Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey
Posted by Anonymous
Reviewed by: Andrew Zollman
What I Read: Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey
Find It @YCLD: Here!
What It's About: Talia is a member of the Valdemar citizenry who live along the eastern border called Holderfolk. Holderfolk keep to themselves living in a patriarchal family system with women subjugated by the men in their lives. They live day to day following orders and completing tasks of their fathers and his wives.
When confronted by her family at the age of 13 that she is to begin the process of marriage, Talia is terrified. Her only other option is to be cloistered, giving up her own livelihood to prayer and the church. So Talia does what any youth in her situation would do with only unfavorably options given in their future. She becomes a runaway and seeks solitude from her family and others while she thinks about where she will take her life next.
Talia, while hiding, is confronted by a Companion. Companions are mystical creatures linked throughout Valdemar history to Heralds. She soon finds herself bareback riding the Companion back to the capital in hopes to return it for some kind of compensation. Instead she is made a Herald at the royal court after she rescues the Companion and trained as a Herald. During her training she soon uncovers a plot to seize the throne and Talia must use her newly trained empathic powers to save the queen.
What I Thought: This is the first of the Valdemar books written by Mercedes Lackey. It sets the tone and flow for every other Kingdom of Valdemar book in publication by Mercedes Lackey and does a good job of presenting and summarizing the basics for any reader of her books. The Kingdom of Valdemar is a complex communal system of checks and balances run by a King or Queen (who has to be a Herald) and Heralds and their Companions who ride circuits around the kingdom working with its citizenry.
I didn’t start with Arrows of the Queen in the Valdemar books and had to learn through 5-6 novels the ins and outs of how Valdemar society works and was shaped by its complex history. I recommend starting from the beginning and working your way forward so you don’t have to backtrack in the readings. There are many concepts and ideologies associated with the books and the functions of its many characters. If you don’t start from the beginning I would suggest a healthy dose of Medieval European history and a lot of high fantasy novels with a focus on magic or pscionics a.k.a. mind magic. Just flexing my inner geek for you.
Mercedes Lackey loves to tackle social norms and controversial topics in today’s society. One of the things I like to see in her writing is how she approaches clashes between characters in relation to something like controversial family relationships and governance, same sex relations, and things we still take for granted 19 years later.
One thing I can tell you about the book is that Talia is your typical female protagonist for a fantasy. She has her own set of social and emotional cuts she tries to hide from others. The traumas from her past life and the expectations she has for her every action shapes and defines her character and personality. She is difficult to get to like sometimes but that’s part of her struggle and the life she once had. Relationships come hard to her and reaching out even harder. It takes the character a long time to open out and accept new emotions and feelings, but when she does it opens up a new talent within her to connect with others. This is a very strong and encouraging aspect of Arrows of the Queen and helps progress the story.
If you like violence and conflict this book isn’t for you. The message and execution is a subtle thing that drives this series. There are times when description is vivid but it is done in a tasteful fashion.
I recommend this for High Fantasy readers and older teenagers who find that there isn’t enough substance in YA novels. Enjoy!
Readalikes: Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings
Or look this book up on NoveList!
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