Exile's Valor

This is one of the others that are non-re-reads for me in this series and even though I still knew how it would end, I really loved it. It was quite exciting and just plain fun! I was surprised that Myste ended up with Alberich after all... with the explanation of keeping it secret to explain why there are no hints of this relationship in the other books... still, it's a fun duo in the series and it was exciting to have the gaps actually filled in - even if the "facts" from this book doesn't always line up with the others... I was surprised how young Elspeth was when her father died... I had gotten the sense that she was older than a few months old...

From other reviews, it looks like it was a good thing that I've never read any other Valdemar books. This doesn't really make me want to start the reading them, either. There's even (Sara Douglas PLEASE take note) characters that develop and are likeable! Speaking strictly from a new-reader perspective, both of the Exile books were very good reading. It's not supposed to be an epic story, just a side-story. In this vein, the two books were very satisfying. It did revolve around the foreigner, Herald Alberich, but it was SUPPOSED to. It wasn't called "The Queen's Honor" or "Valdemar's Valor". I won't go into plot details because other reviewers have already done so, but I'd like to stress that this was supposed to be light reading. I liked the hero early in the first book (although why he kept wanting to go back 'home' to a place that tried to burn him as a heretic eluded me). He was a warrior and that's all he thought he wanted to be. He wasn't a closet poet or great wizard or something. He just wanted to find something to believe in and fight for. I thought it was great that he fell in love with Myste, instead of 'lust (or hate) becomes love' like so many other stories. You get tired of 'on page 12 they meet (can't stand each other) but by page 30 they can't live without each other'. Uggghhhhhhhhhh. The only thing I'd like to have seen more of is what Myste herself was thinking. That would have rounded things out a bit. I liked her character alot. If I hadn't read the reviews here, I wouldn't know about the "Myste is actually Mercedes thing. Moreover, WHO CARES? Moral of the day: Read the books, skip the author bios. Anyway, for those of you who've never read any other Valdemar books and want a pleasant read, I certainly recommend these two books. I just wish there was a third!!

Lackey writes a great story which talks about the weaponsmaster Alberich and his history leading up to the other books in this great series. Every time I see a new lackey book dealing with Valdemar I buy it. Alberich is not a weak person in this book despite what some people have said. He lets her deal with her own problems. He protects her by going under cover to find out what might harm his Queen. Lackey makes great connections to what is only referred as history in her other books. I hope she keeps on writing more Valdemar books because I know I will keep on buying them.

Once he was a loyal soldier in the Karsian army. Through an unusual set of circumstances he was chosen to be the Companion of Kantor, a magical being that looks like a hors but is so much more. Alberich had to prove to the Heralds of Valdemar that he was worthy of joining them. He accomplishes that during the Tedral War. Now with Tedral defeated and Karse involved with its internal problems, Valdemar is temporarily at peace.King Sendar has been dead for six months and his daughter Queen Selenay rules the country. The council is urging her to marry and begat an heir but none of their choices motivates her to get married. Alone and lonely, with only her companion to confide in, she falls for Prince Karath of Rethwellian when he comes to pay a condolence call. None of the Heralds trust him; Alberich has reason to believe he is a traitor but all he and his allies can do is wait until the prince consort makes a move. They must also protest the queen without her knowing that they suspect her husband is planning something dreadful once their child is born.Anytime a Valdemar book is published it is a cause for celebration and EXILE'S VALOR, the sequel to Exile's Honor, is no exception. The novel focuses on the first year of the queen's reign and how her master Herald Alberich, who is also her spy master watches over her and makes sure she is always protected even when she is unaware of the danger. Mercedes Lackey makes Valdemar seem so real that readers will believe it actually exists.Harriet Klausner

Exile's Valor is the second novel in the Exile's subseries, following Exile's Honor. In the previous volume, the Valdemarans have decisively defeated the Tedrels and Alberich has led a raid to recover captive children from the Tedrel main camp. King Sendar and his companion have been killed in the engagement and Talamir's companion has also been killed. After the battle, Selenay is proclaimed as Queen and leads the combined funeral and victory march back to Haven. In this novel, six months later, Alberich is now highly regarded by most Valdemarans for his exploits during the war against the Tedrel. As Weaponsmaster, he is finding his students less reluctant and better behaved. As internal security chief, he is finding less interest in buying intelligence about Valdemar and more in buying intelligence about her neighbors and trading partners. The economy is picking up and trade is becoming more important than warfare. However, boys will be boys and a couple of high-spirited and high-energy scamps manage to break one of the wall mirrors in the salle by using a theatrical fighting style. The boys are sent to work in the glassworks for a while to give them an appreciation of the value of the mirror and Alberich learns where the boys had been observing this flamboyant style of fighting. Out of curiosity, he attends a performance of the acting troop and happens to notice that papers were passed covertly during the performance. Alberich quickly determines the name of the actor, but has little luck in identifying the young aristocrat. Meanwhile, Alberich accidently creates a new sport, Hurlee, that becomes a overnight success. The various trainees are strong enamored with the new sport, either as players or spectator. At least, the threat of being barred from participation is a potent goad toward better behavior and scholarship. Selenay is having problems with her council. They are pressing her to marry and she is not ready yet. Besides, none of the candidates presented by the council are suitable, much less desireable. Then the Rethwellan ambassador introduces her to Prince Karathanelan. This story shows the continued assimilation of Alberich into the Heralds and Valdemar itself. He has gained respect and power as Weaponsmaster and war hero. He has two jobs that are both significant and satifying. And he has found love with Myste, the Herald Chronicler. Highly recommended for Lackey fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of court intrigue and adventure in a fantasy setting. -Arthur W. Jordin