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From Publishers Weekly
Making love and not war is the theme of Lackey's entertaining high fantasy, the second in a trilogy (after 2002's Exile's Honor) within her long-running Valdemar series-not that love is any less of a battlefield. Alberich of Karse, the outsider Herald, must watch over the newly enthroned queen, Selenay, as he trains young Heralds by day and chases down treasonous plots in the alleys and shady locales of Haven by night. Along the way, his recruit in the arts of undercover work, Herald-Chronicler-Second Myste, provides him with her own ideas of work under covers. And his Companion, the intelligent, mind-linked equine Kantor, keeps Alberich honest with a sardonic sense of humor. The recently bereaved Selenay, too, faces her own challenge in the court of love, first from anxious councilors trying to arrange a royal marriage, then from the too-good-to-be-true Prince Karathanelan of Rethwellan. Will good triumph in the end? That answer will have to wait for the next book, as the master villain remains unknown. But it would take a poor gambler to bet against a set of characters so obviously beloved by their author, despite her inflicting a Germanic speech pattern on poor Alberich, who often sounds like Yoda. Long-time readers will appreciate learning more of favorite characters. Newcomers will definitely feel as though they have walked in on the middle of a gossipy conversation.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Booklist
The sequel to Exile's Honor [BKL S 15 02] continues the adventures of Herald Alberich, former Karsite captain turned herald of Valdemar. After the Tedrel War, few, if any, doubt Alberich's loyalty to his adopted country, which is just as well, for the death of King Sendar during that war put his daughter Selenay, who had barely finished herald's training, on the throne of Valdemar. She had expected years of apprenticeship in ruling at her father's side, but she is now queen of a country that, while victorious, is weakened by the bloody war. Furthermore, her council and some of her heralds see her as too inexperienced and badly in need of a consort. Alberich is now the Collegium weapons master, a job that includes keeping track of Valdemar's enemies, internal and external. What with court intrigues, foreign envoys, and Selenay's grief, Alberich's duties are no less time-consuming than were his wartime responsibilities. A must for Valdemar fans. Frieda Murray
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
I *liked* it,
By Rebekah (Ohio) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Exiles Valor (Hardcover)
Granted there are errors, there are errors in *all* of the Lackey books, and let's face it folks, Mercedes Lackey has one plot, maybe two, and she recycles them over and over...how did you think she came out with all of these books? It's her characters that grab me. Grab me, shake me around, and make me laugh, cry, and snicker myself sick. Alberich is an excellent character and she adds so much to the sinister yet sympathic funny talking man of the Heralds of Valdemar trilogy. Selaney is young, she just lost her father, and considering her lack of attention to Elspeth in Arrows of the Queen she could very well be caught up by Karath. The point? I liked it. Don't read Mercedes Lackey if your looking for innovation, or strict adherence to itsy bitsy details. You read Mercedes Lackey for the characters, the world, and, of course, the Companions!
2.0 out of 5 stars
Provides some backstory, but not Lackey's best....,
By
This review is from: Exiles Valor (Hardcover)
Exile's Valor is the follow up to Lackey's recent Exile's Honor. It is the continuing story of Herald Albereich and gives us a look into the young Queen Seleny's life after the death of her father and leading up to the birth of Elspeth.While it is nice to have prequel material to the Arrows of the Queen series provided to us die hard Valdemar fans, I am dismayed that the minor "vanity" character Lackey created in previous Valedemar works has been given a major role in this book *there is no doubt about this, given the character's name is Myste*. Exile's Valor seems to be more about Lackey's indulging in private fantasies than in really telling a story that is a good addition to the Valdemar Canon. If a third book in the Valor series is forthcoming I will most likely check it out at the library rather than buy it. By all means pick up "Joust", "Alta" and "The Fairy Godmother" by Lackey however. All 3 are cracking good and should be added to any fantasy library!!
1.0 out of 5 stars
Editing????,
By A Customer
This review is from: Exiles Valor (Hardcover)
I'm a huge fan of Valdemar and I have been eagerly reading each book as it comes out since Arrows of the Queen. This did not make the grade. It's not the plot, which is somewhat weak, nor the characters, whom I quite liked. (I get tired of the hero/heroine with manifest destiny and startling abilities chosen by the gods story line. It was quite nice to read about a man just doing his job, albeit in a world of political intrigue and fantasy.) No, the thing that I could not stand about this book was the writing. It was terrible. At points it felt like every single thought a character "had" was chewed over three times and then regurgitated two pages "later" by another character. Considering the fact that this book takes place in an "extremely" well-established world, there was no "need" for the wordy descriptions of any and every thing. I don't need to know how they make glass, or how to make skates, or whether Valdemarans use meatpies as hand warmers. Certainly not at such "tedious" length. And what is with the "ITALICS"? It is hardly necessary to italicize so much of Alberich's thought processes (or worse, the authorial voice's), if it's well written we'll pick up on the emotional emphasis on our own. The amount of "shoulds", "hads", and "coulds" that were needlessly italicized was positively painful. All of that combined with the petty mistakes begs the question: Did Ms. Lackey fire her editor?Compared to the quality of writing and plotting in her first books, Exile's Valor, Exile's Honor, Take a Thief and Joust are poor indeed. I give this book one star because I do like Alberich, otherwise...
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