50 in '10: #16

[sakon76]

Title: Exile's Honor
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Length: 431 pages


So. One of the (relatively newer) Valdemar novels I'd not read. This is actually a pretty good read, with suitably complex emotions and politics. That said, I have a few problems with it. First, and most egregious, is Deus Ex Horsie. It very much feels like every time the author can't write herself out of a corner, she resorts to sending in a Companion. Second, while I appreciated the oblique references to some of the other books in the universe, the references to Brightly Burning felt like "OMG u guys I've like written this other book about this other Herald and it is like totally amazing and you should go buy it!!1!!11!". And, third, her foreshadowing of what happens in the Arrows trilogy was really painfully done. "And, like, this guy isn't long for the world, and BTW oes noes DON'T TRUST THE GRAND VIZIER~!"

That said, I overall liked the book and I did like reading more about a character who I remember in passing from the Arrows books. So, verdict: recommended.

Comments

[aishuu.livejournal.com]

Totally forgot to respond to this. Did you read "Exile's Valor" yet? This book, that one, and "Take a Thief" are kind of the prequel series to Arrows. It totally doesn't fit into the canon of Arrows perfectly, but they're fun.