Book 1), Magic's Pawn (The Last Herald-Mage Series

Mercedes Lackey has done a beautiful job in bringing to life
a world in which magic is an everyday part. In a few short
pages you are in Valdemar, living in Withen Keep with Vanyel,
the "Peacock", and his large, somewhat powerful family.
Soon you are wisked away to Haven. The place where young
people of high social standing are taken to get their higher
education. It is also the place where Herald's, The
mystically chosen protectors of Valdemar, are trained.
Vanyel has been placed here to get him away from his father's
tyrannical ways.
Vanyel is spoiled rotten and must learn to work with the
people who are trying to help him.
He falls in love with a Herald Mage, Tylendel, and he begins
to learn what it is like to think of someone elses feelings
for a change.
It is a wonderful story of transformation, coming of age,
love, loss, and rebirth. All of which combine to make
_Magic's Pawn_, a must read for anyone.

This book (and trilogy) is one of Mercedes Lackey's stronger works. She handles the troubled Vanyel with sympathy; despite his emotional problems, the tale includes a good deal of humor.

Of course, it's not perfect. The intelligent/ empathic/telepathic companion (Companion?) idea has been used too often, and the magic is not particularly original. Lackey also tends to overemphasize emotional conflicts--yes, we know he's depressed, gay, and suicidal, but could the story please go on? Though some sentimentality is preferable to cardboard characters, an overdose isn't exactly the solution, either.

One of Mercedes Lackey's greatest weaknesses is in the development of her villains, and it shows here. They might as well be cardboard; this can also be seen in her other works where evil is because it is, and forget anything else. As such, the evil-for-evil's-sake is puzzlingly opposed to her shades-of-grey portrayal of the "good guys."

Read it for the tears, for the entertainment-- she's very good at wowing her fans--but don't expect too much in the way of plot logic.

A truly inspired author whose series was written well before its time. Mercedes Lackey deals with some of todays issues with the grace and acceptance one can only wish for in todays society. As always...Well done!!

This trilogy (Magic's Pawn, Magic's Promise, Magic's Price) is one of my very favorites. Magic's Pawn takes Vanyel through his adolecent stage, from rebelling against his family (who really need rebelling against!), to discovering his true love, to discovering his own power, through great pain and hardship. Vanyel endures more than anyone should have to endure. This is one of those books that keep you awake at night because you NEED TO KNOW what happens next!
The book is set in the same universe as the Arrows Trilogy, Winds trilogy, and Owls trilogy, but about a thousand years earlier. It's a good idea to read these books BEFORE you read the Winds trilogy, and I won't spoil it by telling you why.
I would recommend this book to adults, but also to teenagers who are struggling with their own identity. I believe it won an award from a gay and lesbian literary society, because of its wonderful portrayal of both straight and gay loving relationships.

Mercedes Lackey is one of those who has taken modern fantasy to the human level, and for that I honour her. I've re-read the Vanyel books a number of times, and there's good reason why they remain some of her fans' favourites.
I'd say the one thing that I find most displeasing about the Vanyel books is the arbitrary presence of evil. We're told that the Heralds, the keepers of The Right in Lackey's world of Valdemar, are short lived because they're continually doing battle against BAD THINGS, but it's never really clear what those bad things are, where they come from or why they're bad. Magic's Pawn (and Magic's Price, the last book in the trilogy) ends with the main character doing battle with an evil Mage who seems to exist merely to do bad things to good people. This battle seems tacked on simply to provide a rousing finish to the book; there's very little build up to it and it has almost no connection to the rest of the story. To me, that's lazy writing.
But the story really isn't about that. The story is about Vanyel, his flaws and strengths as a person and his relationships with friends, lovers, and family, and that is done exceedingly well. Lackey has a sure touch depicting the harm people do to people. Vanyel is a misfit both in his family and with his peers and he suffers not only from their treatment but from his defenses against it.
Lackey also went out on a limb making her main character homosexually oriented, and she painted Vanyel's relationship in an honest, genuine way without a lot of stereotyping.
The writing isn't great, but this story is so affecting that you can overlook that. It's easy to see why Lackey's books attract numerous fans.

Wow! Kudos to you, Ms. Lackey on the first installment in the Vanyel epic. Not only is this fantasticfantasy, but it has a serious and morale side to it, as well.This book is not for the squimish. Homosexuality is a biggie. After all, Vanyel is shay'a'chern-or, in layman's terms-gay. Vanyel is a sheltered boy, growing up as a Border-Holder's son. His armsmaster, Jarvis, beats on him constantly and even breaks his arm. When Vanyel finally reaches Haven-and his Aunt, Herald-Mage Savil Ashkevron, he feels lonley and left out. Until he meets Tylindal. His life-bonded or soul mate, if you will. I wont give you a COMPLETE synopsis, but I just want to say that when certain characters died, my eyes started to water. Or when a character made a stupid decision, I jumped up and down screaming at him or her or even it. I HIGHLY recommend the HERALD-MAGE series-and all the rest of Misty's work.

With her "Magic Trilogy" Mercedes Lackey has given the world one of the most positive gay images in Sci-Fi/Fantasy, and maybe even in Fiction in general. Lackey has a gift for crafting fallable, believeable, captivating characters, and has created one of her best and most memorable in Vanyel, the protagonist of this trilogy. Showing great imagination, and intuition, she takes us inside the head of a young man coming of age, who is also coming to grips with his sexuality.
I would hate to scare any readers off by making this sound like a coming out novel, or strictly a "gay" novel. It's not. It's first and foremost an adventure, just told from a different perspective than the usual. This is a very human novel, and it's great Fantasy. After all, as Vanyel struggles with his true nature, he also gets to come to grips with incredible powers, and gets to find love while traveling to exotic locales peopled with fantastic, memorable characters.
For GLBT readers, I say buy this book, and any other written by Mercedes Lackey, because it's your chance to read some wonderful stories, while supporting one of our greatest straight-but-not-narrow champions in the world of Fantasy Literature today. She's right up there with Anne Rice, consistently giving us new and truthful gay images, both good and bad, with which we can identify and from whom we can learn.
For those who aren't that familiar with gay issues, or actual gay people, I say buy this book because it is a safe, painless, entertaining, and thought provoking way to learn more about a part of the human condition you've maybe never explored or understood.
For everybody, no matter which side of the fence they rope on, I say buy this entire trilogy because it's great entertainment and a thrilling, magical read.

I have written before, but because of some freak accident I wrote my E-mail address wrong, so here goes. Magic's Pawn is my most favorite book. I can't even begin to discribe how beautifully written, and wonderful this book really is! It has taught me alot about life and that you get what you work for. Vanyel and Tylendel touched my heart like no other characters from any other book have. At the end of this book I probably used up a whole box of tissues, there was none left! It was so touching and uplifting that I thought I was going to break down on the couch in front of my parents, how embarrasing. crying in front of your parents over a book. It's very seldom that you get a book that is so good that you want to read it over and over and over agian! This book is a must for anyone that want's a good read....or a good cry

Previous review Misunderstood youth who find his true love and other special powers at his aunt's place. Good book. More Young Adult than I thought it would be, but still good. 3-1/2 stars.

Current review - AudiobookI didn't realize when I read the book versus listening to the book how much whining and passing out went on in this book. [Yes, Vanyel had a horrible childhood. Yes, Vanyel lost the love of his life at an early age. Yes, Vanyel was filled with magic in a painful way. But does the book have to read as if he's a frail historical romance heroine. (hide spoiler)] I do not plan reading any more of the books. Downgraded to 3 stars.

I have to say this outright...this is probably my least favorite Lackey book of all time. the execution is sloppy, the plot is migraine-calibre illogical and most of the characters, especially Lackey's trademark, evil-for-the-sake-of-evil villains, have all the verisimilitude of a B-grade movie. a note to some who want to blame my displeasure on ...ahem, Other Things: I am not a homophobe. I had no problem with Vanyel and Tylendel being gay. their relationship just sort of seemed contrived...like one more burden to throw at our hero, one more thing to make Vanyel more alienated and misunderstood. or, the barely phesable logic in causing the sequence of events which leave him with a nauseatingly grand magical arsenal. The misunderstood adolescent plot is getting wearing after the "Arrows" series and (my fault, I will admit) every other SF book I've read in the past year.

I reread the three in this trilogy immediately after completing it. The first read through, I was captivated by characters and plot, rushing through for the story. The second read was to savor the sensitive development of the relationships and the maturing of Vanyel, the protagonist, who learns to accept himself as a gay man with unique powers who still embraces his humanity. The struggle of Van's parents to accept him despite their distaste for his sexual preferences, and his need for that acceptance was beautifully developed through the books. Ms. Lackey showed a wonderful understanding of the sometimes unhappy realization that we do not always fit the socially accepted norm, the difficulty of the situation and the struggle to find love and acceptance. What a wonderful trilogy!

Magic's Pawn is the enthralling beginning of Herald Mage Vanyel's anguished tale. I don't think I have ever been as touched emotionally by any book. Mercedes Lackey truly understands the plight of outsiders like Vanyel. She artfully sweeps you up in this tragic story of a young man trying desperately to prove himself to his over-bearing father - and failing in every way he can. But a seemingly indifferent father is the least of Vanyel's troubles in this captivating coming-of-age beginning to The Last Herald Mage Trilogy. Once you have read Magic's Pawn, you have to finish the whole set, then read it all over again just to be sure you haven't missed one moment or one line.

I truly did enjoy this book. The evidence: I read it in one sitting without feeling groggy or laughing out loud at it. The characters are wonderful, the magic is decently thought out, and the story itself holds the attention enough. Lackey writes with charisma; witty and entertaining from start to finish.

I know some readers will be put off by the homoerotic tendencies in these novels. Well, that's why the store puts up these reviews - so one will not be taken completely by surprise. I, for one, have no problem with it, and thought the treatment of the gay relationship was tasteful, respectful, and believable. In a large portion of the fiction I've read, homosexual leanings seem to exist on the villain's side of things, and usually augment the evil that is already exposed. So, I enjoyed the change of pace.

There are problems, however. The characters are worked out very carefully and lovingly, while the plot (i.e. dramatic conflict) lacks exposition and development. In other words, the romantic and personal storylines are very satisfying, while the actual plot threads are weak, transparent, and barely even worth caring about. Lackey seems to want us to care about the far-reaching conflicts (the presence of evil, the threat of war, etc.), but really doesn't force the issue. It is quite clear that the author cares more about the romance than the good vs. evil aspect of her story. I will say that this situation improves in the next two novels in the series, but it doesn't change how glaring the flaws are here.

So, why 5 stars? I'm a sucker for a gay love story. Also, the flaws in this book disappear into the background as the series progresses. After one gets used to the way Lackey tells a story, things begin to fall into place.

If you are homophobic or afraid to read anything homosexual, do not read this. Fantasy is an other word, a world we can escape in. People love to protect endangered species, and in this trilogy - he was the last herald mage, and not only was he different and being the last one, he was also gay. Thus, the first book talks about the coming of age, the confusion of being different. The lead is not only different by his sexual nature but by his gifts as well.

The novel was written way back in 1989, and I think it was the first novel of Mercedes Lackey that made me her fan. I was a very much closeted and confused individual myself it was so easy to sympathize and love Vanyel. Now, in 2010, being gay is not much of a stygma as it used to be. But in the 90s - its the gay people, the so called third sex, that is so marginalized. The book is fantasy but with it I realized why some people does not want me gay, not that they would love me less - but on how others would treat me, how hard the world would be. Vanyel was royalty but was considered a misfit, looking for his own corner of the world. And being different, how does one find true love?

The novel survived two decades for I do not think there is any other book that has a similar theme, making the trilogy not only original but definitely so unique. As one looks at the reviews mentioned, there would be lesser ratings, and yet, in the end - all are wanting to read the rest of the trilogy which shows its own magic, its own charisma.

From fans of Mercedes Lackey's novels, I have often heard it said that the Last-herald Mage series was the best. And I shamefully admit, that I have only been a Lackey fan for a relatively short period and have been reading other Valdemar books before this series. (The Arrows of the Queen trilogy is particularly good as well).

Well, I completely agree, Vanyel's trilogy is the most well written and moving. Before I go into the great attributes of this trilogy, particularly in Magic's Pawn. I'd like to offer a few suggestions, (since many of you won't actually make it though my entire review :), no hard feelings.)

I would first suggest you read some of Mercedes Lackey's other novels. The Arrows of the Queen Trilogy is a must, and then perhaps a few novels set in the times of Seleny's reign. (Suggestions being Exile's Honor and Exile's Valor, or To Take a Thief, they aren't trilogies like most of Lackey's Valdemar series but they're good stand alones.) I mostly suggest this so that you can see the perception of some of the characters in the future. Most of the people mentioned in the trilogy will go on to be legendary, for good or bad. And it helps to see the herald's of Seleny's time, and their fears of becoming a Tylendel and their aspirations of becoming a Vanyel. They also mention Stef, and the need to meet Stef will def help push you through some of the dryer parts in Book 2, Magic's Promise. Arrow's of the Queen is essential to this.

Now on to the good stuff. Magic's Pawn...what to say? It is one of the best fantasy books I think I've ever read. Lackey occasionally has a problem with making her work original and changing the plot from series to series, but that issue is no where to be seen here. Elements of the trademark Lackey still remain, such as her desire to write Lifebonds, but they are nowhere near typical. Instead of happy lifebonds, which can only enrich the lives of her characters, she wrote Vanyel's lifebond more as a curse. A lovely curse, but one that leads to so much destruction and broken souls that there are two attempted suicides, some which are more effective than others. Vanyel is a character with depth and real emotions and he is surrounded with other such characters. They have human flaws and very human problems.

I have heard some say that they didn't appreciate the way "a bad guy just sprung up out of no where" and that the bad mage was just "I dimensional and characterized as purely evil". Well there's a reason for that. This book is written in 3rd person point of view, yes, but it is focused on Vanyel and occasional Tylendel or Savil. It shows only their viewpoints purposely, and it furthers the point that this is NOT a good vs. evil type of fantasy book. This is book for and about Vanyel. It is about a boy, who doesn't fit with his family, and doesn't fit with the bards and really doesn't seem to fit anywhere but with Tylendel. And the result of that is utter dependence, a dangerous thing, especially since Tylendel is human, and humans make mistakes.

Bad parts? There are a few, but nothing that significantly takes away from the book. Tylendel and Vanyel's relationship was undeniably an effort of Lackey to put more people at ease with homosexuality. It's a beautifully written relationship, and it shows how much harder it is to be in a relationship which you have to hide, for fear of harm being done to you. BUT occasionally she does focus too much on solely the homosexual aspect of it. The other two novels in the series are much better at that. The only other problem I found to be even the slightest bit disturbing was the few inconstancies only a truly half crazed Lackey fan would find...they probably wont even be noticed by most.

Great book...read it. That's an order :)

Mercedes Lackey is a highly popular writer, and for good reason. Her work does exactly what it sets out to do: paint a vivid, magical world with compelling characters and intense, exciting plots. Her language is clear, pleasant, and fairly simple, and her characters are well-rounded and highly emotive--in fact, the primary key to her success seems to be in the extremes of emotions she subjects them to. There is little subtlety to them, but a lot of gusto.

Indeed, like Anne Rice, Lackey sells books by trading sophistication for drama--drama which does not always avoid slipping over the edge into melodrama. The average reader doesn't brook too much sophistication, and she knows it. Instead, she plays on the unrefined emotional dynamics that only a minority ever grow out of--certainly her characters haven't, which adds a great deal to their popularity. Furthermore, she generally (with some small exceptions) follows the tried-and-true formula of having her heros win the conflict on their own power.

In short, Lackey's writing is great fun, a relaxing read which doesn't challenge the reader too much intellectually or psychologically. However, to those who are bored by formula, those who prefer a good mental work-out, those who long for emotional subtleties--I suggest you look elsewhere.

I have read other novels by Mercedes Lackey, and somehow they didn't click with me. So when someone told me to read this trilogy, I didn't really listen. Until I read some of the reviews, and another recommended this series to me.

So, I ordered it, and last sunday started to read the first book.

It is now tuesday, late in the evening, and I have just finished book three. At the end I had tears in my eyes, as I had often through the book. The MC, Vanyel, is such a breathtaking character. I love his humanity, his pride, his arrogance, his vulnerability...

This series deserves more than the five stars I am giving it right now. I do not know if I will pick up another Mercedes Lackey book after this series, I just cannot imagine anything else she writes to be better than this :)

For those naysayers: Many forget that during this first story, Vanyel is sixteen. How many of you have worked with teenagers who are emotionally abused? His "whiny" self-pitying nature is realistic. Also, his tyrannical father is realistic in that all too often fathers are tyrannical and cruel without meaning to be. As some one who has a little experience dealing with troubled teens and their families let me tell you that Vanyel is the rule.

This book could have done many things. It could have made Vanyel have unrealistic strength and self-reliance for a child in a situation like his. *That* would have disgusted me, as it puts unfair burdens on children who deal with this. Vanyel isn't superman. His personality is shaped by a vain and self-centered mother. His personality is shaped by a father who suspects his homosexuality so is determined to drive him from all things "feminine" (So he spends time on music and clothes to spite his father). He, like his parents, thinks only of himself and looks out for "Number one".

The father is realistic. The author could have made him physically abusive as well as emotionally. She chose not to, and instead focused only on the emotional abuse. A hard choice, but it works. He is not emotionally abusive to everyone. He's actually a good guy, otherwise. He loves his family. He's a great vassal, and he takes care of his people. He works hard and he believes in treating others equitably. He just has a certain world view that his son does not mesh with in a positive way. He hurts his son because he's human and he just doesn't know how to handle his son's differences. It's an all-too-common scenario. It happens to good fathers and mothers when their sons and daughters are different. Maybe the child is smarter than them. Maybe the child chooses a different life than they do. They handle the differences badly and treat them poorly.

As for the love of Tylendel. Of course it's overly dramatic!!! They are sixteen and seventeen. Everything involves saccrine promises and "undying" love. Like Romeo and Juliet, if their love were not forbidden, it would not be as attractive. Vanyel clutches Tylendel to him because he doesn't *Want* to be a monster and Tylendel loves him unselfishly, and has faith that there is a good decent person in there. Later they come to love one another for who they are. How many relationships are entered into where each person knows the other and makes it a conscious choice? In my experience, very few. Tylendel has a "hero" complex (of course, he's this world's equivalent of a paladin), and he sees a beautiful human being who needs to be rescued from his own demons. Later he loves Vanyel for himself, but his own need to be the night in shining armor is what gets him at first. And his need to administer "justice" is what kills him in the end.

They aren't supermen. But Vanyel uses the inner strength that his lover gave him, his teachers refused to let die, and his older sister tried to instill in him in the first place, and becomes a good person in the end. Sometimes people are whiny and selfish. We aren't all "born" perfect. Virtue is sometimes earned.

As someone who has worked with troubled teens, this book is painfully realistic. Whiny, self-pitying, self-centered, brats are exactly what most of them are. I hate it when teens from these books have an "inner strength" that almost never exists in the real world. Sure, sometimes the dialogue is a little forced, but it's a beautiful story and I wonder how much experience with real people the naysayers have.

And it's what made my homophobic baby sister realize that homosexual people were human beings. Vanyel is a real, very flawed person. Most TV and movies portray them as supermen, or overly-virtuous creatures. In reading this book she could see, conceivably, how a person can be truly gay and act the way many of the younger gay teens she knew did. That, in my opinion, is worth a lot.

Four stars because while this book is groundbreaking, heartfelt, and beautiful, it is not perfect. I don't always like the sentence structure, and some scene could have been cleaned up.

I purchased this book as a recommendation. First the good. As an avid fantasy reader I appreciate some of the new fantasy elements that were introduced in this story instead of rehashing the same old story lines. Overall though, I was disappointed by the lack of magic and clumsy dialog. I'll be honest, there were whole pages of this book that I skipped over that were full of poor dialog and an overall whiny inner dialog of the main character. The author doesn't make you believe in the character, so it's hard to become attached and therefore really "get into" the story. This book could have been something really special had more time invested in editing, but it's still an entertaining read.

I have to admit that the beautiful artwork first drew me to this book, but when I read it, I HAD to read the others. I really enjoyed the unusual theme of gay relationships, and I applaud Mercedes Lackey's bravery and creativity in exploring gay relationships when it still seems to be such a taboo subject in many areas. But I don't want to give the impression that this series is a bunch of gay propaganda--it would be a beautiful story no matter what. I just love the world she has created here, and all three books in this series are a permanent part of my personal library.

This was the second Mercedes Lackey book I ever read, and while the first one (Sacred Ground) didn't hook me, this one certainly did. The moving portrayal of Vanyel's growth from an immature (though mistreated) spoiled brat to a soul wisened, lovely young man through hardship is a tale no one should miss. The portrayal of homosexuals is one of the best out there, and if you have any prejudice, this is bound to break it. Wonderful romance, gripping, heartwrenching characters, and a world that won't let you leave lead up to one of the best fantasy books I've ever read.

This is by far my favorite Mercedes Lackey series. However, it will not appeal to every demographic. If you have a problem with same-sex partnerships then you will not like this book. If you don't have a problem with same-sex couples then this is a book you will treasure. This was the first thing I ever read by this author and I loved it so much I've gone on to purchase most of her work.

This book was amazing. There was so much character development. I honestly think that this book was just to make sure that you knew everthing there was to know about Vanyel and his life. I've read a lot of Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books, and I have to say that out of all of them, Vanyel and Y'fandes are my favorite characters. Don't let the fact that it's a sad story scare you, it's well worth the tears, believe me.

A Note to other reviewers: I've read many reviews here. Some I agree with, and some I do not. Yes, Ms. Lackey tends to forgo the extended plot in the first books of her series to spend more time developing the characters. This is some thing you either love or don't. I happen to love this. It's refreshing to see a well-written character. Also mentioned was the villain, who has been expressed as "evil for the sake of being evil." For those who have read no other of Ms. Lackeys books, the villain also has a story. See the Mage Wars trilogy. The reasoning is this: All of Valdemar is connected. There are several trilogies, even singles, tied into this one country. It is very difficult to get the whole idea from just one trilogy. Therefore my recommendation is this: If you are going to read ANY Valdemar novel, start with the Mage Wars trilogy, it will explain everything.

The Valdemar series would be appealing to fantasy fans and horse lovers by itself, but Ms. Lackey takes her writing to serious heights by neatly weaving social issues such as homosexuality, religious prejudice, rape and abuse and political intrigue into her storyline.

Vanyel, mentioned by Talia in "Arrow's Fall" finally gets his own trilogy. Sometimes comical, sometimes wrenchingly sad and always thrilling, it's a wild ride that Lackey's fans won't want to miss. Vanyel is all the more appealing as a hero BECAUSE of his flaws and self-doubt. I couldn't put it down. Highly recommend.

i just now have discovered this in my middle age, and oh how i wish this book had been around when i was a kid. the positive portrayal of love between two boys was something i never could have imagined while growing up, and judging by the reviews ive read here, many others have the same reaction.
beyond that, this is a rollicking good adventure story and well worth a read on that level alone. i cant wait to read the concluding two books of the trilogy now.
and i really hope vanyel will find someone to love now that lendel is gone...

This book is absolutely the most important fantasy book I have ever read. It is not simply about homosexuality, or the tremendous emotional burdens of family duty, honor, or pride. Magic's Pawn's transcends sexuality and reaches humanity. McCaffery probes a wide array of emotional scope. I have given this book to half a dozen people (ranging in age from 22-50), straight and gay; all have been moved to tears. This book may not be celebrated for literary style, but certainly for gut-wrenching pyschological power.
A must read for anyone.

I do not usually red books written by this author, and this rating is based on the entire series. I like the first two books, but the third got boring and the themes were the same after a while.
However, the first two books I very much well like. I enjoy the fact the main character is homosexual but the writer doesn't let that part of his characteristics over power the rest of the story.
The characters in the first two books of this series are very real and well thought out. However, I disliked the third book because it was so much like the second one.
I almost wish that I had not read the third one but oh well, you can't make every book great all the time.
However, I thought this was a good series all and all. I would recommended it to some one who wants something a little different but be weary of the last book in the trilogy.

This is literally the first book that has made me cry, both on the first read and the many repeats afterward. Though Lackey's portraying of "good guys" and "bad guys" were not that believable (with the sides marked clearly in black and white, when the world is really in shades of grey - after all, what bad guys think of themselves as "bad? They just fight for what they think is right), its fabulous characterization is enough to make people overlook that.
This book is about a young man seeking an identity and understanding in a world that seemingly rejects him. Through time, a few surprises and many complications, Vanyel finally answers some questions about himself, and learns to accept who he is.
The relationship between Vanyel and various other characters in the story - mainly being his lover Tylendal, his companion Yfandes and his parents - was beautiful and generally flawless. The internal struggles, too, are astoundingly realistic. When wrapped into a well-paced setting of politics, relationships, magic and humanity, this book has the capacity to be "experienced" countless times and be treasured for generations.
However, Magic's Pawn is not purely a book. It widened my view of the world, both about homosexuality and the struggles a person may endure through life. It taught me tolerence and a gratefulness for my life, which has so far been quite painless. It is also a "home", a place (or a book) I can return to when I'm troubled, and get guidance and comfort from.
Please email with your views on this book.

Mercedes Lackey writes books to make money. Period. BR>The problem with this book is, you can see that she writes for money and not the love of a good story. Her protagonist is a young spoiled boy who, in the beginning is normal and patient and stuffy. But please! We all know that you don't have a story about a young man who is NORMAL! Anyone who has ever read a fantasy story could tell from page one that this kid was going to be the most powerful one of them all!
Lackey's writing is childish. Every OTHER word is italicized. Good lord this makes for difficult reading! Her characters are normal fantasy fare.
BUT WHAT BOTHERS ME THE MOST IS THIS.
Lackey does not introduce a villain until the last TWO chapters of the book!!! You don't even KNOW their is a villain until the very end of the story! he just shows up and the hero kills him! The rest of the story has very little bearing on the outcome! I really like to see and get to know my villain before the end of the story!!!
How do you have conflict in a story where there is no villain?

Writing this review from the perspective of one who normally likes literature and "hard" sci-fi, there are a lot of things wrong with the book, including telepathic horses, a constantly complaining, foolish main character, and predominantly two-dimensional minor characters. Reading the book in light of its being a gay romance reveals the writer's misconception of how both gay relationships work and how the gay psyche is structured. However, the delightful thing about fantasy is that it doesn't owe any allegiance to reality.
Lackey does an excellent job of writing a very entertaining, fast-paced romantic adventure that keeps the reader eagerly turning pages to finish each chapter. Violence, gore and similar themes are at most merely peripheral to the story. The gay romance between Vanyel, the main character, and Tylendel, another herald mage, is described in vanilla fashion, lacking any explicit details (unless you count the occasional kiss or stroking of hair). Nonetheless, their relationship is touching and informs the reader with a better understanding of Vanyel's nature, helping the reader to appreciate his character development later in the book. This book is definitely an all-around good "light" read.

I at first did not really feel an overwhelming urge to read Magic's Pawn and so shoved it to the back of my shelf to start other books with female leads.
When I finally did read Magic's Pawn I was shocked. The story is beautiful and vivid with just enough detail for me to "see" the main characters in my mind without so much detail that I fell asleep while reading about the glorious woodwork on the bedposts.
This book even made me cry. Books do not force me into a blubbering mess easily, but some of the scenes in Magic's Pawn ripped at my heart. The characters became so real to me that I began to feel their pain. To me that shows the work of a master writer.
There is so much that I could write about why I liked this or that in the story, but what makes this book so good is that I came away from the book happy. Not all books make me thrilled to have spent my money and time on them, yet Magic's Pawn did and still does.

I was impressed initially with Misty's willingness to make the main character gay. That stood out the most. It was interesting to see things from a different view I guess. The pain and sorrow that Vanyel experiences were written real well, so alive it made me sad and angry for him just reading. Any fan of Misty's Valdemar books has to pick this and the other two in the trilogy. From here on it just gets better and more exciting. Plus you see the only herald to be repudated by his Companion which is way cool!

My girlfriend has a great affinity for finding slashy books that make our hearts palpitate and keep us entranced for the duration-- if not longer. This is one of those books.
I know that if not for this book, I'd never have gotten into any of the Heralds of Valdemar books. The idea of a young man pressured into a mold he does not fit and punished for that which he cannot help is something many people can sympathize with.
Vanyel is a young boy whose only intrest is music -- he longs with all his heart to be a Bard; however, he is heir to his father's holdings. Withern, Vanyel's father, has for all of Van's life tried to make the boy fit a mold he was never meant to fit. His trying does more harm than good and fed up with the inability to make Vanyel into the man he thinks Van should be, sends him off to be fostered at Valdemar's capital with the boy's Herald-Mage aunt, Savil. In a stunning tale of romance, Van's life whirls out of control and into 'unforseen' directions for the young man.
After rereading this book too many times to remember, it does seem a little trite and simplistic -- but I think that's what makes it so dear to me. Yes, by the covers of the following books in the trilogy you know that somehow Van becomes a Herald-Mage (assumably the Last Herald-Mage, by the title of the trilogy), but how things occur and the pain or joy of each happening is just wonderful. I read the back of this book then started it and found myself asking "ok, I thought he was a Herald... what gives?" But it all comes together in this beautifully written story.
My problems with Mercedes Lackey's works aren't really tied to the errors in the printing or anything like that, it's the time frame jumps between certain books. Particularly in the Last Herald-Mage Trilogy. Ten years between book one and two, quite a few more between books two and three... And Van changes ever so much between books! I die to know more details about Van's adventures. And even as much as that frustrates me, makes me utterly curious, I still find this trilogy to be one of my all time favourites.
If you love to feel all gooey inside and get torn to tears at times, this is a GREAT book for you. Personally, I like Pawn and Price best of the three, and in my opinion, you could skip Promise entirely and have a complete and wonderful story. But then what's the fun in that? The more Vanyel, the better!

In many ways, "Magic's Pawn" deserves the "groundbreaking" labels that regularly get slapped on it. While a lot of fantasy books feature an angsty teenage protagonist searching for his or her true self, few feature a teenager concentrating so hard on a developing sexual identity. Because Vanyel, the hero, has come from a repressed atmosphere and has a severely homophobic father, he has to first discover the existence of people like Tylendel, who regularly sleep with and love their own gender, before he could even consider the possibility that he might be the same way. And here the book excels, showing just how hard it would be for someone who hadn't considered the notion before to deal with it. For a teenager who hasn't read any books with gay characters before (the situation I was in when I first read it), it's a wonderful and gripping story.
Unfortunately, on most other levels the book falls apart.
Vanyel embodies a lot of the harmful stereotypes of gay men- perhaps because Lackey was so intent on showing his sexual identity beyond a doubt that she shoveled too many easily identifiable labels onto him. He's pretty (described as more beautiful than most women over and over again), very effeminate and emotional, obsessed with fashion, suicidal. Again, the book's emotional intensity is captivating and gripping- for a teenager. Rereading the story, or trying to, as an adult, I was able to see how Lackey plays on the reader's emotions and uses shallow characterization and dirty tricks to make Vanyel's plight seem even worse. His father is a one-dimensional bully devoted to making Van's life miserable. Vanyel also happens to overhear the thoughts of the *one* homophobic member of the Heralds' college, which drives him to suicide. If the story had taken place entirely in a prejudiced society, it would have been more believable. However, most of the Heralds are accepting and welcoming of Vanyel's sexuality, all the better to drum in the point that the people who are not must be wrong, wrong, wrong. Though Lord Withen is characterized somewhat better in the last two books of the trilogy, in the first he seems like a stereotype himself, defined by his biases. Even Vanyel's highly emotional and suicidal lover, Tylendel, comes off better.
So, this book might serve as an excellent introduction to the idea that homosexual characters are human as well, and not to be portrayed just for shallow laughs or hinted at darkly around the edges of a story. When I hear the series touted as the best of fantasy with gay characters, however, I grow uneasy. It's a beginning, but not the end. Try Lynn Flewelling's Nightrunner series or Ellen Kushner's Swordspoint for a look at male characters in relationships that are a little less over-the-top and focused towards the human rather than the extraordinary, and the extraordinarily angsty.

I really enjoyed this book. "Magic's Pawn" was recommended to me by a friend and I can understand why she enjoyed it too. The main strongpoint of this book is definitely characterisation. The main protagonist Vanyel is a sullen yet fair teenager who has been literally cast aside from his family. The reason? Because he wanted to be a Bard and not a warrior. Magic also comes into play when Vanyel is sent to stay with his aunt. Vanyel eventually figures out he can control magic- and yadda yadda. Vanyel's character, is ingeniously created by Lackey as I got a perfect insight on his thoughts as personality. In addition, the book's strangest surprise is that Vanyel is... well, (I hope I don't spoil it), homosexual, which really gave me a surprise. The combination of Vanyel's charismatic personality and Lackey's graceful style of writing really makes this book an excellent read. Even the horses seem to jump out of this book!

This is one of my favorite Mercedes Lackey books. In it we meet Vanyel, a young boy who does not fit in with the others in his father's keep. Van is sent in disgrace to Haven to the care of his aunt who is a Herald. Once there he meets Tylendel and become friends with the other boy. When Tylendel's twin brother is kill he gets Van to agree to help him kill his brother's murder. What Van doesn't know is that Tylendel is quite mad and kills himself afterward. The Heralds blame Vanyel for his friend's death so he runs off into the night and manages to almost kill himself and he gets Chosen as well.
That's all I'm going to tell you of the story.
Magic's Pawn is a somewhat dark story and it deals with issues that most people do not think about. It is a good story and one that I recomend to anyone who wants a great fantasy read.

I can only repeat everyone elses' review of this book- its completely awesome and engrossing. I have tried to have my friends read it, but they were so turned off by the homosexuality in it, they read no further. They are missing out on what I consider to be one of the best books ever. I have read this book at least 15 times, and every time I am just barely able to contain my tears. This book is a must if you like fantasy, romance, or just good reading.

This is the very first Mercedes Lackey book I ever read... and I very quickly bought not only the second two books in the trilogy, but some more of her writings.
The first reason I picked up Magic's Pawn is the "horse" on the cover, because I am an animal lover. But I sat down on the floor of the bookstore to read a couple pages to get a feel for it, and I could hardly close the book to buy it!
This book is an amazing love story. It does not matter that it is between two males at all -- it is simply portrayed as a deep love bond between two souls. This book actually changed my mind from being squeamish about gays to accepting, supporting, and understanding them.
But more than a love story, it's a record of a boy growing up, learning a lot about himself. Throughout he has the wonderful support of his "horse" Yfandes, who is truely a lady, no matter her shape. She and Vanyel are mind-linked, which helps him through a lot of hard times. They also share a lot of fun bantering and generally affectionate teasing.
If you want a "talking animal" story, get this. If you want a gay love story, get this. If you want a timeless love story, get this. If you want a simply magic story, get this.

This book was flat out amazing. This is the first book by Mercedes Lackey I've read, and I loved it. I now plan to read every one of her other books. The reasons I loved this book so much revolves around the characters. I am a 16 year old male, and I thought it was weird that most reviews on this website were by females. After I read the book, I understood. However, it is really a pity that maybe a lot of male readers aren't reading this book series. There are at least 4 homosexual characters, and I think that may be a turn off for a lot of readers. I myself never thought a homosexual love story could be so damn good. It's so tradic and dramatic and just so damn well written, I loved every page after 1/3 of the way through. I reccomend this book to anyone with even a mild interest in excellent storylines, magic, and or action. It's got it all.

I bought the trilogy thinking this was going to be a wonderful ride but as soon as I started I fell down and hit myself hard while thinking "what was I doing??", worst ride ever!! (damn 5 star reviews! )

I could only read like half of the first book and stopped when I literally threw it across the room...I felt bad when I did it because I have a huge respect for books, no matter how bad they are. However, I couldn't contain myself from doing it this time =__= I felt so mad at the main character because of his constant whining, plus he has no personality at all.

If you care about characters as much as I do, beware!!! this one has the worst character I have ever seen in any story, he's dull and self-pities himself in every page. If the character fails to engage then the whole story is a failure too.

PS: I gave the 3 books away for $0.01 on ebay and this isn't even worth that 1 cent. I can't throw books to the garbage so I had to sell them.

This book, to me, presents one of the most pulling stories that has ever been or ever will be written - it is safe to say that I will never, ever forget it! Vanyel Ashkevron is without question my favorite character out of all the books that I have ever read throughout my life, and believe me, there has been a VERY substantial amount. After reading this, in fact, I have not been able to take any character romances in different books seriously - all other love stories just pathetically pale in comparison to Vanyel and Tylendel. I laughed, cried, hurt, grieved, rejoiced, and loved with all of Lackey's characters - Vanyel, Tylendel, Savil, Yfandes... every last one of them. All were believable and beautifully depicted. And apart from the simple aforementioned beauty of the characters, the story itself is one to be adored, fascinated by, reread, and talked about for years upon years. It has a little bit of everything - action, humor, depth, love, twists and turns... it's everything a fantasy fan could ask for! This is a novel that's got something for everybody out there... especially for the girl who has read it at least ten times a year, between books, from the ages of fourteen to eighteen. :) A stunning piece of work that should certainly be looked into without qualms.

If you are an open-minded person who enjoys books that are noticably different in style, this is the book for you. As you have probably found out from other reviewers, the main character Vanyel, is homosexual. This was the first series I have ever read with such a character and I loved how Mercedes let it be a point of internal conflict for young Vanyel, but it was one of several conflicts taking place all at once. This style makes Vanyel come truly alive in the book. We see him as he truly is, a human being trying to understand who and what he is, and trying to fit in with what society (his family) says should be.
It struck a strong chord in me, coming from a family who was as close-minded and conservative as his family and faced with issues that always seemed on the verge of overwelming me while I was growing up.
Read this book...its addictive and feel free to write me and tell me your thoughts.
Craig

A book of many "1st's." Mercedes Lackey has become one of my favorite people in the world for bringing us such an amazing account of requited love. Her writing is confident in our ability to live in the world and discover the nuances of it in a tale. This introduction to this authors unique explorations of a world where the intelligent of other species is proven and relied upon is a wonder to read. It has been my vast pleasure to read this author over the years and I have never forgotten the hearthundering appeal of this first book.

Lackey out does herself in this articulate tale of a young man who goes through the process of self-realization, falling in love, loosing a loved one, and coming out to ones family. Although set in a fantastical setting, the story is timeless for its portray of these difficult issues. I've read it at least 4 times, and call me sentimental but I cry everytime.