The Oathbound by Mercedes Lackey

Reviewed by Holly White

The Oathbound is the first book of the “Vows and Honor” trilogy, which is set in the Valdemar world created by Mercedes Lackey. 

In The Oathbound, we meet two women with personalities so different, that you would never expect them to be able to work together, much less to become blood sisters (like blood brothers, but female).  We follow their adventures as they each face one of the greatest adjustments of their lives, and have to begin all over again, almost from scratch, with little but their wits and their skills to aid them.

Tarma is part of the Shin’a’in people, but the last of her Clan.  One of the Swordsworn, Tarma had sworn herself to the service of the Warrior Goddess, in order to exact vengeance upon those who had killed off all her other Clan members.  Skilled with the sword, Tarma’s dark, angular features and lack of figure made her look more like a man than like the woman she was. 

Beautiful and delicate-looking, Kethry is a powerful mage of the White Winds school, but with a past she dared not face.  Kethry’s sword is called Need, and is bound to her.  It draws her relentlessly to help women in need of aid, not letting her rest until the woman is helped or avenged. 

Having fulfilled her vengeful goal, Tarma now craved a new purpose in life.  Returning to the place where her Clan had once camped, she realized she could never find a home without a Clan.  And how could she, sworn to celibacy, build up her Clan anew?  Or was she destined to live and die alone, the last of her once-proud Clan?

Kethry, skilled in swordplay with Need’s aid, sought also to become an adept level mage.  But in order to do that, she must go to the one place she has avoided assiduously to face her most deadly and haunting fears.    Also, when Kethry swore the blood sister oath to Tarma, she did so without compunction, but over the course of the book, she learns what that oath will truly cost her.  Will she be willing to fulfill her oath and pay the price?

Oathbound follows these two women as they face the greatest fears they have ever had, and some new ones they never dreamed they would have to face.  This book is definitely for adults- some of the situations in it (eg., rape, demonic powers, sexual ritual worship, human sacrifice) are inappropriate for children, although I would classify Mercedes Lackey’s Arrows of the Queen series (that I previously reviewed- see links below) as child-appropriate. 


Another difficulty I found with Oathbound is that even though it’s part of the Valdemar series, it was not actually set in Valdemar. The two women travel near the Valdemar and the country and its Heralds are mentioned briefly, but they never cross into Valdemar itself making the connection to the Valdemarian world is tenuous at best. I am hoping that Tarma’s and Kethry’s journey takes them into Valdemar in later books, and they will interact with some of the characters I have already come to know. 


According to my books-compared-to-food rating system (chick lit books are  Cheetos and classics are steak), I would place Oathbound squarely in the roast beef and potatoes category. For one thing, its plot was darker than I like.  I enjoyed reading Oathbound, and it held my interest, but I didn’t find it to be an “I-can’t-put-it-down” book.  However, if you enjoy dark fantasy with lots of magery and sorcery in it, I highly recommend this book.

Links:
For an overview of Valdemar, click here..
Previous reviews:
 Arrows of the Queen
Arrow's Flight
Arrow's Fall