Written by: Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
Copyright: 2003
Publisher: Tor
Pages: 711
This will be my third book for Quest The First.
Quest The First : Read at least 5 books that fit somewhere within the Once Upon a Time criteria. They might all be fantasy, or folklore, or fairy tales, or mythology…or your five books might be a combination from the four genres.
Let me begin by saying that this is my second time around with The Obsidian Trilogy, but I've never reviewed it. I had the itch to read it again and thought it would be perfect for the OUaT Challenge :D
Kellen is the only son of the Arch-Mage of Armethalieh, The Golden City of the Bells. As such he is expected to set the standard in both mage craft and behavior. Kellen however, is sorely lacking in both areas, and continues to be a disappointment and an embarrassment to his father.
Living in a "perfect" Armethaliehn society is a challenge for Kellen, who is stifled by the complete control the mages have over every detail, from music and weather, to the very knowledge each citizen poseses.
While searching the lower market for clues of his city's past, he happens upon a set of books that will forever change the course of his life. Through them, he encounters creatures he believed to only exist in wondertale, and begins an adventure that will effect the fate of all.
The way I see it: This is a book about choices. You get the very strong idea that the future of every race is weighted heavily on each choice that Kellen, and his fellow characters make. You also get insights into his thought process and how he weighs the pros and cons of these decisions. It's a birds eye view of the mind set of a 17 year old who has never been very good at anything and is completely unsure of himself. As the story progresses Kellen finally starts to understand who he's meant to be, and what sacrifices he's willing to make for the good of his world.
The bad, the bad, and the ugly: After reading this for the second time, I still have the same opinion...you have to get through the first few chapters for the excitement to begin. There's no instant gratification, but once it starts, it doesn't end :D
Love it or Leave it: OMG!!! Love it! It is one of my very most favorite series and it's starting out just as good the second time around. I find myself laughing out loud at times, and Kellen is absolutely endearing. Not wanting to give anything away, I didn't delve into detail about the other characters, but I have to tell you... the supporting characters are just as amazing.
3 comments:
Gosh, so many people have recommened Mercedes Lackey to me, including my own daughter, and I never have got around to reading her books. I'll make a note of this one as it sounds like it may be a good place to start.
She's an amazing writer, and she does a lot of collaborations. The Bedlam Bard books of hers are amazing as well. They're urban fantasy. My favorite one is Mad Maudlin (2003) with Rosemary Edghill. I'll do a reread and review on that one eventually too :D
I read some Mercedes eons ago but can't even remember what they were now.. this does sound good.. I may have to add them to the wish list *groan*
I have so many chunkster books that "moving right along" is not an option lately! sheesh lol
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