Book Description
Complete Mage™
A Player’s Guide to All Things Arcane
Skip Williams Penny Williams
Ari Marmell Kolja Raven Liquette
Arcane Power at Your Fingertips
Every sentient creature is born with some potential to work magic. However, true mastery of arcane magic requires skill, practice, and power beyond the reach of common folk–specifically, the power to harness raw magic and shape it into a desired effect. You are among those gifted few who have learned to channel arcane magic, shaping it to serve your creative or destructive whims.
This D&D® supplement is intended for players and Dungeon Masters. In addition to providing the definitive treatise on arcane magic, it expands the character options available to users of arcane magic, including bards, sorcerers, wizards, assassins, warlocks, and wu jen. Herein you’ll find never-before-seen prestige classes, spells and invocations, magic items, alchemical items, heritage feats, and reserve feats (a new type of feat that grants special abilities to those who remain charged with magical power). Alternative class features give other character classes–from the barbarian to the rogue–a little taste of what it’s like to be an arcanist without sacrificing their core identities.
For use with these Dungeons & Dragons® core books
Player’s Handbook™ Dungeon Master’s Guide™ Monster Manual™
Customer Reviews:
Great product.......2007-09-06
This book really enhances the D & D system. It gives the various arcane classes alternatives on how they came into their abilities
Generally ok, with a few very nice additions.......2007-05-13
Reading the first chapter, I was pleasantly surprised to see how the fundamentals are laid down; a quick overview of the differences between arcane magic, divine and innate magic. Then some slightly more in depth than Player's Guide articles on the various spellschools and finally very nice to read the various archetypes. I especially liked the miniguides that accompanied the archetypes, which explain why you should or shouldn't select certain spells or feats. Very nice for me anyway, because I'm not too experienced and the thought processes described really helped me think for myself.
An intriguing chapter 2 'Character Options' has a section 'Alternative Class Features' which describes how you can modify and augment some specific class. For example there's an alternative class feature called 'Spell Sense' for barbarians or rogues that allows you to swap the trap sense class features for an extra dodge bonus to your AC against spells. It adds some more options for you as player.
Then there's a section about a new type of feat: the Reserve Feat. Ofcourse the other types are still described - like heritage and tactical feats - and added feats for, but reserve feats are feats that provide secondary effects for spells you carry. For example "Acidic Splatter" allows you to cast a lower level orb of acid as long as you have an 2nd+ level acidic spell available to cast. There are various kinds of secondary effects for different feats way (including traveling plains at will). In addition to this secondary effect, most reserve feats add an extra competence bonus for castingtype-related spells. The general idea behind reserve feats is to be able to use your innate magical potential in more encounters without using your spell slots with every cast. It's like there suddenly many shades of gray between the extremes 'cast a spell' and 'don't cast a spell'. Also, they can't be countered, fail, ignore spell resistance and don't need any components.
Then there are ofcourse a handful of prestiege classes and a basket full of new spells as well as some items. I won't go into those; you can probably find those reviews anywhere on the Internet already. Plus, I'm not the guy for that anyway.
Finally there's the chapter for DM's that contains a list of hundred arcane based adventure ideas, and describes various arcane related game facets such as magic item shops, mercenary spellcasters, crafting, creature born of magic experiments and whatnot. In addition, there are the 'magical locations' as treasure, which basically states a magical location somehow made available to the player characters that in itself is the treasure because of the specialness and rewards that come from it. There are a number of predescribed magical locations ready for you to use accompanied by some maps.
Conclusion:
All in all, not everything is new and half of the book is the usual fluff. But combined with the various new features and options it makes for a nice book to join your collection. No unusual well writing or rich background history and characterization (though the archetype section does provide some), just straight up information... mostly.
Complete Mage: Ok but not great.......2007-03-23
Some new spells and feats but a lot is just fluff.
Worth it.......2007-03-22
Sincerely I hoped not too much for this book. There was a Complete Arcane already, and much more about wizards/sorcerers in other books. But it suprised me with some new concept, mostly in the feats section. The reserve feats are good for wizards to add them more "long-term usability" in adventures, and tactical feats have their - albeit more special - uses as well. Some prestige classes are good extensions too (master specialist for example), so all in all its a much better book than I anticipated, maybe better than Complete Arcane was.
Good Book.......2007-02-18
I have to admit I am a bit weary of all the splatbooks that WOTC keeps pumping out. But I perused this one in the bookstore first then bought it online. It's not as good as the complete arcane was, but its got interesting feats, prestige classes and spells for the players. A good buy overall if you are currently playing a mage or want to play on in the future.
Book Description
The prestigious King's Cavalla of Gernia has been ravaged by the Speck plague. The deadly disease has decimated the ranks of both cadets and instructors, and the few survivors remain weak and frail. Many have been forced to relinquish their military ambitions and will return to their families to face lives of dependency and disappointment.
As the academy infirmary empties, cadet Nevare Burvelle also prepares to journey home. But far from being a broken man, Nevare has made an astonishingly robust recovery from the Speck plague. Furthermore, while in the grip of the plague, he defeated his Speck nemesis, freeing himself, he believes, from the Speck magic that infected him. As he begins the journey to his ancestral home of Widevale, he is in high spirits, expecting a jubilant homecoming, a tender reunion with his beautiful fiancée, Carsina, and a bright future as a commissioned officer.
Yet back in the shelter of his family, Nevare finds his nights still haunted by visions of his Speck self betraying everything he holds dear in his waking life, and his days tormented by a rare side effect of the Speck plague that shames his family—and repulses Carsina. Though he expected to slip back into his family fold effortlessly, Nevare finds himself instead caught between the sensual, enchanting realm of the Specks and his own ancestry, the world he has always known.
And then the magic in Nevare's blood—magic that he thought he had destroyed—roars to life, and he realizes that his most dangerous enemy, an enemy that seeks to destroy all he loves, might dwell within him. . . .
Customer Reviews:
Talent, but no Skill.......2007-09-18
I am still a huge Robin Hobb fan. I think I am going to have trouble defining and describing this book as my feelings are so mixed. So don't be surprised if I say something nice and then negate it in the next sentence; I am going to try and sort out my feelings through this review (and hope that people read it when they are looking through the series for the last book to come out in January 2008).
Let me start by saying I am a huge Robin Hobb fan. I enjoyed 9 of her 10 first books. I could not get into Soldiers Son though, and for good reason. I wrote a separate review for that book, so I won't get into it here, but it almost felt to me as though someone else was using the Hobb name and not the Hobb skill that she so artfully employed during the first three trilogies she penned (under the name Hobb at least).
Then that brings us to this book. I refused to buy it full price hard cover. I am such a huge fan I have all 10 previous books in hard cover, yet I wouldn't buy this one. Finally I caved when I found the hardcover for 4 bucks; I figured I have spent $4 on really dumb things - at least I can try this one out. And I have to say - I am glad that I bought the book. I am glad that I experienced it, I don't know if I am overall happy about the experience itself, but I did feel the hint of some of the same emotions I felt in previous books.
And so I read the book, unwillingly through the first 30 or 40 pages. Then slowly, 1 page at a time I became engrossed. I couldn't put it down after a while and sped through to the end. What had happened? I was pulled against my will into the book and read it despite my earlier reservations. So that should be the mark of a good book right? One that grabs the reader up and won't let them go? A book that makes you become deeply embedded in the characters lives so that you think you are living the choices they make? Maybe the case for most books - but not this one.
Overall I think the best way to describe my experience with this book is to say the following - as a reader you have to fight the book and see it through. I became engrossed with the character which can only mean that Hobb did a good job of writing the humanity of the character such that I empathised with their plight and wanted to see a resolution. Unfortunately I fought the character each step of the way - every single decision or action that the character made had me questioning the book and its motives. Hobb here, I think, has done the impossible. She has made me empathize with a character that I do not like, nor do I agree with any action he took throughout the entire book. I grew very tired of his antics (Nevares), yet I needed to see how he would end up becasue Hobb created a compelling enough storyline around him.
Which leads to my biggest issue with the book. The characters in general are caricatures, I think the only character that acts half human is Epiny. She at least has some gumption and spirit and does what a reader would hope of a main character - take action. And that is the biggest dissapointment of the book - that Nevare is such a disapointment. He is our protagonist, we want him to make strong decisions and be an example of the best of humanity out there. We want to see him make the tough choices, do the impossible - yet the only thing we find is that he is impossibly mired in his own simple thoughts. His repetitious musings and countless simplemindedness throughout the story really make the reader struggle with the story.
*Spoilers* Nevare gets kicked out of home for being fat. Fine, but he tries to explain himself to his father in a reasonable manner by telling his father about the magic. Reasonable? Nevare thinks the world is out to get him and just keeps on trucking down the impossible path of trying to explain himself to a world that just doesn't care. He floats along the world, the magic continues to try to make him do things, he whines about not knowing what the magic wants, we are confronted with the main story about halfway through the book (road going through sacred groves of trees) and Nevare all but ignores it for the entire 2/3 of the book. Some main character! Some hero! He is contnet to dig graves, be reviled throughout town and do nothing about it.
I just can't see how he would act like this. I hate that I care how he acts, but every single choice, every single conversation, and every single decision he made I took issue with and would have done something different. So although I wanted to see what would happen to the storyline, I started to not like the main character. And what book will succeed if the main character is not liked by the reader? What the point of a book then!
I still didn't feel quite right the entire story, but at least I got out some of the thoughts I was feeling. I think Hobb has written a compelling storyling, and maybe we will see some characters step up next book and take over for the stumbling Nevare. We will see. I will probably end up buying it in hardcover though.
Sobfest the second........2007-08-12
I Love Robin Hobbs previous books, but this trilogy does nothing but dissapoint, sure the writing is still wonderful and Williams style is essentially unchanged. However the main character is just so unlikable. He is whiny, melodramatic and annoying. This made it really hard to get in to the book because you just don't care whats going on. All of the genuinely likable characters seem to throw themselves in the way of the often well deserved troubles of the protanginst. All in all the books well written imagary and well rounded characters just can't save this book from its protaginist.
Absorbing and Painful.......2007-08-11
I love Robin Hobbs' books. She writes wonderfully and attaches you to the characters in her story. When I started reading Forest Mage I was once again pulled in by her first person writing and attention to detail. I could feel Nevare's pain and humiliation. Unfortunately, the pain was to acute and I could not make it past page 200 when I realized that he would never loose the weight that he had been cursed with from the Speck plague.
Hobbs writes this tale of a man cursed with majic fat. This fat cannot be lost through diet or excercise. The fat changes the way people perceive him, gets him kicked out of the Academy, and disowned by his family. I would love to know all that happens but the first person telling of this poor man's distruction was to difficult. I stopped reading this book several months ago but I can't get Nevare and his plight out of my mind. I mourn the loss of this book and hope that one day I will be able to confront Nevare's life again.
I highly recommend her other three series. I could not put them down.
Book 2 of a trilogy.......2007-06-27
This was an interesting book, which like many 2nd books in a trilogy leaves a lot hanging. I will be glad to see the concluding book when it is published.
I don't have the words for how good this book is, but I wrote a lot of them anyway........2007-06-26
Robin Hobb, Forest Mage (Eos, 2006)
In all the pictures I've seen of Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden--aka Robin Hobb--she is slender, almost elfin, with a glint in her eye and an open, welcoming smile. After reading Forest Mage, I find myself wondering if the person in those photos is, in fact, Robin Hobb. Why? Because I have a very hard time believing that anyone that thin can write a fat guy, and write him with the fabulous, if unsettling, dead-on precision with which Hobb gives us Nevare Burvelle.
Now, those of you reading this and remembering Shaman's Crossing might be wondering what on earth I'm on about. Nevare? The fighting-fit cadet kid? Is a fat guy? Surprise! When we last left Gernia, the Speck plague had finally loosed its hold on Old Thares, thanks in no small part to Nevare and his dream-battle with Tree Woman. Nevare survived, of course, as did some of his friends, but this is a Robin Hobb story. No one gets out unchanged. While most of the Speck Plague survivors are weakened and thin as rails, Nevare's recovery goes the other way--without eating, and while still doing the same amount of exercise, Nevare becomes grossly fat. (Well, not grossly fat by today's standards. When he despairs that he's developing a second chin, I actually snorted.) The Academy's doctor says it's not an unheard-of side effect, but it's a rare one. Nevare has a chance to get himself back into trim, though; he's taking a month off from the Academy to head back home to his brother's wedding. And from there, his troubles really begin...
I've covered maybe the first thirty pages of the seven hundred plus in Forest Mage, and I'll warn you: like most of Hobb's books (Fool's Fate being the sterling exception to the rule), Forest Mage gets off to a slow, slow start. It took me five times as long to get through the first fifty pages as it did to get through the last six hundred sixty-eight. That, too, is typical of Hobb; once the book sinks its claws into you, food and sleep become secondary considerations. You just have to pay a small price to get there. And in this case, "there" is definitely somewhere you want to be. I liked Shaman's Crossing, and I liked it a lot better than many of those I know who have loved Hobb's previous trilogy of trilogies, but it never got to that point where it just ran roughshod over me the way Fool's Fate or, going back a bit farther, Ship of Magic, did. Forest Mage ended up eclipsing both in my estimation, and a large part of that has to do with what I referenced in the first paragraph. I'm a fat guy. I get it. And when Hobb, who has long been an exceptional worker of characters, turns her eye to Nevare's plight, she depicts it better than any book I've read with a fat character. That includes nonfiction books on eating disorders. The details she comes up with are things that research won't tell you; you have to be there. Having to hold your breath when bending over to tie your shoe? That detail, however, small, stopped me in my tracks. Who thinks about stuff like that?
The fat guy, that's who. I think about it every morning. I have no choice in the matter.
One interesting--and probably far more relevant to the average-sized fantasy reader--side effect of Nevare suddenly becoming a fat guy is that the book enters a whole new realm of sensuality for Hobb's writing. Seriously, there are times when this book borders on food porn. If you've attended any wine-tasting classes, or watched specials about that sort of thing on TV, you'll respond when Nevare is discussing the sensation of eating bread. (Amusingly, a few minutes after I finished this, I flipped on the TV, and there was a segment on HRTV's show Inside Information about jockey Alex Solis' new vineyard. So I had a chance to double-check. It was eerie.) And this, too, is a fat-guy obsession; things do get a lot more physical. You notice things more. Maybe it's the latent sensualist in all of us coming forth, I don't know. But it's there. The ability to smell the ingredients of a stew, or to taste perfume in the air. Yeah. That's real. I could keep going, but I'll just say to trust me on this--Hobb nailed that character. I couldn't have written him better, and I AM the fat guy. (This is, of course, assuming any fiction I turned out were of a high enough quality to black Hobb's boots. I put away such childish fantasies long ago, which is the main reason I write poetry.)
Okay, fat guy aside, this book also flays open any pretense we had about the idea that Nevare and Fitz are fundamentally different characters. (For those of you just joining us, Fitz--FitzChivalry Farseer--was the hero-ish type from the Farseer and Tawny Man trilogies.) Whereas Nevare was something of a self-obsessed idiot in Shaman's Crossing, he never got anywhere near the level of self-obsessed idiocy that Fitz comes to realize he's displaying roundabout the end of the second book of the Farseer trilogy. (I'm sure any of you who read it remember exactly what I'm talking about, and its rather severe consequences.) He gets there in this book. And a hundred fifty pages from the end, I was sure I knew where Hobb was going with this, and that it was going to be a replay of the Farseer books, and that as much as I was stunned and grateful that Nevare existed, I was going to end up blasting this book for its ending. I should have known better. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if Hobb was going for that exact reaction. She's too good at setting the reader up to expect one thing, and then dropping another on him. After all, she does it to her lead characters. Every single time. When someone in a robin Hobb novel attempts a selfless act, there are always unforeseen, and sometimes vast, consequences. Do something selfish, and jeez, you're up the creek. Nevare, self-obsessed idiot that he is, and just like Fitz before him, does a wealth of things in this book, of both types. (If anything, Nevare strikes me as a touch less selfish than Fitz; that could be the differences in the early years. You see what I mean about the level of detail Hobb works with?) And, yeah, you're reading Robin Hobb. You know what's coming. Nevare, though, achieves a level of self-awareness here that Fitz never found, though one gets the idea that Hobb subscribes to the idea--in fact, one of the characters, Buel Hitch, comes within a hair of saying it--that one first actually learns something when one admits one knows nothing at all. Knowledge, in Robin Hobb's universe, is an onion that's been sitting out for a few days. Not only does getting through one layer just make you realize how much more there is to go, but man, the thing stinks.
I give out very few five-star reviews per year; I can't check any more (thanks to a hard drive crash), but I'm relatively certain the highest number of five-star book reviews I've given in a single year is four. (Again, for those who have just joined us; in a typical year, that's one to two percent of the books I read.) It wasn't that long ago that Fool's Fate got one of those five-star reviews. It's my favorite Hobb novel, and it's just about perfect in every way. Or, until about five-thirty last night, it was my favorite Hobb novel. As I said, I enjoyed Shaman's Crossing. But it did not, in any way, prepare me for the tour de force that is Forest Mage. If you gave up on this trilogy because of Shaman's Crossing, I implore you to give Forest Mage a try, because I guarantee it will restore your faith in Robin Hobb. Claws and kicks its way to the title of the best book I've read (so far) in 2007. *****
Average customer rating:
- The best game in the World of Darkness
- I wish they'd reprint this game!
- My Favorite WoD Game, Hands Down.
- This is what the game always should have been
- Not for everyone...
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Mage: The Ascension (Mage)
Phil Brucato ,
Brian Campbell ,
Chris Hind ,
Kevin A. Murphy ,
Nicky Rea ,
John R. Robey ,
Kathleen Ryan ,
Teeuwynn Woodruff , and
Allen Varney
Manufacturer: White Wolf Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1565044002 |
Customer Reviews:
The best game in the World of Darkness.......2003-05-21
This is the best game in White Wolf's game universe. I have never played a game with so many possibilities. This book is the core rulebook for Mage the Ascension Second Edition. The book contains everything you need to understand the Mage universe. Every aspect of the game is elaborated on fully or contains enough information for you to come up with the rest of the details. The book focuses on the Traditions but there is also a good amount of information on the Technocratic Union, Marauders, and Nephandi for you to use. The worlds beyond the Gauntlet and Horizon are also touched on along with sample umbrood. With this book any game is possible. You want to play a fireball-chucking mage? No problem. How about a hacker from the Matrix? There's a Tradition available just for that. Want to play a tough martial artist who can catch bullets? There are rules for that too. This is a great book that can stand alone without supplements, unlike its revised edition.
I wish they'd reprint this game!.......2001-02-20
I really do wish they'd reprint it! Mage 2nd edition has potential! Stories can *happen* in it! It's not a bunch of gaming execs trying to squeeze a few bucks out of Vampire and Werewolf players so they can have stupid little duels to prove which kind of supernatural PC is tougher, unlike some more recent stuff! Mage 2nd edition is the *total* modern fantasy game!
My Favorite WoD Game, Hands Down........2001-01-17
Let's face it, in the World of Darkness, hope is all too rare. Vampires are abberations of the natural order whose agelessness serves only to illustrate the beauty of death. Werewolves are fighting a losing battle against the Wyrm, the spirit of active destruction. Wraiths are dead souls wishing for Oblivion. Hunters are angsty mortals with nary a clue about their benefactors' identities ... but they kill the Outsiders anyway. (Changelings I don't know, sorry.)
And among all this chaos ... the Mage stands tall, looking to Ascend.
Oh, it's not all fuzzy bunnies, being a Mage. There's pain, and death, and the rest of the World of Darkness to contend with. But Mages have something to fight for other than survival. They have ideals. (Perhaps morbid ideals, but nobody ever said morbid is wrong ...) They have dreams. And, in the World of Darkness as in our own world, the perception of reality shapes reality itself. (Okay, I play too many Malkavians in Vampire. So sue me.) This is what it means to be a Mage.
It would take far more space than I have here to explain the worldview behind Mage. Suffice it to say that Mage (at least Second Edition) is positive in outlook, with a scope that encourages the imagination. This setting focuses on wonder, pain, and Ascension to a higher state. The group Storyteller will either love this game or hate it: love because of the openness of a magic system that's actually -realistic- (okay, you Christians are probably laughing at me now - oh well), or hatred because you've just spent twenty hours of preparation on Umbral Lords and now your players just want to use the spirit world to break into a Technocracy stronghold.
When I read this book for the first time, it was almost a spiritual experience. This is what a magical RPG is supposed to be like, in my view. However, hack-n-slashers can wreak havock on the system, mainly through over-use of Forces. I find that taking Forces away entirely is the best way to deal with this nuisance ... although with a group of powermongers, perhaps Werewolf would be a better game for you.
Warning: Revised Mage takes all the wonder and hope out of the setting and leaves you with the same old gloom and croon of the rest of the World of Darkness. The developers certainly did a wonderful job of making sure that the backstory fit the rest of the WoD, but I'm rather sorry to see hope go. (Life is painful enough without vicarously living through a rotting pile of bones, IMHO.) So, I proudly recommend Mage: The Ascension Second Edition to the Real Roleplayers and Loonies out there, Revised Mage to the Real Men among you (heaven help us all), and Harvard to the Munchkins that exist like worms at the heart of every gaming group...
This is what the game always should have been.......2000-12-20
Forget Revised, this is what the game is really about. A generic setting in which you can launch a game in any time, any where, with any who. The revisions made from visionary-but-glitchy First edition make it much clearer and smoother to run.
Has everything you need to start an Ascension War chronicle (whether you want to get involved in the War or not is another matter), including details on the Technocracy, governments, secret organisations, the Umbra, the Digital Web, and a little on history.
Magick is appropriately powerful, and the game flows much more than the "crunchier" games like Vampire or Werewolf. It's a harder game than those, requiring more in the way of maturity and intelligence, but far more rewarding. And you don't have to play some kind of freaky monster.
Not for everyone..........2000-11-27
yes, I gave it five stars, and I will get to the why. But I do believe, like other reviewers, that this game might not suit everybody, and it is certainly not easy to either explain nor play without running into some quite peculiar pitfalls. I started out with RPGs when I was 12. I have read, played and "directed" at least 10 different RPG systems. Fantasy, star wars, star trek, marvel superheores (anyone whot thinks I was waaay to deep into it is absolutely RIGHT, I was positively addicted). I even wrote a short monthly column on RPGs for an "alternative culture" magazine for a while. So when my best friend and companion in roleplaying introduced me to White Wolf games (with a copy of Mage as a birthday present), I was openly distrustful. (Mages with computers? you gotta be kidding me!). However, I overcame my first impression and read it, read it and re-read it. I was hooked! What was going on with this game was REAL MAGIC! All the other RPGs I have played and directed have the same problem: magic is a static thing, confined to the stereotypes which are known by all: wizened old men, reading out of musty old books, recipes including bat dung and frog eyes. Interminable list of spells, some of them useless, some inaccessible until the characters were incredibly powerful already, and the eternal problem of mages being weak and useless once their spells were spent. Mage: the Ascension is my favorite RPG (out of, like I've mentioned, many others I've met and struggled with for a while). But, it's not for everyone. It's not a game you can throw at the players out of the blue. It's a challenging game for the Storyteller. Yes, it's White Wolf as far as the basic system is concerned, but the Storyteller must do extensive homework ,and at least skim some of the reference works and recommended further readings given by the authors (some of which, BTW, are very good). Otherwise any chronicle will look and sound bland. I agree with other reviewers in that the designers reach out for much and leave a lot of spaces and gaps: I believe this to be intentional. The flexibility implied by a game where reality is "up for grabs" does not allow any hard-and-fast rules regarding the nature of the stories or the possibilities of what the players might do. For example: the Technocracy's struggle can (in my opinion) be seen as equally "noble" than the one from the traditions, in that they can be understood as seeing themselves as protectors of humankind from "what's out there". They can also be insane megalomaniacs out for world domination, will ye or nay ye, but it's another thing the Storyteller must decide beforehand. The Traditions are another kettle of fish: in my opinion they are more guidelines than models to build characters upon. For example: the Akashic Brotherhood is way too big, attempting to encompass many different real-world beliefs in one page of description. Again in my opinion, an Akashic can be fashioned after Indian yogis or Tibetan ascetics just as they can be made to look and act like your regular action-film martial arts master. I tell my players not to delude themselves into thinking that all Akashics are bald, and assume kung-fu stances, and that not all Dreamspeakers wear loincloths and beat drums. The Avatar is another thing that most people I know who've played Mage seem not to understand. It's a great tool for the players to relate to their character and for Storytellers to keep the pace of the story in moments when the players seem to lose track of everything that's going on under their noses, but, again, if the Storyteller is not consistent with the Avatar thing, it either gets left out altogether, or the players see through it and cry foul when the Storyteller turns their Avatars on them. As for the system: I believe it to be a blessing, through and through. White Wolf's system really lets you forgo dozens o dice rolls, and its by far more "realistic" than any other RPG system in my experience. All the White Wolf books insist on it: tell stories first, roll dice only if it helps the story. Because, despite the occassional confusion in interpreting this or that (or finding stuff in the index: I agree, it's dreadful), can anybody deny that a magic system like this would be flat-out impossible to run with any other set of RPG rules? It's a great game, folks, but in order for it to be truly enjoyable and all that it can be, it does require more careful attention and input than other RPGs. Take the contents of this book as GUIDELINES, to be greatly expanded upon, and more than any other RPG let a lot of you into it. Do not be afraid to innovate, to discard what you don't like, and I venture to say that it will prove an unprecedented, exciting experience for all RPG enthusiasts, players and gamemasters alike.
Average customer rating:
- Ozorne's making trouble!
- Dinos bent on Destruction
- A good book in a good series
- Emperor Mage (Immortals)
- A Darkness Unravels
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Emperor Mage (Immortals)
Tamora Pierce
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 1416903372 |
Book Description
Sent to Carthak as part of the Tortallan peace delegation, Daine finds herself in the middle of a sticky political situation. She doesn't like the Carthaki practice of keeping slaves, but it's not her place to say anything -- she's just there to heal the emperor's birds. It's extremely frustrating! What's more, her power has grown in a mysterious way.
As the peace talks stall, Daine puzzles over Carthak's two-faced Emperor Ozorne. How can he be so caring with his birds and so cruel to his people? Daine is sure he's planning something. Daine must fight the powerful Emperor Mage, knowing that the safety and peace of the realm depend on stopping Ozorne's power-hungry schemes.
Customer Reviews:
Ozorne's making trouble!.......2007-03-31
Daine and her teacher Numair Salamin are sent to Carthak as part of the peace legion. But although Ozorne says that he didn't attack Tortall Daine can tell that he's up to something. She can feel it.
In this book Daine is captured by...sorry I won't tell you. Numair tries to save her and...another thing I won't say. Ozorne is growing powerful and Daine see's her power growing in strange ways. Are these powers good or bad?
While Daine is here she meets Kaddar the prince of Carthak and maybe, just maybe they can do something to stop the war and to defeat Ozorne...
Please read this book. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. It has magic, fantasy, action, adventure and a touch of romance.
Dinos bent on Destruction.......2007-02-20
Ever wished you could trash an empiral palace using dinosaurs? Then this book is for you! Animal lovers unite to take out the bad guy.
A good book in a good series.......2007-01-05
I have read this book many times in the past years. Finally being able to own it is great! It has a good storyline and well-thought-out characters. I've loved these books since I was a kid and I hope others read them as well!
Emperor Mage (Immortals).......2007-01-03
I purchased the Immortals series for my granddaughter, who is 12 years old. She read all the books within a period of a week and has subsequently found other titles by Tamora Pierce in her township library. She has developed into quite a Tamora Pierce fan.
A Darkness Unravels.......2006-01-04
Daine and a group of Tortall ambassadors go to Cathak in an attempt to make peace with the Emperor. Daine soon makes friends with the crown prince. However, when she is given a strange power and even stranger things begin to unroll, Daine is swept into it all.
Wonderful book, I couldn't put it down. Pierce carried me through a thrilling place. If you love fantasy, adventure and animals, like me, then you absolutely will love this book. However, this book should be read by young adults and adults. If you're not one of these then the book maybe a little bit too hard for you to follow. But Pierce gives such detail that it feels like you're really inside the book. It is a perfect squeal to Wild Magic and Wolf Speaker.
Average customer rating:
- A Pawn or An Active Player?
- Interesting!
- Great potential, but it didn't seem to reach it.
- A wonderful coming of age tale
- An Utterly Engrossing Series!
|
Magic's Pawn (The Last Herald-Mage Series, Book 1)
Mercedes Lackey
Manufacturer: DAW
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ASIN: 0886773520 |
Customer Reviews:
A Pawn or An Active Player?.......2007-10-10
Mercedes Lackey's Last Herald-Mage trilogy is considered innovative with its sympathetic gay hero,Vanyel. As a character,Vanyel has been accused of being a Gary-Stu,the angsty,uber-powerful alter ego of the other. I dare to disagree. Vanyel begins the story quite flawed and self-centered. He is rightfully considered "a peacock",and when he arrives at the Royal Court of Valdemar to be tutored by his aunt Savil,she doesn't give him special treatment.
Vanyel's journey is like other coming-of-age epics. He matures, comes to understand his powers,stops being passive...and finds love with a youth near his age named Tylendel. To Lackey's credit, Vanyel&Tylendel's brief,beautiful love affair isn't conveyed in a preachy,unrealistic way. When it ends with Tylendel's suicide,it is heart-wrenching and tragic.
Lackey is strong in character development,but not so much with plot. The battle between good and evil remains in the background in contrast to the growing romance,as well as Vanyel's bond with his Companion,Yfandes. Villains are vaguely described. The relationship between Vanyel and Tylendel is not allowed to grow and mature because of Tylendel's suicide. A bothersome contradiction in the story is that Vanyel&his boyfriend keep their affair secret, and are told to do so by Savil. Valdemar is portrayed as a tolerant land,with the motto "No one way is the true way." Why would there still be a stigma on homosexuality? However, Lackey's poetic style outdoes any of the book's weaknesses. The lack of cliches in "Magic's Pawn" makes it a must in any fantasy reader's library.
Interesting!.......2007-09-20
The first of the series, this book sets it up. It is an interesting story but more interesting are the characters. Lackey makes you care about the people in her books. Definitely worth a read!
Great potential, but it didn't seem to reach it. .......2007-06-15
The book's characters are as fascinating as they are endearing, and the world which the story is set in is similarly well done. Unfortunately, I didn't have much of an opportunity to appreciate the author's creativity because much of the story was rushed. Instead of taking her time to develop some anticipation, Lackey throws plot climaxes at you mere moments after they are introduced. Many of the events in the story were too abrupt for my liking, and I often found myself wondering if I had accidentally skipped a dozen or so pages in my reading. This quality makes for a decent light read, but I think it has ultimately compromised the development of the characters. If Lackey had not been so hurried and taken a bit more time in establishing the romances, plots, and intrigues, then the book would have much more depth and substance to it. The book wasn't horrible, but it wasn't inspiring either. I'm not sure if I want to read the next one.
A wonderful coming of age tale.......2007-05-01
I'll admit that I initially didn't care for this cover. It felt too flowery and the image of the horse just looked creepy. Even as I started the book I thought that the text felt too flowery as well. Vanyel's vanity and melodrama annoyed me, but I kept reading and he grew on me. It was only then that I realized I was reading a coming of age story. Yeah, I'm dense, I know. :P
Vanyel though, what can I say? This kid goes through a lot. Love and loss and a whole bunch more. By the end of this book, I found myself loving this character. That's a huge leap from finding him annoying, eh?
Vanyel finds himself being sent away from his home to live with his Aunt Savil at the High Court of Valdemar. His father has hopes that Savil will have a better chance at turning the boy into a "real" man, since everything he has tried doesn't seem to be working. ("Real" man as per the father's definition of that of course.)
What I loved about this story is watching him wake up and start to see the world around him. His relationships with his aunt Savil, Tylendel, and Yfandes were all endearing to see. The story itself hinted some at much more to come since Vanyel's knowledge of what's going on is limited. I found that this only intrigued me more since I wanted to know what exactly was keeping the Heralds so busy in the background. I also enjoyed that the characters made some tragic mistakes since it makes them more real that way.
Plus, the story is emotionally rich...a roller costar effect of love, joy, pain, heartache, and everything in between and that's what made me become even more attached to these wonderful characters--indeed. All in all, I loved this book. It goes on the shelf of things to reread.
Oh, and on a side note, I think this one is good as a teen read.
An Utterly Engrossing Series!.......2007-03-31
I picked up this series because I was in the process of writing a fantasy novel with a gay hero and I wanted to see what other works were out there. I had never read Ms. Lackey's work, so I didn't know what to expect. I was not just pleasantly surprised by this trilogy, I was completely captivated by it and very sad when I reached the final page. The plot is interesting and the pace is quick. The characters, especially the hero Vanyel, are extremely sympathetic, primarily due to the fact that they are so flawed. Some may find the romance a bit sappy, but I'm the first to admit that I dig that kind of thing and you'll see it in my own novels as well (Orphan's Quest (Chronicles of Firma, Book One)). Best of all for me, though, was the fact that although her hero is unapologetically gay, the series does not become mired in its "gayness" as so many other works of gay-themed fiction I have read.
This trilogy gave me a great deal of inspiration to push on with my own fantasy aspirations. I owe Misty a big hug if we ever meet face to face. I highly recommend these three books. Whether you're gay or straight, you'll find them an excellent read and, like me, you'll be sorry to reach that last page.
Customer Reviews:
A time of wonder and reason.......2003-02-27
The Sorcerers Crusade is a fine book, which contains everything you need to get a Renaissance game going. The Traditions and the Order of Reason are both given equal treatment. It is interesting to see the Order of Reason before they got reorganized into the Technocratic Union. This was a time when their paradigm was not as accepted as miracles and traditional D&D-style spell craft.
This book is more thorough than the second edition of Mage the Ascension. Not only does it provide a lot of examples and explanations for spells, and rituals, it also cleared up a lot of the limitations and potentials for the various spheres.
Even though there are already party lines, the rules make it possible to have both Traditional and Technocratic magi working together. It is a time of reorganization and both parties are trying to find their destinies. In fact, the reader will follow the experiences of a Celestial Chorus member and a member of the Hippocratic Circle throughout the book. The idea of same goals through different methods was stressed.
The time period seemed to be the ideal setting for Mage. Not only are their so many possibilities in terms of new ideas and beliefs, the age of exploration in the high seas, the skies, the unknown continents, as well as the Void are all available for curious magi and their associates.
This book is a must for anyone who is interested in Mage. It is a very complete work and has vital information for storytellers and players who want to use the Renaissance setting. Whether you have an interest in high artisans, explorers, knights, shamans, witches, alchemists, there is something here for you.
Well, it's White-Wolf..........2001-06-20
So as you might expect this book includes extensive research as far as magi and cabala's are concerned. The artwork is amazing, the setting is perfect and the ascension war has begun. I you want my opinion, buy it, it is surely useful in completing your storyteller skills and knowledges and will prove your wisdom to your players. Really, this book is worth it.
A great game in it's perfect setting.......2001-03-12
Mage: The Ascension is, without a doubt, my favorite RPG. It's concept about Awakened beings who *know* they can change reality because they are convinced in their paradigms is the best concept I've ever seen.
In the Mage timeline, though, there was a crucial event which splitted history in two: Renaissance. It was then that the whole world started believing in science and it's apparent limitless capacities. It was then when people started removing some attributes which made the world turn from God, and it was then when the church started the most brutal prosecution against "pagans": Inquisition.
This is a book about the clash between 3 forces: Faith, Science and Magick. And as the Mage storyline goes, it's the perfect moment to play a Mage.
What if magic worked the way it was supposed to?.......2000-12-16
The Sorcerers' Crusade is a good setting for Mage. A lot of the modern game focuses on how magic doesn't really work the way it's supposed to because people's belief in science is too firmly entrenched in the world's paradigm. In the SC setting, science is a bit less accepted, and magic works a little better. Paradox, which in the modern game is always bad, is called Scourge in this setting, and can occasionally help a Mage. The Technocracy is on more equal footing with the Tradition mages here, as both are struggling to put their paradigm forward as dominant.
There's quite a bit of history and world setting information in this book. Possibly too much, depending on your needs. Relatively little of the book is taken up with game system mechanics. What system rules there are cannot be found all in one place. The organization of the rules is somewhat loose. Like the modern game, the magic system is open-ended, with ability defined in areas of control rather than specific spells. But like most other Mage books, spells (rotes) can be found if one looks hard enough.
If you've played Mage: The Ascension, it will be easier to understand this book. If not, some of the game rules might be confusing. If you like the Mage magic system, but don't care for the dark-goth game world White Wolf sets the games in, this is probably the game for you.
White-wolf out does it's self.......2000-11-13
Easily the Best historical Game and maybe the best game white-wolf ever came up with. The setting takes upa majority of the space but it also doesn't explain the Spheres like it does in Mage for example- Mage2nd:Life5:Transform complex lifeforms. Mage:TSC: Life5- Greater Godhand. Also the game greatly Stresses magic Faith and Science. The only flaws it has in it relates to them. Their is a form of Paradox regardless of what people would think but It can help or hinder you. It is also interesting to have the Technocracy (or Order of Reason) be the ones strugling. Any Player of white-wolf games should get this it is a must! and has a map of Europe in 1500.
Average customer rating:
- Not as Promising
- Vanyel's Amazing Tale Contines...
- An Utterly Engrossing Series!
- Pretty good, once you get past the homosexuality
- magic's promise
|
Magic's Promise (The Last Herald-Mage Series, Book 2)
Mercedes Lackey
Manufacturer: DAW
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0886774012 |
Customer Reviews:
Not as Promising.......2007-10-10
"Magic's Promise" suffers from a problem common to many trilogies-it carries on from the first part,and at the same time it's all in anticipation of the grand finale.
In "Magic's Promise",Vanyel is sent to solve a royal murder mystery. It's pretty conventional,and surprisingly cliched for Mercedes Lackey. Mercedes Lackey is unaccustomed to writing mystery stories;it shows especially in this installment.
However,"Magic's Promise" does have promise. Vanyel struggles with the loss of his lover,Tylendel,as well as his feelings of attraction towards a young,teenaged prince. His banter with his Companion,Yfandes,shows the deep bond between them. Vanyel's relationship with his family is also developed as they come to terms with his homosexuality. "Magic's Promise" leaves the reader wanting more,and Lackey delivers.
Vanyel's Amazing Tale Contines..........2007-05-05
Naturally, after I finished reading the first book (Magic's Pawn (The Last Herald-Mage Series, Book 1)) in "The Last Herald-Mage" trilogy, I had to dive into the next one. Had to see what Vanyel would be up to now that he'd become a Herald-Mage.
Turns out he's the most powerful Herald-Mage and when we first see him again, he's in desperate need of some good rest. All the magic he's been doing on his mission has taken its toll. He decides to spend some time with his family, since they keep asking for him to visit, and hopes he can find some rest while he's there.
Well, wouldn't you know it? Rest is not what he gets at all. Yfandes receives a desperate call from across the border that a fellow companion is in danger. She and Vanyel take off to help. There they find an amnesiac Herald Prince, whose tale brings about an entire host of problems that ensure Vanyel will not be getting rest for some time to come.
What I love about this book is the relationship between Vanyel and his companion, Yfandes. She is a magnificent force and a fitting companion for him. Their conversations are highly entertaining, be it teasing, emotionally charged ones, or even just idle chit chat.
I also like that Vanyel starts to learn that people look at him funny because they are in awe (or fear) of his power, not because he is gay. Yeah, he can be a little dense. Powerful, but dense.
However, his power is what makes him so isolated from others. He is sent continually on missions because he is the only one who can do what needs to be done. I had to keep reminding myself that the trilogy is called "The Last Herald-Mage." He has to because there are so few left, not to mention the simple fact that many of the people, Herald's too, see Herald-Mages as the only solvers to every problem.
I found it fascinating to see Vanyel grown up and how he approaches each situation. I felt saddened too by all he's gone through...very. I found myself only more attached to the character by the reading of this book. Simply put...he and his story are amazing!
An Utterly Engrossing Series!.......2007-03-31
I picked up this series because I was in the process of writing a fantasy novel with a gay hero and I wanted to see what other works were out there. I had never read Ms. Lackey's work, so I didn't know what to expect. I was not just pleasantly surprised by this trilogy, I was completely captivated by it and very sad when I reached the final page. The plot is interesting and the pace is quick. The characters, especially the hero Vanyel, are extremely sympathetic, primarily due to the fact that they are so flawed. Some may find the romance a bit sappy, but I'm the first to admit that I dig that kind of thing and you'll see it in my own novels as well.Orphan's Quest (Chronicles of Firma, Book One) Best of all for me, though, was the fact that although her hero is unapologetically gay, the series does not become mired in its "gayness" as so many other works of gay-themed fiction I have read.
This trilogy gave me a great deal of inspiration to push on with my own fantasy aspirations. I owe Misty a big hug if we ever meet face to face. I highly recommend these three books. Whether you're gay or straight, you'll find them an excellent read and, like me, you'll be sorry to reach that last page.
Pretty good, once you get past the homosexuality.......2006-02-27
I really had to detach myself from the main character because he's gay. It drastically lowered my enjoyment of the book. But, the story was actually pretty good and worth reading.
For a series with the word "Magic" in each title, I thought the use of magic was woefully small. Most of the "good stuff" happens "off-screen" and is only mentioned as an aside.
The "hero" was constantly described as the most powerful herald-mage alive, perhaps ever. Yet, I only ever saw him do something that seemed rather basic and then suffer for days or weeks during recover from over-using his magic.
Finally, it was hard for me to fully enjoy a story that focuses so much on the depression, moodiness, and sulkiness of the hero.
Still... I found it worth reading. (Though I won't recommend it to my kids.)
magic's promise.......2005-10-30
This volume continues the trilogy of Herald Mage Vanyel Ashkevron. He returns after an exhausting Border stint dealing with all sorts of unfriendly magic creatures to find a letter waiting for him from his father, who wants him to pay a visit. Naturally, magic is involved, including a demon, various nodes of supernatural power, and a young man who may or may not have killed his family (by magic).
The only thing that didn't ring true for me were the reconcilaition between Jervis, the armsmaster and Vanyel. Suddenly, a man who's always been shown to be a brutal bully is dissolving and apologizing and incidentally shown not to have any prejudice against gays (which Vanyel is). Ditto the previously stern and foreboding father suddenly happy to mend any old wounds. The forgiveness happened way too fast to be believable.
Average customer rating:
- Okay, nothing special
- Not as action-packed as other Lackey books
- It's better on the 2nd read
- Meh
- suspenseful, romantic
|
Winds of Change (The Mage Winds, Book 2)
Mercedes Lackey
Manufacturer: DAW
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0886775639 |
Customer Reviews:
Okay, nothing special.......2007-08-03
Winds of Change is the second book in the Mage Winds trilogy and reads like a sequel. In this story Nyra (the catgirl) is prominently featured and the Elspeth/Darkwind romance is developed.
I found myself moderately interested in Darkwind/Elspeth's romance, mostly because I found myself annoyed by Darkwind's attitude. He objects to Elspeth acting like a princess when :gasp: that's what she is. Although I felt Elspeth explained herself pretty well, Darkwind's insistance that she change to be more 'likeable' irked this reader. His insistance on also dressing her seemed a little weird. Like he didn't love her the way she was... Only if she changed for him.
The whole Tayledras subplot I loved as a teen but found myself a bit impatient with as I get older. They seem to be Hollywood Indians with no apparent flaws. Long silvery hair, blue eyes and bohemian attitude. I was grateful for the introduction of Firesong. Before the character introduction I was beginning to think this was a race of Mary-Sues.
I also found the mindtalk between the various animals a bit tiresome. It was fun with the companions, but now there are also bondbirds, a talking sword and griffins who talk... The chatter was a little too much.
Overall, an average book but nothing that really made me want to read the third book, but since I own it, I probably will.
Not as action-packed as other Lackey books.......2005-12-24
Winds of Change is a necessary read for the fan of the "Winds" series or the Valdemar world in general. I enjoyed seeing Elspeth mature and develop as a character, and some of the developments were pleasantly unexpected. But as far as the action and story-flow of this book went, I often found myself impatient, and even tempted to skip a few pages here and there (gasp!). In this book, Lackey mostly advances the story by having characters TALK about what's happening, instead of SHOWING us what's happening. Characters discuss with one another the plans they are making, then discuss the plans with other characters, and then reveal the plans to even more characters. I've never seen so many Council meetings and planning meetings in one book! And I was frustrated by how much unneeded exposition was woven into the dialogue - characters explaining things to each other that we either already knew or would find out anyway. I found the climax at the end to be predictable and actually quite ANTI-climactic. Don't get me wrong, I'm a Lackey fan, and let's face it, the only people who are going to read this book are people who are following the series anyway... I'm NOT suggesting you should skip it. But this certainly could have been better, in my opinion.
It's better on the 2nd read.......2005-08-02
I needed to read this a 2nd time, after finishing all the other Valdemar books. It's even better.
Meh.......2004-08-25
OK, so it was better than the first book, which is not saying much. About a fifth of the book was worth reading, and that good stuff left me completely oblivious to the 'real world' as my parents call it. But, as with all of Mercedes Lackey's 'climaxes', her ending was horrible, except more so. This was the one and only time that I actually skipped to the ending, and the only reason I bothered was because, stupid me, I bought the third book.
All in all it was a mediocre book that seriously did damage to my regards of Mercedes Lackey.
suspenseful, romantic.......2004-04-30
This book posits a land of magic run amok, where magic and magical creatures are common and those without magic are disadvantaged and alienated. Those using magic seem to be as likely to be evil and sinister as they are to be good. The learning of magic has become a training routine, not unlike military bootcamp, except smaller in scale.
On the downside, I must say there is something remarkably unappealing about magic being so common place. The whole double meaning of magic in English is something that is supernatural and also special. In this book, magic becomes a natural underground phenomenon that people can tap into, sort of like drilling a well. Somehow well drilling doesn't seem very exciting.
On the upside, the book flows very nicely and really holds your attention. The characters are attractive, varied, and well-developed. The setting is interesting. This whole trilogy is a cliffhanger thing. Don't plan to buy only one of the books in the series. Just plan to buy all three.
The books in this trilogy are quite sexual, including gay theme material. Prudish people should not buy these, nor should you buy them for pre-pubescent children. Personally, though, I liked this aspect of the book.
This book is very feminist. The main women are warriors and mages. The men are somewhat de-emphasized, and all the villains seem to be men. Also on the downside for me (as a middle aged person), the middle aged people are also de-emphasized and weak, while the young people are strong and dominant.
Average customer rating:
- Addiction began between 2 covers
- Karsites in Valdemar!
- A refreshing change
- Ummmmmmmmm???
- Ummmmmmmmm???
|
Storm Warning (The Mage Storms, Book 1)
Mercedes Lackey
Manufacturer: DAW
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0886776619 |
Customer Reviews:
Addiction began between 2 covers.......2005-05-27
Being one of the first of Lackey's books to pick up, I immediately became facinated by her explaination of life, religion, and society. This paticular novel started me on a quest to read the following books in the trilogy, which were not a disappointment. Her medium of fantasy certainly engages the reader to explore their own world in a different light, and to open up their minds to appreciate the differences in their own existence. I completely enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone with the slight interest in the fantasy genre.
Karsites in Valdemar!.......2003-12-02
I loved this book--especially the story line with Karel. I loved the fact that Misty has created a usefulness for the Blues and has developed their part in the Collegium and society as whole. Alos, Misty did a great job developing the entire Karsite side. Be patient with the Empire and stranded general plot lines: It takes time to set up an epic. However . . . Misty could have done a better job with the residents in Haven. The native characters' development has suffered to allow the ambassadors to be developed. This lack of continuing character development for the Palace Residents disconnects the reader from the story in many places.
Beware, ladies: Have that box of tissue ready, because you'll end up needing it when you least expect it. Misty always has a good cry in her books, and this one doesn't disappoint in that arena.
A refreshing change.......2002-11-11
Karse and Valdemar have long been enemies, each hating the other without ever really knowing anything about how each truly operates. Since Ancar of Hardorn's attempted invasions of each country, an uneasy alliance has been formed. Now Ancar is dead and his conquests along with him, but a new and more dangerous enemy has emerged: the mysterious and powerful Eastern Empire. Karse and Valdemar must decide what exactly their alliance entails.
The Son of the Sun, Solaris, High Priestess of Karse, sends an envoy consisting of Ulrich, a black-robe priest, and his secretary, Karal, to Valdemar to negotiate the terms of the alliance.
While the two countries work together to try to determine a way to defend against the Eastern Empire, a new and deadlier threat makes itself known, one so ancient and powerful that it may be impossible to stop...
"Storm Warning" is the first book in Mercedes Lackey's Mage Storms Trilogy. I absolutely loved this book. It was a refreshing change after reading the Mage Winds Trilogy. The story seemed much more about the characters than about the events, which really gave it a more human feel. Similar to Mage Winds, it had alternating perspectives, which made me want to keep reading.
The characters, as always, were wonderful to read about, particularly Karal. He is one of the most remarkable Lackey characters I have encountered yet (and this was my fifteenth Valdemar book). I absolutely loved him. He was an extremely compassionate, caring, sensitive individual, almost on the same level as Talia of the Arrows Trilogy. I was able to feel every step of his journey as if I were there with him. An'desha developed nicely, and I'm anxious to see what will become of him.
It was also nice to see enemies that were entirely human as opposed to insanely fanatic mages bent on revenge. Charliss wasn't completely without honor, and Tremane was a decent human being who just happened to be born an Imperial.
I also enjoyed learning the Karsite perspective. It was interesting to look at Valdemar through the eyes of its enemy and to see Karse painted as something other than barbaric.
Bottom Line: An amazing story with a delightful lead character. A must-read for any Valdemar fan, but make sure you read Mage Winds first.
Ummmmmmmmm???.......2002-04-19
I've read ALL of Mercedes Lackey's Valedemar series, and she's running seriously short of ideas.
I bought this book because I was interested--the others were decent and fairly interesting, and so I thought I'd try this one. I now think it should stand as the classic example of why authors shouldn't make serieses run on too long.
This book is four hundred and twenty-eight pages long, and everything that happens could be contained in about ten. We struggle through Karal feeling lost and lonely, An'desha feeling put upon and self-pitying, and everyone realizing that magic isn't the answer to everything. It gets so repetitive at the end that I was extremely tempted to just shove it in a corner of my bookshelf with the other two books in the series and not finish any of them, and I almost ALWAYS finish books, unless they're ghastly. This one came pretty close.
If you want to start out with Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series, read The Heralds of Valdemar (ARROWS OF THE QUEEN, ARROW'S FLIGHT, ARROW'S FALL) and Vows and Honor (THE OATHBOUND, OATHBREAKERS, OATHBLOOD) first. If you've read all her Valdemar books, read this just to fill in on what happens, but don't waste your money buying it.
Ummmmmmmmm???.......2002-04-19
I've read ALL of Mercedes Lackey's Valedemar series, and she's running seriously short of ideas.
I bought this book because I was interested--the others were decent and fairly interesting, and so I thought I'd try this one. I now think it should stand as the classic example of why authors shouldn't make serieses run on too long.
This book is four hundred and twenty-eight pages long, and everything that happens could be contained in about ten. We struggle through Karal feeling lost and lonely, An'desha feeling put upon and self-pitying, and everyone realizing that magic isn't the answer to everything. It gets so repetitive at the end that I was extremely tempted to just shove it in a corner of my bookshelf with the other two books in the series and not finish any of them, and I almost ALWAYS finish books, unless they're ghastly. This one came pretty close.
If you want to start out with Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series, read The Heralds of Valdemar (ARROWS OF THE QUEEN, ARROW'S FLIGHT, ARROW'S FALL) and Vows and Honor (THE OATHBOUND, OATHBREAKERS, OATHBLOOD) first. If you've read all her Valdemar books, read this just to fill in on what happens, but don't waste your money buying it.
Books:
- Condensed Chaos: An Introduction to Chaos Magic
- Crusader (The Wayfarer Redemption, Book 6)
- Damia's Children (Rowan/Damia)
- Dark Ages Companion: A Sourcebook for Vampire : The Dark Ages (Vampire - the Dark Ages)
- Demons Are Forever: Confessions of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom (Book 3)
- Dragon of the Red Dawn (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
- Dragonflight (Dragonriders of Pern)
- Enigma: The Battle for the Code
- Eyes of the Lich Queen (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Eberron Setting)
- Fables Vol. 7: Arabian Nights (and Days)
Books Index
Books Home
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Player's Handbook II (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)
