By the Sword (Kerowyn's Tale) [Paperback]

Mercedes Lackey (Author)

Book Description

Series: Kerowyn's Tale | Publication Date: February 5, 1991

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: DAW (February 5, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0886774632
• ISBN-13: 978-0886774639
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (73 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #208,704 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > ( L ) > Lackey, Mercedes

More About the Author

Mercedes Lackey is the acclaimed author of over fifty novels and many works of short fiction. In her "spare" time she is also a professional lyricist and a licensed wild bird rehabilitator. Mercedes lives in Oklahoma with her husband and frequent collaborator, artist Larry Dixon, and their flock of parrots.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kethry's granddaughter strikes back, June 27, 2003

By 

Barb Caffrey "writer-for-hire" (In a Midwest State (of mind), USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: By the Sword (Kerowyn's Tale) (Paperback)

"By the Sword" is one of Mercedes Lackey's best books. It's an honest, unflinching look at the life of a mercenary woman -- and a parable of how difficult modern women find balancing love, sex, partnership, and job responsibilities, all at once.

"By the Sword" tells the story of Kerowyn. She's Kethry's granddaughter (Kethry, as you might recall from the "Oath" books, was the mage partner of Tarma the Shin'a'in), yet grows up mostly ignorant of her heritage. That's because her mother dies young, her father is an idiot, and Kerowyn's been left to rule the roost at the ripe old age of 15.

As her brother is being married off, also at a young age, bandits come in and disrupt the festivities. They carry her brother Lordan's new wife off, kill her father, and murder many others on the way out. This inflames Kerowyn, who vows revenge.

Going to put on her brother's cast-off armor and grabbing a dagger, she's stopped by a rather mysterious woman on the way to see her grandmother. (Yes, she's so ignorant that she doesn't recognize Tarma, nor her significance in her grandmother's life.) She's warned to go back; this inflames Kerowyn still further.

Kerowyn goes to Kethry and tells her what's happened; Kethry passes along her sword Need -- which basically is a sort of magical guardian spirit. If you're a mage, it gives you ultimate fighting prowess. If you're a fighter, it gives you immunity against magic.

Kerowyn rides, finds the bandits, kills them, and brings Lordan's bride home. However, after she gets there, she realizes she's not cut out for the life of a noblewoman (they are of the minor nobility); she goes back to her grandmother and asks for more help.

At this point, Tarma steps in, and trains Kerowyn to fight.

The rest of the book deals with Kerowyn's training, some of her campaigns, her growing strategic and tactical prowess -- and something more. Along the way, as she watches others pair off and feels hopelessly alone (she's gifted with Mindspeech, making it even worse, as none of her mercenary compatriots have this particular talent/affliction), she finds her soulmate, Eldan. Who just so happens to be a Herald of Valdemar.

A lesser writer would have dragged Kerowyn into Valdemar at that point; wisely, Lackey keeps Kerowyn out, instead giving her more adventures, then finally getting Kerowyn and Eldan together in the midst of a long, bloody war.

As they deal with their love and duty, much happens. (I don't want to give the rest of the plot away.) And Kerowyn finds a way to indeed have it all, after all.

This is definitely one of my all-time favorite Lackey books; Ms. Lackey did an outstanding job with this one, as it is accurate, unflinchingly candid, yet still realistic without sacrificing anything in the characterization department.

Thing is, with someone else, Kerowyn wouldn't be so engaging. She's a tough, smart woman who happens to like her job -- as a professional mercenary soldier and captain. Most writers would draw her as a caricature; instead, Ms. Lackey showed Kerowyn as learning tactics, and coming to believe that people who fought wars should have ethics -- as it's bad enough as it is.

Five stars plus. Highly recommended.

25 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Solid, easy-to-read, Lackey at her best, January 11, 2004

By 

Ashley Megan "amazonfox" (Vernon, CT United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: By the Sword (Kerowyn's Tale) (Paperback)

One of Lackey's few non-series books, this one nevertheless fits into the Valdemar chronology as a whole. It takes places somewhere after the "Vows and Honor" series and before "Queen's Own", and tells the story of the legendary Captain Kerowyn. Kero is Kethry's granddaughter, although she barely knows her mage grandmother. Her sexist father wants to keep her chained in the kitchen, but Kero wants adventure and excitement. When bandits crash her brother's wedding, killing most of the guests and taking the bride prisoner, Kero rides to the rescue, making her both a hero and a pariah to her brother and father. So she hikes off to Grandmother's, where Tarma takes her on as a student. Later, she joins a mercenary company, then captains said company, and finally ends up being Chosen by a Valdemaran Companion. (If she didn't, we wouldn't really care about her, would we?) Along the way she falls in love, has numerous adventures, setbacks, foreshadowy meetings with important people, etc etc.

Good book, especially for Mercedes Lackey. I liked Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion series better, but you can't ask for everything. Nice, basic sword-and-sorceress tale, ties up a few loose ends re: Kethry and Tarma, and sets up the "modern" Valdemar series at the same time. Although it's technically a stand-alone, don't bother if you don't have at least a basic grasp of Lackey's universe already. If you do, you'll probably like this one.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kerowyn's Tale, June 21, 2002

By 

Nancy E. "Nancy" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: By the Sword (Kerowyn's Tale) (Paperback)

Kerowyn (or Kero for short) has always know that she was not meant to be a "lady." She despises everything about them, rather spending her time learning how to fight and using her own gifts and talents. And when her brother's bride is kidnapped one night her talents are put to the test. She visits her grandmother Kerthy, for help on her rescue, and her whole life is turned upside down. She is now bonded to a mysterious sword, a sword that is ment to help all women in danger and will never harm a woman, a sword that can heal and gives her mysterious battlepower. By the Sword chronicals Kero's life with the sword. From a young headstrong teenager of 15 to a seasoned warrior and mercenary. If you're interested in books of fantasy with strong female charecters this is for you! Keroywn is a likeable main charecter that works hard for breaking sterotypes and becoming independant. I was impressed with this book, it's very well written and fast paced. This is the first book by Mercedes Lackey that I've read but it will certainly not be the last.