The popular husband-and-wife team here launch yet another trilogy laid in their best-known creation, the world of Valdemar, with a book that is considerably more accessible for readers new to Valdemar than many another in the several overlapping triptychs. The action begins during the recovery of Valdemar from the traumatic events of the Mage Storms trilogy completed by Storm Breaking (1996). The story is basically about the coming-of-age of Keisha, an untrained healer in a remote village who is trying to care for her people without going mad, and Darian, a young mage turned Hawkbrother who has figured in other Valdemar yarns. Together, Keisha and Darian take active part in the rebuilding of Valdemar. Lackey and Dixon may not develop their protagonists as remarkably as does Lois Bujold, whose characters grow astonishingly from book to book, or Andre Norton, who has been ringing changes on classic motifs for a half century. Nevertheless, although Lackey and Dixon tend to repeat themselves, they always offer a well-told tale. Roland Green
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From Booklist
The popular husband-and-wife team here launch yet another trilogy laid in their best-known creation, the world of Valdemar, with a book that is considerably more accessible for readers new to Valdemar than many another in the several overlapping triptychs. The action begins during the recovery of Valdemar from the traumatic events of the Mage Storms trilogy completed by Storm Breaking (1996). The story is basically about the coming-of-age of Keisha, an untrained healer in a remote village who is trying to care for her people without going mad, and Darian, a young mage turned Hawkbrother who has figured in other Valdemar yarns. Together, Keisha and Darian take active part in the rebuilding of Valdemar. Lackey and Dixon may not develop their protagonists as remarkably as does Lois Bujold, whose characters grow astonishingly from book to book, or Andre Norton, who has been ringing changes on classic motifs for a half century. Nevertheless, although Lackey and Dixon tend to repeat themselves, they always offer a well-told tale. Roland Green