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Review Summaries
"Vanyel, a young lordling, is sent, in disgrace, to live with his aunt. His father was unable to make a "man" out of him and so sends him to be fostered in the capital city. Once there Vanyel falls in love with a young Heraldic Trainee (kind of a soldier with a magical "horse")named Tylendel. They manage to keep their love almost a secret until Lendel's death. But, by the time Vanyel's father storms in to beat the fey out of the boy Vanyel himself has been Chosen by Yfandes (one of the magical "horses"). Devastated by the death of his lifebonded, suddenly burdened with mage-craft he cannot control,and very ill besides, even Yfandes is not enough to save Vanyel from madness or death. So, his aunt takes him to the only people who can both heal and train him, the Hawkbrothers. Among these mysterious mages Vanyel slowly heals body and heart, and learns to control the most powerful mage-talent his teachers have ever seen. One wonders why he might need it..
"
sarah rossi, Resident Mercedes Lackey Scholar
"A young boy with hidden magical powers comes of age as a gay teen in a fedual earth-like society. He wants to escape his parent's and finds love in the city. Later, his powers manifest and hurt him and he goes for healing from some friends. In the end, he has to learn to accept himself and his fate that he is a messenger with special powers with a talking horse as a friend, as he defeats an evil magician."
Nell, Resident Mercedes Lackey Scholar
"Vanyel Ashkevron is the eldest son of a country nobleman, but he is unlike his brothers and not pleasing to his father, for instead of being tough and strong like his brothers, Vanyel is handsome, willowy, learned, and secretly dreams of being a bard, and feels like he just doesn't fit in. His life changes abruptly when his father sends him to the capital to live with his aunt Savil, a herald of Valdemar, one of those few people who protect the country with their magic. "Aunt Ice-and-Iron" turns out to be a lot nicer than he expected, but Vanyel soon has other things to deal with: love, loss, and great magical powers thrust upon him unnaturally..."
Amanda, Resident Mercedes Lackey Scholar
"Vanyel, a young boy, is a misfit on his father's manor. He is sent to Haven, the capital of Valdemar, to go to school. This is viewed as a punishment by the father, and at first, by Vanyel himself. However, Vanyel had dreams of becoming a Bard at the Collegium in Haven, and he is glad to get away from his father and the cruel weaponsmaster on the manor. Vanyel does not have many friends at first, but finds himself falling deeply in love with . . . a young man named 'Lendel studying to become a Herald, or protector of Valdemar. Vanyel and 'Lendel become romantically involved. Unfortunatly, 'Lendel's twin brother is killed by an enemy of the family. 'Lendel tries to get revenge for his brother's death, by using his heraldic powers. This is against the rules of the collegium -- Heralds may not use their powers to hurt others. The result of his actions, and inexperience, is 'Lendel's death.
Some teachers at the collegium blame Vanyel for the death of 'Lendel, but as Vanyel has gone into a deep shock, he can sense these thoughts, and plunges deeper into a guilt-ridden coma. When he comes-to, it is discovered that he is not only a mage, but the most powerful mage to live in Valdemar for centuries."
Katie, Resident Mercedes Lackey Scholar
"All Vanyel wants to do is become a bard, even though everything around him warns against it. Sent off to his aunt's school, Vanyel's whole world changes as the strong willed and celf centered boy finds much more than he bargained for."
Clay, Resident Mercedes Lackey Scholar
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Overall Review
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence - 10% planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 50% Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%
Tone of book
- very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- fantasy world/fantasy past
Coming of age
Yes
Youngster becomes
- a powerful magician
Romance
Yes
Romance plotlets:
- destined love (dream or prediction)
Mental/magical powers focus
Yes
Inner Struggle
Yes
Plotlet:
- search for identity/new understanding
- coping with mental/magical powers
War or Invasion
Yes
Major kinds of combat:
- mental powers battles
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- student
Age:
- a teen
Has magical/special powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character:
- can talk to animals
- fire/lightning/weather cntrl
- mind reading
- mind control
- can see into the future
- can cast many different spells
- can read emotions
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Has magical powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist:
- can cast all sorts of spells
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Terrain
- Mountains
- Forests
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body:
- humans in a primitive/fantasy society
Planet outside solar system?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
Sex in book?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- vague references only
How much dialogue?
- significantly more dialog than descript
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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