Owlknight

Owlknight is the third and last volume in Lackey's Owl Trilogy. In this novel, Darian is honored for his many accomplishments, works on his problems with his girlfriend Keisha, and goes to look for his missing parents.  Typically, I enjoy all  Lackey novels, but OwlKnight's suffered from a rambling plot line, too many over-powered characters, and 'Local 'Boy Makes Good Syndrome.'  (I.E. black sheep of the family returns home, and the rural rubes are awed and amazed at how witty/charming/saintly our hero has become). Please. What is that saying about never being appreciated in your own village? Apparently untrue in Valdemar. Also, there were quite a few plot thread's left hanging that I wish Lackey had addressed. First, Darian's resolve to tell Winterfox about the young barmaid Lilly from the first book... He never does. Then,  Winterfox's resolve to counsel Darian and Keisha about their relationship. Nothing happened there either.  And finally, the sub plot about the Herald's Anda's arrival in the veil. He arrives... And Darian goes off on his adventure... And that's it? There is all this build up and suspense about what Anda will be like... What he will do...And... Nothing. Fizzle.  Further, Snowfire, Darian's adopted brother is almost completely absent in the book after playing such a major role in the first book in the series, he's reduced to a cardboard caricature of himself. Lastly, there is the entire subplot of Keisha and Darian's relationship. (I hesitate to call it a 'romance' because it wasn't). I thought their relationship wasn't a particularly good one. There wasn't really a decent reason for these two characters to care about eachother.  Keisha seems WAY to insecure, and Darian is completely overconfident. (Did anyone else think this relationship was doomed for failure?)  Neither seem particularly happy with eachother... So why the big push to get them together? Is there some unwritten rule that characters at the end of a trilogy must be married? While this book left me with an 'unsatisfied, there must be more feeling' I found Lackey's writing style compelling as usual, even if there wasn't a lot of action. I hope that there will be a sequel so we can learn just what happens to Darian and his friends. There is certainly a lot of room for further development.

I absolutly luved this last series! I've been a fan for a long time and Owlknight, I think, really wrapped it all up. I don't understand how anyone could have not liked it. There was a great plot and the characters seemed so real to me. The fact that she co-wrote with Dixon added a different style and flavor to the writing. I hope to continue to read her books for a long time.

I'm giving this book five stars, not because it's Misty's best work, but because even Misty's worst work would be amazing compared to most of the stuff on the market. I really don't think this book deserves a bad review. I thorougly enjoyed it and, while the Owls trilogy wasn't as good as LHM, it was still some really increadible writing. After all, what is as good as LHM? I mean, really? All I'm saying is that I don't think Owlknight deserves some of these bad reviews, and it would be a big mistake not to read it because of them.

This book sets a good pace and holds interest throughout. It reveals more about the hertasi and blends a wildly different group of characters together in a way that makes it believable.

Darian's third adventure is a pleasure to read. And I disagree strongly with some of the other reviewers below. The three novels in the DARIAN`S TALE sequence are not as tigtly plotted as some of the other books in Misty Lackey's Valdemar universe, but they offer a lot of insights into everyday life in a Valdemaran village, a hawkbrother vale and even a Northern clan village. There's is no big LET`S SAVE THE WORLD YET AGAIN conflict that carries these novels. These three books are carried only by the characters and their slow maturation and growth. If you read all three books in the DARIAN`S TALE sequence in a row, you will realize what I mean. In these books Misty Lackey and Larry Dixon haven chosen to do without royal polticis and court intrigues, and I am really greatful for that. Darian's slow maturation in the course of three novels from an unlikeable and totally irresponsible teenager in OWLFLIGHT to the responsible and caring adult in OWLKNIGHT is a pleasure to read. And Mercedes Lackey announced that a fourth book in this sequence is planned.