Though, yes, I read the preceeding two, I'm only commenting on one book per trilogy. And Magic's Price is it. No matter how many times I read it, I get so drawn into Vanyel's story. This final book in his trilogy is so heart-rending that it makes me cry every time I read it. I hurt for Van, but I also hurt for Stef. You fall in love with Vanyel and his world through reading these books- you can't help it- and losing characters is almost like losing friends. ( )

I really loved this one, probably the most of the Last Herald Mage trilogy. It had some humor, lots of tragedy (which I usually hate), angst, adventure and heart. Although most of the side characters came and went at breakneck speed, since we primarily concentrate on Vanyel, Yfandes and Stefan and they are the best characters of the lot, it was impossible to miss the others and made it easier when tragedy struck.

From the ages of some of the characters, I believe this story picks up about a decade after the end of the second book and didn't herald (pun intended) as much of a change for Vanyel as the space between the first and second books did. As this book starts off Van's nephew Medren has a plan for his lonely and solitary uncle, one that sets in motion an almost circular and a most fitting conclusion to this series.

As much as I did enjoy this trilogy I have not yet decided if I want to read more of the Valdemar stories (of which I gather there are many). I really enjoyed Van's character and am just not sure I'll like another lead anywhere near as much. However, I'm not dismissing the possibility.

Overall I found the Last Herald Mage trilogy to be very entertaining and enjoyable and would highly recommend it. ( )

http://zehavit-lamasu.livejournal.com... ( )

Wonderful and shattering. ( )

Am Utterly Engrossing Series!

I picked up this series because I was in the process of writing a fantasy novel with a gay hero and I wanted to see what other works were out there. I had never read Ms. Lackey's work, so I didn't know what to expect. I was not just pleasantly surprised by this trilogy, I was completely captivated by it and very sad when I reached the final page. The plot is interesting and the pace is quick. The characters, especially the hero Vanyel, are extremely sympathetic, primarily due to the fact that they are so flawed. Some may find the romance a bit sappy, but I'm the first to admit that I dig that kind of thing and you'll see it in my own novels as well.Orphan's Quest (Chronicles of Firma, Book One) Best of all for me, though, was the fact that although her hero is unapologetically gay, the series does not become mired in its "gayness" as so many other works of gay-themed fiction I have read.

This trilogy gave me a great deal of inspiration to push on with my own fantasy aspirations. I owe Misty a big hug if we ever meet face to face. I highly recommend these three books. Whether you're gay or straight, you'll find them an excellent read and, like me, you'll be sorry to reach that last page. ( )