I'm cursed with the need to complete a series once I start it, even if I don't enjoy it. And so I continue to slog through Lackey's Mage Storm trilogy. The only interesting thing she does is to depict the struggles that Karal has to establish himself as a viable ambassador. And even though he doesn't succeed with everyone, he is--with the help of his friends--able to win over the previously bigoted, and absolutely unreasonable, new Shina'in ambassador. Again, Karal's too-wonderful-for-words qualities are shown by the fact that his previous antagonist becomes one of his staunchest supporters after a labored and implausible conversation with An'desha and then a brief conversation with Karal.The biggest problem for Lackey is that she ignores the cardinal rule of showing, not telling. She wants to depict events or characters in a certain way but apparently lacks the skills to do so convincingly. So, instead of having scenes between Firesong and An'desha that show Firesong struggling to deal with the magically-improved Shina'in (one pep talk from Karal does the trick), we get An'desha's inner monologue that Firesong can't accept the new him. And then we get an absolutely bizarre characterization of Firesong. He was never a favorite character, but he is a Healing Adept who is supposed to be so attuned to others' pain that he's driven to help them. Instead, he repeatedly imagines killing Karal, almost kills his bondbird, and contemplates making wholly amoral choices so that he can get the relationship he's supposedly always wanted. And after Lackey assassinates his character, she comes up with an excuse for the behavior that's nothing more than a transparent attempt to get her and Firestorm out of the very grim corner she put him in.
Interesting to see mid-early Mercedes Lackey. I think this series should be called "Cozy Fantasy". You know things will turn out OK. Well, I think for this series. I am well aware of the horrible things whihc happened in other books, which made them all the more unsettling. I much prefer to have multiple first person narratives as in this book than just one, which is why Mags in the Foundation series is driving me nuts/getting on my nerves. As alwayws, she is to be commended for including gay characters as integrated into society and as full characters, central to what's happening, way before anyone else did. i didnot read Storm Warning bec the naivete of Karal in the sample was so annoying. Luckily they repeat everything that happened in the first book as expostion so I don't feel compelled to read it, except i do wonder about Firesong being shanhaid into helping Valdemar.... I do find myself really wanting to re-read Vanyel's saga. It's the foundation, really of the entire series, much more so than Arrow of the Queen. Lucky I own the trilogy!
What do You think about Storm Rising (1996)?
Having read this series in chronological order (rather than the order of publication), this book held one amazing moment for me. The series cycled back to the place of its beginning, some two thousand years later. It was a grand moment, full of nostalgia, and it really cemented the series as a whole for me. If you haven't read the books in their chronological timeline, though, you're unlikely to experience it (the books I started with were written after this one).Unfortunately, the rest of the book isn't very exciting. It isn't bad; it's just average. It almost seems as though the overarching plot paused to give everyone a chance to work through their personal issues (how convenient). The interesting parts of this book make up less than half its contents. The rest feels like filler. The important bits are all crammed into the last two chapters; meaning it suffers from 'middle book syndrome.'I am interested to see how the series concludes.
—Megan Cutler
Lackey nearly managed to disengage me from this series--something I would have thought impossible after fifteen books in a little over a month--with the way she treats Firesong in this book. Instead of being the fabulously flamboyant, deeply compassionate Healing Adept I have come to love, his personality takes a much darker shift. Eventually, that is explained, though, and almost to my liking. I do continue to like Karal, firecats, and the Grand Duke Tremane. Therefore, I guess I'll finish out this trilogy. And obsessively seek more Valdemar books. You know, just for the heck of it.
—Kathleen
After Storm Warning sets up the new characters and Velgarth's predicament, this is the heart of the action:Karal, struggling to fill his master's shoes and keep peace among the delegates, Natoli and the artificers, working on the solution to the Storms, An'desha, still struggling with overcoming his posession and sorting out his relationships. Duke Tremane, trying to keep his soldiers alive after being abandoned by the great Empire, and Firesong, falling into chaos and rage as he finds he's not the most important and beloved person in the room for once. I love watching the characters work out the diplomatic struggles facing the Alliance while the magical "natural disaster" of the Mage Storms sweeps over them. I love watching Trelane beginning to question his masters and the clever tactics he uses to sustain his camp. This is what I love about the Winds/Storms arc: all different people coming together to save the world. (And Lady Fire God Jesus Solaris is pretty damn awesome as well!)
—Kate
