Closer to Home
Mercedes Lackey
DAW, Oct 7 2014, $25.95
ISBN: 9780756408992
In Haven, Valdemar, Mags the Herald is with his Companion Dallen when he hears the Mindvoice
shriek of the King’s Own Nikolas. Using Mindvoice
he tries to contact Nikolas but his mentor fails to respond. Dallen and Mags see Nikolas floating in the
nearby river. On top of Dallen, Mags
pulls Nikolas onto the shore, but he is not breathing. Using the Breath of Life technique Bear taught
him, Mags saves Nikolas’ life.
Rolan the Companion selects the incapacitated Nikolas’ panicked daughter
Amily to replace him as the King’s Own though the monarch Kyril fears having an
untested young female in such a critical position. Complicating matters for the new King’s Own
and the monarch is a treasonous coup to extinguish
the Heralds and fill the power void.
With unprecedented Mindspeech skill, Mags assists Amily in an attempt to
uncover the traitors before the Collegium is shattered, its Heralds eradicated
and King Kyril loses the throne.
The first Herald Spy Valdemar fantasy is a fabulous opening act as
Mags (no longer a stranger in a strange land) and Amily face impossible
odds. Both fear they’re not ready for
the big leagues without adult supervision (Nikolas), but they bravely team-up
to do the right thing with so much at stake.
Fast-paced throughout, yet vivid Valdemar and the key cast (particularly
the protagonists and their companions) seem genuine. Genre readers, especially series fans, will
delight in returning to Valdemar.
Harriet Klausner
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