Customer Reviews

Magic's Pawn (The Last Herald-Mage Series, Book 1)

5 star:		(170)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

Mercedes Lackey is one of those who has taken modern fantasy to the human level, and for that I honour her. I've re-read the Vanyel books a number of times, and there's good reason why they remain some of her fans' favourites.

I'd say the one thing that I find most displeasing about the Vanyel books is the arbitrary presence of evil. We're told that the Heralds, the keepers of The Right in Lackey's world of Valdemar, are short lived because they're continually doing battle against BAD THINGS, but it's never really clear what those bad things are, where they come from or why they're bad. Magic's Pawn (and Magic's Price, the last book in the trilogy) ends with the main character doing battle with an evil Mage who seems to exist merely to do bad things to good people. This battle seems tacked on simply to provide a rousing finish to the book; there's very little build up to it and it has almost no connection to the rest of the story. To me, that's lazy writing.

But the story really isn't about that. The story is about Vanyel, his flaws and strengths as a person and his relationships with friends, lovers, and family, and that is done exceedingly well. Lackey has a sure touch depicting the harm people do to people. Vanyel is a misfit both in his family and with his peers and he suffers not only from their treatment but from his defenses against it.

Lackey also went out on a limb making her main character homosexually oriented, and she painted Vanyel's relationship in an honest, genuine way without a lot of stereotyping.

The writing isn't great, but this story is so affecting that you can overlook that. It's easy to see why Lackey's books attract numerous fans.

This is the very first Mercedes Lackey book I ever read... and I very quickly bought not only the second two books in the trilogy, but some more of her writings.

The first reason I picked up Magic's Pawn is the "horse" on the cover, because I am an animal lover. But I sat down on the floor of the bookstore to read a couple pages to get a feel for it, and I could hardly close the book to buy it!

This book is an amazing love story. It does not matter that it is between two males at all -- it is simply portrayed as a deep love bond between two souls. This book actually changed my mind from being squeamish about gays to accepting, supporting, and understanding them.

But more than a love story, it's a record of a boy growing up, learning a lot about himself. Throughout he has the wonderful support of his "horse" Yfandes, who is truely a lady, no matter her shape. She and Vanyel are mind-linked, which helps him through a lot of hard times. They also share a lot of fun bantering and generally affectionate teasing.

If you want a "talking animal" story, get this. If you want a gay love story, get this. If you want a timeless love story, get this. If you want a simply magic story, get this.

I truly did enjoy this book. The evidence: I read it in one sitting without feeling groggy or laughing out loud at it. The characters are wonderful, the magic is decently thought out, and the story itself holds the attention enough. Lackey writes with charisma; witty and entertaining from start to finish.

I know some readers will be put off by the homoerotic tendencies in these novels. Well, that's why Amazon puts up these reviews - so one will not be taken completely by surprise. I, for one, have no problem with it, and thought the treatment of the gay relationship was tasteful, respectful, and believable. In a large portion of the fiction I've read, homosexual leanings seem to exist on the villain's side of things, and usually augment the evil that is already exposed. So, I enjoyed the change of pace.

There are problems, however. The characters are worked out very carefully and lovingly, while the plot (i.e. dramatic conflict) lacks exposition and development. In other words, the romantic and personal storylines are very satisfying, while the actual plot threads are weak, transparent, and barely even worth caring about. Lackey seems to want us to care about the far-reaching conflicts (the presence of evil, the threat of war, etc.), but really doesn't force the issue. It is quite clear that the author cares more about the romance than the good vs. evil aspect of her story. I will say that this situation improves in the next two novels in the series, but it doesn't change how glaring the flaws are here.

So, why 5 stars? I'm a sucker for a gay love story. Also, the flaws in this book disappear into the background as the series progresses. After one gets used to the way Lackey tells a story, things begin to fall into place.

I read this book on the advice of a friend. I had asked if she knew of any good same-sex fantasy stories, and she loaned me this book. And then came my mixed emotions.

First of all, as a budding writer myself, I was bothered by the abruptness of the plot developments. Each conflict seemed to be prefaced by about one page of buildup, and the "main" villain doesn't put in an appearance until the last 10 pages of the story. Along those lines, I was also annoyed by the repetitiveness of the text; the words "pain" and "loneliness" alone must have been used hundreds of times.

As for the "gay" aspect of the story: my first reaction was that it was too preachy and unrealistic, more like a political manifesto than a love story. But then I thought about the fact that the author, to my knowledge, is not herself gay, and also that the novel was written almost 20 years ago. In that light, the book seems much more groundbreaking: I imagine it was a well-intentioned try at exploring an underwritten genre, and I applaud her the attempt.

As for the novel as a whole, it all boils down to: do I want to know what happens next? Will I read the rest of the series? My answer is yes, but barely. I am principally hoping that the remainder of the series will be less of an angst-ridden coming-of-age story, and more of a heroic journey (laced with same-gender romance, of course!).

Magic's Pawn is one of the best books I have ever read. I've never read such a touching, sad tale; yet one that is so powerful and inspiring. Having read a majority of Mercedes Lackey's books, I have to admit this is one of my favorites. The other two in the series are amazing as well, but this one stands out in particular. Pick it up to find out why, just make sure you have a box of tissue with you.

I have written before, but because of some freak accident I wrote my E-mail address wrong, so here goes. I bought this book because my friend got me hooked on Mercedes Lackey when I first read "The Black Gryphon". I loved it. Then, when I was in a bookstore in Vancouver I found this one (actually the whole trilogy) I bought it, regardless of the cover and read it. I swear after three hours of straight reading, I must have used up the whole tissue box because the book was both horribly sad and very uplifting. It tought me alot about life and that you get what you work for. Vanyel and Tylendel really touched my heart! I really can't begin to describe how very touching this book is, and how very well Mercedes Lackey wrote it! I highly reccomend this book to any fantasy lover or someone who just needs a good cry. It will open your eyes to the world, and that anything is possible if only you try

Let's talk about Magic's Pawn, and why it's actually kind of bad, but it gets 4 stars anyway because it knows what its readership wants and delivers with gusto. Simply put, it's damn entertaining.

Magic's Pawn needs a disclaimer: Magic's Pawn is not Brokeback Mountain. It is not written for literary critics. It is not written for gay men. It is not written to make a point about prejudice, society, and homosexuality.

Instead, Magic's Pawn is more akin to a guilty pleasure; it's a fantastic, enjoyable story about a pretty boy to whom a lot of Very Bad and Unfair Things happen. Vanyel is designed to elicit feminine sighs and sympathy, not to be particularly complex or deep. First, he is heart-breakingly beautiful. Second, despite injustices done to him, he is painted as innocent and well-meaning. And third, he is surrounded by people who misunderstand and mistreat him to the point where he is suicidal. The appeal of his character will be lost on many readers, but for others his angst, confusion, and pain all roll together into a bundle of loveliness to coddle and cry over (I know I shed a few girlish tears during the blackest pages of Van's misery, much to my chagrin later). To Lackey's credit, she does try to develop him from angsty, self-centered youth into a stronger person more aware of other peoples' suffering. The growth of his character is predictable, but still satisfying.

If you want complex politics or an intriguing and thought-provoking storyline... Well, it's not that Magic's Pawn is devoid of these elements, simply that they are not its strengths. The magical fantasy elements are interesting, but nothing groundbreaking. The psychology of the characters is nothing to write home about. As for the prose, Lackey's writing is very fluent, and can be quite clever at times. Her major weakness is her dialogue, which is often too expository and gushing to sound like the kinds of things real people would ever say. It completely strips the mystery from the characters, setting out their strengths, weaknesses, and psychological profile on the table for all to see. While this approach lacks subtlety, it has the advantage of taking any serious thinking out of the equation, making this book one you can enjoy casually; it's truly a bit of fluff, a treat of spun sugar for a lazy afternoon.

In the end, the whole series is just really, really enjoyable. This work is designed to tug heartstrings and feed the hunger of a particular readership. Van's homosexual relationship with patient, supportive Tylendel, heaps fuel on the same fire (Slash & Yaoi fans, rejoice!).

I recommend Magic's Pawn and the rest of the trilogy with caution. It's not a sophisticated book, or that makes you think. It's one that panders. Anyone going into this novel expecting something more than that may come out disappointed. Teen readers and fans of slash and gay-themed fantasy, however, are in for an engaging treat.

I have read other novels by Mercedes Lackey, and somehow they didn't click with me. So when someone told me to read this trilogy, I didn't really listen. Until I read some of the reviews, and another recommended this series to me.

So, I ordered it, and last sunday started to read the first book.

It is now tuesday, late in the evening, and I have just finished book three. At the end I had tears in my eyes, as I had often through the book. The MC, Vanyel, is such a breathtaking character. I love his humanity, his pride, his arrogance, his vulnerability...

This series deserves more than the five stars I am giving it right now. I do not know if I will pick up another Mercedes Lackey book after this series, I just cannot imagine anything else she writes to be better than this :)

Sorry about the clichéd title, but this is a spur of the moment review, as I have already reviewed this book on the UK Amazon. But I could not review this book after reading one of the previous reviews. I am an avid fantasy reader but also enjoy a book with a good romance storyline as well. I have read nearly all of Mercedes Lackey's other books, but this is the best.

Vanyel is a teenage boy struggling with his Father's intense disapproval and appalling neglect. He is sent away to live with his aunt, a Herald Mage of Valdemar. The heralds of Valdemar protect the people, they bond to companions (magical horses), that have amazing abilities. The herald mages are a more elite group of Heralds.
Vanyel arrives and hides his pain behind a mask of indifference, that draws his aunt's young protégé to him. They fall in love, their relationship has to be kept hidden, especially from Vanyel's father, as both are boys. The term used in the book is Shay' a' Chern or Shaych.

Tragedy strikes and results in Vanyel becoming the most powerful Herald Mage ever in the history of Valdemar. His adventures are numerous and the characters he meets are intriguing. Throughout the trilogy his aunt becomes like a second Mother and as events draw to a close, his love of her and his country will lead him towards something he has feared for so long. Vanyel's story is poignant, his loves few and tragic. He is but one young man with a destiny and a power that will both awe and terrify the people he is sworn to protect. This is one of the most tragic books I have ever read and one of the most beautiful. And the end does not disappoint.

I cried throughout this book, I laughed, I hated and I loved... a mix of emotions rarely found in a book.

With her "Magic Trilogy" Mercedes Lackey has given the world one of the most positive gay images in Sci-Fi/Fantasy, and maybe even in Fiction in general. Lackey has a gift for crafting fallable, believeable, captivating characters, and has created one of her best and most memorable in Vanyel, the protagonist of this trilogy. Showing great imagination, and intuition, she takes us inside the head of a young man coming of age, who is also coming to grips with his sexuality.

I would hate to scare any readers off by making this sound like a coming out novel, or strictly a "gay" novel. It's not. It's first and foremost an adventure, just told from a different perspective than the usual. This is a very human novel, and it's great Fantasy. After all, as Vanyel struggles with his true nature, he also gets to come to grips with incredible powers, and gets to find love while traveling to exotic locales peopled with fantastic, memorable characters.

For GLBT readers, I say buy this book, and any other written by Mercedes Lackey, because it's your chance to read some wonderful stories, while supporting one of our greatest straight-but-not-narrow champions in the world of Fantasy Literature today. She's right up there with Anne Rice, consistently giving us new and truthful gay images, both good and bad, with which we can identify and from whom we can learn.

For those who aren't that familiar with gay issues, or actual gay people, I say buy this book because it is a safe, painless, entertaining, and thought provoking way to learn more about a part of the human condition you've maybe never explored or understood.

For everybody, no matter which side of the fence they rope on, I say buy this entire trilogy because it's great entertainment and a thrilling, magical read.