Customer Reviews

Intrigues: Book Two of the Collegium Chronicles (A Valdemar Novel)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Mags grows up in this sequel to Foundation. He learns more about how friendships work and the true meaning of teamwork. For a former slave in a mine, learning how to fit in is difficult. I enjoyed the banter between Mags and Dallen (his companion). This book is darker than Foundation, with Mags having to deal with a lot of unpleasantness. My only quibble is that this book seems geared toward a younger audience, with most of the focus on young adults in the Collegium taking classes. I still really enjoyed it even though I'm not in that stage of life. Fans of Valdemar should definitely read Intrigues, but it's not anywhere near my favorite Mercedes Lackey novel.

So, I am a great fan of Lackey and have read all of her books. Foundation was one of my favorites of hers so far, but frankly I was overall disappointed with Intrigues. I mean the plot was interesting and all, but the way in which it was presented was choppy at best. Lackey seems to have been in a hurry with this one for there is none of her previous more flowing writing style. It jumps from scene to scene abruptly, and you are left with some feelings of disappointment for the scenes are not played out fully to reader satisfaction. Also as a side note...she could use a new editor to check grammar and spelling (sorry pet peeve of mine). Anyway, interesting plot and the character of Mags does show really interesting growth in this installment. However, I think Lackey needs to revisit her old works because this writing style does not even come close to her previous works.

Don't get me wrong: Intrigues is not bad, it's just not a complete story. Reading through the novel is (unfortunately) a lot like watching Star Wars: the Phantom Menace. It's mildly entertaining, but most of it's build-up for the actual, interesting Darth Vader story everyone wants to see.

Honestly, this book feels like Ms. Lackey had a deadline, and decided to throw together her "backstory" notes regarding "Character Development" along with some stuff she remembered from Harry Potter. At one point, I was fairly certain Mags IS Harry...well, emo medieval Harry, complete with wannabe quidditch. Except, Mags's Nimbus.. err.. Companion can talk, and J.K. Rowling always had a really strong, solid plot (with a real beginning, middle, and end) in her books with a LOT less preaching. Intrigues, on the other hand, is almost entirely about telling the reader what the characters are all about (at one point, in fact, the characters shout at one another what their characters are like before other characters step in to explain that yes indeed that is true but so-and-so has added depth/aspects of their personality and that added depth is blah blah blah). Some of you may think I'm exaggerating, but sadly I'm not. That last sentence actually takes up an entire chapter.

IF an interesting story occurs (and there are some pretty heavy-handed hints that there are Happenings afoot in Valdemar, particularly toward the end of the book), it should unfold in the third book. So, I'd wait for the third book and read the two at once. Or, skip the second book altogether. You won't be missing much.

This book needs a warning: Do not read it if you are dealing with depression or at risk of being triggered for suicidal impulses.

Mags spends most of the book being systematically tortured by the hostility and suspicion of the minds around him (he being a Mindspeaker you will recall). Meanwhile, Bear and Lena deal with family being abusive idiots. At the crisis point, both Bear and Lena break and verbally attack Mags, viciously and inexcusably given the fact that he has done nothing the whole book but try to help them. Understandably, he runs from this attack, now sunk deep in depression and explicitly suicidal, brought by Bear to believe he is insane and expecting Dallan to repudiate him any day. And when Rolan finally contacts him, does he offer Mags protection against the mental assault he's dealt with the whole book or even a little human sympathy? No! He lectures Mags very briefly about how he was, essentially, a coward for running away, and Mags spends the end of the book being "tested" to see if he's still trustworthy! On top of that, neither Bear nor Lena apologize for their unprovoked attacks on him, despite their having been instrumental in driving Mags to suicidal despair. It's covered over in two pages, all is magically better, Mags actually apologizes for the things he said to them when they finally pushed him to snapping. I find this especially unforgivable in Bear's case, given that he supposedly fears he might have had something to do with a patient dying on him. So the Healer is going to go and scream filth at someone he knows is unstable? And there are no consequences to this? What?

There is no closure. There is no recovery. There is nothing to help the reader get back out if they fell down the extremely graphically described pit with Mags. When other of Lackey's characters have fallen this far, we have, at least, been able to follow their journey back up with them. Not this time. So don't go in expecting her usual treatment of this issue, because she has signally failed of it with this book.

I was really excited for this book. The first Collegium Chronicles book was good, setting up what seemed to be another great Lackey/Valdemar trilogy.

Unfortuntely, this one did not even come close to living up to my expectations.

First of all, I don't know who was in charge of editing this book, but I found more mispellings/grammer mistakes/wierd phrases than in any other book I have ever read by ANY author. In particular, there is a line that read something like "...on the pile in front of me." This was not a person speaking, but part of a descriptive paragraph. And considering that this book is written in 3rd person, it should have said "... on the pile in front of him."

The plot itself left something to be desired. I am all for teenager angst (it's a normal phase in any person's life) but it's like she suddenly remembered that there was a bigger plot going on that she started in the first book, and so she threw a chapter or two in to make it seem like she hadn't forgotten. I'm not saying she should have cut out the angst at all-- in fact I kind of found it refreshing, reading about a Herald Trainee who wasn't immediately accepted because he was Chosen-- but if she wanted to focus so much on that, she should have.

SPOILER HERE!

And the ending. The ending left MUCH to be desired. After all the angst, all the fighting, he suddenly catches the bad guy (who appeared out of NOWHERE by the way), and Lackey falls back on having Mags be Herald Trainee/Good Guy Everyone Likes. When the hell did the three make up? Where was the resolution? He spends weeks (almost a month?) as a numb yet suicidal wreck, only to have those feelings resolved and soothed in the spance of a day? Without the help of a MindHealer? Companions are good but not that good.

I know a person could argue that Lackey DID mention that Mags was having nightmares all throughout the book that were related to Big Bad Temper at the end. Did he? The way she wrote it, I assumed that the nightmares were a product of his ongoing depression and mental stress, combined with the memories of his past. There was little to NO indication that ANY outside influence was affecting his dreams until the last quarter of the book. She mentions the nightmares in passing, and only AFTER Mags and Bear have a falling out, and Mags mentions that he can no longer take Bear's Anti-Nightmare potion.

END SPOILER!

My final thought echoes the rest of the "okay" reviews-- this book felt rushed, especially when compaired to Lackey's previous work, and absolutely nothing felt resolved. She writes beautifully as always, and her idea is a great one, but the book fell flat. I would rather have waited another few months if it meant that she was given more time write and develop it.

This sequel to Foundation felt like a lecture on friendship failures without the resolution that justifies the dark episodes.
It felt like Ms Lackey had recently read some Harry Potter and couldn't quite get it out of her head. The horseback version of Quiddich was a filler without the excitment of the broomback competition.
Too much similarity to prior Valdemar plots. Character rejected for no reason, living on the streets of Haven with miraculous ease (though he had no prior experience having lived in a mine, then the collegium).
Betrayal of friends on baseless suspicion, though they had been built up as 'soulmates' of sorts up until this point.
Recycled plotlines, broken and pointless lengthly soul searches, the feeling that the writing was done in 2-3 different times, with the loss of continuity that would result.
Sometimes a trilogy gets rescued in the conclusion, but it will take alot in this case.

Conclusion - save your money and get a used paperback. People aren't going to be saving this one to read again.

I've never been ashamed to admit that I like Mercedes Lackey's books. I've read very nearly all her solo works and a few of her collaborations. The Valdemar series has always had a special place in my heart, sometimes in spite of the writing. Who couldn't love a country founded on freedom of religion, love and magical horses that might or might not be the reincarnation of past patriots? Many people love this series. And I think that is why it seems that Lackey has stopped trying. The collegium series could have been a wonderful way to fill in the gaps between Vanyel and our favorite Queen's Hand, instead Lackey seems to be writing her own fan fiction. I'm greatly disappointing, more so with each new Valdemar book.

My friends might not ever read this book. Mercedes Lackey will likely never read this review, but I had to say it. This book and this series could have been so much better.

In "Intrigues," author Mercedes Lackey returns to the world of Mags and his friends, set at the time of the founding of the Herald's Collegium. As with many of Lackey's other characters, Mags is a spunky, hard-working character from a disadvantaged background, who has settled in and (hopefully) proven himself in Foundation: Book One of the Collegium Chronicles: A Valdemar Novel.

However (spoilers ahead), in "Intrigues," very little happens. The mysterious, menancing foreigners are lurking about, being mysterious and menacing. The Collegium is ablaze with an, um, "rather derivative" training game, that strongly resembles another game from a highly successful fantasy writer. Magic is somewhat of a MacGuffin in the story, resulting in Mags being friendless, depressed and so on, while he (and his excruciating accent) soldier on. In addition, a totally un-Valdemarean strand of xenophobia surfaces, which really clashes with the stated ethos of the country from the beginning. The ending was, as others have mentioned, very quick and somewhat unrealistics. Honestly, it really felt as though, having rescued Mags from the mines and safely settled him at Haven, Ms. Lackey had no idea what to do with him. Perhaps a duology might be an option in the future?

I find it really hard to believe that this is the same author who brought us Vanyel, Diana Tregarde, or even Lavan Firestorm. She's a better author than this. I was disappointed and will not be buying any of her future books, without first getting them from the library.

I hope Mercedes Lackey reads these reviews because I have been a huge fan for over 20 years. However, I am losing interest in her because of stories like this that have so much potential but fall short- like this book was tossed together in a weekend and ramblings from book 1 used as filler to complete the required number of pages. Because of those ramblings, Mags seems to be an introspective whiner. I doubt that was the image she was going for when Ms. Lackey first though up this character. In book 1 he was a survivor. No matter what, he muddled through and did alright. Mags cares about his friends and all those around him. I liked that in this book he has developed a romantic interest and his friends are growing as well.

I will look for book 3 and hope Ms. Lackey puts a lot more actual material between the covers. She is an amazing author (when she is fully invested) and draws you into the story within the first few sentences. Her characters are usually very detailed and the story lines are usually very involved and flow nicely. Usually the end comes quick and dramatic- this book is no exception.

Intrigues is possibly the weakest of the Velgarth series. The story drags and lags, with interesting, sometimes exciting action interspersed between long expositions. The reader becomes afraid to skip anything, because of those great moments, but it becomes a chore to get from one to the next.

Like Foundation, the first book of the Collegium Chronicles trilogy, canon concepts regarding Heralds and Companions' relationships go out the window. Mags' Companion, Dallen, is entirely too open with clues to his previous existance as a Herald, too helpful, and too willing to simply feed Mags with all of the information he needs, just to make Mags' life easier. Grove Born Companion Rolan speaks directly to Mags on multiple occasions, and the tight communication between Rolan and Talia, established as unique and unheard of by Heralds in Talia's time, is duplicated in Mags and Dallen. As a "famous" pair of game players, their abilities would have been well-documented and easily found in heraldic records.


Mags' character is well drawn, but Lackey spends too much time in his head, in his self-doubt and teen drama. She takes Talia's suffering from Arrows of the Queen and Arrow's Flight, and in Mags, turns it into some kind of mental self-flagellation that tortures the reader as well as the character. Mags is also a blend of several of Lackey's most popular characters, easily identified as he goes through different parts of his training.

Even his friends, and his relationship with his friends, is a near-duplicate of the interactions between Talia, Dirk and Kris.

However, despite the weaknesses, I await the third installation of the trilogy. I want to know who Mags really is, where his parents came from. Intrigues provides more clues to his birth identity, but at the same time adds more mystery. I want to know what happens. But it will never be my favorite of the Velgarth series.