Customer Reviews

The River's Gift

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

 

 

Mercedes Lackey fans, please do not be fooled into thinking this is a typical novel of hers. It is a short story (or novelette at most), geared toward young adult readers. While it isn't bad, it certainly isn't what I expect from a typical Lackey read!

This book was not intended for the authors normal readers. When you pick up the book you can tell it will be short. I read it in an hour. However for what it is intended to be it is wonderful. Yes I would like her to extend the story to give the reader a little more to chew on. However you know it is a short story when you pick it up to read it and they rarly are in depth as a novel.

The River's Gift is a rather predictable short fairy tale (Mistified, of course). The characters all seemed exceptionally two-dimensioned, and Ariella was particularly annoying. She just HAD to be smart, brave, altruistic, Talented, lucky and beautiful. A little original character is surely not too much to ask? If possible, the men were developed even worse, and Merod, while interesting, needed much more exposure. The plot was also predictable, though charming in a slight sort of way. Fluffy, even by Lackey standards. Oh well. If you can stave off the cynicism and are in a mood for unrealistic fairy tales, you might try this one. However, I much preferred her longer retellings, such as The Fire Rose and The Firebird.

The only reason to buy this book is if you are absolutely desperate to own/read everything this author has ever written. If you have read all the Heralds of Valdemar series, and are looking for that depth and quality,I think you will be as disapointed as I was. The depth of characters and storyline is just not here. Girl has healing powers, heals forest creatures and faery, enter a magical horselike being, father dies, enter bad-guy and suprise arranged marriage, saved by man of her dreams, with suprise ending similar to a Hans Cristian Anderson tale.This should have been a short story. The cute little book with borders and embelishment,takes up just enough space to stretch it into a hardback. Can we say, "waste of money!" If you want to read wonderful series by Mercedes Lackey with unforgetable characters Vanyel, Elspeth and Tahlia are waiting.

This is a great book, though -very- short(I read it in less then two hours). It's based on the song "Captive" that Misty(Mercedes) wrote and later got produced on a CD from Firebird. 'Rivers Gift' is wonderful and the cover is one of the most stunning I have ever seen. It's obviously aimed toward young adults, but it's stunning! Buy it now, you won't be disappointed by Misty's work!

Ariella lives a somewhat sheltered life in the family manor, under the watchful eye of old cousin Magda. Spending her free time in the forest, she discovers she has a talent for healing the woodland animals. Indeed, one day a handsome, wounded Kelpie, a water-living, magical creature in the shape of a horse, requires her assistance. Soon after, Ariella's world is shattered when tragedy befalls her father, and she is sent off to marry a horrible cousin. The River's Gift is filled with many, many predictable and clichéd story elements. However, for me it was a short, sweet escape from mundane reality during my lunch break.

As this is being my first title read by Lacky I have nothing else to base her writings on, although i must say that I enjoyed the story. I thought it was cute, and although it was a bit predictable it had its own innocent and altruistic qualities. I didn't purchase this book, i got it from the local library, and I wouldn't buy it...because 16$ for that is quite a lot of money. LOL.

I felt that Merod should have been developed more, and I also thought that he should have been less "dainty". He is supposed to be this luring & ominous creature and yet he falls in love with a mortal, that which he has despised his whole being.

I could appreciate that the girl had these healing abilities, and I did wonder if her mother could do the same. I also wondered why she didn't make an attemp to heal her father when he had his "heart attack". It was sappy and cute and allowed for my needed catharsis at that moment so I cannot be too disappointed. I feel that if you are going to read this then remind yourself that it is a damned short story and won't have tons of character development.

Misty Lackey is one of my favourite authors, and I was thrilled to read this story when I read a description of it. When I actually read the story I was disappointed. The story was sappy and predictable, and the main character was just the perfect little person---it made me want to throw up. Merod as a character isn't really developed and so the end came at me and I was disapointed because all I had really seen of Merod was an image of a cold kelpie. Fun, light read, but not worth the money.

While I enjoyed the story, it would have been better if it had been longer. There were places that I felt were slightly shallow in development, and several of the characters were one dimensonal. My overall impression of the book was that it was suitable for a younger audience, but if all you're looking for is an enjoyable book to pass the time with, read this. Just don't expect too much.

This was the first book I read by Mercedes Lackey and I loved it. It was recommended to me by a friend of mine and I have been searching for this book everywhere. I'm glad I finally found it.
I thought that it a was very cute, fast reading story. Definitely nothing like Lackey's other work but I still recommend you read it as long as you keep in mind that Lackey is deviating from her norm in this book.