Originally published: 1994
Page count: 418
Dates read: 12/18/23-1/5/24
2024 book goal progress: 1 out of 24
Read my other book reviews for my 2024 goals HERE.
Description on back of book:
Karse and Valdemar have long been enemy kingdoms - their people filled with mutual prejudice and mistrust. Only the vile deeds perpetrated on both kingdoms by Ancar of Hardorn, and the subsequent emergence of the armies of the Eastern Empire in the wake of his defeat, have forced these two so-different lands into an uneasy alliance.
Description on back of book:
Karse and Valdemar have long been enemy kingdoms - their people filled with mutual prejudice and mistrust. Only the vile deeds perpetrated on both kingdoms by Ancar of Hardorn, and the subsequent emergence of the armies of the Eastern Empire in the wake of his defeat, have forced these two so-different lands into an uneasy alliance.
The Eastern Empire, which has long been isolated and shrouded in mystery, is ruled by a monarch whose magical tactics may be beyond any sorcery known to the Western kingdoms. Forces to combat this dire foe, not only must traditional enemies unite, but the Companions may have to reveal secrets which they have kept hidden for centuries - even from their beloved Heralds.
First sentence:
"Emperor Charliss sat upon the Iron Throne, bowed down neither by the visible weight of his years nor the invisible weight of his power."
Favorite quote:
"Compassion and honor. Those are what is important. So long as you have both, and act with both, you cannot make any mistake that will bring lasting harm. But good intentions count for something, else I'd have been condemned to the coldest Hell long ago! If you have compassion and honor, and you made a mistake that harmed someone, must you not, out of compassion and honor, see that the mistake is being made and try to stop it?
First sentence:
"Emperor Charliss sat upon the Iron Throne, bowed down neither by the visible weight of his years nor the invisible weight of his power."
Favorite quote:
"Compassion and honor. Those are what is important. So long as you have both, and act with both, you cannot make any mistake that will bring lasting harm. But good intentions count for something, else I'd have been condemned to the coldest Hell long ago! If you have compassion and honor, and you made a mistake that harmed someone, must you not, out of compassion and honor, see that the mistake is being made and try to stop it?
And having seen the effects of such a mistake, must you not also try to reverse them? Don't you see? Compassion and honor require that you not make excuses, nor allow yourself to say, 'nothing can be done.' So, even if you make a mistake, you must fix it. You want to."
CAWPILE Rating: Overall - 8.3/10 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters - 9
Atmosphere - 9
Writing Style - 8
Plot - 8
Intrigue - 8
Logic - 7
Enjoyment - 9
What is a CAWPILE Rating?
Review:
CAWPILE Rating: Overall - 8.3/10 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters - 9
Atmosphere - 9
Writing Style - 8
Plot - 8
Intrigue - 8
Logic - 7
Enjoyment - 9
What is a CAWPILE Rating?
Review:
This was an incredible story! In the last trilogy, I did NOT like how Elspeth was written as a character. Elspeth is a little annoying in this book, too, but she plays a small role instead of a main role in the series so far - so she's bearable. Other than her, I love the characters in this story. It's a bit predictable, but I'm enjoying the story itself, too. It deals with significant trauma, as well as extreme prejudice and changing one's point of view. I laughed. I cried. I'm invested in the plot. If you've made it this far into reading Valdemar, I suggest you keep reading!
Now I'm off to read another book... but since a review should be more about the author of the book than about the writer of the blog, I will let Mercedes Lackey have the last words:
"It is a man's deeds that define him. A good deed done in the name of the Dark is still done for the Light, but an evil one done in the name of the Light is still quite evil, and a soul could be condemned to Darkness for it. I have always felt that, before I passed judgment on any man because of the god he swore by, I would see how he comported himself with his fellows - what he did and how he treated them. If he acted with honor and compassion, the Name he called upon was irrelevant."
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