Author: Mercedes Lackey (American, 1950- )
Originally published: 1987
Page count: 312
Dates read: 4/11/22-4/19/22
2022 book goal progress: 10 out of 20
Back to the Classics category: x
Author Challenge: Mercedes Lackey
Mindful Readers' Family Bookclub
genre/theme: April - Fantasy
Read my other Valdemar book reviews.
Read my other book reviews for my 2022 goals HERE.
Description on back of book:
Talia could scarcely believe she had finally earned the rank of full Herald. Yet though this seemed like the fulfillment of all her dreams, it also meant she would face trials far greater than those she had previously survived. For now, Talia must ride forth to patrol the Kingdom of Valdemar, dispensing Herald's justice throughout the land. In this realm beset by dangerous unrest, enforcing her rulings would require all the courage and skill Talia could command - for if she misused her own special powers, both she and Valdemar would pay the price!
Description on back of book:
Talia could scarcely believe she had finally earned the rank of full Herald. Yet though this seemed like the fulfillment of all her dreams, it also meant she would face trials far greater than those she had previously survived. For now, Talia must ride forth to patrol the Kingdom of Valdemar, dispensing Herald's justice throughout the land. In this realm beset by dangerous unrest, enforcing her rulings would require all the courage and skill Talia could command - for if she misused her own special powers, both she and Valdemar would pay the price!
First sentence:
"Thwack! The flat of Alberich's practice-blade cracked against Talia's ill-gaurded side."
CAWPILE Rating: Overall - 9.1/10 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Characters - 10
Atmosphere - 10
Writing Style - 8
Plot - 9
Intrigue - 10
Logic - 7
Enjoyment - 10
What is a CAWPILE Rating?
Review:
This book begins about 1-2 years after the end of the first book. Talia is 18 at the beginning and it lasts about 2 years. Half of the book is prep and build-up for her internship and the other half is the internship itself.
Since she's now older, the trouble Talia finds herself in is more complicated - more adult-like. There's some language and several explicit scenes. I felt they were unnecessary and took me out of the story. It all felt like a gimmick to draw young readers in thinking they were reading a more adult story. To be honest, I enjoyed it as a young teen and did feel very mature for reading the book.
Once I accepted it was a young(er) adult novel, I was able to lose myself in the story again. There is definitely a lot of intrigue in this one: fire, plague, bandits, rapists, uncontrolled magic powers, blizzards while out in the wilderness, and more. Overall, it is another great story.
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 Tamora Pierce have the last words:
"There is no joy that has not tasted first of grief."
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