Further adventures in the family life of Mags, Amily and their children. This time we get to leave Valdemar, so we get more information on the other countries around them. Series is great and highly recommended.

While I’ve been a huge fan of Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar books for almost 20 years now, I was a bit hesitant to start this book when I received my review copy in the mail a few weeks ago. I’m personally getting a little bit burnt out on the stories revolving around Mags or his family and the last book in the series kind of felt like two only slightly related stories forced into one book. I’m happy to be able to say though that Spy, Spy Again was a fun and exciting read that was a return to everything I love about the Valdemar books. I was honestly unable to stop reading once I had started and ended up finishing the book in a single sitting.

Spy, Spy Again follow Mags youngest son Tory and his friend Prince Kyril (Called Kee), who have two similar gifts that when used in conjunction allow them to Farsee people across vast distances, but oddly only people that they are related to. So when Mags receives a distress call from his cousin about his abducted daughter, Tory and Kee decide they are the only people who stand a chance of finding her and take it upon themselves to travel to the Sleepgivers lands and attempt to rescue her.

One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was learning more about the Sleepgivers and the lands that they come from. Spy, Spy Again really felt like a return to some of the earlier Valdemar books as we get to follow Tory and Kee around as they discover how their new gifts work and as they travel into unknown lands to meet strange and exotic peoples and animals. We also get some viewpoints from Tory’s cousin Sira which really gives us some interesting insights into the way of life of the Sleepgiver Nation. I feel like Spy, Spy Again really recaptured the awe and wonder I used to feel in the earlier Valdemar books in a great way.

While I think this is a book that anyone could enjoy, whether they’ve read any of the Valdemar books before, I would strongly recommend anyone interested in it read the previous two books in the Family Spies series at the very least. This book felt like a fantastic conclusion to the story of Mags family and I can’t wait to see where Mercedes Lackey takes us in the world of Valdemar next.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved Mercedes Lackey’s books for thirty years. I still have the SFBC omnibus of the Last Herald Mage trilogy on my shelf. I can’t tell you how many times I read it. It was probably my first reading experience with gay characters and it probably helped me to be open and welcoming to my friends who came out a few years after I read it.

I haven’t read many of her Valdemar books in the last few years. I read the Collegium Chronicles series, which was fun, but I felt it dragged on too long, with too many kidnappings, and Mags’s accent drove me bananas. I lost touch with the series when my library stopped buying the ebooks of the Herald Spy series after Closer to Home, so I was very excited to see what happened to Mags and his kids when NetGalley and the publisher gave me an eARC of Spy, Spy Again, the third volume in the series focusing on Mags’s kids.

Sadly, I found this tale disappointing. Instead of the interesting coming of age tale the blurb was promising, this book was a boring slog with paper-thin characters. Perhaps I missed something by not reading the preceding volumes? Mags’s cipher of a son and a boring Valdemarian prince are enlisted to help one of Mags’s assassin cousins to rescue another assassin cousin who has been captured. Lackey does nothing here to make me like the assassin family or culture. They kill for money and nothing in the text explains why these characters should be likable. Yet every other chapter is spent with Sira, assassin who is kidnapped by Karsites. Why was she kidnapped? What was the Karsites plans? The book doesn’t bother to go into these things. The book really lost me here when the Karsite guards come to rape Sira. Why? Why is rape necessary as a motivating factor? It seems so unnecessary. Sira fights off the rapists and eventually she is rescued and she and the prince immediately fall in love in a way that feels particularly unrealistic.

I hope Mercedes Lackey keeps writing Valdemar books. I look forward to when she decides to move away from Mags and his family. And enough with the rape! It’s the 21st century! Haven’t we moved beyond that awful trope? In the meantime, I may go back to my copy of the Last Herald Mage.

I loved this novel. This should come as no surprise to most of you. In case you don’t already know, Mercedes Lackey is one of my favorite authors and her Valdemar series is my Favorite series. If I were told I could leave this world and go to Valdemar, even if I had to leave everyone and everything behind, I would go. I know in my heart that I am a herald of Valdemar and that I belong there.
Mercedes Lackey does some of the best world building and character development out of all of the different authors that I read. This novel is no exception. We get to learn a lot more about the Sleepgivers and Rethwellan. As always our main characters face some trials and have to make some hard choices. There are some new elemental characters that we haven’t experienced before, and some startling revelations about our characters that may open up new possibilities for future novels. I am a little bit sad that this is the third book in the series, and Mags and Amily’s youngest child, so I am assuming it concludes the Family Spies series. Valdemar novels are all about how hard work, choosing the right friends, and making the right choice instead of the easy choice, are always worth it in the end. They are about doing the right thing, and that is how I live my life. I hope that there are new Valdemar novels in the works, because I love having them to look forward to.

Assassin challenges!

Interesting connections with Herald Mags have us learning more about his relatives amongst the assasin Nation, the Sleepgivers. Mags' son Tory and Prince Kyril—Kee, (quite a way down the line to throne of Valdemar) are sent into Ruven to investigate the disappearance of a cousin.
Tory has been understudy to his father Mags who is in charge of the King’s intelligence network, working as an agent since he was small. His best friend Kee and he strove to improve their many skills. Mags had been the "heir to the Banner Bearer of the Nation" of the Sleepgivers. But that's a whole nother story, that impinges on this one.
Tory 's relation, Siratai, a talented sleepgiver finds herself captured by Karsite Demons and taken to the "demon-summoning priests of Vkandis, a minority of the priests of the Karsites." Sira is held in a fortified tower and is trying to seem harmless and nothing more than an innocent traveler. That changes!
In Valdemar Tory and Kee are "hit with something. Not a vision...it was all emotion and a little thought. Mostly anger." This far seeing / mind calling needs to be investigated and they are chosen to do just that. And why did Kee feel it too? When Sira's brother turns up in Valdemar they join him journeying to Rethwellan, near the Karsite Border, to begin the search.
Delving more deeply into these inahabitants of Ruven opens up new vistas, and some interesting and different elementals with varying powers coming into play. That's exciting! Coming face to face with the Karsite demons, meeting them, is something I really can't remember from previous novels. Some of their mystery is revealed.
This makes for compelling reading, especially about the inhabitants beyond Valdemar. After all these years of reading Lackey, I am still intrigued. Her voice remains unmistakable and strong.
An enjoyable addition to the many nations, clans and individuals populating Lackey's Baldemar universe.

A Berkley Group ARC via NetGalley

Mercedes Lackey continues the Family Spies series of Valdemar as Tory, son of Mags the Valdemar chief of spies and Amily, Queen's Own, partners with Prince Kyril to go to the rescue of Siri, niece of Mags and daughter of the king of the Sleepgivers, a country of assassins. Lots of room for things to go wrong. They end of going into Karse, the traditional enemy of Valdemar who hate anyone with paranormal powers, especially mages. Kyril discovers he is a mage and Siri is imprisoned in a castle but she discovers she has unusual paranormal helpers. Read and enjoy.

When I saw this ARC offered on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to review it. I hadn’t read a novel of Valdemar since 2004, and honestly, I hadn’t known there had been any published since then. So when I learned this was the third book of a series, I naturally got my hands on the first two books and read those first so I would be familiar with the series and would’t be coming into the third book blind. You could certainly read this book without having read the previous two novels, or any other novels of Valdemar, but I enjoyed all three.

Diving back into the world of Valdemar was like coming home, and it was wonderful. I don’t remember everything, obviously, but I didn’t have to. All the good things I remembered were in this series, if a bit less due to the nature of the characters and the plot of these books. I won’t elaborate too much on that, except to say that as spies, the main characters of these books travel outside Valdemar for large portions of their books.

In SPY, SPY AGAIN, Mercedes Lackey introduces a new character named SIratai who is attacked by demons while traveling abroad. Her father has a cousin in Valdemar named Mags, and he calls upon him for help. It just so happens that when Siratai was attacked, she inadvertently called out to Mags’ youngest son Tory, who shares a close bond with his best friend Kyril. Their bond allows them to locate and visibly see either of their family members. The two boys felt her fear and pain, but had no idea who she was or how to help until her father’s plea.

Without hesitation, the two boys confirm that Siratai is still alive, but they can’t see more from such a distance. They volunteer to use their bond to locate where she has being imprisoned, but they need to travel much closer. That means crossing two countries and this will be the first time either boy leaves Valdemar. Despite their parents’ hesitation, Siratai’s father offer’s payment in return that they cannot refuse. Thus begins a perilous adventure filled with magic, demons, friendship, love, loss, and the end of everything Tory and Kyril have every known.

While the heart of this novel is about a childhood friendship that has grown into a shared magic that can now possibly save a life, it is also about facing pending changes as one of those friends discovers something new about themselves and finds love. These changes threaten to tear their friendship apart, and is devastating to the friend that sees himself being left behind. These feelings are raw and deep, but the reader can’t help but be happy for the friend who found love and magic amid all the danger. It truly is a book filled with complex emotions.

From beginning to end it was a delightful read, and I highly recommend it and the entire series. Any book of Valdemar is worth a read.

Third and last in the Family Spies sub-series, about Mags's children. The background about his assassin upbringing is welcome; this takes some pains to redeem them and their culture.

Valdemar fans already know they want to read this one, and they will not be disappointed. Other fantasy fans might want to give it a try, despite its position deep in the series.

I am a huge fan of the world of Valdemar! Mercedes is an incredibly talented author, who creates unique wonderful worlds in her books. I've been following these characters since the beginning of the Collegium series, where they enthralled me. They make me feel like I am am right there in the story with them. This book was fantastically well done! I can't wait to see where Mercedes takes the world of Valdemar next! I highly recommend this series, and all the books in the world of Valdemar! I think you'll become addicted like me!

This one follows another one of Mags’ kids on an adventure as he is growing up. Tory and his best friend Prince Kyril work in tandem with a gift of Farsight that only allows them to look at family members of either of them only. Kyril is down the list of possible heirs and isn’t Chosen so he has more freedom than his older siblings. He works with Tory helping Mags with his spy work. When Mags’ Sieepgiver kin come to him asking for his help to find one of their missing kids, Tony and Kyril realized they have a connection and can possibly locate her after feeling her fear when she was taken by the Karsites. Once they get closer to the Sleepgiver’s lands they can use their talent to find her on a map. But Kyril decides that they must go and help rescue Sira. A good entertaining story and it sets both boys on their adult paths.

Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley

It is time for the youngest of Mags and Amily's children to have his own adventure. Tory is a talented spy but he hasn't been Chosen by a Companion. He and his best friend Kee, who is the fourth child of the King and Queen of Valdemar, have a shared psychic talent which allows them to Farsee their relatives when they work together. They also have been trained by Mags to use some of the Sleepgiver's tricks to help them be better spies.

When they get a strong signal from a source they don't recognize, they don't know what to do. But when a sleepgiver named Ahkhan comes to Valdemar to ask Mags for help to locate a missing person and offers a deal Valdemar doesn't want to refuse, Tory and Kee agree to go along to help find the missing young woman.

Meanwhile, Sira tells her story about her life as a sleepgiver and what happens when she is captured by Karsites who control demons. Sira is also a mage who is looking at some of the talismans found by their mages and it is a good thing she had them with her. Each talisman contains and afrinn who is a personification of one of the elements. When she frees them from the talismans they are able to help her escape from the Karsite prison which coincides with Ahkhan, Tory, and Kee's arrival at the prison.

Then it is necessary for them to flee across Karse while being chased by demons in order to reach the safety of Valdemar. Along the way Kee and Sira fall in love which is wonderful for them, or it will be, once all the problems are solved. Kee learns he is a powerful mage which means he can't live in Valdemar anymore since spirits prohibit magic in Valdemar. And Tory doesn't know what he will do in his future since he doesn't have any powers except when he works with Kee.

This was a great adventure which was also a great story about friendship and change.

"Spy, Spy Again" is a fantasy novel with four teenaged main characters. This book is the third in a series, but it can work as a standalone. The author spent a lot of time describing the different cultures, especially the Sleepgivers, and she provided any background from the previous stories needed to understand the various relationships. The world-building created a unique and interesting setting for the story, but there was more information provided than was strictly necessary to tell the story so it did slow the pacing a little at the beginning.

Tory and Kyril are best friends and bound together by their shared Gift. But things start to change as they leave Valdemar and new experiences begin to shape them into adults with different future paths...if they can survive their rescue mission. Half of the story was told from Tory's viewpoint as his group worked to find and rescue Sira, and the other half was from Sira's viewpoint as she fought off her captors from her cell but struggled to discover how to escape through an army worth of guards. The characters were noble, likable, and grew through their experiences. There was suspense after Sira was captured since the characters faced great danger from soldiers and demons. There was no sex. There was some bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable fantasy adventure.

I loved this book, probably my favorite in the Family Spies series. Lackey, of course, does a great job with her worldbuilding and creation of characters. I liked that the Sleepgivers were part of it, since they are Mags family. Nice surprise towards the end.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved how Mercedes brought back the sleep givers. Once again one of Mags kids gets to go on a grand adventure and discover his path into adulthood.

I got an Advance Reader's copy.

Spy, Spy Again is a delightful coming of age story featuring Heralds Mags and Amily's youngest child Tory and his best friend Prince Kyril aka Kee. Though they have gifts they do not share a single Gift; they have two complementary Gifts working together in a way that the Heralds have never seen before. Tory is the Farseer—Kee's Gift is to extend his range beyond a few dozen feet. This gift is what leads them into their adventure. They’re going to have to leave Valdemar and help the Sleepgivers find Bey's kidnapped eldest daughter. This is going to take the boys into places they’ve never been and they’re going to see things beyond belief. They will have to fight hard and they are both going to grow in different ways. They’re going to learn that the only constant in life is change and they are both better for it. This is another fabulous addition to the Valdemar: Family Spies series. As always I look forward to more in this world.

This series just seems to get better as it goes along.  I love seeing the family grow over time and that you see two generations of the same family.  It is nice to see multiple generations as you get to really know and are invested in the family. 


In this book we don't really see as much of Mags or Amily which to me has really made the series the hits that they are.  This deals with one of the sons. A son who really didn't seem to have the purpose of the others in the family but he was such a great friend and family member so you get to see the connection.


I enjoyed the story as it brought back in The Sleepgivers from a previous arc of Mags story.  This really made my day as you get to see what Bey has made this group into.


Beys family was a lot of fun to see especially as you never knew what to expect or why The Sleepgivers never made another appearance.


I would love to see more of those stories and see how Bey went and straightened out his people.  


Part of what makes the Valdemar books all so great is the link to the past as well as moving things into the future.  Seeing the links is what is great since the characters all still have wonderful interactions as well as being some of the best designed characters ever.


This story also brought back my favourite enemy which was Karse during the time before Solaris.  They a power but it seems that not enough to really help them against someone trained as one of the Sleepgivers.


Wonderful book and while I can't say it is my favourite ofnthe Mags and family stories it definitely rates as one of the best.

Mercedes Lackey’s books are the equivalent of a cup of hot chocolate and your favorite sweats on a cold night. They are sweet, comfortable and soothing in their way. If you are brave, true and work hard things will be okay and the day can be won. Her books also come with a message of pick decent friends and stable loving relationships are great. So if you’re in need of a little stress relief pick up the Valdemar books and escape for a while.
I’m presuming most folks reading this review are already familiar with this series since this is a book 3 of a set in a world she’s been writing in for 33 years but if you aren’t go find either Arrows of the Queen for the oldest book or The Black Gryphon for the book set in the world’s past.
And yes, I’m rounding my stars up to 4 for this when it probably deserves a 3 point something but I love this world and its positivity so I’m going up instead of down in picking my star total for it!

Lackey returns to Herald Mags' family with Tory's story, which means his best friend Prince Kee is along for the ride. Neither really knows what they want to do with their lives, although Tory figures he'll work for his dad as a spy, but as a fourth child, Kee is in limbo. Then one of Mags' Sleepgiver cousins shows up asking for help and it will take Tory and Kee's special combined Gift to succeed. Fans will enjoy reading more about Valdemar and this family in particular, but the story ends just as it was really starting to enter new territory. Hopefully this won't be the last entry in this portion of the tales of Valdemar.

The third installment of the Family Spies trilogy is here! Of all of Mags and Amily's children, Tory feels like he's the only one who hasn't gotten to go on his own Big Important Adventure. He gets his opportunity when Mags gets a message from his Sleepgiver cousin Bey--Bey's daughter Sira has been kidnapped by the Karsite Demoncaller priests. Tory and his best friend Prince Kyril have a unique ability that is essential for finding her--Kyril is a Farseer, and Tory can boost his gift to find almost anyone they know (or are related to), no matter how far away they are.

As you might expect, this adventure is a bit of a coming-of-age journey where the boys show their personal responsibility and that they're getting ready to take care of themselves. It's got all the fun, adventure, and typical Valdemar story plots that long time fans of Lackey's Valdemar books have come to expect and love. Lackey's characters are always fully dimensional, interesting and sympathetic--which makes her books precious fun to read. It's a reliably fun series to read, and this book as all the rest is a  bright spot in the month for a longtime fan.