Skandranon Rashkae, the Black Gryphon, is probably the most famous of the Mage of Silence Uthro’s creations. He specializes in getting out of tight spots and completing missions that are said to be impossible. However, even if Skan can pull off the impossible on a regular basis, the war isn’t going to be won by one gryphon. Skan’s closest friend, Amberdrake, constantly worries every time his friend is out on a mission that this time will be the time that Skan doesn’t come back. Amberdrake already lost his family to the war, but he does his best to help heal the hearts and minds of those who go out to fight. But as Ma’ar pushes forward in his conquest, Uthro and all who stand against him are pushed to the brink trying to survive, and their choices may reshape the entire world.
I’m doing a reread of all of Mercedes Lackey’s Velgarth books in chronological order this summer. As a teenager, she was one of my favorite authors, so the books have a special place in my heart. I’ve probably read all of the books set in this world at least once, even if I don’t remember them all well, so it will be interesting to see how I feel about them now. The Mage Wars books are the ancient history for this world. So much is set in motion by these books even if you only realize it in hindsight or have read other books set in this world first. Of course, history is remembered differently after hundreds of years as well so it’s interesting to get an idea of what really happen. Also while most the books are set in Valdemar, these are set both in a different area of the world and with different peoples than most of the others.
Skan and Amberdrake’s relationship is the backbone of this series. They are brothers in everything except blood. Along with Gesten, their little family unit is the heart of the tale. While the conflict is similar in scope to a world war, it’s focused through the eyes of Amberdrake and Skan, making it much more relatable. This is definitely a story about found family and one that focuses on community and solidarity. Watching the characters grow and their little family expand is one of the highlights of the story as is the three points in time where these books take place are also interesting choices. We get to see the characters go from the final days of a war to rebuilding their society to handing the reigns over to the next generation. And the main characters deal with the struggles that come with growth as roles no longer seem to fit or experiences change them. I really enjoyed both the world building that happens as well as seeing the characters evolve over a longer period of time. This series does a great job of portraying leaders and parents as people with their own flaws and biases. While the third book is probably the weakest of the three, it does give a satisfying ending for the series as well as Overall, this series is a lot of fun and makes for a great entry point to the world. All three books get four out of five stars.
Bingo – One – This is the beginning chronologically of the Velgarth/Valdemar universe.
