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31st out of 80 books
—
24 voters
Storm Rising (Valdemar: Mage Storms #2)
In Storm Rising, mysterious mage-storms are wreaking havoc on Valdemar, Karse, and all the kingdoms of the West, plaguing these lands not only with disastrous earthquakes, monsoons, and ice storms, but also with venomous magical constructs - terrifying creatures out of nightmare. Both Valdemar's Heralds and Karse's Sunpriests struggle to marshal their combined magical reso...more
Paperback, 416 pages
Published
October 1st 1996
by DAW
(first published 1995)
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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 ch...more
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 ch...more
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 qual...more
Things are getting ugly all over the world. The mage storms are growing and wreaking utter havoc. Our young hero Karal, even with the help of his avatar firecat Altra and (equine-esque) Companion Florian, feels way in over his head. He's one of the few who ISN'T magical, is in fact a living CHANNEL for magic - a singularly painful talent. Nothing like being someone everyone can use!
Hard for old enemies to let go of distrust long enough to become allies. Sometimes committees can be counterproduct...more
Hard for old enemies to let go of distrust long enough to become allies. Sometimes committees can be counterproduct...more
This is the second book of the Mage Storms trilogy, so you should read Storm Warning first--in fact I'd go back further than that, and read the Arrows of the Queen with Talia and the succeeding books.
I'm a fan of Lackey's Heralds of Valdemar books, for me they're like visiting with old friends. I like the concept of the Heralds and their horse-shaped magical Companions, and this series in interesting in that you're seeing Valdemar from the point of view of someone hailing from their traditional...more
I'm a fan of Lackey's Heralds of Valdemar books, for me they're like visiting with old friends. I like the concept of the Heralds and their horse-shaped magical Companions, and this series in interesting in that you're seeing Valdemar from the point of view of someone hailing from their traditional...more
A good second book. A lot of trilogies fall prey to the second-book lull, and while I have a feeling that this will turn out to be the least exciting of the three, there were some major events in this second installment that will turn out to play a major part in the third book (I think). A lot more character development here, and we see some romance (some falling apart, some coming together). Lackey's writing continues to be excellent--the plot progresses at a steady rate and the storytelling is...more
Jun 25, 2012
Ward Bond
added it
In Storm Rising, mysterious mage-storms are wreaking havoc on Valdemar, Karse, and all the kingdoms of the West, plaguing these lands not only with disastrous earthquakes, monsoons, and ice storms, but also with venomous magical constructs - terrifying creatures out of nightmare. Both Valdemar's Heralds and Karse's Sunpriests struggle to marshal their combined magical resources to protect their realms from these devastating, spell-fueled onslaughts. But as the situation becomes bleaker and bleak
...more
Jul 28, 2012
Maria
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommended to Maria by:
Wyatt
Shelves:
science-fiction-fantasy
Imaginative and creative in numerous ways, this book is a treat. Firesong's plight provides many moments of anxiety, An'desha continues to grow and mature, Karal meets two of the Avatars of the Star-Eyed, so now he has been introduced to spirits from three worlds, four if you count the Guardian of Iftel, plus he stands up to the Son of the Sun and proves he is finally an adult. Can't wait to see who he meets in the final book of the series. He is proving to be a priest of some versatility, going...more
With Grand Duke Tremane now stuck in Hardorn due to the unpredictability of magic, the Empire decides that the disruptions are caused by the Valdemarans. Karal and his companions (including a Firecat!!!) delve deeper into the causes of the magic disruption, and come up with an unpleasant solution...
I love the way Tremane tries to make the best of things while he is stuck in Hardorn, and the way that he is characterised makes him a really sympathetic character, because you know that he tried his...more
I love the way Tremane tries to make the best of things while he is stuck in Hardorn, and the way that he is characterised makes him a really sympathetic character, because you know that he tried his...more
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...more
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Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar series provides one of the cornerstones of my reading history. After discovering her when quite young, I still follow new additions to the series - nearly twenty years later! I read and re-read these books over and over again throughout my youth, but I haven't re-read this series in its entirety in a long time - and never as an adult. There are some new books added to the series since the last time I read them, so this re-reading project is pretty exciting for me since...more
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Storm Rising is a strong middle volume to the series. Other than the "Firesong goes slowly mad" plotline - which, while sort of interesting in that an established character becomes an unreliable narrator over the course of a handful of POVs, is just too unsubtle and way too whiny to really appeal - the characters remain delightful, and while there's no real plot arc outside of the larger crisis (and the ending feels totally tacked-on) it's exactly the sort of collection of escapades that I like...more
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I read this series a long time ago and enjoyed it immensely. Now that I'm reading it again, I find that I'm enjoying it just as much. The first books in the Valdemar Series (for me, anyway), The Arrows of The Queen, I own and love. They are Talia's story; these books are Karal's story. Both of them touch and inspire me.
Alas, that I now feel obligated to read the third book in this trilogy. The silly things I do when overwhelmed by work!
Okay, it's not actually all that bad. It's certainly interesting, if not particularly compelling or well-written.
Okay, it's not actually all that bad. It's certainly interesting, if not particularly compelling or well-written.
Mercedes has created the fabulous world of Valdemar. It is chock full of Magic,mystery,romance,suspense. One of the best fantasy series I've ever read.
I liked this one better than the 1st in the series. Karal becomes more fleshed out, and the dynamics between An'desha and Firesong are great.
In which Karal proves himself, Tremayne finds himself in charge and under threat and Andesha grows up. Fabulous
Lackey is one of my favorite authors ever! I started reading her in 8th grade but I will still pull out her books to reread them. Her character building is really her main strength – you want to meet her characters – which is probably why I always reach for her books as a pick-me-up, it’s like talking to old friends. Following the Valdemar timeline these books would come directly after the “Winds” trilogy. I love the main character in this book and the upcoming crisis that this trilogy deals wit...more
Lackey needed to stop writing more Valdemar stuff. But again, it didn't utterly suck or anything.
Definitely the weakest of the Valdemar books I've reread lately, this one is very much a second book. A collection of stuff happens but none of it is linked by one major theme. The only plotline that really worked start to finish was the Firesong's descent into madness plotline, which I think could have benefitted from being the main plot, because the rest of the novel really lacked focus. While I appreciate Lackey's attempt to do an ensemble cast rather than focus on one or two characters, I re...more
Awesome, awesome.
Good fun book. I enjoy the entire line of Valdemar books.
absolutely spectacular!!!!!!!! i love th end!
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I found it engaging and interesting. I cared more for the characters in this trilogy than the ones in Winds. I enjoy Lackey; these books aren't masterpieces but they are heart-warming and fun. I also liked seeing the series come full circle.
This book continues the story of impending war and magic run amok in Valdemar. Duke Tremane is an interesting character. He starts out as the enemy, but changes during the course of the novel.
A little slower than the last book, but the pace got better halfway through. Jacky has definitely developed better romances than this book has. I'm not sure that this one leaves you panting for the next one in the series.
I like this author, but all of her books that I have read need a mild to moderate sexual content advisory.
comfort book left over from high school. YA fantasy at it's best/worst!
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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
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Feb 16, 2013 03:20am