The first book of this series is truly engaging. Once I'd read this book, I just had to read the others! ( )

I've read a lot of fantasy, and I've spent a lot of time looking for fantasy that won't disappoint. When fantasy disappoints you, it usually does so predictably: either the world is poorly-built, the entire story is derivative, it is filled with creepy repressed sexuality, or the Hat Trick.

An equestrian friend of mine suggested this series to me: it was one of her favorites. However, her suggestion was somewhat tentative. She had suggested a number of books before, including Eragon and Eye of the World, which are so derivative and poorly-written that they just felt like babelfish translations of Tolkien.

However, she had also forced me to read the Potter books (I was recalcitrant due to their popularity) and Pullman's Dark Materials, which were enjoyable enough.

Now, I am as disappointed in modern Feminism as your average gender-queer culture-jamming existentialist transhuman chaos magician, so I am slow to suggest that the gender of an author should inform us about their ability to write. However, I will concede that in this culture, the way you are gendered will have long-lasting effects.

Apparently, as a man, you end up entirely unable to write sex in a fantasy novel; maybe sex period full stop. Tolkien just kept his romantic leads a few thousand miles apart the whole story. Goodkind creeped us the fuck out with lots of fetishized stabbing. Gor. Now, one might point out that Anne Rice is a female guilty of the same crime (but of a greater degree, since she tries to do it constantly), but I think that has less to do with her gendering than her (less and less) latent Christian repression.

The sex in Lackey's work is another breed. It feels human. It feels pleasant. It doesn't make you feel frightened that you might be turned on by it. In short, it blew my fucking mind. In fact, there is almost not much to say about it. It seems the more I think about it, the only thing I can say is that it isn't terrible like all the other fantasy sex I've read.

And it's not just the sex. It's all pretty naturalistic and refreshing. Except for the magic. And the psychic horses.

The world building is not grade A, but it isn't chicken feet. The magic is pretty touchy-feely, but so is the world, so it works. In fact, the only thing that comes off as a childish fantasy is the psychic horse love-bond. However, I'm not going to look into that too closely: I don't want to find that I've missed Lackey's sexual repression altogether. ( )

A young woman from the far end of the kingdom of Valdemar dreams of becoming a Herald - a messenger and representative for the Queen, who ride of beautiful white steeds that have magical abilities. But her simple country life is thrown into confusion when she is picked by one of those telepathic steeds that she admired to be not only a Herald, but a very special one - one that stands as adviser to the Queen herself. Now she must learn how to be a Herald while adjusting to the politics of the capital.

This is Mercedes Lackey's first book in her first series, and it shows. It is not technically as strong as her later books. You can see her work out how characters could and should interact, and see her try to construct a cohesive plot over three books, without quite managing to make it smooth.

That being said, this is the only series of hers that I liked enough to buy. Some of her later books become formulaic, but this series comes across as very fresh and original. With Talia, she creates a compelling character who has a depth that many of her later characters never reach. It is because of Talia and her supporting cast that I reread this book. If you are the type of reader who ultimately is compelled by characters instead of plot, you too will fall in love with this book. If a strong plot is more your style, I would suggest looking at Mercedes Lackey's more recent books.

I especially recommend this series to middle school and high school aged girls. If you like magic or horses, you can't help be charmed by this series. ( )

Slightly stilted at times but overall this was a lovely warm, romantic fantasy novel. Lots to recommend it, particularly to tweenage girls. Personally I’m looking forward to the next one. ( )

I just reread this book for probably the 20th or more time. I would have to say this is probably one of my favorite Valdemar books. By the Sword was my favorite and this one is a close second along with her Mage Storms series. The second and third books in the Heralds of Valdemar series weren’t bad but I enjoyed seeing the transformation for Tahlia going from abused farm girl to the second most powerful herald in the Kingdom. Tahlia was a fun character and I could actually picture her in my mind as she struggled to over come her shyness and her skill in dealing with the Brat (Queen Selenay’s daughter). I could relate to some of her self-esteem issues as I often felt the same way. This is definitely a fun read especially if you read some of her newer books that give you the background of the other characters like Alberich and Skif. ( )