books:

	• Owlsight (Valdemar: Darian's Tale, Book 2) Mercedes Lackey, Larry Dixon DAW, 1999 - 464 pages average customer review:based on 65 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Darian, who has been in training with the Tayledras for over four years has mastered his gift and is now ready to return to Errold's grove as the town wizard. Together with his companions, the Hawkbrothers, and his newfound friend, Keisha, he establishes a settlement for his new community right outside the village. Together, with the villagers, and the Heralds of Valdemar, they prepare to fight their greatest challenge - an invading force of barbarians.

While I liked Owl Sight, I found the plot a bit rambling. I did not like the 'switching perspectives' between Darian and Keisha, and there wasn't a lot of action. Also, I felt both Keisha and Darian suffered from 'super hero' syndrome. Both characters are way to mature and perfect to be human, and thus were almost boring.. Darian was at times almost insufferably wise and brilliant, doing everything from lecturing elders, to designing his own settlement, all at the ripe age of 18! (I winced when Darian was giving his teachers relationship and teaching advice ).

I was also disappointed to see very little of Snowfire, Darian's mentor. He faded into the background to become just another of Darian's spear-carrier in this books, with no voice of his own. >Sigh

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Give her a break...

Yes, I know ML can do MUCH better work than she's put out in the "Owl" series, many of us have read it in the Vanyel and Arrows series, to name a couple, but she is only human, and we can't expect her to give off masterpieces like those constantly can we? In my opinion this book has some characters with good potential, it's just they were poorly developed. I found the climax a little disapointing, too quick and easily done. But again, ML can't go creating mage storms and wars at every turn. I think my biggest disapointment was the way she brought across old characters--most specifically Kerowyn. When I saw she was brought into this I couldn't have been happier, Kero being one of my favorites, but she came with little of the dry wit and humor I loved her for, and came across rather flat. Same with Firesong. They both lost some of the essance that made them two extremely memorable, enjoyable characters in MLs world. So if you want to read some average writing, with okay characters, go ahead and read this. But if your only interested in MLs master works, or love Kero and the rest of the old characters as much as I do, don't bother. You'll only be disapointed.

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Her style is starting to grate on me

This book is not terrible, but compared to a lot of other fantasy on the market, and even some of her other books, it lacks something. Like most of her other work, this starts out slow, but unlike those others it never really picks up the pace. 75% of the book is just introducing characters and following them through their day, and even when the "action" begins, it isn't really much. A frustratingly high amount of the book is detailed description of things that don't need to be described in detail and following the characters though the process of them coming to terms with something. "Maybe this is the case. But then again, maybe this. And this could be it. I've never thought of that." Way too much of the book is telling us what someone is thinking like that. Something that really bugs me too is the extreme overuse of italics to put emphasis on words. She literally does this three or four times per page. It's just as annoying as a writer who uses exlamation points all the time. You don't need to emphasize everything, or else it loses its effect.

I was apprehensive when I began reading the Valdemar books because the pretty horses on the cover made me think these books might be aimed towards kids or girls who dream about ponies. For most of the series, I didn't feel like that was the case, but in this series I do. There is something indescribable about the style that makes me think this was not intended for adults. It just doesn't seem suited for an adult intellect.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10



It has been four years since Darian saw his village sacked and burned by barbarians. Taking refuge with the Hawkbrothers, he soon finds his life's calling--as a Healing Adept. But even as he learns the mystical ways of this ancient race, Darian cannot escape the dangers threatening his future. Another tribe of barbarians is approaching. The time has come...to stand up and fight.

Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon are:

"An unbeatable team in fantastic magic and adventure."--Kliatt

* A national bestselling series--now with all three volumes available to fans

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