Brightly Burning

I still have goose bumps...Herald Lavan Firestorm.....the man....the reason that there is nothing but ash at burning pines...This book is'nt like Mrs.Lackey's many earlier works, it focuses on one person:Lavan Firestorm.In This book, an abused boy finds a great power within himself, and eventually learns that his gift, or "the dragon" as its reffered to, is vitally important to the survival of his kingdom.Lavan goes through a very reality based struggle about using his gift against people and other living targets, but when it comes down to the wire.....Well, i won't spoil it for you, if your a Lackey fan, get this book, and if you are'nt, read this book and you will be.

I have read every single Valdemar book, save Oathblood, that was written and when I read the reviews for this one, I was actually shocked and offended. So many people say, "Oh, it was fine, but..."Frankly, this one is my favorite. Of course, I delight in tragedy, which this manifestly is one. The Saga of a boy, surounded by nasty tormenters, finding a Gift he would never have chosen, and finding the courage to face down an army alone.One reviewer said that Firestorm's tormenters were Two Dimentional... I don't know, I allow my imagination to fill in the blanks in any story. I do know, however, that that school situation is very realistic. For proof, read Surprised by Joy, and the school situation with the autobiographer experieced.Bunny Trail... sorry.Really, I cried over, felt very close to this hero and if I were a Bard, I would write a ballad about it. Frankly, as good as Vanyel's series was, I feel closer to this Herald, simply because he was young, frightened and never had a chance, like Vanyel did, to grow into his strengths. All in all, I loved it and I highly recommend it.

I'm not one of those readers who thought "Owlflight" and its sequels were boring. I thoroughly enjoyed them, and the whole Valdemar series for that matter. "Brightly Burning," however, is quite amazing, a real standout on the level of the Last Herald Mage and Queen's Own trilogies. Mercedes Lackey is at her storytelling best here. And her talent for creating memorable characters we care about is as good as ever. This tale centers around Lavan, the 16-year-old son of a cloth merchant and a needleworker, who is sent by his parents to what proves to be the school-from-hell. It's dominated by a gang of vicious, sadistic bullies, and it's where Lavan's rare and dangerous Gift manifests itself. We meet many well-portrayed, likable characters: young Owyn, Lavan's ally against the school thugs; Herald Pol, Lavan's mentor; Herald Trainee Tuck and his delightful family; King Theran; the Companion Kalira. If you enjoyed the stories of Vanyel and Talia, you'll probably like the story of Lavan Firestorm too.

Brightly Burning tells the legend of Herald Lavan Firestorm of the Heralds of Valdemar. The background is carefully delineated for the tragic tale of young Lavan, the epic hero of the magical kingdom of Valdemar. He begins as an unhappy boy in the Chitward family, textile merchants recently moved from countryside to urban Haven due to their profitable cloth and needlework trade. Lavan is uncomfortable with his family's expectations of him, but he is truly tormented in his new school experiences at Haven. This unleashes a lethal display of his unusual talent (fire starting) and ultimately leads to his discovery and enrollment with other young Heralds at the Collegium. Key to his survival and discovery is his being Chosen by his special protector and Companion, Kalira, the white telepathic horse/Mage who declares she loves him and will risk her life to help train him. Pol, the Collegium tutor is sympathetic to the unique needs of his terrifying protege, and he is also the Chosen of Kalira's father, Satiran, who wonders at her Choice: "Children grow up and make their own paths...It's not for us to force them out of the roads they pick, however much we might wish to. The Choice is made; now let's deal with it (p. 141)." Pol and Satiran, Kalira, Elenor (a Healer), and Tuck, Lan's trusted sturdy friend among the Heralds in training - all become the network of trust that helps anchor, train, comfort and stableize Lan. The story moves quickly but unhurriedly to its natural conclusion, a horrific mad martyr's end for Lavan and an enduring legacy of protection to Valdemar from their demonic enemies the Karsites. Many gripping moments and terrifying ordeals await Lan, but his unusual lifebond with his Chosen Kalira helps him weather many storms until the last tragic stand. Always in his mind is the dread that he is an assassin, a murderer, a deadly instrument. So long as Kalira's life is blended with his, he knows he is not alone and not condemned. Their union curiously transcends species and sexuality, an unusual occurrence even in Valdemar. When the end does come, it is clear why Lavan Firestorm is lifebonded to Kalira and how that bond supported him. Though the tone and events described are grim, cruel, and sometimes frightening, this is excellent adolescent heroic fantasy that does not flinch from the tough questions. The world of Valdemar is all too recognizable and real. Such reading blends the appeal of traumatic adolescent angst with a tempered knowledge of the grim reality behind ultimate sacrifice and bliss. This if very good myth-building, it challenges our preconceptions in all the best, growth provoking ways. In this, it is typical of Mercedes Lackey, and is as highly recommended as all her related works.Nancy Lorraine Reviewer