Reviews for Exile's Valor (Heralds of Valdemar Series #7)

The average rating for Exile's Valor (Heralds of Valdemar Series #7) based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2009-12-26 00:00:00 Bart Kovac I don't think this is quite as strong a book as Exile's Honor, but I like it well enough. The primary plot (Selenay being a featherheaded teenager) is eyeroll-inducing at best, but I do like just about everything from Alberich's perspective, and his romance is charming and realistic, which is a nice change from all of the fated and sort of dire pairings we've seen so far. Two small rants, though: - Selenay is the Queen, had been raised from birth to rule, in an environment that has been firmly established to teach practical politics very, very well. How the hell is she not aware that a neighboring country has unmarried Princes of more or less relevant ages? They have treaties! Trade agreements! Ambassadors back and forth! The few pages she spends wondering if there are any eligible foreign men about undercut that entire plot for me. There's just no frigging way she's ignorant about such a fundamental detail. - A lot of people gripe about Herald Myste, Lackey's admitted author-insertion character. I like her, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. The name is a bit over the top, perhaps, but she's a good character who fits a useful role in the story, and has many fewer Mary Sue qualities than, say, Vanyel (who is perfect in every way.) There are damned few middle-aged women who get to do awesome things in fantasy novels, and the more, the better. Especially when they get the guy in the end, too.

Review # 2 was written on 2017-01-11 00:00:00 Stephen Kronshagen I think this book was even better the second time around. I always love noticing stuff I missed the first time around... And sometimes it is the silliest things... for instance this line from the book made me giggle out loud this time through and I did not even remember it the first time through. Last page of Chapter 12 pg 258 in the paperback version. The line is "chattering like a flock of noisy little birds, and he with the look of a man being nibbled to death by ducks". All I can say is Ms. Lackey has a cruel streak, cuz I have seen a flock of ducks go crazy for a bunch of bread and you would not want to ever be their target. It would be a VERY slow agonizing death! Anyway, with this being my 2nd or 3rd read for the Valdemar series I have to say I am really enjoying falling in love with the world she created all over again. Her's were the first fantasy novels I had ever read where there were not only openly accepted gay & lesbian characters; but some of them were actually the hero of the books. Definitely not how most gay & lesbians were portrayed in books & films when I was growing up. It was great in this series to finally get Alberich's full story as well as so much of Selenay's background filled in. A definite must read!