Foundation

Starred review from October 15, 2008
For as long as he could remember, Mags had labored, along with other children, in the gem minesunderfed, overworked, and constantly reminded of his good fortune for having a place in the world despite of his mysterious "Bad Blood." The appearance of a King's Herald and a magnificent white steed with blue eyes changes Mags's life and introduces him to the rarified existence of an apprentice Herald, complete with his Companion Dallen, the sentient horselike mount. Returning to her beloved Valdemar universe, Lackey opens her new series at a pivotal time in the history of Valdemar, when the education of Heralds is changing and dangers from other lands are felt in the court and on the training field. Series fans will enjoy the variations on a familiar theme, while enough information is presented for first-timers to discover a world of high adventure and individual courage. Highly recommended.

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2008
The new Valdemar novel takes place earlier in the kingdoms history than has any other, set when the Heralds collegium was established. At that time, the system of heraldic training was changing from one-on-one apprenticeship to the collegial system used by Healers and Bards, because there were too many trainees for the old system. Some older Heralds werent happy with that change, and as all three collegia rapidly grew, there was much rivalry for builders and teachers. Young Mags, an orphan who drudges for a greedy, cruel mine owner, is Chosen and eventually brought to Haven for training, where his goodheartedness and near-total ignorance make him very dependent on his companion. Thanks to court intrigues and an attempt by foreign infiltrators to trick Valdemar to its disadvantage, Lackey makes a real page-turner out of Mags and the collegias development. Though similar in some ways to both Brightly Burning (2000) and Take a Thief (2001), this books outstanding characters, especially Mags, will greatly please Valdemar fans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)