2.5Generally a character becomes more likable as a series goes on. But Vanyel actually seems to get worse or at least he doesn't much change as he gets older. It is one thing to see those things in a neglected, abused boy, but they become very unattractive in an adult man. I think part of the problem is that there are times here when he does or says something that just seems to come completely out of the blue. Instances I generally blame on author convenience. (view spoiler)["Oh, I want to kill off all the Herald-Mages and make Van feel even guiltier while I am at it so he can add to his "martyr/I-am-the-only-one-who-can-do-anything" aura. Therefore, even though just two pages ago he was suspicious of the first death I will now have him completely disregard his aunt's words." His aunt that is more of a mother to him than his real mother, his aunt who has been his teacher, friend and constant companion. "Not only will he completely disregard her but he will believe she is, and treat her as, a senile old woman. But once she is dead I will have him exact terrible revenge."Which brings me to my biggest problem with this whole series. The cornerstone of this series is Tylendel. He goes for revenge, uses his lover to open a magical gate, summons nasty creatures, his Companion repudiates him, suicides, breaks Tylendel's mind, the gate does a whammy on Vanyel, Tylendel kills himself, which compounds everything Vanyel is going through.So. The Companion casting him off is what really seemed to break Tylendel. Why does the Companion do this? Because he was seeking revenge. Or at least that is the assumption we are left with after having to listen to an earlier lecture from Savil on the subject. Now, maybe it was more how he chose to exact his revenge, by summoning the super-nasty. Okay, I can see where the Companion and others would be upset. BUT. But, he felt his twin die and knew what had happened. It certainly didn't seem like anyone was interested in getting justice for him and they all just left him alone with Vanyel. He closed his thoughts off to his Companion?-Well, I think that should have been a sign. The thing is, he was broken, he had gone just a wee bit more than slightly mad. With the way the relationship between a Herald and his Companion is portrayed it seemed awfully much like another case of author convenience here. Your child, brother, best friend, lover, whatever goes mad with grief so you cast them out of your life and then kill yourself...that is not a healthy reaction for anyone that is a part of that equation. You don't just throw someone out when they are sick and he was sick, with grief and anger. Even so, I suppose I could have been okay with it except that the Heralds and/or Vanyel are constantly seeking revenge for the death's of their fellow Heralds. So apparently it is okay to seek revenge for another Herald, that died while fighting a war, but it isn't okay to seek revenge for your twin who was ambushed and murdered. *twitch*THEN, in book two we have the stupid Herald that is beating the kid and his Companion with a whip. He isn't mad with grief, his brother didn't just die, he isn't taking revenge on a murderer, he is beating a Companion and his Chosen. But his Companion doesn't break their bond. So it isn't okay to do something out of mindless grief but it IS okay to do something because you are an asshole. I think Tylendel got a crappy Companion, that is what I think. I also think the Heralds are a bit...hypocritical. But Vanyel...*shakes head* I liked him in the beginning. Book two not as much and book three almost killed any liking I had for him at all. He moralizes, but only when it is convenient for him. When Stef gives him the amber and he gets all righteous on him and demands to know how he paid for it...he dropped close to rock bottom there. He makes Stef feel guilty and lectures him on how it could have gone wrong if the guy hadn't been on the up and up. Because Stef is obviously too stupid to figure that shit out on his own. It was like "Stef, you are lucky your friend just wanted you to turn the music up loud because he could have wanted you to go murder small children." (Okay in reality it was more like "Stef it is a good thing your friend only wanted you to soothe and make everyone happy because he could have wanted you to force them to buy something insanely expensive that they couldn't afford and therefore destroy their lives and leave their kids living on the streets as starving beggar children.") Um..yeah and just because the guy wanted it didn't mean Stef would do it. He blew the whole thing out of proportion and between that and the deal with Savil a little bit later, I just about walked away from the book because my liking of Vanyel had come close to rock bottom. The next little bit was just...ugh. The climactic battle was...not shown. I don't think it was shown. I don't remember it being shown. It is possible that I just totally skipped it though in my hurry to make it all end.The end was okay, mostly I was just glad it was over, which sucks because I've always enjoyed Mercedes Lackey's books before. I don't know whether this series just isn't as good or I'm getting pickier. *sigh* (hide spoiler)]
Wow. Sometimes that is all you can say. Wow. Books this powerful – ones that stay with you long after you have read the final page and ones that make you feel like you have lost a friend when you close that cover – are the reasons why I read with the voracity that I do.Books like Mercedes Lackey’s The Last Herald Mage trilogy are ones I wish I read every time I open a cover.Another 10 years has gone by since Herald Mage Vanyel defeated the dark magic rising from the neighboring kingdom of Lineas and once more saved his own kingdom of Valdemar from destruction. The heroic magician is almost 40-years-old now and stationed full time in the palace of Valdemar’s ailing king, Randale. To support the royal family and keep Valdemar going, Vanyel takes on more and more political responsibility, but at the same time, he faces a real crisis: the Herald Mages are dying off, and dying off too quickly to be replaced. In fact, there are only four left, counting Vanyel and his aunt and former tutor, Savil. It is a terrifying prospect, especially now since another neighboring kingdom, Karse, is causing trouble along Valdemar’s borders and the Mages have a powerful enemy, one bent on their absolute and total destruction. It could be Valdemar’s and Vanyel’s darkest hour, but even in the worst storms, there is always a light. In this storm, his name is Stefan, and he is the new bard appointed to Randale’s court. Not yet 20, the thoughtful and artistic charmer has his sights set on the older and untouchable Vanyel. Can the Herald Mage let go of the heartache he has carried with him since the night his beloved Tylendel died? Can he open himself up to a new love? Or will his status as the most powerful Herald Mage in history destroy them both?I hate to use the cliché, “there are no words” but that is how a cliché becomes a cliché: there really are no words to adequately describe the power, emotion, and beauty of The Last Herald Mage trilogy. These books crawl deep into your soul and take root, letting you never forget how much they affected you and your emotions. I personally can’t remember the last time I cried over a book as much as I have cried over the reading of these three, or even the last time I have felt my heart pump and twist the way it did with the turning of every page. I surrender to the power that is Mercedes Lackey. I surrender completely. And as I start the next trilogy set in the Valdemar realm, I hope this power continues to exert its absolute control.
Do You like book Magic's Price (1990)?
I didn't like the ending at all because you just knew he was going to die, if you had read the earlier books. You knew that as he approached the pass to hold off Master Dark, he was going to die and there was no suspense whatsoever. I think the ending would have been more meaningful had I not figured out what was going to happen.And I didn't really like the whole idea of Stefen being Tylendel's reborn spirit. It seems a little... farfetched, I guess. Well, not really farfetched - it just seemed
—Ashley
The books are well written, I'm not debating that. What I am hating is the main character, Vanyel. I usually tolerate goody two-shoes to a great extend, but this character just want to make me barf. Pretty much he sacrifices everything in order to save his kingdom, a kingdom that doesn't even like him for who he is and only care for his supermagic. Frankly the ending suck, so if anyone is expecting a HEA or HFN, this series is not for you—it's a tear-jerker. It's one thing to give up your life for the greater good, it's another thing to give up your afterlife defending the kingdom that will totally forget about you within a month's time. The former suck, the latter blows it all to hell. Sure, they'll mourn for you...for a minute and then it's back to "omg, we need another mage to defend us." Lame. I feel so frustrated reading this series that I kinda wish Vanyel just died in the first book and saved me the trouble of reading the sequels.
—Experiment BL626
o/` All those who would be Magic's Pride must then pay Magic's Price o/`Although time-jumps and skips were a bit of a problem all throughout the series, this was still a very powerful ending to a very amazing story. All the Feels... just... all the Feels...Vanyel's going up against the biggest, baddest enemy he's ever faced, he'll be hurt deeper then ever, and have to fight harder then any other time to complete his tasks. I wish there were more books from Vanyel's point of view, some of the skipped events or something. Luckily for me there's still plenty of books in the Valdemar world! I can't wait to see how the world-story continues after Vanyel's time in the next series set in the Valdemar world.
—Storm
