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Valdemar: Family Spies #2
Eye Spy
In this second installment of the Family Spies series, set in the bestselling world of Valdemar, the children of Heralds Mags and Amily must follow in their parents' footsteps to protect the realm.
Mags, Herald Spy of Valdemar, and his wife, Amily, the King’s Own Herald, are happily married with three kids. Their daughter, Abidela, dreams of building upon her parents’ legacy by joining the Artificers, hoping to offset her seeming lack of a Gift.
But when Abi senses the imminent collapse of a bridge only moments before it happens, she saves countless lives, including that of her best friend, Princess Katiana. The experience, though harrowing, uncovers her unique Gift—an ability to sense the physical strains in objects.
Intrigued by the potential of her Gift, the Artificers seek to claim her as their own—but so do the Healers. Through training with both of them, Abi discovers unique facets of her Gift, including a synesthetic connection to objects that allows her to “see” as well as feel the strains.
Her Gift may also grant her a distinct advantage as a spy—there won’t be a building in the entire kingdom of Valdemar with a secret room that she doesn’t know about. With the help of her mentors, she must hone her gift to uncover the hidden secrets in the depths of Valdemar.
Mags, Herald Spy of Valdemar, and his wife, Amily, the King’s Own Herald, are happily married with three kids. Their daughter, Abidela, dreams of building upon her parents’ legacy by joining the Artificers, hoping to offset her seeming lack of a Gift.
But when Abi senses the imminent collapse of a bridge only moments before it happens, she saves countless lives, including that of her best friend, Princess Katiana. The experience, though harrowing, uncovers her unique Gift—an ability to sense the physical strains in objects.
Intrigued by the potential of her Gift, the Artificers seek to claim her as their own—but so do the Healers. Through training with both of them, Abi discovers unique facets of her Gift, including a synesthetic connection to objects that allows her to “see” as well as feel the strains.
Her Gift may also grant her a distinct advantage as a spy—there won’t be a building in the entire kingdom of Valdemar with a secret room that she doesn’t know about. With the help of her mentors, she must hone her gift to uncover the hidden secrets in the depths of Valdemar.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 9, 2019
408 people are currently reading
1566 people want to read
About the author
Mercedes Lackey
441 books9,536 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 276 reviews
July 20, 2019
So, I paused in my Priory read because “Oh My Gosh the new Lackey book is out.
I even did a reread of The Hills have Spies in order to be ready. I’m sorry Mercedes, but this is literally my least favourite of all of your books. And I have read every single one. I still love you, and I loved not only having an asexual main character, but a disabled character who is not miraculously “fixed” in order to become insanely powerful and respected and one of the highest powers in the land.
The Mags books have had a tendency to drag on, and that’s been okay, because I loved the character.
I wasn’t completely sold by Perry’s story, but the world building and the evolution was so good that I didn’t really mind.
This time? This is enough material to barely fill out two seperate short stories. Barely.
The only thing (aside from the ace rep) that was of any interest about the MC was her family.
Spoiler: most boring power in Valdemar history.
I will read the next Valdemar book, but I’m sorry, I’ll wait till I get it from the library.
That being said, if it’s a Prince Kee plus forgettable third child whose powers seem to be intertwined, I may be more interested than in the discussions of concrete and sewage systems.
I even did a reread of The Hills have Spies in order to be ready. I’m sorry Mercedes, but this is literally my least favourite of all of your books. And I have read every single one. I still love you, and I loved not only having an asexual main character, but a disabled character who is not miraculously “fixed” in order to become insanely powerful and respected and one of the highest powers in the land.
The Mags books have had a tendency to drag on, and that’s been okay, because I loved the character.
I wasn’t completely sold by Perry’s story, but the world building and the evolution was so good that I didn’t really mind.
This time? This is enough material to barely fill out two seperate short stories. Barely.
The only thing (aside from the ace rep) that was of any interest about the MC was her family.
Spoiler: most boring power in Valdemar history.
I will read the next Valdemar book, but I’m sorry, I’ll wait till I get it from the library.
That being said, if it’s a Prince Kee plus forgettable third child whose powers seem to be intertwined, I may be more interested than in the discussions of concrete and sewage systems.
February 9, 2022
Abi is the daughter of Herald spymaster Mags and his wife Amily who is the King's Own Herald. She has grown up with the children of the king and queen. She has been trained by her father to be dangerous, to be another layer of protection for the royal children. She has also been trained to be observant. She sometimes wonders if that will be enough for her to be a help to her father and her kingdom since she seems to lack any magical gift.
One day, while on an errand with her best friend Princess Kat, Abi gets a bad feeling about a bridge they have to cross. She knows that the bridge is in immediate danger of collapse. She and Kat manage to save all the people on the bridge before it does collapse. Now, she has a unique Gift to learn to use: she can feel the stress in non-living things.
Abi is sent to be trained as an Artificer which causes all sorts of resentment from some of the other students who feel that she took the place of a more worthy candidate just because of who her parents are. Especially resentful is Dudley Remp, a first class bully who feels entitled to whatever he wants because his father is rich. When he attempts to assault her after class with the help of a couple of his sycophants, she breaks his finger. When his father comes to demand that she be beaten and expelled because she hurt his son, her father casts a Truth Spell which quickly shows what happened and leads to his being expelled instead. However, she has made an enemy who isn't just going to go away.
At the end of her training, Abi has to come up with a Master Work to prove her accomplishments and she chooses to rebuild the bridge that had collapsed some years earlier. To do so, she needs to reinvent a technique for supporting bridges that she learned from a ruin in the city. Before her bridge is finished, though, she is asked to accompany a small group of Masters as they travel to a land bordering Valdemar that is thinking about becoming part of Valdemar.
This journey gives Abi a chance to explore more of Valdemar and learn more about things that Master Artificers do. She is traveling with three other Masters, a Herald who is one of her father's agents, and three mercenaries who have been hired to guide them. Things go well at the beginning but quickly go downhill when they come to a town that had a previous visit from "Valdemaran Artificers" who caused a part of the city wall to collapse. They learn that the group has Mages and they believe that they are Karsites who want to ruin any relationship with Valdemar and who can control demons.
They need to find a way to restore Valdemar's reputation and get rid of the Karsite spies. The story was exciting. I liked the Abi grew and changed through the story and identified a path for her life that will make her happy and fulfilled. This was truly a coming of age story.
One day, while on an errand with her best friend Princess Kat, Abi gets a bad feeling about a bridge they have to cross. She knows that the bridge is in immediate danger of collapse. She and Kat manage to save all the people on the bridge before it does collapse. Now, she has a unique Gift to learn to use: she can feel the stress in non-living things.
Abi is sent to be trained as an Artificer which causes all sorts of resentment from some of the other students who feel that she took the place of a more worthy candidate just because of who her parents are. Especially resentful is Dudley Remp, a first class bully who feels entitled to whatever he wants because his father is rich. When he attempts to assault her after class with the help of a couple of his sycophants, she breaks his finger. When his father comes to demand that she be beaten and expelled because she hurt his son, her father casts a Truth Spell which quickly shows what happened and leads to his being expelled instead. However, she has made an enemy who isn't just going to go away.
At the end of her training, Abi has to come up with a Master Work to prove her accomplishments and she chooses to rebuild the bridge that had collapsed some years earlier. To do so, she needs to reinvent a technique for supporting bridges that she learned from a ruin in the city. Before her bridge is finished, though, she is asked to accompany a small group of Masters as they travel to a land bordering Valdemar that is thinking about becoming part of Valdemar.
This journey gives Abi a chance to explore more of Valdemar and learn more about things that Master Artificers do. She is traveling with three other Masters, a Herald who is one of her father's agents, and three mercenaries who have been hired to guide them. Things go well at the beginning but quickly go downhill when they come to a town that had a previous visit from "Valdemaran Artificers" who caused a part of the city wall to collapse. They learn that the group has Mages and they believe that they are Karsites who want to ruin any relationship with Valdemar and who can control demons.
They need to find a way to restore Valdemar's reputation and get rid of the Karsite spies. The story was exciting. I liked the Abi grew and changed through the story and identified a path for her life that will make her happy and fulfilled. This was truly a coming of age story.
July 14, 2019
Enjoyable but it has some flaws. I liked the characters. The plot was interesting -- a little unusual -- until the ending, which was contrived and rather anti-climactic. I was also annoyed by Mags continued use of the accent he had as a child. After many years living and working with the upper classes of Valdemar, he would not have retained that working class accent in normal speech, though he would likely have been able to assume it at will. That kind of foolish detail really bugs me. For fans of Valdemar, it's definitely worth reading, but it's not one of the best. In fact I'm getting a little tired of the spy trope; I want more Heralds and Companions.
July 16, 2019
Those gifts keep morphing!
A new gift! Queen's spymaster Mag's daughter, Abi, finds herself with a different gift, seeing and feeling abnormal stresses in constructions. A bridge is about to collapse and Abi is able to save the day.
Off to School of Artificers, for her, with training in construction and with a talented healer. Stresses in bones and illnesses being likened to stresses in architecture.
Of course there's a conflict with a snotty nosed highborn but given her background, Abi has more than a few tricks up her sleeve.
Then events take Abi beyond the Valdemar border and face to face with some nasty mages.
The ending was a bit flat, and really, although I quite enjoyed aspects of the story it was just not all that different from previous tales.
A Berkley Group ARC via NetGalley
A new gift! Queen's spymaster Mag's daughter, Abi, finds herself with a different gift, seeing and feeling abnormal stresses in constructions. A bridge is about to collapse and Abi is able to save the day.
Off to School of Artificers, for her, with training in construction and with a talented healer. Stresses in bones and illnesses being likened to stresses in architecture.
Of course there's a conflict with a snotty nosed highborn but given her background, Abi has more than a few tricks up her sleeve.
Then events take Abi beyond the Valdemar border and face to face with some nasty mages.
The ending was a bit flat, and really, although I quite enjoyed aspects of the story it was just not all that different from previous tales.
A Berkley Group ARC via NetGalley
July 10, 2019
Usual caveat for a Mercedes Lackey novel. She is past her prime and has been phoning it in for about 10-15 years.
Still, if you're like me and you read Lackey as a source of comfort, this may do the trick. Our protagonist Abi has a very comfortable life with a loving family and extremely close-knit relationship with the royal family. She is incredibly intelligent and competent, asexual, and for some reason we're just going to shrug and accept the fact she's a fantastic knife fighter without viewing that as an essential part of her character.
This book is dedicated to "the Blues," the odd ducks of Valdemar's Collegium. Where always before Lackey focused on the Heralds, the Bards, and the Healers (mostly the Heralds), this is the one novel that focused on what it is to be a Blue. Heralds wear white, bards wear red, and healers wear green. Blue is for the otherwise-forgotten school for people good at math and engineering and with no particular magical abilities, and no other name for their school. Abi *does* have a magical ability, this sense of strain in physical objects, but this is a weird gift without a name that no one has ever really had before.
Do you like reading about the characters enjoying meals? Lackey always writes about that. Do you like reading about problems getting solved? Usually very, very quickly? All that is here.
But on top of all that, within the first couple chapters of the book, we are confronted with a small-handed, tall, blond, "soft" rich slumlord who tried to grab at Abi without her permission and recited the lines from the Access Hollywood tape nearly verbatim. So, if you have been hoping for some comeuppance since November 2016, you get a taste of that here too. A little later on there is even a brief discussion about the pointlessness of walls.
Giving this four stars is a little on the high side, it's probably more like a 3.2, but I'll give it to Lackey out of nostalgia.
Still, if you're like me and you read Lackey as a source of comfort, this may do the trick. Our protagonist Abi has a very comfortable life with a loving family and extremely close-knit relationship with the royal family. She is incredibly intelligent and competent, asexual, and for some reason we're just going to shrug and accept the fact she's a fantastic knife fighter without viewing that as an essential part of her character.
This book is dedicated to "the Blues," the odd ducks of Valdemar's Collegium. Where always before Lackey focused on the Heralds, the Bards, and the Healers (mostly the Heralds), this is the one novel that focused on what it is to be a Blue. Heralds wear white, bards wear red, and healers wear green. Blue is for the otherwise-forgotten school for people good at math and engineering and with no particular magical abilities, and no other name for their school. Abi *does* have a magical ability, this sense of strain in physical objects, but this is a weird gift without a name that no one has ever really had before.
Do you like reading about the characters enjoying meals? Lackey always writes about that. Do you like reading about problems getting solved? Usually very, very quickly? All that is here.
But on top of all that, within the first couple chapters of the book, we are confronted with a small-handed, tall, blond, "soft" rich slumlord who tried to grab at Abi without her permission and recited the lines from the Access Hollywood tape nearly verbatim. So, if you have been hoping for some comeuppance since November 2016, you get a taste of that here too. A little later on there is even a brief discussion about the pointlessness of walls.
Giving this four stars is a little on the high side, it's probably more like a 3.2, but I'll give it to Lackey out of nostalgia.
January 18, 2020
Meandering and nothing much happens. Still enjoyable to spend time in Valdemar.
December 16, 2020
I love Mercedes Lackey and her Valdemar universe, but this book wasn't very good. Yes, Abi has an interesting gift. But, there are hardly any Campanions in the book, and time moved really oddly like skipping over large chunks. Also, there was very little spycraft in the book, which is in total contradiction of the book name and series name.
July 16, 2019
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
More like 3.5
What impresses me the most about Eye Spy is how Lackey manages to balance a girl learning about her magic, with a carefully constructed and gripping plot. Abi has an unique set of magical abilities, but even more than that, she's grown up in an unique family full of characters who are courageous, smart, and driven to help their society. If you ever grew up reading a lot of Tamora Pierce, Abi reminds me in some ways of Alanna. She's strong, determined, and clever - not afraid to make enemies, and powerful ones, for all the right reasons.
Abi has a wonderful support system of characters around her who you would be familiar with if you've read a lot of Lackey's other works - like The Hills Have Spies. It's not required at all, it's just like looking at your favorite art piece again and again. There were two things that really set Eye Spy apart for me: Abi's sexuality and her overarching plot. Abi is aro (it's not stated like that on page, but Abi talks about never having any romantic feelings for anyone). Additionally, Abi's plight is familiar if you've seen what happens to women who make powerful enemies by men who want to cross them or their boundaries
More like 3.5
What impresses me the most about Eye Spy is how Lackey manages to balance a girl learning about her magic, with a carefully constructed and gripping plot. Abi has an unique set of magical abilities, but even more than that, she's grown up in an unique family full of characters who are courageous, smart, and driven to help their society. If you ever grew up reading a lot of Tamora Pierce, Abi reminds me in some ways of Alanna. She's strong, determined, and clever - not afraid to make enemies, and powerful ones, for all the right reasons.
Abi has a wonderful support system of characters around her who you would be familiar with if you've read a lot of Lackey's other works - like The Hills Have Spies. It's not required at all, it's just like looking at your favorite art piece again and again. There were two things that really set Eye Spy apart for me: Abi's sexuality and her overarching plot. Abi is aro (it's not stated like that on page, but Abi talks about never having any romantic feelings for anyone). Additionally, Abi's plight is familiar if you've seen what happens to women who make powerful enemies by men who want to cross them or their boundaries
August 8, 2019
I enjoy reading books that build on a group of characters like this, because it allows the most possible character development. Of course, Mags' family is a family of rare gifts (of various sorts.) Abi is the middle child, and not quite sure how she fits into the world, when conveniently, she displays a rare Gift. This kind of plot point happens a lot in Valdemar, so I expected it. I didn't expect the LGBTQ+ rep, so that was a nice surprise. I'm curious to see what the youngest child shows (something else rare, I expect.)
Though I enjoyed the read, finding it a fast-paced bit of entertainment, I'm not sure I like these characters enough to buy the book, instead of getting it from the library as I did.
Though I enjoyed the read, finding it a fast-paced bit of entertainment, I'm not sure I like these characters enough to buy the book, instead of getting it from the library as I did.
June 17, 2019
I really enjoyed this book! Valdemar is one of my favorite universes, and the Family Spies series is awesome! Abi's book is filled with intrigue, action, great dialog and writing, and wonderful characters! I can't wait to see what happens in the next book! Mercedes has hit a home run with this book and I highly recommend checking it out! I would start with the Collegium series and read the series in chronological order. It's very worth the read!
July 4, 2022
High fantasy novel by Mercedes Lackey.
If you're a fan of Valdemar, this is a cool story featuring Abi, the younger sister of Perry from the Hills Have Spies book. In Perry's book, the action covers the summer Perry is 13. This book is more spread out. The initial scenes and the end are about four years apart.
Abi doesn't get a gift and she's accepted it but she still feels left out. Then she's traveling with a friend and ends up becoming a hero because she can sense a bridge is about to collapse.
Turns out Abi's ability is sensing strengths/ weaknesses in buildings... which isn't the most helpful magical skill ever.
She gets enrolled into a school for artificers, which sounds a lot like a civil engineering program. She's behind because everyone else already started, but also because there aren't a ton of girls and there aren't many Heralds around.
She ends up facing off with another student, first in a hallway and then the headmaster's office. The other student is kind of a big deal, and the encounter leads to a later revenge attempt arc.
Towards the end of the book, Abi gets sent on a diplomatic mission. Valdemar is in negotiations to absorb some border towns. These towns don't need protection, but Valdemar thinks they could use infrastructure. Abi helps assess a bridge and fix a dangerous mill dam situation.
At another town, people aren't friendly. Abi and travelling companions learn someone else is pretending to be agents of Valdemar.
If you're a fan of Valdemar, this is a cool story featuring Abi, the younger sister of Perry from the Hills Have Spies book. In Perry's book, the action covers the summer Perry is 13. This book is more spread out. The initial scenes and the end are about four years apart.
Abi doesn't get a gift and she's accepted it but she still feels left out. Then she's traveling with a friend and ends up becoming a hero because she can sense a bridge is about to collapse.
Turns out Abi's ability is sensing strengths/ weaknesses in buildings... which isn't the most helpful magical skill ever.
She gets enrolled into a school for artificers, which sounds a lot like a civil engineering program. She's behind because everyone else already started, but also because there aren't a ton of girls and there aren't many Heralds around.
She ends up facing off with another student, first in a hallway and then the headmaster's office. The other student is kind of a big deal, and the encounter leads to a later revenge attempt arc.
Towards the end of the book, Abi gets sent on a diplomatic mission. Valdemar is in negotiations to absorb some border towns. These towns don't need protection, but Valdemar thinks they could use infrastructure. Abi helps assess a bridge and fix a dangerous mill dam situation.
At another town, people aren't friendly. Abi and travelling companions learn someone else is pretending to be agents of Valdemar.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2022
Definitely a different tack for these books, and while not altogether bad it just didn't hold the full appeal of a companion and rider story. It was still Valdemar and some beloved characters are still there but the thought process behind all of it made for a lesser story. I suppose Valdemar would be boring with only Heralds and heroes, but the other occupations are a bit more mundane. Probably one I'll skip on my next reread. Three stars.
October 29, 2021
Oh dear.
Oh dear. Oh dear. Oh Dear. OH DEAR.
It's not often that a book makes me feel betrayed, but this book managed it. Let's take a look at the second book in Mercedes Lackey's new series "Family Spies" - Eye Spy.
Moving on from the first book which concentrated on Mag's son Peregrine/Perry, this one focuses on Abidela/Abi who has a curious ability to sense stress in artificial objects, a gift demonstrated quite spectacularly when she senses a bridge is about to collapse moments before it tumbles into the river. This is, sadly, the most interesting thing that happens for nearly 200 pages. Most of the book revolves around Abi learning her gift, while dealing with the occasional machinations of a former student called Dudley Remp who she had humiliated earlier on in the book when his wandering hands attempted to grope her.
There is a brief excursion to try and locate a lost inheritance, but it is literally not until the last third of the book that anything approaching an actual interesting story takes place when Abi and some other Masters are despatched out of Valdemar to help some villages outside the border, only to discover that someone has been there before them, impersonating them, and trying to discredit them in the eyes of these new potential allies.
This book has been a huge disappointment following on from the far superior "The Hills Have Spies". It feels not only like a massive missed opportunity, the blurb on the back of this paperback edition is borderline deceptive. The summary reads -
"Her Gift may also grant her a distinct advantage - there won't be a building in the entire kingdom of Valdemar with a secret room that she doesn't know about. With the help of her mentors, she must hone her gift to uncover the hidden secrets in the depths of Valdemar."
That doesn't happen. They briefly mention its potential for spying, and as mentioned before, in one part of the book she's sent to locate a lost inheritance, but "the hidden secrets in the depths"? NOPE! Not a single one to be found here! She's far more interested in building a bridge for most of the book which, newsflash, just really isn't that interesting and in fact other than the bridge collapse at the beginning, and the search for the inheritance, her Gift is barely used for anything useful. At all.
It's not used to find secret passages or hidden rooms, not used to identify potential weak points in enemy structures, not used to see if someone is walking in the room above them by tracking the shifting stress in the floor or rafters. It is completely and utterly pointless. Even the end of the story, where something interesting actually happens, has nothing to do with her Gift.
There is one other thing in this novel that makes no sense, and that is Mags himself. One of the plot arcs in the first book of the Collegium Chronicles was Mags working to lose his accent, and by the end of that series, and the beginning of this one, he was speaking perfectly normally. However after a single scene here, he immediately backslides, throws all the years of practice out the window and starts talking like he'd just been pulled from the Mine. WHY? There's no explanation ever offered for why this has suddenly changed.
Abi, as a character, is pointless. At one point the narrative jumps forward THREE YEARS, showing how little of interest is happening with this character. The story as a whole is pointless despite a half-hearted attempt at the end to inject a little morality into it and cast some shade on the way Valdemarans see other countries. The status quo is maintained and it is hard to feel that Abi has really grown or evolved as a character like Perry did.
Those folks who identify as Ace and/or Aro may find something to enjoy here as Abi is most definitely leaning that way, but other than this there is nothing to recommend here. Nothing at all. This book is a huge let down. Completionists only. Nothing will be missed if you choose to skip this one.
I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed. Disappointed that this is a book from the same author that gave us characters like Vanyel, Skandranon, Yfandes, Firesong, Skif and Alberich. That gave us the Mage Storms, Arrows and Last Herald Mage series. There's no spark here, no memorable characters or moments. It feels like a story going through the motions.
Oh dear. Oh dear. Oh Dear. OH DEAR.
It's not often that a book makes me feel betrayed, but this book managed it. Let's take a look at the second book in Mercedes Lackey's new series "Family Spies" - Eye Spy.
Moving on from the first book which concentrated on Mag's son Peregrine/Perry, this one focuses on Abidela/Abi who has a curious ability to sense stress in artificial objects, a gift demonstrated quite spectacularly when she senses a bridge is about to collapse moments before it tumbles into the river. This is, sadly, the most interesting thing that happens for nearly 200 pages. Most of the book revolves around Abi learning her gift, while dealing with the occasional machinations of a former student called Dudley Remp who she had humiliated earlier on in the book when his wandering hands attempted to grope her.
There is a brief excursion to try and locate a lost inheritance, but it is literally not until the last third of the book that anything approaching an actual interesting story takes place when Abi and some other Masters are despatched out of Valdemar to help some villages outside the border, only to discover that someone has been there before them, impersonating them, and trying to discredit them in the eyes of these new potential allies.
This book has been a huge disappointment following on from the far superior "The Hills Have Spies". It feels not only like a massive missed opportunity, the blurb on the back of this paperback edition is borderline deceptive. The summary reads -
"Her Gift may also grant her a distinct advantage - there won't be a building in the entire kingdom of Valdemar with a secret room that she doesn't know about. With the help of her mentors, she must hone her gift to uncover the hidden secrets in the depths of Valdemar."
That doesn't happen. They briefly mention its potential for spying, and as mentioned before, in one part of the book she's sent to locate a lost inheritance, but "the hidden secrets in the depths"? NOPE! Not a single one to be found here! She's far more interested in building a bridge for most of the book which, newsflash, just really isn't that interesting and in fact other than the bridge collapse at the beginning, and the search for the inheritance, her Gift is barely used for anything useful. At all.
It's not used to find secret passages or hidden rooms, not used to identify potential weak points in enemy structures, not used to see if someone is walking in the room above them by tracking the shifting stress in the floor or rafters. It is completely and utterly pointless. Even the end of the story, where something interesting actually happens, has nothing to do with her Gift.
There is one other thing in this novel that makes no sense, and that is Mags himself. One of the plot arcs in the first book of the Collegium Chronicles was Mags working to lose his accent, and by the end of that series, and the beginning of this one, he was speaking perfectly normally. However after a single scene here, he immediately backslides, throws all the years of practice out the window and starts talking like he'd just been pulled from the Mine. WHY? There's no explanation ever offered for why this has suddenly changed.
Abi, as a character, is pointless. At one point the narrative jumps forward THREE YEARS, showing how little of interest is happening with this character. The story as a whole is pointless despite a half-hearted attempt at the end to inject a little morality into it and cast some shade on the way Valdemarans see other countries. The status quo is maintained and it is hard to feel that Abi has really grown or evolved as a character like Perry did.
Those folks who identify as Ace and/or Aro may find something to enjoy here as Abi is most definitely leaning that way, but other than this there is nothing to recommend here. Nothing at all. This book is a huge let down. Completionists only. Nothing will be missed if you choose to skip this one.
I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed. Disappointed that this is a book from the same author that gave us characters like Vanyel, Skandranon, Yfandes, Firesong, Skif and Alberich. That gave us the Mage Storms, Arrows and Last Herald Mage series. There's no spark here, no memorable characters or moments. It feels like a story going through the motions.
August 5, 2019
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Eye Spy is the second book in the Family Spies series of interrelated stories set in Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar. Released 9th Aug 2019 by Penguin on their DAW imprint, it's 336 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats.
These are nice stories, set in a world with a magic system and mythology rich in history developed over several decades (the first book set in Valdemar came out in 1994, I believe). They're mostly aimed at teen/tween readers and have a reassuring tone of inclusivity, anti-bullying, good role models and families.
Abi is the young daughter of Mags and Amili from book 1 and tie-ins, who discovers a natural talent with engineering and structure integrity when she feels a bridge is about to collapse and prevents any deaths. The later book covers more of her adventures and conflict resolution as she goes on missions and finds her place in the hierarchy of Valdemar.
I have always liked the inclusiveness and positive messages in these books. The characters are varied and generally well written. I confess that sometimes, the sheer number of books in this universe has left me feeling as though some of them are becoming somewhat repetitious. In the search for an upbeat happy ending, this one felt just a little tacked on and rushed.
I did enjoy this book very much and it's always a red-letter day when I find a new Valdemar book, and this one was no exception.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Eye Spy is the second book in the Family Spies series of interrelated stories set in Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar. Released 9th Aug 2019 by Penguin on their DAW imprint, it's 336 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats.
These are nice stories, set in a world with a magic system and mythology rich in history developed over several decades (the first book set in Valdemar came out in 1994, I believe). They're mostly aimed at teen/tween readers and have a reassuring tone of inclusivity, anti-bullying, good role models and families.
Abi is the young daughter of Mags and Amili from book 1 and tie-ins, who discovers a natural talent with engineering and structure integrity when she feels a bridge is about to collapse and prevents any deaths. The later book covers more of her adventures and conflict resolution as she goes on missions and finds her place in the hierarchy of Valdemar.
I have always liked the inclusiveness and positive messages in these books. The characters are varied and generally well written. I confess that sometimes, the sheer number of books in this universe has left me feeling as though some of them are becoming somewhat repetitious. In the search for an upbeat happy ending, this one felt just a little tacked on and rushed.
I did enjoy this book very much and it's always a red-letter day when I find a new Valdemar book, and this one was no exception.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
August 20, 2019
Another good story in the series. This one is about a builder.
May 27, 2019
"Eye Spy" is a fantasy novel for tweens and teens. While the story works as a stand alone novel, you'll better understand some of the references made in the story if you've read more of the Valdemar series. Frankly, this story felt fragmented--like it was several short stories about Abidela put into one book. She's confronted with a bully but immediately took care of that threat because she's smart and talented. She needed to learn to use her Gift, yet that's more summarized than seen, so not much suspense built up there. Then she helped her dad briefly by working as a spy. So a series of short adventures, and most didn't contain a notable challenge because she's so talented and smart.
The usual underdog fight against dangerous evil people didn't start until the last quarter of the book, so there wasn't a lot of time to develop the conflict. The ending felt rushed. It was an enjoyable story, there just wasn't a lot of suspense since the problems were resolved so quickly. There was no sex. There was some bad language (including b**ch).
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
The usual underdog fight against dangerous evil people didn't start until the last quarter of the book, so there wasn't a lot of time to develop the conflict. The ending felt rushed. It was an enjoyable story, there just wasn't a lot of suspense since the problems were resolved so quickly. There was no sex. There was some bad language (including b**ch).
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
August 2, 2019
This book is unusual for the series in that it is topical. She built in a referendum on Trumpism and it's my favorite thing ever!
Everyone has to resist the rising tide of Fascism, and Mercedes did it here.
Judge Bader Ginburg? Dudley Remp?
Werk Mss Lackey! I loved it.
Cant wait for the next one
Everyone has to resist the rising tide of Fascism, and Mercedes did it here.
Judge Bader Ginburg? Dudley Remp?
Werk Mss Lackey! I loved it.
Cant wait for the next one
July 2, 2019
Eye Spy is Abi’s story. Her older brother has had an adventure and is working closely with Mags. Abi still doesn’t know what she wants to do with her life when she senses a bridge about to fail. Now she has to train her gift and figure out how to turn it into something useful. I loved watching Abi grow into her own skin and realize that she is special just being herself. I really liked Abi and was rooting for her throughout the story. Action and adventure aplenty this is a terrific addition to the series.
July 17, 2019
I really enjoy Lackey's series abut Mags and his family.
October 23, 2020
This book was far less thrilling than the other Valdemar books. Maybe that was the nature of Abi's gift, which is pretty abstract, compared to MindSpeech.
Annoyances:
- I am not a fan of the 'real life' intrusions. I don’t enjoy the roman à clef and this was so broad as to be farcical.
- The timescale was very difficult for me to follow. We start sometime after Perry and Mags return. That would make Abi somewhere around 13, I think. Then she starts Artificer school and suddenly, she’s done. How long was she in school? It seemed to jump from the Midsummer Fair to the Harvest Fair, so a few months?
- The crisis was okay, but a bit uninteresting.
- The dialog was often kind of plodding.
Much of the Valdemar world is full of romance, in the best sense of swept up and swept away by the story and the characters. This story doesn’t fit quite into that mold.
Annoyances:
- I am not a fan of the 'real life' intrusions. I don’t enjoy the roman à clef and this was so broad as to be farcical.
- The timescale was very difficult for me to follow. We start sometime after Perry and Mags return. That would make Abi somewhere around 13, I think. Then she starts Artificer school and suddenly, she’s done. How long was she in school? It seemed to jump from the Midsummer Fair to the Harvest Fair, so a few months?
- The crisis was okay, but a bit uninteresting.
- The dialog was often kind of plodding.
Much of the Valdemar world is full of romance, in the best sense of swept up and swept away by the story and the characters. This story doesn’t fit quite into that mold.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2019
Abi, is growing up in the Palace, daughter of the King's Own and the King's Spymaster. She doesn't have magic until one day, she realizes that the sick feeling she gets on a certain bridge is the magical warning that the structure is collapsing. Que dramatic rescue and the need to train her Gift in classic Valdemar style.
Why I started this book: I have a couple of books that I should be reading... so of course I ignored them and picked up something fun.
Why I finished it: Interesting perspective on Valdemar, where the characters acknowledge that Valdemar, while wonderful isn't for everyone. And that it takes lots of sacrifice and work for it succeed.
Why I started this book: I have a couple of books that I should be reading... so of course I ignored them and picked up something fun.
Why I finished it: Interesting perspective on Valdemar, where the characters acknowledge that Valdemar, while wonderful isn't for everyone. And that it takes lots of sacrifice and work for it succeed.
September 3, 2019
Part of my 2019 PopSugar Reading Challenge: A book written by a musician
I just have such grabby hands whenever a new Mercedes Lackey book, especially in the Valdemar-verse. I love following the continuing adventures of Mags and his family. I do miss the Heraldic shenanigans, especially the companions (I mean, Dallen was not even mentioned in this book; he didn’t even cameo. SEVERE DISAPPOINTMENT). Overall, this book felt a lot more serious and focused than other books. There weren’t as many comedic elements and the general “fun” that makes Lackey’s books so enjoyable. I really liked how the author has stretched the boundaries of what can be a gift and has moved away from the typical ones, especially because it allows for such interesting storytelling. Also having a healer type character who can augment gifts was a super cool addition and I would love to see more experimentation with that! I have always admired what Mercedes Lackey brings to the genre in terms of ideas, characters, ethical discussions, and representation. After all, there is no one true way.
Abi was a lovely character and I adored the representation, but in some ways, she seemed very flat (especially once she started traveling). I also felt overwhelmed by the engineering jargon at times and began to skim it a little. I appreciate Abi’s newfound passion for it and the importance of it to the story, but it would have been nice to summarize things so they flow a little better for the reader. I would love to see Abi work with Mags closely, using her power to uncover secret rooms/tunnels; Mags has always been one of my most favorite (and one of the most interesting and complex) Valdemar characters. I am always going to pick these books up, I definitely can’t wait for the next sibling’s book, and I hope Lackey will soon return to having more heralds and companions in the mix.
I just have such grabby hands whenever a new Mercedes Lackey book, especially in the Valdemar-verse. I love following the continuing adventures of Mags and his family. I do miss the Heraldic shenanigans, especially the companions (I mean, Dallen was not even mentioned in this book; he didn’t even cameo. SEVERE DISAPPOINTMENT). Overall, this book felt a lot more serious and focused than other books. There weren’t as many comedic elements and the general “fun” that makes Lackey’s books so enjoyable. I really liked how the author has stretched the boundaries of what can be a gift and has moved away from the typical ones, especially because it allows for such interesting storytelling. Also having a healer type character who can augment gifts was a super cool addition and I would love to see more experimentation with that! I have always admired what Mercedes Lackey brings to the genre in terms of ideas, characters, ethical discussions, and representation. After all, there is no one true way.
Abi was a lovely character and I adored the representation, but in some ways, she seemed very flat (especially once she started traveling). I also felt overwhelmed by the engineering jargon at times and began to skim it a little. I appreciate Abi’s newfound passion for it and the importance of it to the story, but it would have been nice to summarize things so they flow a little better for the reader. I would love to see Abi work with Mags closely, using her power to uncover secret rooms/tunnels; Mags has always been one of my most favorite (and one of the most interesting and complex) Valdemar characters. I am always going to pick these books up, I definitely can’t wait for the next sibling’s book, and I hope Lackey will soon return to having more heralds and companions in the mix.
November 20, 2019
This is a great book. It starts off with lots of excitement and a good plot. It gets into school type problems with bullies and such and is well written. The second half of the book is set 4 years after the first as Abi is finishing school then goes on an adventure. It almost seems like two different story lines. But they are very exciting and great to read even if it gets a little slow in the middle...... SPOILER WARNING.... However Lackey ends up making the bully from the first part as the villain in the second half of the book. It is somewhat believable, but it seemed forced to me like she had to tie the two parts of the book together. I think it would have been better without the 'twist' end with the surprise who the villain is and just made it the Karsites
November 20, 2025
Valdemaran women in STEM
This is definitely going to be a favorite. The plot isn’t especially “fantasy” — rather, it’s a chance for women in STEM to be *seen.* I love Valdemar all the more for the thought that a woman engineer could get supported by her leaders and recognized, even sought after, for her excellence. That engineer being able to fight… well, perfection.
This is definitely going to be a favorite. The plot isn’t especially “fantasy” — rather, it’s a chance for women in STEM to be *seen.* I love Valdemar all the more for the thought that a woman engineer could get supported by her leaders and recognized, even sought after, for her excellence. That engineer being able to fight… well, perfection.
February 24, 2020
The second book in Lackey's new series features Abi, whose brother starred in book 1. A pattern is emerging. Abi discovers quite by chance one terribly rainy day that her long dislike and unease around a particular bridge is symptomatic of an unusual gift she has--she can see weakness in structures, and when the bridge collapses, she knows exactly why. As the daughter of the King's spy, she will be able to put her gift to good use, and eventually, is asked to. Trademark Lackey writing and plotting (with that little bit of horror element dependably present) never seems to get old, and we look forward to book 3 in the series. Adult.
August 15, 2019
Second in the Family Spies subseries that's part of The Collegium Chronicles series, which is itself part of the Valdemar universe and revolving around Mags and Amily and their family. The focus is on Abidela, the middle child.
My Take
It's all about justice! And I love it. Although I do suspect that all this justice takes away chunks of conflict and tension. Although, oh, baby, if only we could have a justice system with access to Truth Spells!!
Abi has been floating along, wanting some daring spywork to do for her dad, to have an adventure, but soon discovers she has a Gift which exposes her to a whole new field. The more she learns, the more she finds joy and a variety of applications to which she looks forward. She also learns that designing and building is just part of the process with managing people an important part.
Abi warns her fellow students to be careful of her royal friends and what they say to them. For there's a hierarchy everywhere, especially among the three factions: 1) people who had made their money, 2) people whose titles and family lines stretched far, far back in time, and 3) people who were newly ennobled or whose line only went back five generations. This last is also the most contentious.
There's some chat about how the Trainees can earn some money and gain some experience. The tests they endure. The tricky tasks Mags sets his oldest son and daughter at the Fair. There's the trip to Valdemar's border where Abi's gift helps a number of communities: a breaking dam, a water system, and a cracked wall. More of Abi's adventures include finding hidden treasure by which Kat starts to discover how she wants to act as a Herald.
I love how supportive Abi's parents are of her choices. And romance-wise, there really isn't any, especially after Jicks' little attempt. That kiss is a contrast to Jicks' usual views. She doesn't believe Valdemar would help people without an ulterior motive. There's also a hard lesson about how far Valdmar can stretch itself. I can understand Abi's dismay, but I also understand Stev's point.
Lackey uses a third person protagonist point-of-view from Abi's perspective — we never experience a scene where Abi isn't present. The action is driven by its characters — and I'm including the country of Valdemar as a character! Yeah, there's plenty of action, but so much of it is so low-key. As much as I love the values expressed, this is probably my least favorite story in the Collegium series.
The Story
Abi finally finds out why that bridge scares her when she senses its imminent collapse. It's a revelation when Abi and Kat save all those lives...and Abi discovers her Gift.
Intrigued by the potential of her Gift, the Artificers seek to claim her as their own — but so do the Healers. Through training with both of them, Abi discovers unique facets of her Gift, including a synesthetic connection to objects that allows her to “see” as well as feel the strains.
Her Gift may also grant her a distinct advantage as a spy, as she uncovers the hidden secrets in the depths of Valdemar.
The Characters
Abidela "Abi" is the middle child of Herald Mags, the King's Spy with a Gift for Mindvoice, and Amily, the King’s Own Herald, whose Companion is Rolan. Dallen is Mags' Companion. Peregrine is the oldest with a gift for Animal Mindspeech and is now an agent running his dad's pawn shop in the city ( The Hills Have Spies , 1 (9)). Larral is his kyree companion. Tory is the youngest. All three children are learning spycraft, statecraft, and how to read a room, partly because they are great friends with the royal children, and their parents count on them to help keep them safe. Herald Nikolas is Amily's father and the kids' grandfather who stepped down from his public duties.
Lord Jorthun, who used to be the King's Spy, is teaching Perry and the Queen’s Handmaidens how to blend, spycraft, and defense. His wife, Lady Dia, breeds dogs. Jorthun's weaponsmaster is Master Leandro who had trained Mags and is now training Abi.
Haven is…
…the capital of Valdemar and is ruled by King Sedric and the pregnant Queen Lydia (who came from a fabric merchant family and who has been best friends with Amily and Mags for years). They havefour five children — Crown Prince Trey is the oldest, and he and Prince Niko are in Trainee Grays. Prince Kyril “Kee” is the youngest with a Gift for Empathy with a great mastiff, Gryphon — and it turns out Kee and Tory have a group Gift. Rafiel is the new baby. Drake is a mastiff who belongs to the royal family. Sedric’s father, King Kyril, stepped down in favor of Sedric when Kee was born.
Kat, a.k.a., Princess Katiana, is a Herald Trainee with a gift of Mindspeech and a touch of Empathy. Dylia is Kat's companion.
The Collegia includes...
...Herald Trainees who wear gray, Bardic Trainees who wear dark reddish orange, and Healer Trainees who wear a light green. Abi trains with their Weaponsmaster. Sofia is a Herald Trainee. Dione has some lovely perfume. Healer Sanje is working with Abi on her Gift. The country Bardic Trainee Harlee gets help from Abi.
Kirball is a sport played by the Trainees.
The Artificers are...
...blue-clad students who learn building, construction, and the general making of things. Master Ketnar is the dean. You can only get in if you are recommended. Master Morell, Greer, Master Edders knows everything about stone, and Master Renold specializes in reinforcement. To graduate, each student must create a Master Work, something new or improved that no one has ever seen before. The Sisters of Betane, a religious order, clear their sanctuary for the sample construction.
Students include the nasty, bullying Dudley Remp, Brice is a bullied student who doesn't read well whose ability to remember is amazing, who along with Rudi (a blacksmith's son) and Emmit, become friends with Abi. Geoffers is a cheat.
The Heralds are...
...the ultimate law enforcement in Valdemar. They are Chosen by a Companion, a supernatural gift of a white horse-like being with a conscience, in a life-long bond who communicate telepathically. The King's Own is the king's confidante and sounding board. Heralds Seth and Jered have a role to play.
Aunty Mina runs a sort of house for Mags' group of young thieves who include Kip and Neddy. Ma Sendle makes excellent apply jelly. The Watch and Fair-Wards police the Fairs. Iris is a prostitute and one of Mags' agents. Lord Sentean is heading back to his country house with his family. The Archpriest of Kernos conducts all the business of the Order across the kingdom.
Goodman Seth Wrenmarsh is Mags' agent and a freeholder in Asterliegh Manor, which Sussena, Lady Asterleigh who uses a wheelchair, is about to lose. Rafi is one of Seth's children and a friend of Peregrine's. Tobin is Sussena's hard-edged man, Hansa is his wife, Hob is his son, and Lori is their daughter.
A delegation representing two dozen communities — including Ellistown, arrive to petition to be annexed to Valdemar. Some of the builders going include Master Vance, Master Padrick, and Master Beyren. Jicks is a Hanson's Harriers mercenary who will be guide, bodyguard, and cook; she dreams of owning a pub when she retires. Her squad includes Bart and Bret. Herald Stev, with a Mindspeech gift and another of Mags' agents, will accompany them, but without his Companion. Belle is the hinny, a cross of a stallion father and a donkey mother, that Abi will ride. Steen is a sorcerer in Ellistown; Aubryana is his serving woman. Rufous is the village mayor.
Benjon is the very cheap mayor of the third town, the very suspicious Gescony. The Green Dog Pub is quite unhappy with the meals they're forced to provide. Mage-smith Evelie is a blacksmith who hammers spells into metal. Albemarle is a nutjob of a mage. Korlak is a mage of the Red River School, who isn't doing well at all. Kaw is his crow. Zac is Korlak's cousin; he'll apprentice with Albemarle.
The Karsite priests of Vkandis can call up demons, and they sacrifice any child who shows signs of a Gift. The Crown of Menmellith has a standing bounty on Mage-priests. "Del" is the Mage whom Abi and company take prisoner.
Fenris Remp is a very wealthy, skinflint of a father; Mari is his nonentity of a wife. Shackle is a pickpocket. The High Court Judge is the Honorable Bader Genberg. The Order of Sethor the Patriarch is an old tale of a bigoted religious group that was thrown out of the kingdom.
The Cover and Title
The cover is one of grays and muted purples which make up the shaky bridge and the city skyline behind Abidela and Kat on Dylia. Abidela wears a coral bodice with coral sleeves revealing puffs of her cream chemise and a tan cloak with a hood, her red hair flying in the wind. Kat has her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail and wears trainee grays with a hooded cloak. Dylia wears a head and chest harness and bridle with purple dags, his mane blowing in the wind. The author's name is in a gothic font in a subdued yellow with scrollwork on the "M" and the "L". The title is below it in white. At the bottom is the series information and a note that this is a novel of Valdemar, also in white. All the text is embossed.
The closest I can come to interpreting the title is that "eye" is a metaphor for Abi's Gift, and she is a spy after all, therefore Eye Spy??
My Take
It's all about justice! And I love it. Although I do suspect that all this justice takes away chunks of conflict and tension. Although, oh, baby, if only we could have a justice system with access to Truth Spells!!
Abi has been floating along, wanting some daring spywork to do for her dad, to have an adventure, but soon discovers she has a Gift which exposes her to a whole new field. The more she learns, the more she finds joy and a variety of applications to which she looks forward. She also learns that designing and building is just part of the process with managing people an important part.
Abi warns her fellow students to be careful of her royal friends and what they say to them. For there's a hierarchy everywhere, especially among the three factions: 1) people who had made their money, 2) people whose titles and family lines stretched far, far back in time, and 3) people who were newly ennobled or whose line only went back five generations. This last is also the most contentious.
There's some chat about how the Trainees can earn some money and gain some experience. The tests they endure. The tricky tasks Mags sets his oldest son and daughter at the Fair. There's the trip to Valdemar's border where Abi's gift helps a number of communities: a breaking dam, a water system, and a cracked wall. More of Abi's adventures include finding hidden treasure by which Kat starts to discover how she wants to act as a Herald.
I love how supportive Abi's parents are of her choices. And romance-wise, there really isn't any, especially after Jicks' little attempt. That kiss is a contrast to Jicks' usual views. She doesn't believe Valdemar would help people without an ulterior motive. There's also a hard lesson about how far Valdmar can stretch itself. I can understand Abi's dismay, but I also understand Stev's point.
Lackey uses a third person protagonist point-of-view from Abi's perspective — we never experience a scene where Abi isn't present. The action is driven by its characters — and I'm including the country of Valdemar as a character! Yeah, there's plenty of action, but so much of it is so low-key. As much as I love the values expressed, this is probably my least favorite story in the Collegium series.
The Story
Abi finally finds out why that bridge scares her when she senses its imminent collapse. It's a revelation when Abi and Kat save all those lives...and Abi discovers her Gift.
Intrigued by the potential of her Gift, the Artificers seek to claim her as their own — but so do the Healers. Through training with both of them, Abi discovers unique facets of her Gift, including a synesthetic connection to objects that allows her to “see” as well as feel the strains.
Her Gift may also grant her a distinct advantage as a spy, as she uncovers the hidden secrets in the depths of Valdemar.
The Characters
Abidela "Abi" is the middle child of Herald Mags, the King's Spy with a Gift for Mindvoice, and Amily, the King’s Own Herald, whose Companion is Rolan. Dallen is Mags' Companion. Peregrine is the oldest with a gift for Animal Mindspeech and is now an agent running his dad's pawn shop in the city ( The Hills Have Spies , 1 (9)). Larral is his kyree companion. Tory is the youngest. All three children are learning spycraft, statecraft, and how to read a room, partly because they are great friends with the royal children, and their parents count on them to help keep them safe. Herald Nikolas is Amily's father and the kids' grandfather who stepped down from his public duties.
Lord Jorthun, who used to be the King's Spy, is teaching Perry and the Queen’s Handmaidens how to blend, spycraft, and defense. His wife, Lady Dia, breeds dogs. Jorthun's weaponsmaster is Master Leandro who had trained Mags and is now training Abi.
Haven is…
…the capital of Valdemar and is ruled by King Sedric and the pregnant Queen Lydia (who came from a fabric merchant family and who has been best friends with Amily and Mags for years). They have
Kat, a.k.a., Princess Katiana, is a Herald Trainee with a gift of Mindspeech and a touch of Empathy. Dylia is Kat's companion.
The Collegia includes...
...Herald Trainees who wear gray, Bardic Trainees who wear dark reddish orange, and Healer Trainees who wear a light green. Abi trains with their Weaponsmaster. Sofia is a Herald Trainee. Dione has some lovely perfume. Healer Sanje is working with Abi on her Gift. The country Bardic Trainee Harlee gets help from Abi.
Kirball is a sport played by the Trainees.
The Artificers are...
...blue-clad students who learn building, construction, and the general making of things. Master Ketnar is the dean. You can only get in if you are recommended. Master Morell, Greer, Master Edders knows everything about stone, and Master Renold specializes in reinforcement. To graduate, each student must create a Master Work, something new or improved that no one has ever seen before. The Sisters of Betane, a religious order, clear their sanctuary for the sample construction.
Students include the nasty, bullying Dudley Remp, Brice is a bullied student who doesn't read well whose ability to remember is amazing, who along with Rudi (a blacksmith's son) and Emmit, become friends with Abi. Geoffers is a cheat.
The Heralds are...
...the ultimate law enforcement in Valdemar. They are Chosen by a Companion, a supernatural gift of a white horse-like being with a conscience, in a life-long bond who communicate telepathically. The King's Own is the king's confidante and sounding board. Heralds Seth and Jered have a role to play.
Aunty Mina runs a sort of house for Mags' group of young thieves who include Kip and Neddy. Ma Sendle makes excellent apply jelly. The Watch and Fair-Wards police the Fairs. Iris is a prostitute and one of Mags' agents. Lord Sentean is heading back to his country house with his family. The Archpriest of Kernos conducts all the business of the Order across the kingdom.
Goodman Seth Wrenmarsh is Mags' agent and a freeholder in Asterliegh Manor, which Sussena, Lady Asterleigh who uses a wheelchair, is about to lose. Rafi is one of Seth's children and a friend of Peregrine's. Tobin is Sussena's hard-edged man, Hansa is his wife, Hob is his son, and Lori is their daughter.
A delegation representing two dozen communities — including Ellistown, arrive to petition to be annexed to Valdemar. Some of the builders going include Master Vance, Master Padrick, and Master Beyren. Jicks is a Hanson's Harriers mercenary who will be guide, bodyguard, and cook; she dreams of owning a pub when she retires. Her squad includes Bart and Bret. Herald Stev, with a Mindspeech gift and another of Mags' agents, will accompany them, but without his Companion. Belle is the hinny, a cross of a stallion father and a donkey mother, that Abi will ride. Steen is a sorcerer in Ellistown; Aubryana is his serving woman. Rufous is the village mayor.
Benjon is the very cheap mayor of the third town, the very suspicious Gescony. The Green Dog Pub is quite unhappy with the meals they're forced to provide. Mage-smith Evelie is a blacksmith who hammers spells into metal. Albemarle is a nutjob of a mage. Korlak is a mage of the Red River School, who isn't doing well at all. Kaw is his crow. Zac is Korlak's cousin; he'll apprentice with Albemarle.
The Karsite priests of Vkandis can call up demons, and they sacrifice any child who shows signs of a Gift. The Crown of Menmellith has a standing bounty on Mage-priests. "Del" is the Mage whom Abi and company take prisoner.
Fenris Remp is a very wealthy, skinflint of a father; Mari is his nonentity of a wife. Shackle is a pickpocket. The High Court Judge is the Honorable Bader Genberg. The Order of Sethor the Patriarch is an old tale of a bigoted religious group that was thrown out of the kingdom.
The Cover and Title
The cover is one of grays and muted purples which make up the shaky bridge and the city skyline behind Abidela and Kat on Dylia. Abidela wears a coral bodice with coral sleeves revealing puffs of her cream chemise and a tan cloak with a hood, her red hair flying in the wind. Kat has her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail and wears trainee grays with a hooded cloak. Dylia wears a head and chest harness and bridle with purple dags, his mane blowing in the wind. The author's name is in a gothic font in a subdued yellow with scrollwork on the "M" and the "L". The title is below it in white. At the bottom is the series information and a note that this is a novel of Valdemar, also in white. All the text is embossed.
The closest I can come to interpreting the title is that "eye" is a metaphor for Abi's Gift, and she is a spy after all, therefore Eye Spy??
November 11, 2019
I'm a sucker for Valdemar stories. This one was pleasant, but not phenomenal. At least this series hasn't been ruined as is the case for the Elemental Masters. Poor proofreading and an annoying regression to a hick accent for Mags, as noted by others. Some slow or descriptive passages which I skimmed. Besides Mags, we have to decipher the accents of an animal and some rural folk. We have delightful passages recounting the play of children and the lives of teens.
After Perry's time to shine in the last book, it's Abi's turn now. The climax came in the first chapter, when she warned of a bridge collapse and discovered her Gift. Then she attends a mere few months of architecture class, submits a design lifted from something she has observed, and is considered a "master."
The rest of the book is a road trip to a neighboring region considering being annexed to Valdemar. There are some ungrateful folk and a convenient enemy.
Typos: some incorrect comma use and run-on sentences, every day spelled as one word, laid/lay mix-ups, sleep for sleeve, some repeated passages.
After Perry's time to shine in the last book, it's Abi's turn now. The climax came in the first chapter, when she warned of a bridge collapse and discovered her Gift. Then she attends a mere few months of architecture class, submits a design lifted from something she has observed, and is considered a "master."
The rest of the book is a road trip to a neighboring region considering being annexed to Valdemar. There are some ungrateful folk and a convenient enemy.
Typos: some incorrect comma use and run-on sentences, every day spelled as one word, laid/lay mix-ups, sleep for sleeve, some repeated passages.
January 12, 2022
I like that Abby has a gift totally different from any other. That makes this story all the more interesting, however it would have been better yet if it included more of her use of her gift. This one covers more time as she realizes the gift and then does her training at the collegium, and then goes on her adventure. Interesting how the issues from early in her training resurface those years later-that is very well woven and very well written. I also like how close knit she and her family are and how she and her brothers work so well with Mags as spies for Valdemar.
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