4.21.2022 | Thursday

Changing the World

category: Book Reviews
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Changing the Worldtitle: Changing the World
author: Mercedes Lackey
series: Tales of Valdemar #5
published: 9 December 2009
publisher: DAW
genre(s): fantasy
pages: 343
source: bought
format: eBook
buy/shelve it: Amazon | B&N | BookBub | Goodreads

rating: five-stars | series rating: five-stars

the blurb

In March 1987, a young author from Oklahoma published her first novel, Arrows of the Queen. This modest book about a magical land called Valdemar was the beginning of a fantasy masterpiece that would span decades and include more than two dozen titles. Now sixteen of today’s hottest fantasy authors—including Tanya Huff, Mickey Zucker Reichert, Fiona Patton, and Judith Tarr—visit the world of Valdemar, adding their own special touches.


my review

The short stories in this collection, written by both Mercedes Lackey and a variety of other invited writers, are a lovely “gift” of sorts to the Valdemar series. They embody both the feel of the world and that of the characters, weaving together old characters and new in ways completely in keeping with the world established by Lackey herself.

With one exception. “Interview with a Companion” by Benjamin Ohlander.

This story was set in the real world rather than that of Valdemar. In it, a Companion comes to Kentucky to give an interview with a journalist. To be fair, there is nothing wrong with the story. It’s well written, witty and amusing. But its juxtaposition with the rest of the Valdemar stories and books was rather jarring for me. It was so out of place that I had a hard time with it. I confess that I am a bit of a purist when it comes to the Valdemar world.

About Mercedes Lackey

Mercedes Lackey is the well known author of the Valdemar books, set in her own world, Velgarth. She has also written in several other universes, including romances for Luna set in the fairy tale ‘five hundred kingdoms’.

Rating Report
plot
five-stars
characters
five-stars
writing
four-half-stars
pacing
four-half-stars
Overall: five-stars
::spread the love::

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