Customer Reviews

Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar (Valdemar Series)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I generally like these anthologies, and the majority of the stories in here did not disappoint. Several of them actually used characters from previous short stories in previous anthologies, which gave the whole thing a nice sense of continuity (like The Cheat, A Dream Deferred, and Heart, Home, and Hearth).

Some of the stories deal with the issues of faith in Karse, namedly An Unexpected Guest and What Fire Is, and show some interesting facets of that land. Others, like The Power of Three, Dreams of Mountain Clover, and Broken Bones, show the immense strength of character that can be found through adversity (whether to push into new frontiers or know when to stay behind).

Some of my favorites include the very poignant Live On and Heart, Home, and Hearth, which is about family and its healing power. Widdershins showcases a seemingly ubiquitous talents of Heralds in a very unusual way, and was very engaging.

Passage At Arms was a look at the uncertainties of a very young Trainee, which might have been excellent if the author hadn't insisted on writing the Trainee's point of view in near stream-of-consciousness form. It contained more run-on sentences and parentheses than I've ever seen. As it was, the style of the writing distracted from an otherwise good tale.

The Cheat, which takes places in Mornedealth, was somewhat interesting, but I was never terribly interested in the dueling nobles of Richard Lee Byers' version of Valdemar, so I could either take that story or leave it.

Other stories ranged from blah to seemingly random. A Dream Deferred picked up the tale of a minor character from The Oathbound, but despite rescues and sword fights, it left me curiously bored. Haven's Own seemed to end abruptly and with nothing particularly resolved. I felt no real sense of completion with that story. And The Sworddancer, which took place as far as I could tell in a place I'd never heard of in any of the Valdemar books, seemed utterly disconnected from the series, aside from a few brief mentions of Heralds.

Then there was the crowning obscenity. The title story, Moving Targets, was a ham-handed attempt to put the Heralds of Valdemar in an episode of Scooby-Doo. The Valdemar series made up the core of my reading experience as a teenager, and I have many fond and glowing memories of discovering it. This story just seemed like it was blatantly destroying it. Is this what Valdemar has come to, ripping off 80s Saturday morning cartoons?

I know Lackey has had many internal canon issues with the series (events, history, places, and even characters laid down one way in one book are modified, rearranged, or completely changed in another, particularly the more recent ones) but this story violates all established canon to make it fit the Scooby-Doo pattern. And I didn't like it. Once I realized what was going on, I read the story with deepening horror and revulsion as the poor Heralds and Scooby-substitute Ryu (a kyree forced by the story to talk like Scooby instead of communicate telepathically like every single other kyree every mentioned in the series) were made to go through every cliché ever penned in a Scooby-Doo gang.

Dear sweet alligators and onions, Lackey even managed to force a Mystery Machine in the plot. And a cranky old man, and all of the Scooby-Doo lines ("I would have gotten away with it too if I weren't for you meddling Heralds!"). I have never been so disappointed with a Lackey story in my life. If this was some attempt at a parody or being cute, it utterly failed on every single level.

Though "Moving Targets" is terrible to get through, the majority of the other stories are interesting, help flesh out the world of the Heralds of Valdemar, and are in general a pleasure to read. I would recommend buying this book, but just ignore the first story as to preserve your sanity.

After the decidedly trite and un-entertaining Collegium Chronicles: Foundation, I was hoping that Mercedes Lackey would make up for it with a novella in her anthology that took us somewhere interesting. Maybe into a facet of an existing character, or an entirely new one, in which we could see a new part of Valdemar. Something, ANYTHING, with some hint of the magical world and engaging characters of her earlier work.

I hoped in vain.

Instead, she gave us Scooby Doo.

No, really. Her 37 page Novella Moving Targets, in the anthology of the same name, is some poorly conceived parody, homage, or rip-off of Scooby Doo.

No, I mean it. Mystery Machine and all(in the form of a giant, hideously painted wagon). Velma is renamed "Alma," Daphne is "Laurel" (daphne is Greek for laurel), Fred is now "Rod" and Norville aka Shaggy is now "Arville," complete with a kyree friend roo reaks rike riss.

Seriously? Maybe some people will find this hilarious. I didn't. I found it sad and unimaginative and far, far, below my expectation.

The other stories are fine. But what ought to have been the gem of the book was instead a story best left unread.

Mercedes Lackey is one of my favorite authors. I have re-read many of the Valdemar books and this set of short stories meshes nicely with the bigger books... Lots of little pieces are filled in and those familar with the series will probably enjoy it as much as I did. A good read even if you aren't familar with the other books. I love the different tones that other writers bring to the world, very nicely done!

I couldn't even finish the stories in this collection, the first five were so poor. I was especially disappointed in the novella by Mercedes Lackey. I can't imagine what she was thinking writing a take-off of Scooby-Doo for her readers. The characters were shallow and the plot had as much interest as your average 18 minute cartoon. This was a complete waste of money and time.

Lackey and Dixon's short story "Moving Targets" in the anthology of the same name is a refreshing, lighthearted break from the sometimes overly serious Valdemar series. Lackey shows that she can find a little humor in the world she created by lampooning her own work in a delightful Valdemar/Scooby Doo spoof. Once I realized what she was doing I started hearing the old Scooby Doo cast voices, and it fit perfectly.

Most of the other stories in "Moving Targets" are typical fare, some are very good, what Lackey fans have come to expect in these anthologies of Velgarth stories by many prominent science fiction/fantasy authors. However, they don't match well with the title story, being far more serious in nature. The downright plodding story of a young "Sworddancer" is so dull and serious I gave up on it after a few pages, unable to follow the story at all.

As a Valdemar fan (not a Velgarth fan, I tend not to care for stories set outside of Valdemar or Karse) this anthology took care of festering Valdemar withdrawal symptoms, but wasn't entirely satisfying.

Well, I think overall this story collection is a great way to visit Valdemar with other writers at the wheel. The novella by Mercedes Lackey really makes some references to Scooby Doo, but it almost seems on purpose. If you look at it as tongue and cheek, it's actually pretty good. The other stories I enjoyed as well. Each one leaves you with a new sense of Valdemar. If you love a world filled with Companions, you'll like it.

I have to agree with the reviewers who rated this collection poorly although I didn't think of Scooby Doo while reading it. However I am sure that I have read a version of this story somewhere else but I can't remember where. The "ghost" terrorising a village who turns out to be a fortune hunter was a very familiar theme.

Some of the other stories were very generic and could have been put on any fantasy world with very few changes. The one story that I did enjoy was "Heart, Home and Hearth" which appeared to be placed in the Empire (since it mentioned the Emperor) and looked at the survival of someone caught in a Changecircle. The others were either average or drivel.

The earlier collections expanded on stories mentioned in other books and that was what I wanted here. How did Vanyel get called Demonsbane? Who was the Karsite priest that he met and liked in his own time? How and why was the Great Betrayer the one approached for the truce between Karse and Valdemar? I wanted those stories or others about people already written about to expand their stories.

Get this book from your local library if you can. It isn't worth buying.

Its either on drugs or been abducted by Aliens. Seriously, Scooby Doo rip offs? that aren't really very well done? I know lots of editing goes into novellas and such but I'd HATE to have had to read the first version.
I kinda choked my way through it, alternetly wondering what drugs were used or if they were all abducted by the same aliens. Seriously, what was going on?
I did rather like the glimse into Karse, those two stories were so-so. The story of the child at the collegium, rang true, after all real kids behave that way, and even adults have doubts. Hobgoblins and humans that was touching, slightly nauseating.
in short. drivel. not up to standards of other anthologies.
but you're bound to have a dud or off day or book once in a while.
its for die hard fans only.

Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar (2008) is a Fantasy anthology. It contains fourteen original short stories, with author description before each tale.

- Moving Targets by Mercedes Lackey tells of four trainees and their mentor on a routine circuit, until they receive appeals for assistance against supernatural forces.

- An Unexpected Guest by Nancy Asire describes the meeting between a man and a woman bound by destiny.

- The Power of Three by Brenda Cooper discloses the bond between twins training as a Bard and a Healer.

- What Fire Is by Janni Lee Simner is about two children who have Talents within ancient Karse.

- Dreams of Mountain Clover by Mickey Zucker Reichert relates the quest of a humble woman searching for a cure for old age.

- The Cheat by Richard Lee Byers reveals the means by which a swordsmaster provides his students with unfair advantages.

- A Dream Deferred by Kristin Schwengel takes a horse trainer on a foray to rescue some kyree cubs.

- The Sworddancer by Michael Z. Williamson recounts the trials of young swordmaidens during a time of war.

- Broken Bones by Stephanie Shaver leads a bard to talk to a moody woman with a secret.

- Live On by Tanya Huff has a young Herald escort a much older Herald to a wedding, with unexpected results.

- Passage at Arms by Rosemary Edghill involves a young Herald trainee who knows that she will never be nice.

- Heart, Home and Hearth by Sarah Hoyt and Kate Paulk brings a boy and a young hobgoblin to someone in need to their services.

- Haven's Own by Fionna Patton confronts a young watchman with a local tragedy that is likely to lead to armed conflict.

- Widdershins by Judith Tarr puts an ordinary Herald and a young trainee into an inadvertent magical spell.

These stories consider many aspects of Valdemar. Naturally, most are about Heralds, Bards and Healers, but other involve common people. These stories are uplifting with positive endings, even when they end in death.

Most of these authors are well known to the readers of these Valdemar anthologies. Collectively, they present an interesting and worthy set of adventures in this milieu. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Valdemar fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of low technology, magical oddities, and psionic talents.

-Arthur W. Jordin

The stories by the other writers were enjoyable enough. It is the titular novella that will make or break the book for the reader, especially since it is right at the beginning. If you go into that story expecting a serious tale that is a study in character growth you will be disappointed. On the other hand I knew ahead that it is a tongue in cheek homage to Scooby-Doo set in Velgarth. Treating it as a light hearted non-canon fanfic I was able to enjoy the little references and how she matched it to her world. I think otherwise, if I hadn't known, it would have felt cheap and disappointing.

On a technical level, on my Kindle Fire there were a few line break hyphens that were no longer at the end of lin-es.