If you have not read the back of this book or the official description, do yourself a favor: don’t. It will spoil the last quarter of the book for you. In fact, try to avoid looking at the front cover while you’re at it. Instead, I offer this unofficial account:
Vanyel Ashkevron dreams of becoming a bard. To use his music to escape from the future that seems set in stone. When his father’s swordmaster shatters his hand, it seems as if that future may be harder to attain than Vanyel had thought. To make matters worse, in a desperate attempt to make his heir shape up, Vanyel’s father sends him away to Haven to study under the watchful eye of his aunt. But Aunt Savil isn’t just anyone—she’s a Herald Mage. Vanyel is suddenly thrust into a world of magic beyond his understanding. Will he find his salvation here, or be utterly crushed by forces he doesn’t understand?
That’s better. Now, on to the review. I enjoyed this book a great deal! It was undeniably frustrating, but in all the best ways. Vanyel is a deeply emotional character, and Mercedes Lackey isn’t afraid to plumb those depths. She is a writer who will, with great abandon, embrace that love can be both a blessing and a curse.
“The great love is gone. There are still little loves - friend to friend, brother to sister, student to teacher. Will you deny yourself comfort at the hearthfire of a cottage because you may no longer sit by the fireplace of a palace? Will you deny yourself to those who reach out to you in hopes of warming themselves at your hearthfire?”
HOW TO TACKLE TOUGH ISSUES: SUICIDE IN FANTASY (MINOR SPOILERS)
Love is the overarching theme of the Heralds of Valdemar books. It’s the undeniable foundation of the Heraldric Order. The love felt for each other is, at times, a tad on the cheesy side but these books simply wouldn’t exist without it. The platonic and romantic loves demonstrate beautifully an ideal we can all work towards when it comes to empathy with our fellow people. Particularly when it comes to healing after a loss.
Loss and suicide are shown within Magic’s Pawn. The desire to die from grief is discussed without judgment. It is one of the healthiest representations of grieving over the loss of a loved one that I have read. Instead of talking preaching about how hard it is for those left behind, and to consider others when you think about taking your life, Lackey shows empathy for the suffering that pushes someone to consider suicide. The pain, the grief, the hollowness of the spaces left behind are shown delicately and honestly. It makes Vanyel’s story important to read. I definitely recommend it—and highly recommend remembering to show those around you love and empathy.
4/5 stars.
L.J.
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