I was remarking in another thread some time ago that even though Piers Anthony has fairly well become nothing more than self-parody during the last decade or so, you could go back through his works and pick out the books where he’d still been advancing his worlds and striking out the path that earned him his fame.
Now I’ve been re-reading Mercedes Lackey’s first foray into the Velgarth world, the Arrows trilogy. (How Harry Potter and Hogwarts became immensely famous where Talia and the Collegium did not, is beyond me.) In general I liked her books up to at least the Black and White Gryphon novels, but found that she had a bit of a propensity to portray the characters’ lives in great detail for 90% of her books, then suddenly realize that she’d forgotten to include anything in the way of a story, so invent some evil sorcerer on page 600, and wrap up the entire struggle and climax in 50 pages.
While I enjoyed her characters and their interactions, the somewhat shoddiness of the plotting threw me off so that I had some trepidation trying her other novels. I’m sure that many of them are as good as Arrows and Gryphons, but there’s an awful lot of books and series there to check.
So what would be the “required reading”? I’m only interested in the Velgarth world, though I have read and enjoyed her other stuff.
It would help if you’d be clearer on if you’d read beyond the Arrows and/or Gryphon books.
Now, here, on her wiki site, you’ll find the complete listing of Valdemar novels. I suggest you head for the Last Herald Mage trilogy next-Vanyel’s tale is essential to the story of Valdemar. Then go for The Mage Winds, and then The Mage Storms.
I have, but don’t recall the titles (and I haven’t read the third Gryphon novel.) I enjoy rereading, so I’m fine to find out that I’m reading something for a second time. I’d just like to avoid the works which are sub-par.
I’m pretty sure I read the Mage Wind books, but I don’t remember their content at any level.
I strongly second The Last Herald Mage Trilogy (Magic’s Pawn, Magic’s Promise, Magic’s Price). Fair disclosure, though - I own every single Valdemar book and many of the ancillary books either written by Lackey or by others.
I quite liked the Darien trilogy (Owlflight, Owlsight, Owlknight), even though I am self-aware enough to realize that it’s because I’m a hopeless romantic.
Lackey is a guilty pleasure for me. I love visiting Velgarth, and love the idea of the Heralds and their Companions, and have re-read those of her books I own many times. I think one of my favorite books set in that world is “By the Sword” although I’m not as fond of the other Kethry and Tarma books.
If you decide to read “Take a Thief,” though, wait a while after reading the “Arrows” trilogy, because it’s obvious that Lackey re-thought some of the characters and their histories, and there will be some :dubious: moments… Especially if you have also just recently read the “Last Herald-Mage.”
I’ll nth the Last Herald Mage set. Those were actually my first Lackey books, and I was hooked. They’re my favorite, although I’ve come to adore Talia as well. But Vanyel and Tylendel…ah! I’m a total fag hag for those boys.
Don’t bother. It’s not up to par. It doesn’t have Skan, Zhaneel, Amberdrake or Winterhart . It’s almost entirely about their children, in training for the Silver Gryphon guards, getting lost in the wilderness and fighting off monsters.
Another Lackey-reader here as well! I own all of the Valdemar books.
My favorite trilogy was the Talia story arc with Arrows of the Queen/Flight/Fall.
My second favorite triology was the Last Herald Mage arc with Magic’s Pawn/Promise/Price.
I also love love love Alberich so I really empathized with him in Exile’s Honor and Exile’s Valor. It really shows the human side of the Armsmaster.
Other than that, the Mage Winds were very interesting as well. It took me a few reads to get into the Mage Storms trilogy, but it’s fascinating to see how the entire history culminates into one epic battle with not just the past, but time as well.
IIRC the first of the Velgarth books I read were the Vows and Honor, followed by the Arrows trilogy. The latter led me to the Exile books (I like Alberich, too). I have the Last Herald Mage books but haven’t gotten around to reading them yet (they got packed away two years ago and only recently surfaced). From what Penchan said, I presume I should read those before I read the Mage Winds and Mage Storms trilogies (which I would have to do anyway, because if I have any of them they’re still packed somewhere).
What was strange (for me) about reading them is that I had previously heard the songs written about her books, which I liked even without knowing the stories behind them. Now, of course, they have even more meaning when I listen to them.
I started with By The Sword, then The Last harald Mage and the Arrows trilogy, then all the others. The only books I haven’t been able to really get into are the Owl Mage books.
Arrows of the Queen was my first of her books. My copy is the first printing of the 1988 edition, and I’m pretty sure I found it on the New Book shelf, meaning that I was the tender age of 9 when I read it, and 10 or 11 when Talia had her unfortunate encounter in book 3. I.e. torture and rape. And of course she and Skif were trying to bounce hips as early as book 1
Hence my derision for a lot of the fears adults of their precious little ones encountering the slightest hint of blood or foul language. Real life don’t hurt when presented plainly.
I actually liked the third Gryphon novel more than the second book in the series. I wasn’t too fond of the daughter, but seriously, that book had more actual action plot than a typical Lackey book.
Just for the record, the online bookstore I operate out of my upstairs bedroom sold Mercedes Lackey a book on dress and uniforms throughout the ages.
Sorry for the hijack.
