Burning Water by Mercedes Lackey

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

It started with cattle mutilations.  Then the attacks began targeting people, often leaving bloody and shocking crime scenes. Detective Mark Valdez begins to wonder if the perpetrators are members of some strange cult, Satanic or otherwise.  With no solid leads in sight, he asks to call in someone he knows who might be able to give the police some insight into what’s going on.

Diana Tregarde’s day job is romance novelist, but she’s also a practicing witch and an investigator of supernatural events.  She catches the next flight to Dallas, but even Diana isn’t prepared for what she and Mark may be facing.

Most people know Lackey as the author of the long running Valdemar series, but she’s also the author of several others. Burning Water is the first in a nifty urban fantasy series which came out in the late 80s/early 90s which is about the time I first read this book. While shifting books on my shelves I came across the first three books and realized I hadn’t finished reading the series, so I decided to re-read the first one to see if it held up before tackling the other two.

I found I really enjoyed it the second time around.  There are a few minor things that are dated but none of that affected my enjoyment.  There are a some graphic scenes but those aren’t drawn out and are connected to the ultimate solution.  I also liked the information about folklore and other belief systems. Some reviewers have said Diana is just too perfect, or that the book is too talky. There are sections in which the characters discuss religion and philosophy, but I found it interesting and not preachy.  As to Diana’s goodness, I’m good with it—yes, pun intended. 

I liked the pacing.  While there were times I wanted the characters to be quicker on the uptake, there was a reason for that—and I suspect the author was using that device to ratchet up the tension a bit, letting the reader know what was going on in a way that the main characters couldn’t. When it all comes together, the story moves rapidly to a satisfying conclusion.

Although Lackey just wrote three novels in the series, she has done a few novellas that are available as ebooks.  I may take a look after I finish the others.

Books in the series are:

1.       Burning Water

2.      Children of the Night

3.      Jinx High

The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey

Reviewed by Holly White

The Fairy Godmother is the first in the Five Hundred Kingdoms series.  If and when you read this book, be prepared to throw out the window everything you’ve ever known, expected, or believed about fairy tales and how they are supposed to go.  This book will challenge all of that.  However, this book will also simultaneously reinforce everything you’ve come to know, expect, or believe about fairy tales, but in the most unexpected way possible.

The Fairy Godmother tells us the story of young Elena, who was made to serve as a slave in her own home, taking orders from her overbearing stepmother and her self-centered stepsisters.  However, the day comes when Elena meets … at last … her fairy godmother.  You all know where the story goes from there  … or do you?  The fairy godmother, Bella, explains to Elena that there will be no handsome prince for her.  Instead, Elena is offered an apprenticeship, to train to be the next fairy godmother in Bella’s place.  Once she accepts this post, Elena’s training begins.  Until one day when Bella abruptly decides Elena’s training is complete, and goes away almost without even saying goodbye.

Bella’s departure left Elena in charge of being the fairy godmother for more than one kingdom.  She had to learn some things on the fly.  She chose to do some magic differently than Bella would have done.  She faced, among other things, a pregnant woman who craved rampian, an evil sorceress who did not really want to be evil, a herd of unicorns eating the plants in her garden, a group of questing young men seeking to win the heart of a princess, and the evil being who had taken that princess hostage.  It was Elena’s job as fairy godmother to use and bend the magic of  the Tradition to make these situations have a desired outcome, an outcome that would not only help those involved, but also the ancillary people who might be affected by their actions.  All in all, it was a huge responsibility, but Elena faced it with aplomb, even if she felt ill-prepared or inadequate at times.

The Fairy Godmother is not your typical fairy tale, but it IS a fairy tale.  If you love fairy tales, and especially if you love fairy tales with a bit of a twist, then this book is for you.  It is a fairy tale for grownups, not only because it is not particularly appropriate in places for children, but also, it is a fairy tale for those of us who are a bit more jaded about life.  It is for those of us who know that happy endings don’t come easy, that you have to work for them, but that they are all the more happy and all the more lasting because you did have to earn them.

Closer to Home by Mercedes Lackey

Reviewed by Holly White

Closer to Home is the first in Mercedes Lackey’s Herald Spy series.  The first book takes up where we left off with the story of Mags, the young mine-slave-turned Herald-Trainee.  If you want to know more about Mags childhood and youth, read the Collegium Chronicles quintet by Mercedes Lackey; his childhood and youth are described there in detail.  In Closer to Home, the story begins with Mags’ adult life as Mags at last receives the title of full Herald, no longer a Trainee.  As the series title suggests, his primary task as a Herald will be to also be a spy for the Kingdom of Valdemar.

Mags and Amily return from circuit to face Amily’s father, Nikolas, with the fact that they are hoping to get married.  They fear he will disapprove on many levels.  This fear is exacerbated by that fact that Nikolas is the King’s Own Herald, the most important Herald in Valdemar other than the King himself, and has not only his own wishes and opinions to consider, but also those of the King, the court, and the country.

Soon after their return, however, tragedy strikes.  Nikolas is killed in a terrible storm.  His Companion, Rolan, who is always the Companion of the King’s Own Herald, must choose a new King’s Own immediately, and indeed, does so right at the moment of Nikolas’ death.  Mags is heartbroken; his mentor and hopefully future father-in-law was dead.  Amily would never forgive him for not being able to revive him in time.  But then something unprecedented happened, something so unheard of, that no one, not even the King himself, knew how to take it.  And Mags, filled with pent-up emotions from the trying day he had already had, had to be the one to stride into the throne room and talk some sense into King and court.

After all this was over, things settled down into a more or less routine.  Mags had his spy responsibilities; Amily had new responsibilities of her own.  One of those responsibilities was to prevent an all-out civil war from breaking out.  Two feuding families had come into the capital city of Haven to find spouses for their grown children.  The feud was so bitter that whenever the patriarchs, their families, or even their servants crossed paths with the other, there was bound to be trouble.  The king had specifically stated that he did not want there to be trouble.  This meant that Mags and Amily had the job of keeping the two families apart if possible, and barring that, to at least ensure that peace was maintained. 

This plan worked well until unexpectedly, the daughter of one family fell in love with the son of the other family.  Thus began a series of secret notes, masked balls, and clandestine meetings, which at first made me feel as if Ms. Lackey were going to do a bland remake of Romeo and Juliet.  But I knew her writing better than that, so I read on.   I was not disappointed.  The story turned out quite differently from Romeo and Juliet, but to find out just how differently, you must read Closer to Home for yourself.

It’s a wonderful tale of good vs. evil, spies, intrigue, romance, and adventure.  If you like that sort of story, you will love Closer to Home.  This will be my last Valdemar review for a while, at least until Ms. Lackey puts out another book set in the Valdemar universe.  I understand she has one coming out in October 2015, called Closer to the Heart, which I await anxiously so I can find out what happens next.

Bastion by Mercedes Lackey

Reviewed by Holly White

Bastion is the sequel to Redoubt, and the fifth in the Collegium Chronicles quintet.  Bastion takes up where we left off in the story of Herald Trainee Mags.  Mags has just been rescued from a kidnapping attempt, but has not come through the experience unscathed.  His mindspeech works again, but his captors messed with his mind, and he has memories that he never experienced, of a land, language, and culture not his own. He returns to Haven to find everything the same, but changed.  Bear and Lena are now married.  Bear is about to receive his Healer Greens, and Lena has but to complete her final Master piece in order to earn her Bardic Scarlets.  Soon their days as relatively carefree Collegium Trainees would be over, and two of his dearest friends would move, no doubt far away.  Mags’ own love interest, Amily, once crippled and unable to defend herself, has now learned to fight and defend herself so well that she now helps the Weaponsmaster teach younger Trainees.  Mags finds that he has been replaced, as expected, on the kirball team, which while disappointing, affords him more time for his classes and other duties.  However, then he discovers that he has been suspended from classes for a time.  Indeed, he is to be sent away on circuit with a Heraldic mentor, without having taken the classes necessary to prepare him for the responsibilities of such a journey. 

When Mags goes out on circuit, who will be his Herald mentor?   The only Hearld Mage he knows well is Nikolas, the King’s Own Herald, who cannot do it due to his being needed at the palace.  Who knows if the Herald selected to mentor Mags on his journey will even be someone with whom he can get along?  In addition, how will Mags endure being separated from his closest friends for over a year, especially Amily?  The situation is made more difficult by  knowing that his enemies are still on the loose and are still searching for him, enemies who, he knows from experience, have the skills to infiltrate Haven and even the palace itself right under the noses of the best Heralds in Valdemar.  How will Mags ever get rid of such tenacious, talented pursuers?  Furthermore, how will he ever find out where he comes from and who he really is?  Find out by reading Bastion.

Bastion is a wonderful story full of fantasy, action, romance, magic, espionage, and adventure.  Bastion wraps up the Collegium Chronicles quintet beautifully.  All my questions were answered with answers tied up with a neat little bow.  Mags and the other characters faced an impossible situation with unsurmountable odds.  However, they solved their problems in such a brilliant and unexpected way that, in hindsight, it was the only thing that would have worked.  I love it when an author does that!  Everything seems hopeless, and then, BAM!  The tumblers click into place, one by one, like a combination lock being opened.  Fascinating work from a delightful author!  Definitely one for the favorites shelf.  My next review will pick up with Mags’ story in the first book of a new series about him, called Closer to Home, which is Book One of the Herald Spy series.

Changes by Mercedes Lackey

 Reviewed by Holly White

Changes, the third in the Collegium Chronicles quintet by Mercedes Lackey, continues the story of Mags, the orphan boy.  Mags was raised as a slave working in a gemstone mine before being Chosen by Companion Dallen as a trainee to become a Herald of Valdemar.  Mags has risen to fame as one of the Heraldic Collegium’s star kirball players.  His best friend Bear, a Healer trainee without the healing Gift, has successfully begun his campaign to provide every Healer and Herald on circuit with an herb kit containing medicines that could be used by anyone, Gift or no.  Bear’s girlfriend Lena, a Bardic trainee, still tries to live up to the reputation of her father, the famous and incredibly Gifted Bard Marchand.  Mags has discovered he is sweet on Amily, the crippled daughter of the King’s Own Herald Nikolas.  In his spare time, Mags has been working off and on under Herald Nikolas’ direction, as an undercover spy for the Crown.

The story opens with Nikolas urging Mags to let his three friends, Bear, Lena, and Amily, in on the fact that he has been doing undercover spy work, in the hopes that they can be a support to him, in addition to using their own eyes and ears when necessary.  Bear’s family, all Healing-Gifted, seek to force Bear to leave the Collegium, return home, marry someone of their choice, and produce heirs with the Healing Gift.  Lena finds out that her father has not only accepted a protégé apprentice other than herself, but is now claiming that she is not even his child.  Bear has plans to try a risky experimental surgery on Amily to fix her crippled leg, but Nikolas nips Amily’s hopes in the bud when he orders her to put off the surgery indefinitely and will not tell her why.  Mags and Nikolas learn that enemy spies have infiltrated not only the capital city of Haven, but the Palace itself.

During the hottest part of the summer, everyone at the Collegium is arguing with everyone else, rendering the heat even more unendurable.  Lena learns that her father has done something more unthinkable than even she had suspected.  Things for not only Mags’ circle of friends, but for all of Valdemar, come to a head when Mags learns that Amily’s life is in danger from the enemy spies.  If harm were to come to the daughter of the King’s Own Herald, that would not only incapacitate the King’s Own Herald, but also by extension, the King himself.  Amily and her friends become increasingly aware of the fact that she is crippled and unable to defend herself.   For some unfathomable reason the spies want Mags, too.  On top of that, the unknown enemies are impervious to mind magic, so there is no way to ferret them out or to learn what they are thinking.

Will Bear prove to his family that he can Heal without the Gift of healing?  Will Lena prove to everyone and to herself that she does not have to stand in her father’s shadow?  Will Mags find out who the spies are and where they are staying?  Will the Heralds find out why mind magic won’t work on the spies?  Will Nikolas and Mags be able to foil the plot against Amily?  Will Amily walk again?  Will the Heralds find out who is the mole on the Palace grounds?  Will Mags find out what the enemy spies want with him?  Will Mags earn his Whites (the sign that he is no longer just a trainee, but a full Herald)?  Find out by reading Changes.

If you love stories with good vs. evil elements, lots of action and adventure, with a fantasy element, and a dash of romance, you will enjoy this book.  This earlier books in the series are Foundation and Intrigues. My next review will be on Book Four of the Collegium Chronicles quintet, which is Redoubt.

This book follows Intrigues, the second in the series.