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nerdygirlrenee's review against another edition
2.0
Some of these Valdemar Anthologies are hit or miss. Last one I read was Finding the Way and I enjoyed it. This one there was only three short stories I really enjoyed. But the rest were just boring and slow.
inmyhumbleopinion's review
5.0
Pathways takes us back to the fabulous world of Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar, a place I love to visit and revisit as often as I can. It’s a world of magic and fantasy where there is no one true way. This anthology has 23 stories and there isn’t a bad one in the book. Enjoy these stories of heralds, healers, bards and regular folks in extraordinary conditions. I did. I love that these stories are true to the feeling of Valdemar and have to admit that they left me a bit nostalgic. If you are a fan of the Valdemar series you are going to enjoy this book.
beckykirk's review against another edition
4.0
I like the short stories, I get another persons view of this world. That being said it seems like the bulk of the stories were continuations of previous stories. Why don’t the authors write their own books? It’s really hard trying to remember year to year what’s happened
annieb123's review against another edition
4.0
Originally published to my blog: Nonstop Reader.
I remember reading the original Valdemar books in the late 1980s. I have been a lifelong reader of speculative fiction, so it was delightful to me to read about a society where difference was often a strength rather than a reason to be judged and despised. Mercedes Lackey occupied a space in my library with Ursula LeGuin, Anne McCaffrey, Sheri Tepper, Zenna Henderson, Evangeline Walton, and many others (Heinlein, Bradbury, Clarke, Atwood, Bester, Ellison, etc etc).
Throughout the years, I've always loved anthologies. Whether or not they share a thematic cohesiveness, I like the inevitable variation of having a group of stories from which to choose, and have never yet been disappointed in finding a story to fit whatever reading mood I'm in.
Pathways, due out 05 Dec 2017, is a collection of 21 short works set in the Valdemar universe, including a novella by Mercedes Lackey herself. The stories are varied, but editorially cohesive and all of them, in my opinion, are true to the spirit of the Valdemar books. The author list is a nice blending of established writers and unfamiliar-to-me authors, which brings me to another reason I love anthologies. I've yet to read an anthology (and I read a lot of them) that didn't increase my reading list at least a little bit and introduce me to authors with whom I was previously unacquainted.
The general quality of the stories in this anthology is high, with several standouts. I enjoyed seeing familiar characters in new roles and totally new characters.
The cover art is by Jody Lee who will be familiar to readers from earlier volumes (and many other covers in the original novels and collections).
There is something here for Valdemar fans old and new as well as fans of fantasy.
Four stars
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.
I remember reading the original Valdemar books in the late 1980s. I have been a lifelong reader of speculative fiction, so it was delightful to me to read about a society where difference was often a strength rather than a reason to be judged and despised. Mercedes Lackey occupied a space in my library with Ursula LeGuin, Anne McCaffrey, Sheri Tepper, Zenna Henderson, Evangeline Walton, and many others (Heinlein, Bradbury, Clarke, Atwood, Bester, Ellison, etc etc).
Throughout the years, I've always loved anthologies. Whether or not they share a thematic cohesiveness, I like the inevitable variation of having a group of stories from which to choose, and have never yet been disappointed in finding a story to fit whatever reading mood I'm in.
Pathways, due out 05 Dec 2017, is a collection of 21 short works set in the Valdemar universe, including a novella by Mercedes Lackey herself. The stories are varied, but editorially cohesive and all of them, in my opinion, are true to the spirit of the Valdemar books. The author list is a nice blending of established writers and unfamiliar-to-me authors, which brings me to another reason I love anthologies. I've yet to read an anthology (and I read a lot of them) that didn't increase my reading list at least a little bit and introduce me to authors with whom I was previously unacquainted.
The general quality of the stories in this anthology is high, with several standouts. I enjoyed seeing familiar characters in new roles and totally new characters.
The cover art is by Jody Lee who will be familiar to readers from earlier volumes (and many other covers in the original novels and collections).
There is something here for Valdemar fans old and new as well as fans of fantasy.
Four stars
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.
bookwyrm_lark's review
3.0
3.5 stars None of the stories in this anthology are bad, but there are few remarkable standouts either; for the most part they are well-written and entertaining without lingering in the reader's mind. Review to come.
whisper88's review
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
inferiorwit's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Xenophobia, Violence, Transphobia, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, and Death
Minor: Child death