Customer Reviews

The Black Gryphon (The Mage Wars)

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Since the gathering of Ma'ar's evil forces drove away High King Leodhan, Urtho, the Mage of Silence, has been forced into becoming the leader of those opposed to Ma'ar. Among Urtho's subjects are the Kaled'a'in, including the kestra'chern Amberdrake, and the magnificent gryphons, most prominent of which is the Black Gryphon Skandranon.

As Ma'ar's power continues to grow, Urtho and his forces struggle to keep him from destroying all that is good in the world. Will Amberdrake and Skandranon be able to stop him before it is too late?

"The Black Gryphon" is the first book in Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon's Mage Wars Trilogy. It was an interesting read that I really enjoyed. Dixon's influence on the style of the writing will be quite evident to those who are familiar with Lackey's other novels.

What I liked most about this book were, as with all the other Valdemar books, its characters and their sensitivity and perceptiveness. Amberdrake was simply wonderful, and I loved his interactions with the gryphons and hertasi. Skandranon was a lot of fun to read about. I particularly liked the pep talks he gave himself and the sarcastic conversations he had with Amberdrake and other gryphons. Also, Winterhart's growth was very rewarding to watch.

The descriptions of the area surrounding Urtho's Tower were very effective. I felt like I could really see Healer's Hill and the gryphon landing area. I enjoyed reading about the territory that was to become the Dhorisha Plains. I can't wait to read the descriptions of the new surroundings in "White Gryphon" and "Silver Gryphon."

My one complaint about this book (and this is a common one I have throughout the Valdemar books) is that the climax comes too close to the end of the story. Lackey and Dixon effectively tie up all the loose ends, but everything somehow feels rushed. Given the length of the book (460 pages), ten pages or so of denouement seems very abrupt, but perhaps this is mainly because it is only the first book in a trilogy.

Bottom Line: A solid start to a very promising trilogy, but you'll probably appreciate it more if you read the Mage Winds and Mage Storms trilogies first

this is a really, really great book. i reckon this is one of her best yet, in the same league as 'magic's promise' and 'magic's price'. what i regret most is the fact that it took place at the end of the war with ma'ar. i regret the fact that urtho is such an enigmatic character, in which i mean that there's not much that we know of him. it would have been great had we known him like we know vanyel... i find urtho really fascinating. one of the best thing about this book is the fact that the emotions are real and tangible.... it feels like a battlefield out there and the future looks bleak and yet hopeful at the same time. i really wanted to actually know what ka'venusho is like before the war, how urtho was dragged into the mess and generally what was the past like. all of this is sadly lost by vanyel's time and it's sad... the people, the history and the technology has all gone to dust by then. i love the way misty express the bond between amberdrake and skan, and also how urtho was with skan. i was really pissed off when i realized that urtho died in such a wastefull manner... and really uncalled for. they had such fantastic plans and well, it's just too bad. that's why i personally think that misty should do a series on his life, at least. the story telling is superb, the character development is excellent and the plot is not wasted here. be forewarned though that the ending is really heartbreaking. a truly enjoyable book.

The first Mercedes Lackey book I ever read(which does give me sort of a strange perspective on the timeline...); it got me hooked. I'm sure you've got better things to do than read the 64th rehash of the plot, so I'll simply say that the back- and inside-cover-summaries never explain things very well with Mercedes Lackey. It's probably one of the three greatest gryphon books of all time (the other two are 'Dark Lord of Derkholm' and 'Year of the Griffin', by Diana Wynne Jones-- another awesome author; check her stuff out!) and you should read it. Yes.

Lackey is a masterful fantasy author, and often integrates her work with birds of prey; being a raptor rehabilitator herself. I loved this book and consider it my favorite. The memorable Black Gryphon, Skandranon, tops my list of best characters. But Lackey's story is a tapestry of much more, telling of relationships, heroic deeds, and subtle humor. Set against the backdrop of a magical war, The Black Gryphon will evoke a sense of adventure within you.

Mercedes Lackey drew me into her story, and I loved it. I enjoyed the two romances going on, and it was interesting how originally everyone despised Winterhart, but (that famous twist), as usual, she sets it into a captivating part of the plot. I am proud to say that she has influenced my writing, and her books helped me learn to write emotion, plain and complicated, powerfully, and subtly. Thank you, Misty! I would also recommend David Eddings, Robert Jorden, J.R. Tolkien, Piers Anthony, Melanie Rawn, and Anne McAffrey. Their works and wriings also taught me and showed me how to write.

Mercades Lackey is a great writer, and proves it again with this book! I love that she is able to write above just the war, but inside it as well, the fear for/of friends and the hardships they all have to overcome is just awesome! I'm not going to go into detail about the book, other than read this and its sequel because they are worth it!

About 4 months ago I was introduced to Mercedes Lackey- the book that got me started on her novels was Magic's Pawn, after that book I found myself hooked on Lackey. After reading The Last Herald Mage Trilogy I read Brightly Burning, then after that I decided to start at the beginning (before the founding of Valdemar) and read all of her books in order. I just finished The Black Gryphon and have to admit that it sheds some light on a few of the mysteries of Valdemar. This book was fantastic and I would recommend it to anyone interested in fantasy novels, knowing that if they are anything like me they will become fans of Mercedes Lackey.

I haven't re-read this series in its entirety in a long time. There are some new books added to it since the last time, so that is pretty exciting for me. These books really just remind me of being young, reading them in the back seat of the car... I think I was in 5th grade when I started reading them and they've always been a pleasure to re-read.

As far as this trilogy goes, I think this first one has always been my favorite - it's very exciting... though the other two are good as well, from what I remember. They are all fast, fun reads - and who doesn't love gryphons?

This was my first book I have read by these authors, and I must say it is a very good read!! The way the authors tell the emotions and movements of the characters is very detailed, I feel as if I am there amoung Skan and Amberdrake. The writing style couldn't be better. The story follows that of Skandranon, a gryphon broadwing warrior under Urtho's forces in their battle against Ma'ar. I could hardly set this book down at all. I will definately be having to get "The White Gryphon". I strongly recommend this book and these authors.

This book by Mercedes Lackey is one of the best in the series. It has adventure and mystery and i could hardly put the book down! This book is about the black gryphon Skandranon and Amberdrake the kestra'chern who go to endless lengths to save their world from the evil Ma'ar. But its up to you to go read it and find out the ending!