Comments on: REVIEW: Foundation by Mercedes Lackey

By: Intrigues by Mercedes Lackey – Review

Intrigues by Mercedes Lackey – Review — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 23:10:59 +0000

[...] Dear Author says (of Foundation): [...]

By: Chrissy

Chrissy — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 19:05:13 +0000

Oh huzzah!! I really don’t like most of the stuff coming out for young adults these days. I broke my teeth on good high fantasy and classics, and I miss stuff like the Valdemar books and McCaffery’s Harper Hall books.

YUM!

By: readerdiane

readerdiane — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 03:37:48 +0000

My daughter and I were talking about how much we loved the Arrow books and our next favorite were the Sword & Sorceress books. Maybe they were our favorites because they featured strong females/
I would love to see her take the series on from where she left off because I certainly had some questions unanswered.
Her world building is fantastic. I have read her books in chronological order and published order. I would still start with the Arrow series.

This book was good-stayed up late to finish but not my favorite.

By: SonomaLass

SonomaLass — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:16:08 +0000

Valdemar is a very special place for me — it’s my older children’s favorite fantasy series (my totally identifies with Elspeth, which I try not to take personally, and my son is a Vanyel groupie). I really like Lackey’s world building — the consistency of it, and how she’s able to move into new territory (different cultures, different time periods) and it still hangs together. And things move forward, conflicts get resolved, and lots of couples have very romantic “endings” that don’t end, because the couples have to keep functioning. Unlike some authors I could name (I’d be looking at you, Robert Jordan, but you’re dead).

Lately I’d rather re-read the earlier books than risk a new one (no, not an Owl fan), but I think I’ll take a chance on this one as a present for the kid.

By: anny cook

anny cook — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 04:26:02 +0000

Well, actually I loved them all. Don’t know what that says about my reading tastes, but I own all the Valdemar books and read them at least once a year–including the OWL books which I really liked. Heh.

By: Mary Winter

Mary Winter — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 01:08:57 +0000

Thank you for your review. Magic’s Pawn was my introduction to fantasy at a very tender age (a hot guy and a horse on the cover, who could lose?), and I fell very much in love. But, like you, grew very disenchanted, especially around the time of Take a Thief. As to the Owl fiasco, well, my cockatiel is Kuari, but um, yeah. :) I have this one on my “to buy to reward myself for a month well done” :) Thanks!!!!!

By: Nicole

Nicole — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:49:37 +0000

Ooooh, I’m picking this one up from the library tonight. Can’t wait to read it as it’s been awhile since I read a Valdemar book.

By: Val

Val — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:04:53 +0000

Jia,

It’s out already – called Reserved for the Cat and it’s fun. Very fun. I enjoyed it.

By: Jia

Jia — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:43:29 +0000

Mags does use what I interpreted to be “country” dialect, but he’s the only major character to do so. I don’t recall any unusual spellings but I do remember things like “shinies” instead of gems, things like that.

By: orannia

orannia — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:29:48 +0000

Thank you so much Jia! I didn’t know a new Valdemar book was out. I loved them when I was a teen, and every so often I pull them out and re-read them.

Question, one thing that has stopped me from reading the latest Valdemar books was the language used for the dialogue. I found that with Skif’s books his speech patterns were….interpreted by unusual spelling, etc. While this can work for some people I find my overly analytical brain attempts to work out what the word means rather than just reading it, which throws me out of the story. The one thing I love about reading is that I can escape from ‘here’ and go ‘there’. I guess what I’m trying to ask is whether the dialogue in the book flows?

Thank you!

orannia

By: SusanL

SusanL — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:09:35 +0000

Don’t diss The Owl books ! ;)

By: Nalini Singh

Nalini Singh — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:42:04 +0000

I must get this! I absolutely love the Valdemar novels. Thanks for a great review, Jia.

By: Val Kovalin

Val Kovalin — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:26:30 +0000

Hey, Jia, very comprehensive and informative review! I’m probably never going to read a Valdemar book: the combination of “animal companion” and “abused teen” is already making me break out in an allergic rash.

But I’ve heard a lot about them and was curious to know more without actually having to venture in as a reader. A good review can serve as a “Cliffnotes” to those of us who want to know and then just pass on, and I appreciate your review as such. :)

By: Michelle

Michelle — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:26:49 +0000

HeatherO,

Thank you so much for your recommendations. They’re very helpful. I really do like to read series in a row, and I think I’ll get the first book from the three series and see which one I like best.

-Michelle

By: Jia

Jia — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:09:16 +0000

(except for that horrid Owl fiasco).

LOL

I can’t say I disagree.

By: Lady of the Review

Lady of the Review — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:51:34 +0000

Ack! A new Valdemar book & I didn’t know? Oh, that’s just wrong! I may be 32, but I still love the Valdemar series (except for that horrid Owl fiasco). Now I know what to go look for! Whoot! I feel like I’ve been waiting for a new Valdemar book FOREVER!

By: Jia

Jia — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:21:47 +0000

Lastly, if you liked Lackey's 500 Kingdoms books, I would highly recommend her Elemental Masters series

I think she has a new one in that world coming out soon. I can’t remember the title but I heard it’s a take on Puss in Boots.

By: HeatherO

HeatherO — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:48:33 +0000

Michelle,

I would start at the “Arrows” trilogy. These are the first 3 books in the Valdemar series, and are some of the best, IMO.

Book 1: Arrows of the Queen
Book 2: Arrow’s Flight
Book 3: Arrow’s Fall

If you like those, I would recommend continuing the series in publication order. (Which can be found via her website.) She went back and wrote prequels about earlier characters after this point, but IMO you have better understanding and enjoyment reading the series in the order in which they were written.

Another good (non-valdemar) series is her Dragon Jousters series.

Book 1: Joust
Book 2: Alta
Book 3: Sanctuary
Book 4: Aerie

A good fantasy series set in a world much like ancient Egypt — only with dragons.

Lastly, if you liked Lackey’s 500 Kingdoms books, I would highly recommend her Elemental Masters series — this also incorporates twists on fairy tales in a clever way. The books are loosely tied together by virtue of being set in the same time period and local (Victorian), but they feature different characters, etc, in each one.

Book 1: The Fire Rose (Beauty and the Beast)
Book 2: The Gates of Sleep (Sleeping Beauty)
Book 3: The Serpent’s Shadow (Snow White)
Book 4: Pheonix and Ashes (Cinderella)
Book 5: Wizard of London (The Little Princess — I think! This one is not quite as clear cut in the fairy tale/story.)

Gee, can you tell I am a Lackey fan?

By: Shiloh Walker

Shiloh Walker — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:26:44 +0000

I loved the earlier Valdemar books, too. Think I’m going to pick this one up.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:23:47 +0000

I’ve read the first few books in Mercedes Lackey’s World of the Five Hundred Kingdoms series published by Luna and really enjoy them. (I’ve just dabbled in fantasy and am by no means an expert on the genre.) I’ve wanted to read some of her other stuff, but the number of books are overwhelming. Where should I start? I’d be interested in any recommendations lackey fans have to share.