scanty plot.
The book, overall, is neither unique nor particularly special in terms of fantasy novels, but it's a good read. I was able to get through it quickly, and the action at the end made me want to read even more quickly to find out what happens. The ending is very neat and trite and even a little silly, but it makes sense, and it doesn't come entirely out of nowhere.
What surprised me the most about this book, published in 1992, is its underlying message of acceptance. Here are some sample quotes to show this secondary theme (the main theme is good versus evil, of course, but it also consists of friendship, trust, and courage, very Arthurian type stuff):
"'Look, kid, this sort of thing happens all the time when you happen to be both a warrior and a woman.' 'Well, maybe it wouldn't happen so often if you just didn't dress so--so--' 'So what, Kevin?' He shook his head, miserably embarrassed, wishing he'd kept his mouth shut. 'You know.' 'Ah, our little bardling is a prude!' 'I am not! But you--' 'Go around asking for it? Is that what you're trying to say? Listen to me, and listen well: I am a woman in a man's world. I'm not complaining; that's just the way things are. And as a woman, sure, I could wear a nice, proper gown that restricted every step I took, the sort of thing a lady wears--and get killed the first time I needed to move quickly... Besides, when I do have trouble, the fools are generally so busy looking at my...ah...endowments that they never see my knee or fist coming. So now, enough lecturing.'"
"'It may not be logical, but elf or human, we fear the unknown. And if that unknown takes the form of someone with a different shade of skin...or a different way of life...well, it's all too easy to let fear turn into hate.'"
"'Prejudice isn't a logical thing..., but it's...difficult to forget. As I've been proving so far. I admit I've had things fairly easy all my life. I was raised with love and Light. I never had a moment's doubt about who I was or about the career I chose. But you--I can only guess the struggle you had to be you, to be your own free soul.' 'What are you trying to say?' '...Maybe that the you you're creating is a being of whom you should be proud. Maybe that no matter what my people think of yours, or yours of mine, I know you...are not, you cannot be, an enemy.'
I love this message. It's so important for people to understand that what we look like and who our background says we should be do not matter in light of all the similarities we share as humans.
And the book, like A Midsummer Night's Dream, ends with a quote from a mischievous fairy: "'That's that... All the loose ends are nicely tied up. All right, everyone, enough talk. We've some heavy celebrating to do!'"
September 11, 2007
Omigod, when I was twelve, this book blew my mind. It was my all-time favorite book for like two years. Also, am I to infer from the subtitle that it was the start of a series?? How did I not know that?
[also again, if any GoodReads Librarians read this, the author is wrong on this book. It should be [author: Mercedes Lackey].]
[also again, if any GoodReads Librarians read this, the author is wrong on this book. It should be [author: Mercedes Lackey].]
June 3, 2014
As a teenager I was a huge fan of The Bards Tale games and I only found out recently that Mercedes had written a book based on the game and I was quite excited by this. Unfortunately the only connection to the game is the book title, the bard central character, the party of adventurers and a brief mention of the 'Watchwood Melody' bard spell. As a stand alone tale it's decent average level fantasy stuff. As a book based on a computer game it's lacking. I would have been more into this if it followed the original Bards Tale game story line, which is pretty good, but alas it didn't, still it's a good tale that'll get you through a train journey.
July 17, 2013
this was the first fantasy book I ever read. I honestly remember very little about it, but it was this book that sparked my love for reading.
July 18, 2017
Fantastic read, I could feel the very moment I would have rolled the dice if I was playing D&D. Very pat ending though. :-)
August 15, 2012
Great book. The characters are interesting and the story line actually managed to keep me guessing for awhile, (and interested as noted by the fact that I finished it in less than 24 hours! LOL) Can't wait to start the next of the series.
October 13, 2015
Wonderful little book based on electronic RPG game The bard's Tale. No need to have ever played or even heard of the game, just great story telling by two of my favorite authors. Part epic fantasy, part fun, just a great story. Can only hope the others live up to this one.
May 7, 2015
What do you get when you have a bard, lady mercenary, a fairy and two elves? A grand adventure. A young bard is sent to copy a musical score at the castle where he meets a girl who disappeared and it is up to him to rescue her. Great story!
July 4, 2016
Good palate-cleanser and surprisingly high level of story-telling considering it was apparently based on a game.
July 27, 2021
When I first read this book in high school, I hated it. Kevin begins the novel as a blithering idiot and despite impressive character growth throughout, his continual ruminations on how he is doing as a leader repetitively demonstrates no matter how much he improves, he will always be a self-absorbed little twit. However, reading this as an adult, I noticed that despite Kevin's vapid nature, some of his most imbecilic moments aren't really his fault (turns out there is some enchantment at play) and the side characters are all compelling, which is hard to do with such a large cast. Furthermore, there is this tiny snippet of information that gets dropped about the main baddie in the climactic conclusion, which gives some insight on why the evil character would become as they are and adds a little complexity to an otherwise purely cookie-cutter, standard fantasy, villainess. Plus, there are some undercurrents of class division and prejudice, not to mention characters who overcome their preconceived notions of others, that give this novel a little more depth than your traditional bildungsroman. As an adult, I enjoyed rereading this book and discovering that it was more complex than I originally thought. Plus, I've been wondering for ages what book had my favorite defense of scantily clothed female warriors and now I've finally found it.
March 6, 2021
I wasn't quite sure of this book when I first started to read it. It felt a little simplistic, which I hadn't expected from one of Misty's books.
But slowly, page by page, I found myself getting more involved with Bardling Kevin and his companions.
It was about half way through the book that I truly got hooked into the story, and it then became yet another great adventure for me to enjoy.
This was slightly different to the other Bard series that I've read now, and it gave me a strong feeling of sentimentality, as if I were just discovering this type of fantasy story for the first time, which was a great nostalgia trip for me.
No matter what Misty has written, I always find something great to enjoy about it, and this book is just the same. Whether it's the simpler kind of storytelling that this one so ably shows, or one of Misty's more complex, convoluted, and curious tales, that draw me in, then spits me out, totally exhausted emotionally, I'll never stop enjoying her books, and I so hope others find her work, and do the same.
So, on, on, to the next book in the Bard's Tale series: Fortress of Frost and Fire.
But slowly, page by page, I found myself getting more involved with Bardling Kevin and his companions.
It was about half way through the book that I truly got hooked into the story, and it then became yet another great adventure for me to enjoy.
This was slightly different to the other Bard series that I've read now, and it gave me a strong feeling of sentimentality, as if I were just discovering this type of fantasy story for the first time, which was a great nostalgia trip for me.
No matter what Misty has written, I always find something great to enjoy about it, and this book is just the same. Whether it's the simpler kind of storytelling that this one so ably shows, or one of Misty's more complex, convoluted, and curious tales, that draw me in, then spits me out, totally exhausted emotionally, I'll never stop enjoying her books, and I so hope others find her work, and do the same.
So, on, on, to the next book in the Bard's Tale series: Fortress of Frost and Fire.
July 30, 2021
Extremely disappointing
I am a dedicated fan of Mercedes Lackey. I would not recommend this book to anyone. I am hoping the thousands of mistakes and misspelled words were errors and not deliberate. Every other page contained a page number and the authors' names in the middle of the text. The text only covered half the page. I can't imagine Mercedes Lackey allowing anything this awful to be published under her name. I wondered why the kindle book was cheap. Now I know. It is not fit to read. Someone is playing a cruel hoax on Lackey's fans by publishing this under her name. I feel I was ripped off by paying for something that purports to be written by Lackey. Do not waste your money on this book.
I am a dedicated fan of Mercedes Lackey. I would not recommend this book to anyone. I am hoping the thousands of mistakes and misspelled words were errors and not deliberate. Every other page contained a page number and the authors' names in the middle of the text. The text only covered half the page. I can't imagine Mercedes Lackey allowing anything this awful to be published under her name. I wondered why the kindle book was cheap. Now I know. It is not fit to read. Someone is playing a cruel hoax on Lackey's fans by publishing this under her name. I feel I was ripped off by paying for something that purports to be written by Lackey. Do not waste your money on this book.
February 15, 2018
Do not let my rating fool you. This is a nice little read. For example, "Blast it all to darkness," is hilarious. I always pictured Kevin saying this overdramatically. The plot isn't terrible but I wasn't crazy about it. I didn't become overly invested in the world or the characters. The ending did leave me curious where the next book goes but I'm not going to ThriftBooks or Amazon right now to score a copy because I just have to have it. I did not overly neglect my daily life for this book (which is why it's rated so low). Eventually I may, at least let me read the description for the second book, pick up the second book.
May 16, 2021
I remember borrowing this book from the public library and liking it as a kid. It’s still a likable tale, but doesn’t really stand out for any particular reason. I never played The Bard’s Tale computer game that the series was based on, but the book definitely tends toward a younger readership. A couple items that irked me: the prose is choppy at times; the reader is given entirely too much information; and the protagonist realizes the deception far too easily. Apart from that, it’s about a bardling who formed some strong friendships, survived a dangerous enemy, completed an important task, and came into his own as a true Bard.
September 21, 2023
One of the most cliche books I've read. It is competent in it's execution, even if the whole combination of elements is as trope-y as it gets. At the first interlude, I asked myself "is this a Disney fantasy book?" It sure feels like that. It's super light, watered down, the stakes are seldomly risky, and all wraps up way too nicely. The characters are archetypes of others we've seen many times. The villains are straight from kids cartoons, and the plot seems written by the most summarized version a ChatGPT AI bot would come up. Doesn't rank lower because the execution is competent enough to pull it by the bootstraps.
2/10
2/10
August 29, 2021
This book is both good & annoying.
The edition I read was, I believe, unedited. There were many bad spellings, and. the pages were weird. The story was really good and well written. I hope when the mistakes are corrected, I hope I am sent the proper edited copy.
The edition I read was, I believe, unedited. There were many bad spellings, and. the pages were weird. The story was really good and well written. I hope when the mistakes are corrected, I hope I am sent the proper edited copy.
July 4, 2023
Fantasy, adventure, and the feeling of a chaotic DnD campaign - this book is great for a casual high fantasy read.
One of my favourite fantasy books that has been a re-read multiple times. The characters are diverse and lovable. And there is tons of development throughout.
One of my favourite fantasy books that has been a re-read multiple times. The characters are diverse and lovable. And there is tons of development throughout.
January 14, 2023
A short, fun, light, fairly predictable read. Covers most of the standard ttrpg fantasy tropes. I mean, it starts in a tavern! ;-)
June 9, 2023
2,5
Elves were really silly and I still hate it for naming a bard "Kevin"
Elves were really silly and I still hate it for naming a bard "Kevin"
January 28, 2024
I like this book so when my Real copy of the book stared to fall apart I bought it on my kindle, the formatting is so bad It doesn't seem like it's legitimate.
July 16, 2021
Edit needed
Very hard to read needs edited badly. The story would probably be good, nothing I have read by Mercedes Lackey is bad. But a little bit hard to tell as the misspelling, and other editing errors make it hard to stay in the story.
Very hard to read needs edited badly. The story would probably be good, nothing I have read by Mercedes Lackey is bad. But a little bit hard to tell as the misspelling, and other editing errors make it hard to stay in the story.
May 4, 2020
Kevin, a 16-year-old bard-in-training, is eager to experience a life of travel and adventure, but his master has settled himself in a tiny town far from the exciting life he was once known for. Sent on an errand to a nearby castle, Kevin steals away from his traveling companions in a last ditch effort to prove he doesn't need to be watched and babysat. But it turns out he's younger than he realized and without even knowing it stumbles into a perilous plot on the King's life.
'Stumbles' is an accurate description of Kevin's actions, as he tends to discover and foil plans entirely by accident. Really, most of the humor of the book comes from the villains first giving him way too much credit, then later not quite enough. He's a typical idiot teenage boy, whining about how everyone treats him like a child and he's not allowed to do anything exciting, but is so immature that he doesn't even see how foolish his attempts at 'proving himself' are making him look. Naturally Kevin manages to mature well enough through the book to the point where, confronted by the same tricks as he'd been in the beginning, he figures out right away what's really going on. As a main character he's cliché but enjoyable.
When Kevin is tricked into believing the count's niece has been kidnapped and is put in charge of a search party, he is stuck with a human mercenary (the 80's cliché barbarian woman on the cover in the leather bikini [speaking of the 80's, check out Kevin's mullet]), Lydia, who takes on the mentor role and is largely responsible making sure Kevin survives his 'expanding worldview'-
"He is paying you, isn't he?" Lydia asked with a note of genuine concern in her voice. "I mean, a kid like you- he isn't trying to cheat you?"
The bardling straightened indignantly. Yes, the count had given him a purse of coins, but it had been for travelling expenses, not payment! "I'm not a- a kid! Or a mercenary!"
Lydia shrugged. "In other words, he's not paying you. Powers save me from idealistic youngsters!"
(Mercedes Lackey & Josepha Sherman, Castle of Deception, p.60)
-White and Dark Elf, Eliathanis and Naitachal, whose relationship is reminiscent of Gimli and Legolas, and the latter of whom is the star of the rest of the series-
"Were you in the castle when the groom's body was brought in?"
"I was," Naitachal said softly. "And yes, I did ask to be allowed to examine it."
Eliathanis' keen elf ears caught that murmur. "To work your spells on it, you mean!"
The Dark Elf smiled without rancor. "Exactly. I have been well trained in the sorceries that can draw back the dead. One would think Count Volmar would have been anxious to learn anything that might have helped him recover his niece. And yet I was refused."
"Not surprising," the White Elf snapped. "He didn't want anything tainted by Darkness in his castle."
(Mercedes Lackey & Josepha Sherman, Castle of Deception, p.67-68)
-and a bratty little fairy, Tich'ki, who travels with Lydia.
"Ah, you're a fine one to scold! It wasn't me who set that inn on fire back in Elegian-"
"An accident. I never knew the spell would backfire like that."
"-or dropped the chamberpot on the mayor's head in Smithian."
The fairy grinned. "Nearly tore a wing lifting the thing. Worth it, though."
(Mercedes Lackey & Josepha Sherman, Castle of Deception, p.120)
The bunch set out to track the girl's kidnappers and are slowly made aware that the real danger lay behind them, and that they should head back. Naturally, their way is hampered and their trusts and friendships tested. The eventual solution to the Count's evil plot was masterfully done and made good use of Kevin's fledgling Bardic magic. His magic was probably one of the best parts of the book, as he had only just started showing signs of it and was scared to use it and have it fail, so it's only used three times in the story. Just enough so we know he has it, and just little enough to force him to solve his problems without it.
The book is apparently a tie-in to a computer game, The Bard's Tale , but evidently has very little connection to it and there're no in-jokes the casual reader would miss. It seems like a waste of a tie-in, but it makes for a fine stand-alone book.
THE VERDICT? Kevin's journey is a solid fantasy adventure story that's easy to read and would make a great vacation book. There are some surprisingly endearing scenes and the characters are enjoyable, and the plot and conclusion are satisfying and vindicating. Kevin's later leaps of logic can get a little too on the nose, but it doesn't detract from the story.
'Stumbles' is an accurate description of Kevin's actions, as he tends to discover and foil plans entirely by accident. Really, most of the humor of the book comes from the villains first giving him way too much credit, then later not quite enough. He's a typical idiot teenage boy, whining about how everyone treats him like a child and he's not allowed to do anything exciting, but is so immature that he doesn't even see how foolish his attempts at 'proving himself' are making him look. Naturally Kevin manages to mature well enough through the book to the point where, confronted by the same tricks as he'd been in the beginning, he figures out right away what's really going on. As a main character he's cliché but enjoyable.
When Kevin is tricked into believing the count's niece has been kidnapped and is put in charge of a search party, he is stuck with a human mercenary (the 80's cliché barbarian woman on the cover in the leather bikini [speaking of the 80's, check out Kevin's mullet]), Lydia, who takes on the mentor role and is largely responsible making sure Kevin survives his 'expanding worldview'-
"He is paying you, isn't he?" Lydia asked with a note of genuine concern in her voice. "I mean, a kid like you- he isn't trying to cheat you?"
The bardling straightened indignantly. Yes, the count had given him a purse of coins, but it had been for travelling expenses, not payment! "I'm not a- a kid! Or a mercenary!"
Lydia shrugged. "In other words, he's not paying you. Powers save me from idealistic youngsters!"
(Mercedes Lackey & Josepha Sherman, Castle of Deception, p.60)
-White and Dark Elf, Eliathanis and Naitachal, whose relationship is reminiscent of Gimli and Legolas, and the latter of whom is the star of the rest of the series-
"Were you in the castle when the groom's body was brought in?"
"I was," Naitachal said softly. "And yes, I did ask to be allowed to examine it."
Eliathanis' keen elf ears caught that murmur. "To work your spells on it, you mean!"
The Dark Elf smiled without rancor. "Exactly. I have been well trained in the sorceries that can draw back the dead. One would think Count Volmar would have been anxious to learn anything that might have helped him recover his niece. And yet I was refused."
"Not surprising," the White Elf snapped. "He didn't want anything tainted by Darkness in his castle."
(Mercedes Lackey & Josepha Sherman, Castle of Deception, p.67-68)
-and a bratty little fairy, Tich'ki, who travels with Lydia.
"Ah, you're a fine one to scold! It wasn't me who set that inn on fire back in Elegian-"
"An accident. I never knew the spell would backfire like that."
"-or dropped the chamberpot on the mayor's head in Smithian."
The fairy grinned. "Nearly tore a wing lifting the thing. Worth it, though."
(Mercedes Lackey & Josepha Sherman, Castle of Deception, p.120)
The bunch set out to track the girl's kidnappers and are slowly made aware that the real danger lay behind them, and that they should head back. Naturally, their way is hampered and their trusts and friendships tested. The eventual solution to the Count's evil plot was masterfully done and made good use of Kevin's fledgling Bardic magic. His magic was probably one of the best parts of the book, as he had only just started showing signs of it and was scared to use it and have it fail, so it's only used three times in the story. Just enough so we know he has it, and just little enough to force him to solve his problems without it.
The book is apparently a tie-in to a computer game, The Bard's Tale , but evidently has very little connection to it and there're no in-jokes the casual reader would miss. It seems like a waste of a tie-in, but it makes for a fine stand-alone book.
THE VERDICT? Kevin's journey is a solid fantasy adventure story that's easy to read and would make a great vacation book. There are some surprisingly endearing scenes and the characters are enjoyable, and the plot and conclusion are satisfying and vindicating. Kevin's later leaps of logic can get a little too on the nose, but it doesn't detract from the story.
July 8, 2021
Great story. Awful editing
The story is good, plot, c characters.flow.however the editing and page setting were awful. Typos. The editorial deficiencies almost overpower the excellent story
The story is good, plot, c characters.flow.however the editing and page setting were awful. Typos. The editorial deficiencies almost overpower the excellent story
March 1, 2025
An Enjoyable Read, but Some Missed Opportunities
Castle of Deception is a solid start to The Bard's Tale series, but it doesn’t fully live up to its potential. The premise—set in a world of magic, intrigue, and adventure—holds a lot of promise, and the author does an admirable job creating an interesting fantasy setting. The world-building is rich, and the magical elements are intriguing, providing a solid foundation for the story.
The protagonist, a bard caught in a web of deception and political maneuvering, is compelling at first, but I found myself wishing for deeper character development. While the story moves along at a decent pace, some parts felt predictable or lacked the emotional depth I was hoping for. The plot twists, though present, didn’t pack the punch I anticipated.
The writing style is easy to follow, and the action scenes are enjoyable, but overall, I felt there were missed opportunities to make the story more engaging. It has the makings of a great series, but it doesn’t quite hit the mark in terms of character growth or unexpected twists.
That said, Castle of Deception is still an enjoyable read for fans of fantasy, and I’m curious to see how the series develops. If you’re looking for a light, fun adventure with elements of mystery and magic, this might be right up your alley.
Castle of Deception is a solid start to The Bard's Tale series, but it doesn’t fully live up to its potential. The premise—set in a world of magic, intrigue, and adventure—holds a lot of promise, and the author does an admirable job creating an interesting fantasy setting. The world-building is rich, and the magical elements are intriguing, providing a solid foundation for the story.
The protagonist, a bard caught in a web of deception and political maneuvering, is compelling at first, but I found myself wishing for deeper character development. While the story moves along at a decent pace, some parts felt predictable or lacked the emotional depth I was hoping for. The plot twists, though present, didn’t pack the punch I anticipated.
The writing style is easy to follow, and the action scenes are enjoyable, but overall, I felt there were missed opportunities to make the story more engaging. It has the makings of a great series, but it doesn’t quite hit the mark in terms of character growth or unexpected twists.
That said, Castle of Deception is still an enjoyable read for fans of fantasy, and I’m curious to see how the series develops. If you’re looking for a light, fun adventure with elements of mystery and magic, this might be right up your alley.
March 1, 2010
I'm listing this and 2 other books based on the Bard's Tale game and only giving them 2 stars, mainly because I barely remember them. They were light and had a certain amount of humor...they were geared to a younger audience...and not memorable at all.
I suppose you'd enjoy them as a light read... some wouldn't want to invest the time. i can see that. I was into RPGs and read several game oriented books. Even if they weren't all that great sometimes. Oh well.
I suppose you'd enjoy them as a light read... some wouldn't want to invest the time. i can see that. I was into RPGs and read several game oriented books. Even if they weren't all that great sometimes. Oh well.
November 1, 2021
Read this during my Mercedes Lackey phase. This is a quest like book where our young boy goes through trials and tribulations. I enjoyed it as with most fantasy books, this is filled with magic and things not as they appear to be. Whilst I still have this book, the story itself is a bit forgettable. I just remember enjoying it as I devoured the story.
February 16, 2021
Good fun old-school swords and sorcery read. Kevin the bardling is looking for excitement, and gets more than he bargains for when the niece of a nearby Lord is seemingly kidnapped. Teaming up with a Dark Elf, a Light Elf, and Amazon and a Fairy, Kevin and co must get to the bottom of the problem - and defeat the evil Carlotta before she ruins the kingdom
March 5, 2008
This book was too light-hearted and breezy for my tastes. The plot didn't grab me as other fantasy novels have. I bought it mostly for the computer game tie-in and somewhat regretted this purchase.
April 14, 2011
Houses one of my favorite characters in any given fictional universe. The book that started it all. My introduction to Lackey's humor and I've been smitten ever since.
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