Arrows of the Queen (Heralds of Valdemar, #1)

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Arrows of the Queen (Valdemar: Arrows of the Queen #1)

4.13 of 5 stars 4.13 · rating details · 14,779 ratings · 346 reviews

Talia, a young runaway, is made a herald at the royal court after she rescues one of the legendary Companions. When she uncovers a plot to seize the throne, Talia must use her empathic powers to save the queen.

Paperback, 320 pages

Published March 3rd 1987 by DAW (first published 1987)

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May 26, 2007 Keely rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, novel, reviewed, american

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 me, 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: it was one of her favorites. However, her suggestion was somewhat tentative. She had previously passed Eragon and Eye of the World along to me, which are so d...more 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 me, 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: it was one of her favorites. However, her suggestion was somewhat tentative. She had previously passed Eragon and Eye of the World along to me, 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 weren't bad.

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 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. Jordan made spanking a part of his world's justice system. Gor.

Of course, there are female authors guilty of making their books into lewd, plotless sex romps, like Anne Rice and Laurell Hamilton, but at least the sex is still mostly about the characters; and sex should be. It should be an event in the character's life that causes some emotional reaction, and reveals something about the character's personality. Reading most popular male authors, you get about the same emotional depth as a child smacking two naked barbies together. There were times, particularly later in their careers, when both Rice and Hamilton managed to make sex almost as impersonal as their male colleagues, and I'd suggest in Rice's case that her (less and less) latent Christian repression did a passable job standing in for male sexual discomfort.

The sex in Lackey's work is of another breed. It feels human. It feels pleasant. It doesn't make you feel frightened that you might be a bad person if you're turned on by it. In short, it blew my fucking mind. I mean sure, there are male authors like Gaiman, Moore, or Mieville who can write a complex, personal, natural sexual interaction, but they are all authors of allusive, thickly-textured works that draw from literary tradition. What makes Lackey remarkable to me is that she writes a fairly standard, fun piece of pop fantasy and somehow, the sex isn't terrible.

But 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 new age touchy-feely, but so is the world, so it mostly works. In fact, the only thing that tips off the esscapist fantasy is the psychic equine love-bond. However, I'm not going to look into that too closely: I don't want to find that Lackey's sexual repression was staring me in the face all along.

My Fantasy Book Suggestions (less)

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Jun 22, 2007 Meg rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This was the first Valdemar book that I read, which was sort of fortuitous since it was the first book about the world that Mercedes Lackey wrote. It isn't my favorite (Kero's tale has that honor), but it comes very very close.

I re-read this book (and the rest of the trilogy) probably about once a year, and I never get tired of them.

Don't be fooled by the childish looking covers, this trilogy deals with some VERY adult themes.. child abuse, death, torture, sex, war, rape, murder... but it does i...more

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Jun 07, 2007 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young_adult

I absolutely adored all of Lackey's Valdemar novels when I was an adolescent, but a lot of them are a little too emo for me now. I still truly enjoy her first trilogy, the Arrows of the Queen, despite the fact that it shows Lackey's inexperience. I often feel that an author's first book is frequently his or her best, and I believe this to be true of Lackey.

Talia and Dirk were always my favorite characters in all of Lackey's books, and this trilogy is the only series they are featured in. (They b...more

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Mar 01, 2011 Kat Hooper rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

Talia is not like normal 13-year-old girls. She likes to read adventure stories and she fantasizes about being a Herald for the queen of Valdemar. She does not want to get married to one of the dreary men in her village. So, when a Companion — one of the blue-eyed white horses who belongs to a Herald — shows up without a rider, Talia is happy to help him find his way home and stunned to learn that she’s been chosen to be trained as a Herald.

Published in 19...more ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

Talia is not like normal 13-year-old girls. She likes to read adventure stories and she fantasizes about being a Herald for the queen of Valdemar. She does not want to get married to one of the dreary men in her village. So, when a Companion — one of the blue-eyed white horses who belongs to a Herald — shows up without a rider, Talia is happy to help him find his way home and stunned to learn that she’s been chosen to be trained as a Herald.

Published in 1987, Arrows of the Queen is Mercedes Lackey’s first novel and the first in her popular Valdemar series. This is a coming-of-age tale in which a naïve and wide-eyed youngster who has endured a repressive upbringing is suddenly freed and enrolled in a special school, where she makes friends and enemies and discovers that she has magic powers and an important destiny.

Like many such heroes, Talia is a good and well-meaning girl who, despite being mature and wise beyond her years, neglects to tell adults when she’s being bullied or needs help, thus getting into mishaps that could easily have been avoided. Fortunately, she deals with some equally unwise villains who tend to audibly rehash their evil plans at the exact moment that Talia happens to eavesdrop on their clandestine meetings.

Although I’ve read many books of this ilk and, therefore, found few surprises in this one, I must admit to being charmed by Talia and her story, though I’m certain I would have felt differently if Arrows of the Queen had been published more recently. Mercedes Lackey’s first novel has a nice pace (though Talia’s lessons were sometimes prolonged and too detailed) and an engaging heroine, and introduces a world I’d like to learn more about.

I listened to Albany Audio’s version of Arrows of the Queen, which was narrated by Carole Edie Smith. She’s a terrific actress, but she has a rather unsuitable Northeastern US accent which just doesn’t fit the medieval setting of Valdemar. I managed to mostly listen past that. Unfortunately, the next 24 Valdemar novels are not available in audio format. I may pick up the next couple of Valdemar novels in print, completing at least the first trilogy. This series has the potential to provide many hours of mindless entertainment. (less)

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Mar 09, 2009 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, fantasy-sci-fi

Young, scared, abused, shy, insecure, and, of course, an avid reader. Add magical horse-like "companions," a purpose in life, and lots and lots of people who treat her with love and respect until she can stand on her own.

Yes, really. But, wait! It's really good. Honest.

If you know a pre-teen girl who loves to read, is looking for a character to identify with, and doesn't need to have sick religious values pushed at her via vampire stories, give her these books. A few reads (or a few too many ye...more

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Jul 19, 2008 Gayla rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a decent fantasy type book, where a girl who doesn't fit the norm of her people's customs because she likes to read and doesn't want to marry (at the age of 13), escapes and discovers her real talents and her magical purpose in life.

The book was easy for me to pick up and read at anytime, the main character was a little too self-deprecating at points, but the main theme of the story, I guess, is the main character learning that she is a valued and valuable person.

All in all I liked th...more

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Apr 03, 2009 Miss_otis rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: childhood-favourites, fantasy-or-fantastical

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 03, 2013 tea_for_two rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, fantasy, fiction

So, the thing about re-reading a beloved favorite book for the first time in, let's be honest, almost a decade (ugg, how am I old enough to write that sentence), is that sometimes they're not quite as good as your remember. I read Arrows of the Queen for the first time my freshman year of high school (and promptly gave my copy to the bf, who was the one who bought the copies of the books I'm now reading, fourteen years later, full circle baby) (oh dear, it's going to be one of those reviews, I s...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Carey Heywood rated it 5 of 5 stars

I started reading this book in 7th grade. My English teacher had a free read portion of every class and I had either just finished a book or forgotten one so I picked this one up off of a bookshelf in the classroom for people like me did not have something to read. I read pretty fast and this book totally hooked me, I probably got 3-4 chapters in by the time the bell rang. She did not let us check out the books from her classroom so I (wrongly) fully expected this book to be waiting for me the n...more

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Oct 26, 2011 Crystal rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Die-hard Mercedes Lackey fans only

Shelves: fantasy

I would give this a 1.5 if I could because I did enjoy the beginning of this book, if nothing else. I was sorely disappointed with this book, as I am a fan of Mercedes Lackey's other books. This novel seemed rushed, as if the only reason for it was to set the scene for the next novel in the series. The beginning seemed promising. I was truly interested in following this girl's journey. However, it quickly degenerated into something barely readable. Much of this girl's life was glossed over. When...more

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Nov 04, 2010 Bookboy Brown rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Arrows of the Queen – Heralds of Valdemar 01

A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the tree, but the young girl seated beneath it did not seem to notice.

Arrows of the Queen begins with Talia, a young Holderfolk girl, sat beneath a tree reading. The book she is reading tells the story of Vanyel, one of the legendary Heralds of Valdemar, as he faces insurmountable odds in service to his queen. In this first chapter, we are introduced to her straight-laced world, a world where a girl should not read...more

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Feb 06, 2010 Chuck rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm definitely becoming a Lackey fan. Talia, a young woman who's been raised in a harsh, border farm in a strict, puritanical family is "Chosen"--selected by a Guardian, a magical, good being resembling but more more intelligent than a horse, to become one of the Queen's Herald's. This is the novel that follows Exhile's Honor. She finds that, not only has she been chosen to be a Herald, she's been chosen to be the Queen's Own, the closest adviser, the one who can always be counted upon to be hon...more

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Oct 01, 2009 Virginia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lackey's Valdemar series starts out in this compelling and enjoyable novel. This, of all her trilogies/duologies, has the most complex and relatable characters, with the most original voices. It has great supporting characters (both good and bad) and a strong plot.

Valdemar is a well-mapped, well described country (I love maps) in a world that gets slowly explored over the course of many trilogies set in it. The religions and magics are varied and interesting, and Lackey's earliest trilogies all...more

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Aug 22, 2009 Angie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: belovedbookshelf, nostalgireads

When I was a kid and my father was out of town for work, my mom and I got to have sleepovers in the big bed. We would curl up with our pillows stacked behind our backs and read books and eat ice cream and fall asleep whenever we wanted to. I loved it. And, unsurprisingly, the tradition continued on until I left home. One particular time I remember it was a Friday night and I was fourteen and my mom and I went to the base library to see what we could find. I wandered down the aisles and stopped w...more When I was a kid and my father was out of town for work, my mom and I got to have sleepovers in the big bed. We would curl up with our pillows stacked behind our backs and read books and eat ice cream and fall asleep whenever we wanted to. I loved it. And, unsurprisingly, the tradition continued on until I left home. One particular time I remember it was a Friday night and I was fourteen and my mom and I went to the base library to see what we could find. I wandered down the aisles and stopped when my eye caught on a pink and purple spine in the fantasy/scifi section. It seemed a bit...girly...for me and when I saw the pretty much opalescent horse on the cover I almost put it back on the shelf. But I liked the title. And the girl on the horse looked pale and sad and interesting with her short hair and her threadbare scarf. So I checked it out and that night curled up with my mom and a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream and fell in love.

Talia is an orphan. Raised in a very claustrophobic, incredibly closed off family hold that her uncle runs with an iron fist, she longs for a kinder, more stimulating world in which "family" refers to people who love you and not people who revile and shame you. When a white horse straight out of her dreams appears one day, Talia climbs into his saddle and never looks back. The horse is clearly no ordinary horse. He can sense emotions and share his own with Talia. He takes her to Haven, the capital city of Valdemar, where her hidden talents are recognized and she is enrolled in the Collegium--a school for heralds-in-training. The heralds are an elite force who are trained to protect the Queen and the realm from threat or harm. There at the Collegium Talia makes the first friends of her life (and a few enemies as well). When she stumbles across a plot to destroy the Queen, she is forced to harness her wayward abilities and use the connections she's made to convince the Queen and her council that there is a traitor in their midst.

This series is a very dear one to me. My fourteen-year-old self completely empathized with Talia and her insecurities and longings. She has to be one of the most passive heroines of any I've read, which makes her unique as I generally find myself drawn to stronger, more forceful personalities. But Talia matures, both chronologically and emotionally in this series, particularly in book two, Arrow's Flight, when she gets shoved through the refiner's fire as she completes her Heraldic training and emerges prepared to defend her Queen. And yet, she retains that innocence and inherent sweetness which somehow captured my heart more than a decade ago and has not let it go. Each book in this trilogy gets better and better and you only grow fonder of this family of characters Lackey has pieced together. Among Talia's inner circle, there is a not-so-ex-thief, a spoiled princess, a gruff and intimidating armsmaster, a crippled harpist, and Rolan--her horse and Companion. Mercedes Lackey's strength lies in these characters and how she is able to make you want so much for them. If you fall in love with the world you're also in luck as Ms. Lackey has written a whole host of books that take place in Valdemar, though this trilogy is by far the best, IMO, and definitely the place to start. Reading order: ARROWS OF THE QUEEN, Arrow's Flight, and Arrow's Fall.(less)

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May 26, 2009 Ceci rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2009

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 10, 2013 Suzanne the Mighty ~Satin Seductress~ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, action-adventure, magic

4.5 Stars

Talia has never fitted into her home, she dream of adventures and not the bland drudgery and abuse that she lives with. When she realises the future planned for her by those in her household she blindly runs only to found by a Companion the fabled steeds of the Heralds who serve the Queen as messengers and warriors, not wanting to go back to her home Talia decides to take the Companion back to the Queen and see where fate may take her.

This is the first Mercedes Lackey book I have read...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Actually this book is better than a 3...but it's not really a 4. It's a well written book about a, are you ready? Young hero who's miserable, abused and unappreciated at home, until duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, DAAAAA, one of the chosen. Yes gasp she's to be a Herald!!!!!!

So you get the picture. The young protagonist who's had a hard to miserable childhood/youth and then gets called away to be a hero/heroine. Still (my sense of humor aside) it's a well written book and the young protagonis...more

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May 26, 2010 Bibliotropic rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: valdemar

This book introduces the reader to what I consider a sort of proto-Valdemar. It's the author's first book of the series, her first novel entirely if I remember correctly, and after having read some of her later works, I can say that it shows. It's not quite as polished and refined as what she writes later on down the road, but the seeds of an expansive world are sown here and it's interesting to see.

It isn't very action-heavy, so those looking to this as a sword-and-sorcery type novel will end u...more This book introduces the reader to what I consider a sort of proto-Valdemar. It's the author's first book of the series, her first novel entirely if I remember correctly, and after having read some of her later works, I can say that it shows. It's not quite as polished and refined as what she writes later on down the road, but the seeds of an expansive world are sown here and it's interesting to see.

It isn't very action-heavy, so those looking to this as a sword-and-sorcery type novel will end up disappointed. Like many of the books in the Valdemar series, it's very character-driven, and can at times appear slow. Even I've thought sometimes that the books could have stood a little more action... until I glance down at the page number and realise that I've spent 100 or more pages being too engrossed in the character development to even think about it until that point.

This does serve as good background reading to a lot of the more technical aspects of Valdemar and life as a Herald-trainee. Details only briefly mentioned in other books get a full explanation here, which often are done fairly seamlessly as Talia, the main character, is a sort of blank slate. She's had a very sheltered upbringing and starts off the book knowing only the barest things about what Heralds are and what they do. So other characters get the chance to fill her in and tell her tales and legends and details. Not an uncommon trick in stories, to fill in the reader without resorting to pages and pages of narration and history, though it does get a little bit tedious at time.

It is always a bit strange to me, going back and rereading this novel, because so many tiny little things contradict for many larger things that Mercedes Lackey established in later books. The cause of death of the previous King, the timing of the Tedrel wars in relation to Elspeth's birth, possible relations with Karse at the time of this novel (mostly glossed over, I admit, but still somewhat suspect), the implication than Vanyel and Lavan lived and died at roughly the same time in history, and these are just a few I can name. Taken on their own, within the boundaries on this book in this particular trilogy, not a single thing is contradicted, but within the confines of the series as a whole, there are lots of little things that change, and some rather large things.

Why yes, I have read this series to the point of near-memorization.

Despite this book being the first novel of Valdemar, I wouldn't recommend it to those who have never read anything of the series before. It is too slow at time, and doesn't really pick up pace until very near the end and then continuing into the next novel. I'd recommend starting with the Winds series first, or doing as I did and discovering Valdemar through the Last Herald-Mage series instead. Save this trilogy for a time when your love of Valdemar has been established, because sometimes it can be hard to remember that this book was written decades ago and that the author's style has improved greatly over the years. If I'd started here, I admit I may have been bored away from the series entirely. As it is, I enjoy this book for its backstory, for the expansion on characters I got to know from other novels, and for its simplicity.(less)

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Sep 05, 2010 Flint rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: epic-fantasy

Talia wants one thing in life and that's to become a herald and ride their magic horses like in the stories she reads, but she lives in a village where virtually everything is forbidden to women. When she is announced to be married at the young age of 13 she panics, flees and miraculously comes upon a magical white horse in the forest, who whisks her away to become the very thing she's dreamed of, although she doesn't realize it just yet. After arriving at the Collegium she trains for the next 3...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Armenda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I grew up on the stories of Alanna the Lioness and Veralidaine Serrasri in Tamora Pierce's books. I loved them, and still do - I reread them every year or two, continuing into the Protector of the Small series now. This book, and the world that Mercedes Lackey has introduced in it, seem comparable in some ways, though Lackey addresses many more modern issues right out of the gate that Pierce didn't address until her later books, and then only in passing.
Lackey's world seems small in this introdu...more

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Feb 04, 2012 Widdershins rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was torn between 3 and 4 stars for this book. In the end I settled on 3 because while I enjoyed reading it, there were definitely some holes. First of all, I think I must have checked 3 times to make sure this wasn't YA - it really should have been. The story is a bit to facile and the characters are too one-dimensional for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed the setting and the world the author created. I think I would have loved it as a young girl/teen - reading it for the first time as an adult, i...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Anne Hromalik rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read The Obsidian Trilogy by Lackey and James Mallory a month or so ago, and enjoyed that series very little; I was wary to pick up another Lackey book. However, her Valdemar books came highly recommended, and I can see why. This book was INFINITELY more enjoyable.

The writing style was completely different from what I expected: it was practical, almost simple, but with an irresistible pull that kept the pages turning. I personally appreciated the pace and flow of the book, how it never felt bo...more I read The Obsidian Trilogy by Lackey and James Mallory a month or so ago, and enjoyed that series very little; I was wary to pick up another Lackey book. However, her Valdemar books came highly recommended, and I can see why. This book was INFINITELY more enjoyable.

The writing style was completely different from what I expected: it was practical, almost simple, but with an irresistible pull that kept the pages turning. I personally appreciated the pace and flow of the book, how it never felt bogged down with too much flowery description. But the words didn't feel sparse and image-starved either. It feels too like quite a bit happens for the relatively short length of this book! The story was clearly character-driven, and though there were many 'long periods of time passing', the book did not feel meandering or easily put aside. There was a very tangible mood of 'comfort' that radiated from the writing, which further connects the reader emotionally to Talia as she recovers from her abusive childhood. There are several sad events in the book, but most of the time, every Herald and those connected to the Heralds seem to be giving the reader a warm and happy hug.

Reading this book evoked a lot of pondering concerning pacing, events, and character definition. I found it interesting that though I felt some minor discomfort at how quickly the book moves from 'Talia is oppressed and a voiceless Holderkin girl' to 'Talia is The Queen's Own Herald', willing suspension of disbelief was achieved. A lot of that probably hangs on the Herald-Companion bond, as well as the curious truth-speaking powers of the Queen's Own. Talia's character was full of a lot of these tension-sprung moments where I felt on one hand that she was acting very out of character, and on the other there was good cause for her to be doing so. I think in this character Lackey has laid hold of a very resonating note among many readers, the desire to have the power to say exactly the right thing to others, overcome shyness and fears planted in our childhoods, and to find loving accepting friends. Lackey makes Gifts, Companions, and being a Herald great things to be desired-- who has not yearned for a place of healing, unconditional love to run to? More than that, as Talia's Gift of Empathy awakens, there is another yearning of wanting such a person as Talia there to listen, catch the tears, and speak the words we want to hear that will lift guilt and despair from us. Heralds are 'safe' in that they don't lie, they don't hurt others, and they are loving. They don't fear emotions, but embrace them and share them. And they obviously are trying to heal the world and all the pain that's in it, somehow. It's a fantasy very easy to wrap up in, like a warm blanket, because it's not often that real life provides the same sort of love and acceptance.

Trying to separate this emotional feel from the actual craftsmanship of the story is a challenge, and I think the elegant warmth of this book is a huge part of what makes it highly enjoyable despite a pragmatic writing style and a lot of blind spots in the plot. I do feel though that a lot of plot points mentioned was 'glossed over' as the reader was kept in their insulated bubble of good feeling. The reader only gleans small glimpses of the schemes concerning the queen and her heir, just enough to know something's going on, but like children we are ushered away to more pleasant portions of the story with the promise that 'everything will be taken care of'. There were several moments where the dangerous aspect of a Herald's work is focused upon, and the deaths of Hearalds Jadus and Ylsa were painful to read about, but even the supremely sweet and courageous way everyone responds to the tragedies puts the negative emotion out of the reader's minds immediately. Is it a bad thing that the reader does not leave the story feeling emotionally 'raw'? Certainly not from an objective storytelling view; that is in the nature of stories, and to poke at them critically with the claim that they're 'not realistic enough' or 'not painful enough' or 'too sugar-sweet' loses sight of the fact that the story is just that, A STORY. It is easy to point out how unrealistically amazing the Herald school and the people in it are, but I think a large part of that displeasure comes not from the story but the reader frustrated that real life *isn't* more like what they're reading. I mean, the genre is called 'fantasy' after all!

That being said, I do personally wish there had been more 'court intrigue' and more details about the political side of things... but at the same time, I'm rather impressed at Lackey's ability to provide world-building information at a pace that doesn't overwhelm the reader. I think generally speaking all characters lack some depth: Talia's major issue seems to be with trust, and by the end of the book that seems no longer an issue. She's grown into someone who seems to have an endless supply of strength to empathize and minister to those around her, and I think there was the disconnect between me and her-- she becomes an emotional superhero in a way, and that was much harder to relate to in comparison to the fear and brokenness she presents with in the beginning. The other characters, Heralds-In-Training and the full Heralds all seem cut from the same 'kind sweet caring' cloth, and despite their personal quirks I found they all started to blend together because they were all acting so similarly. The queen was one of the most intriguing characters for me, because I felt I saw a lot more of the pressure on her-- her struggle felt a lot more constant and 'real' than anyone else's in the book. But I found it odd that we are introduced to Elspeth and then we step away from 'The Brat' problem for over half the book before coming back to it. Yet I'm impressed that, despite misgivings concerning pacing and characters, Lackey is somehow able to soothe me into disbelief suspension over and over again. She has the rare gift of being able to stretch that willing suspension to it's very furthest without severing it.

I know there are *many* more Valdemar books, and I am very interested to see where the overarching stories go. Will they all retain the same sort of radiation of comfort as this first book, or will Lackey take the reader to darker emotional places? What is the place of this book in the grand scheme of her storytelling? Will style and voice change-- if I understand the timeline, this was one of Lackey's earliest books. How will Valdemar evolve as she slowly defines the world?

Very eager to get to reading the next books.(less)

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Apr 20, 2011 Desiree rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

When I was a kid I had to share books with my brother. My parents usually bought books that we both could read. The rare treat of a book exclusively to my taste was reserved to birthday or Christmas presents, or when I was ill and had to be convinced to lay in bed all day.
One sleepy afternoon when I was sick with the flu, my dad brought me home Arrows of the Queen, I must have been around 14 or 15...instant love. I finished the book on that same day, and re-read it almost immediately.
I guess it...more

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Aug 29, 2010 Kristina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I should start out by mentioning that I’ve been enamored by the Heralds of Valdemar Series since I was 10. I’ve loved these books so much that I re-read them every summer, without fail!

This time around was just as enjoyable as every other time I’ve read my very worn-out copy. The country of Valdemar is unique compared to other worlds I’ve been introduced to in fantasy. Each area has a set of customs and a general persona surrounding it; the Holderkin folk are more reserved, and frown upon unseem...more I should start out by mentioning that I’ve been enamored by the Heralds of Valdemar Series since I was 10. I’ve loved these books so much that I re-read them every summer, without fail!

This time around was just as enjoyable as every other time I’ve read my very worn-out copy. The country of Valdemar is unique compared to other worlds I’ve been introduced to in fantasy. Each area has a set of customs and a general persona surrounding it; the Holderkin folk are more reserved, and frown upon unseemly behavior, while the fisherfolk in Lake Evendim are more rowdy.

The main character, Talia, originally hailed from the Holderkin folk. Due to this, she’s a very reclusive, shy, and fearful creature being thrust into a world of Heralds. Heralds are those who are chosen by Companions (can be likened to a horse) and form an intense bond with them. What I loved most about Talia is that she isn’t your average “Mary-Sue” character: she’s been described as not pretty and has her fair share of flaws to balance her strengths. There were a lot of times where she was average at best, and was humble enough to recede “winning” to her other classmates. Throughout the entire novel, you could visibly (well, okay, not visibly, but you get what I mean!) see her transform from this tiny, mouse-like thirteen-year-old into a reasonably sure, confident woman of sixteen years who knew where her place was.

I was always a bit put-off with where Talia started at: the Hold. The idea of a woman’s inferiority was like a slap in the face, since I’m very much for equality between genders. I know it probably didn’t reflect Lackey’s personal beliefs, but I had to shake my head in disgust every time I read the beginning of the book and see how broken Talia had become because of the males’ superiority complexes in the Hold. She lost so much spirit that we heard of her fear of men on a recurring basis. It lifted a bit towards the end, but I felt for Talia on such a profound level. Poor thing.

There were four major storylines in this novel: Talia’s encounter with the Heraldic world and being accustomed to the Collegium, her misfortunes with the Blues, reforming “The Brat” into “Elspeth”, and lastly, honing her abilities of her gift. There was a noticeable shift between them – you’d be reading about the Blues, then all of a sudden we’re thrust into Talia’s new roles with The Brat – yet it was discreet enough to not realize we were venturing into another “plot” in the book until later.

Interactions with characters were... pleasant, for lack of a better word. Being a Herald entitles the fact that you can’t be evil or else your Companion would repudiate you, so everyone was pretty friendly with each other. However, I felt that a lot of the characters personalities meshed together. I could never distinguish between Teren’s or Kyril’s “voices”, and almost everyone spoke similarly. I suppose I shouldn’t be nit-picky about that, because Heralds are inherently personality “readers”, but it put me off a little bit. The only characters that stood out, really, were Skif and Elspeth.

My favorite characters HAD to be Jadusand Skif. I loved the emotional stability they gave to Talia. It was hard not to like Skif: he was a trouble-maker that knew how to put a smile on my face. With Jadus, though, I mostly sympathized for him. If I were in Talia’s position, I know I would have quickly befriended him, as well. There’s something about elderly folk that just screams at my heart-strings, and Jadus certainly needed a friend in his lonely days.

I loved the plot, especially the bondings with Companions. It was slightly reminiscent of Impressing a dragon in The Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey. I’ve always been fascinated in having a bond with another being that transcended all boundaries, and the Companions were no different! The pacing of the novel wasn’t too shabby, although I did get a little sidetracked after the Elspeth arc (but that was due to personal issues). Tragedies and fast-paced events littered the pages of Arrows of the Queen, but I liked it that way. In a world of fantasy, I expect to be thrown every which way without getting a full impact until after it’s over, so I like a “busy” plotline.(less)

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Jul 06, 2012 Willfor rated it 3 of 5 stars

Basically, I liked it! For some reason it draws on a lot of the same pulls I get from reading Robin Hobb's stuff, more pulling me along with the characters that I don't really mind when there isn't as much story as there is a lot of stuff about the world. Not there there isn't a story. I'm not going any further down this thread.

Anyway!

I read this very fast, and more than one day ago. Little details have already faded, but I did enjoy Talia's coming into her own. Misty Lackey definitely does not...more

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May 17, 2011 Shera (Book Whispers) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: epic-fantasy, witches-mages-druids-wizards-other

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, David Eddings, and other popular male authors where about it for Epic Fantasy exposure when I was first starting out in the genre. So it came as a shock when the allure of a female voice was so addicting after being bombarded with male writing—in fact Lackey was the first female EF author I had ever read back when. It was a shock to read a book that actually had emotions and plots that worked with them. Of course the idea of mystical horses that ca...more

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Mar 17, 2011 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, favorites

Not the first Lackey I read, but the first of the Valdemar books. I first read it as a teenager, when I could relate to a 13 year old heroine. Even with a teenage leading character, this series doesn't belong in the YA section; looking back now, I think the only reason I enjoyed it, and its successors, so much was that I didn't catch everything that was going on. Reading it as an adult I notice a few more flaws, but it's still a favorite, as many times as I've read it. Plot is rather thin on the...more

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May 27, 2012 Mandy rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is one of my favorite books, and I've read it so many times it's started falling apart.

Growing up, I had a hard life, and Talia's story, being carried off by a magical creature away from her horrible family and into a new life, and a grand adventure, struck a chord in me. I completely empathized with her character.

At first, Talia starts off as shy, quiet, and does her best to stay in the background, but she gradually grows to be more confident in herself and in her abilities. In the next tw...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Roxanne Rebusit rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's been a while since I've reread this, but my recollection is that I still rather enjoyed it - certainly it's not as solid in certain aspects as some of her other work, but still pretty good. I've read most of Lackey's other work and I think that in comparison this is a little less grounded than others in the series that were written later in her career. This is with good reason - it's the first written and published in the series and so there was a lot of potential worldbuilding left to acco...more

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Feb 12, 2012 Rebecca Ann rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: a-fantasy-high

This book would be an excellent choice for lovers of the Alanna series by Tamora pierce. I found the plot-lines disturbingly similar, but I like the idea of a woman knight enough to let that fly.

This is a highly character driven story, but the characters are all a bit goody goody for my taste. Everyone is immediately labeled as "good" by virtue of being chosen for their calling, so there is little to no complexity or development. Talia is also a complete Mary Sue. People love her almost on sigh...more

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About Mercedes Lackey

Mercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts &...more Mercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.

"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as `my job.' My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of `story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the `folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.

"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't `not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a `high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL [`There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the `evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.

"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:

"There's no such thing as `one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."

Also known as Misty Lackey.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/merced...(less)

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Books by Mercedes Lackey

Magic's Pawn (Valdemar: Last Herald-Mage, #1)

Magic's Price (Valdemar: Last Herald-Mage, #3)

Magic's Promise (Valdemar: Last Herald-Mage, #2)

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Arrows of the Queen (Valdemar: Arrows of the Queen #1)

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