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kathydavie's review against another edition
3.0
Third and last in the Mage Wars subseries, part of the Valdemar Universe (BF 975) and revolving around Tadrith (Skan's son) and Blade (Amberdrake's daughter) some 15 years after The White Gryphon, 2. If you're interested, there is a chronological listing of the Valdemar books on my website.
My Take
It's a scary time for Skan and Drake: The kids are growing up. I can sure understand Skan and Drake commiserating with each other over their growing old. I can so relate, lol.
Lackey uses third person global subjective point-of-view which means we gain the perspective of most any of the characters, reading of their emotions, experiences, and thoughts.
Lackey does like to include environmental issues in her stories as well as that wonderfully warm sense of family and the good and bad of their interactions. I also like the peoples' pride in wanting to make things beautiful. It goes right along with Lackey's description of the city's growth and practicality.
That trip Tad and Blade undertake is a great opportunity for Lackey to describe the land White Gryphon is responsible for as well as the importance they and the Haighlei place on the land.
It's a trip that brings adventure, tension, drama, and what drives the primary characters. It's that excitement that keeps the pace moving along.
Hmm, the Kaled'a'in think the mage storms affected not only their magic but the fact that they have more men than women, and that is not the only reason so many Haighlei women (and men) come to White Gryphon.
Dang it, I do wish that Lackey hadn't ended the Mage Wars subseries. I want to know more about White Gryphon and its characters and descendants.
The Story
Magic is working reliably again, but no one wants to trust it when it comes to bigger spells. It's one reason why Tadrith and Blade are making the trek to Outpost Five through flight.
A flight that ends in disaster.
The Characters
Tadrith "Tad" Skandrakae, a gryphon and minor mage in simple object-moving spells, is a twin with his brother, Keenath, a gyrfalcon like their mother, and they have their own aerie. Keenath is training to be a trondi'irn. Skandranon “Skan” and Zhaneel Rashkae are their parents. Kechara, the gyrfalcon daughter adopted by Skan and Zhaneel, had been one of Urtho's "mistakes", although she had had a long-reaching Mindvoice.
Silverblade "Blade" is Tadrith's partner. (Her childhood name had been Windsong; she's Drake and Winterhart's daughter.)
White Gryphon is . . .
. . . the city of light, carved as it is from the white cliffs above the Western Sea. The Kaled'a'in of the Clan k'Leshya, the greater part of the city's population, are humans. The magical creatures include the gryphons, hertasi, tervardi, dyheli, and kyree. They have an alliance with the Haighlei in return for the king's grant of lands.
Amberdrake is a kestra'chern mated to Winterhart, a trondi'irn. Chana, Gesten's hertasi daughter, is in charge of the platform that goes to the top of the cliff. (Gesten is Drake’s snarky companion hertasi and the leader of all the hertasi.)
Aubri, a gryphon, lives with Commander Judeth and both are co-commanders of the Silver Gryphons, the policing force for the city. Snowstar is a Kaled’a’in mage who is on the council. Tamsin is a Healer. Tad's fellow Silvers include Dharra, who is a year older than Tadrith and a mage; Kyleen is a year younger and serving with the fleet; and Jerrinni is already working with a partner on unsupervised assignments. Redoak is a young Kaled'a'in and Gielle is a mercenary mage, now an Adept, who had been in Urtho's army. Joffer, Lora, and Greenwing. Ikala is one of Shalaman's younger sons, twentieth in succession behind the Crown Prince of Nbubi. He's also in a relationship with Blade.
Darzie is a gryphon with skills: the faster racer, a consistent flyer, and the best of the fast couriers. Outpost Five is remote. Regin is the leader of the rescue party. Bern is one of their scouts. Filix, a human, is a Master mage and a Silver. Sella and Vorn are the gryphons currently serving in the king's personal guard. It's suspected that Kally and Reesk will be the next pair chosen.
The Haighlei Emperors . . .
. . . a.k.a. the Black Kings, are ruled by King Shalaman. Khimbata is their capital city. Leyuet is one of the king's advisors. Makke had been the Rashkaes' nurse back in The White Gryphon, 2.
The kestra'chern are highly skilled mental therapists and healers. Trondi'irn are healers for gryphons and other nonhumans. Urtho, a.k.a. the Mage of Silence, had fought a long war with Ma'ar. Their demise set off the Cataclysm that changed their world forever (The Black Gryphon,). The psychotic Hadanelith (The White Gryphon) was one of those who caused much damage before he was exiled. The makaar were Ma'ar's response to Urtho's gryphons. Created by an Adept long before Ma'ar, wyrsa, meant to mimic the kyree, are magic-thieves.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a rainforest of greens and blues. His back to us, Tad, his wings spread, is looking over his shoulder at Blade, kneeling pale greens, appears to be salvaging what she can of the wreck. At the top are the authors' names in white. Below it, each word of the title is on its own line and also in white.
The title is still about Skan, who has grown older and become The Silver Gryphon.
My Take
It's a scary time for Skan and Drake: The kids are growing up. I can sure understand Skan and Drake commiserating with each other over their growing old. I can so relate, lol.
Lackey uses third person global subjective point-of-view which means we gain the perspective of most any of the characters, reading of their emotions, experiences, and thoughts.
Lackey does like to include environmental issues in her stories as well as that wonderfully warm sense of family and the good and bad of their interactions. I also like the peoples' pride in wanting to make things beautiful. It goes right along with Lackey's description of the city's growth and practicality.
That trip Tad and Blade undertake is a great opportunity for Lackey to describe the land White Gryphon is responsible for as well as the importance they and the Haighlei place on the land.
It's a trip that brings adventure, tension, drama, and what drives the primary characters. It's that excitement that keeps the pace moving along.
Hmm, the Kaled'a'in think the mage storms affected not only their magic but the fact that they have more men than women, and that is not the only reason so many Haighlei women (and men) come to White Gryphon.
Dang it, I do wish that Lackey hadn't ended the Mage Wars subseries. I want to know more about White Gryphon and its characters and descendants.
The Story
Magic is working reliably again, but no one wants to trust it when it comes to bigger spells. It's one reason why Tadrith and Blade are making the trek to Outpost Five through flight.
A flight that ends in disaster.
The Characters
Tadrith "Tad" Skandrakae, a gryphon and minor mage in simple object-moving spells, is a twin with his brother, Keenath, a gyrfalcon like their mother, and they have their own aerie. Keenath is training to be a trondi'irn. Skandranon “Skan” and Zhaneel Rashkae are their parents. Kechara, the gyrfalcon daughter adopted by Skan and Zhaneel, had been one of Urtho's "mistakes", although she had had a long-reaching Mindvoice.
Silverblade "Blade" is Tadrith's partner. (Her childhood name had been Windsong; she's Drake and Winterhart's daughter.)
White Gryphon is . . .
. . . the city of light, carved as it is from the white cliffs above the Western Sea. The Kaled'a'in of the Clan k'Leshya, the greater part of the city's population, are humans. The magical creatures include the gryphons, hertasi, tervardi, dyheli, and kyree. They have an alliance with the Haighlei in return for the king's grant of lands.
Amberdrake is a kestra'chern mated to Winterhart, a trondi'irn. Chana, Gesten's hertasi daughter, is in charge of the platform that goes to the top of the cliff. (Gesten is Drake’s snarky companion hertasi and the leader of all the hertasi.)
Aubri, a gryphon, lives with Commander Judeth and both are co-commanders of the Silver Gryphons, the policing force for the city. Snowstar is a Kaled’a’in mage who is on the council. Tamsin is a Healer. Tad's fellow Silvers include Dharra, who is a year older than Tadrith and a mage; Kyleen is a year younger and serving with the fleet; and Jerrinni is already working with a partner on unsupervised assignments. Redoak is a young Kaled'a'in and Gielle is a mercenary mage, now an Adept, who had been in Urtho's army. Joffer, Lora, and Greenwing. Ikala is one of Shalaman's younger sons, twentieth in succession behind the Crown Prince of Nbubi. He's also in a relationship with Blade.
Darzie is a gryphon with skills: the faster racer, a consistent flyer, and the best of the fast couriers. Outpost Five is remote. Regin is the leader of the rescue party. Bern is one of their scouts. Filix, a human, is a Master mage and a Silver. Sella and Vorn are the gryphons currently serving in the king's personal guard. It's suspected that Kally and Reesk will be the next pair chosen.
The Haighlei Emperors . . .
. . . a.k.a. the Black Kings, are ruled by King Shalaman. Khimbata is their capital city. Leyuet is one of the king's advisors. Makke had been the Rashkaes' nurse back in The White Gryphon, 2.
The kestra'chern are highly skilled mental therapists and healers. Trondi'irn are healers for gryphons and other nonhumans. Urtho, a.k.a. the Mage of Silence, had fought a long war with Ma'ar. Their demise set off the Cataclysm that changed their world forever (The Black Gryphon,). The psychotic Hadanelith (The White Gryphon) was one of those who caused much damage before he was exiled. The makaar were Ma'ar's response to Urtho's gryphons. Created by an Adept long before Ma'ar, wyrsa, meant to mimic the kyree, are magic-thieves.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a rainforest of greens and blues. His back to us, Tad, his wings spread, is looking over his shoulder at Blade, kneeling pale greens, appears to be salvaging what she can of the wreck. At the top are the authors' names in white. Below it, each word of the title is on its own line and also in white.
The title is still about Skan, who has grown older and become The Silver Gryphon.
kivt's review against another edition
2.0
Basically a standalone wilderness survival book dedicated to introducing a monster that will prominently feature in later books. But not a very interesting book on its own.
hmerwin13's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
A bit long in the middle but the ending was amazing! Loved seeing everyone in action!
raiju01's review against another edition
2.0
Strong start, but it never took flight to even stick any landing.
mljmoore's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
lindseylu's review against another edition
2.0
This book felt like dragging my feet through mud to get through. I loved the first two books in this trilogy. This one felt unnecessary. The characters this story centers on are the children of the protagonists from the first two books. This could have been a short story. Did not get exciting till the VERY end. This book DOES however have one of the MOST romantic lines in a book I have ever read. And romance isn’t even a true subplot of this book!
nymeria1090's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
chazbot72's review against another edition
2.0
The first three books - chronologically - in the Valdemar series were good enough, but seemed to me to be stories that could have been told in one book instead of three. They were drawn out way more than was needed with a lot of boring dialogue and description that were totally unnecessary to the story. Considering the fact that these three books take place 1000 years before the actual founding of Valdemar, I question whether or not they're even needed. A lot of what takes place in them could easily have been told as stories in later books, thereby leaving out all of the boredom.
I hope things are going to pick up a bit now. The Mage Wars Trilogy has left me a little bored with the series, but I'm going to hang on for a bit longer.
I hope things are going to pick up a bit now. The Mage Wars Trilogy has left me a little bored with the series, but I'm going to hang on for a bit longer.
tigerchica418's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5