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heidi_mcj's review against another edition
2.0
Very disappointed with the writing in this book. It was very poorly done.
lifeinthebooklane's review against another edition
3.0
I was absolutely thrilled to be able to take a step back in time and revisit the world of Valdemar. After first discovering these books in the early 90's I was immediately a fan, though I haven't read any more for a good 20 or so years. It was wonderful to discover the writing was as pleasing as I remembered and I soon found myself falling back in love with this world.
The book wasn't perfect, but then no book ever is and you definitely can't please all of the people all of the time. The pace was a little too slow and meandering at times, but because I am a character driven reader it didn't spoil the story for me. What I would have really liked to see were flawed characters - this had an almost "Disney" feel where the good guys were all perfect and the bad guys were somewhat caricaturish and oft portrayed as stupid. Stupid people do not rise to positions of power. I've clearly grown up in those intervening years and I just wanted and needed a little more depth to my protagonists.
That said I'm still a big fan of this series and will definitely continue reading it!
The book wasn't perfect, but then no book ever is and you definitely can't please all of the people all of the time. The pace was a little too slow and meandering at times, but because I am a character driven reader it didn't spoil the story for me. What I would have really liked to see were flawed characters - this had an almost "Disney" feel where the good guys were all perfect and the bad guys were somewhat caricaturish and oft portrayed as stupid. Stupid people do not rise to positions of power. I've clearly grown up in those intervening years and I just wanted and needed a little more depth to my protagonists.
That said I'm still a big fan of this series and will definitely continue reading it!
berlinbibliophile's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It was so fun to read a Valdemar book again, even if this is before Valdemar comes to exist. I love an intricate plan and this book had those to spare. I also loved how many different people I got to know, and hope to read more about all of them in the next book. I am so interested in what's going to happen next and how that will be codified in the Valdemar history books...
0uterspacebookwyrm's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
riley_97ri's review against another edition
5.0
This was such amazing and surprising fun and funny read, I had many good laughs between the gut reaching worries as the plot thicken.
Another amazing book by Mercedes Lackey, wonderful and easy to love characters and smooth and engaging writing. I couldn’t ask for a better book on the founding of Valdemar and I’m and very excited to get my hands on the second instalment!
5/5
Another amazing book by Mercedes Lackey, wonderful and easy to love characters and smooth and engaging writing. I couldn’t ask for a better book on the founding of Valdemar and I’m and very excited to get my hands on the second instalment!
5/5
drshakespeare's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
lunarchfey's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this! I've read many of the older Valdemar books quite a few times since my teens, and this felt simultaneously nostalgic as well as fresh and new. A lot of the staples I enjoyed were there, combined with some up-to-date commentary-slash-satire on current events (and honestly a much stronger writing hand from the author after decades of practice, of course).
Kordas was a much more interesting narrator than I though he'd be (pleasantly interesting and slightly unhinged in a good way), and Delia a good counterpoint who felt like a Talia for a different generation. Some solid queer rep in the supporting cast, and a lot of interesting and unique characters. And I loved-loved the Dolls. Looking forward to the next books in this series.
Kordas was a much more interesting narrator than I though he'd be (pleasantly interesting and slightly unhinged in a good way), and Delia a good counterpoint who felt like a Talia for a different generation. Some solid queer rep in the supporting cast, and a lot of interesting and unique characters. And I loved-loved the Dolls. Looking forward to the next books in this series.
bea_evans's review
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Saw the third in this series and went back to get the first. Haven’t read any of her stuff in a while. Weird mix of modernity and fantasy, but I guess that makes sense a bit because they had technology that was lost in the transition. But some of the exclamations were a little too modern and threw me out of the story at times.
gmancam's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75