With all the stress related to the Covid-19 pandemic, I’d had a hard time settling down to read a novel. Eventually, I decided that what I really needed was to start reading this most recent book by Mercedes Lackey. Her books always do a very good job of taking my out of my own world and into hers.
Mercedes Lackey has once again done a fabulous job of telling a story that shows young people becoming real adults. This time, it is two young men from Valdemar. One is a son of her character Mags, the first Herald-Spy. The other is the youngest son of the King of Valdemar. Together, they are a powerful Farseer (one of the many mind-magic talents that appear among the people of Valdemar), with Mag’s son Tory, providing the Farseeing, and young Prince Kee providing the power.
If you remember earlier books in this series, you know that Mags is related to a clan of assasins. This time, one of their young men appears in Valdemar, asking for help from Mags. It seems one of his sisters,Sira, has been attacked by priests and demons from Karse, and presumably taken there. Mags sends the two younger men because their collective talent will be more useful.
The story is told in two parts, that are well woven together. First, the young men who are sent to help. The other part shows Sira, doing a pretty good job of rescuing herself. In the end, it takes all that all four of the young people together can do to get out of Karse alive.
Since so many of these books focus on young people, I sometimes wonder if the target audience is young readers. Even if that is true, I don’t care! I may be old enough to collect Social Security, but I love these stories. I do hope that there will be more.