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Rosamund is an Earth Master in the Schwarzwald, the ancient Black Forest of Germany. Since the age of ten, she has lived with her teacher, the Hunt Master and Earth Magician of the Schwarzwald Foresters, a man she calls “Papa.” Her adoptive Papa rescued her after her original Earth Master teacher, an old woman who lived alone in a small cottage in the forest, was brutally Rosamund is an Earth Master in the Schwarzwald, the ancient Black Forest of Germany. Since the age of ten, she has lived with her teacher, the Hunt Master and Earth Magician of the Schwarzwald Foresters, a man she calls “Papa.” Her adoptive Papa rescued her after her original Earth Master teacher, an old woman who lived alone in a small cottage in the forest, was brutally murdered by werewolves. Rosa herself barely escaped, and this terrifying incident molded the course of her future. For like her fellow Earth Masters of the Schwarzwald Lodge, Rosa is not a healer.

Instead, her talents lead her on the more violent path of protection and defense— “cleansing” the Earth and protecting its gentle fae creatures from those evil beings who seek to do them harm. And so Rosa becomes the first woman Hunt Master and the scourge of evil creatures, with a deadly specialty in werewolves and all shape­shifters. While visiting with a Fire Master—a friend of her mentor from the Schwarzwald Lodge— Rosa meets a pair of Elemental Magicians from Hungary who have come looking for help. They suspect that there is a dark power responsible for a string of murders happening in the remote countryside of Transylvania, but they have no proof. Rosa agrees to help them, but there is a catch: one of the two men asking for aid is a hereditary werewolf. Rosa has been taught that there are three kinds of werewolves.

There are those, like the one that had murdered her teacher, who transform themselves by use of dark magic, and also those who have been infected by the bite of these magical werewolves—these poor victims have no control over their transforma­tive powers. Yet, there is a third kind: those who have been born with the ability to trans­form at will.

Some insist that certain of these hereditary werewolves are benign. But Rosa has never encountered a benign werewolf! Can she trust this Hungarian werewolf? Or is the Hunter destined to become the Hunted? DNF page 235 of 312 Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters? No, it's 'Little Red Riding Hood: Werewolf Hunter.' Honestly, they're both ideas with plenty of potential.

But I admit that I fell asleep on the movie, and well, Mercedes Lackey phoned this one in. I really liked her other recent release (House of the Four Winds) but this book completely lacks any kind of plot structure or dramatic tension. It doesn't even have much action. It's a lot of blah blah blah about what people wore, ate, etc. Basica DNF page 235 of 312 Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters?

No, it's 'Little Red Riding Hood: Werewolf Hunter.' Honestly, they're both ideas with plenty of potential.

But I admit that I fell asleep on the movie, and well, Mercedes Lackey phoned this one in. I really liked her other recent release (House of the Four Winds) but this book completely lacks any kind of plot structure or dramatic tension. It doesn't even have much action.

It's a lot of blah blah blah about what people wore, ate, etc. Basically, Mary Sue, I mean Rosa, aka Little Red Riding Hood, discovers her Earth Magic, is brought into a protective supernatural Brotherhood, and goes around kicking the ass of the paranormal baddies.

When she's not having dinner, or learning how to apply makeup, or taking a train. And at this point, I realized that even Lackey clearly hadn't read back her own work: page 155: 'What becomes of your clothing? When you change, I mean?' 'You shift nude!'

She chortled.' Wolves don't wear clothing after all.' 'If we are going somewhere, we carry a change of clothing in a harness on our back.' 'But what if you. Want to chase rabbits or something?' 'Unless we absolutely must, we do not hunt for game.That is not advised. The more we act like wolves.the harder it is to remain human within the wolf.

Hunting - and especially killing - these evoke particularly powerful instincts. So we don't risk it.

I had money with me when I ran here. When I got hungry, I shifted, found an inn, and ate like a civilized man.' OK, got that? Page 180 (same two characters, shortly afterwards): 'You never did tell me.

What happens to your clothing when you change?' '.I don't wear any. I bundle the clothing up and strap it to a harness. With the bundle on my back.'

Page 182 (still the same two characters, same conversation): 'It's easy hunting, with a wolf's instincts and a man's brain, and obviously, once I catch my dinner, I eat it right there with no fuss.' OK, I didn't hate this book.

Good-natured and congenial. But I'm not going to finish it, either. The main character, Rosa-not-Mary-Sue, is awesome at everything, most especially magic and hand-to-hand combat.

Both activities burn a lot of calories, which is lucky, because when she’s not being 100% awesome with her ability to do anything, especially take down monsters, she’s constantly eating the dense cuisine of Eastern Europe. But using magic and hunting down bad guys quickly burns up what she eats, so she has no trouble fitting into her either her fighting-time leather corset or party-tim The main character, Rosa-not-Mary-Sue, is awesome at everything, most especially magic and hand-to-hand combat. Both activities burn a lot of calories, which is lucky, because when she’s not being 100% awesome with her ability to do anything, especially take down monsters, she’s constantly eating the dense cuisine of Eastern Europe. But using magic and hunting down bad guys quickly burns up what she eats, so she has no trouble fitting into her either her fighting-time leather corset or party-time silk corset. She snacks and is awesome for about ¾ of the book, then there is an actual plot in the last 4th which borrows a lot from Game of Thrones north-of-the-Wall parts. Could have been worse – but could have been a lot better. Another in the Elemental Masters series.

The first chapter was included in the Elementary collection. Rosa is an Earth Master and Hunt Master.

Having been rescued from a half-form werewolf as a young girl, she was recruited into a brotherhood of forester magicians, who protect those who live in, near, or travel through their forest. She has traveled to Transylvania, to deal with a vampire preying on small villages with one of her fellow hunters. He decides to stay and she travels back. On her way, Another in the Elemental Masters series. The first chapter was included in the Elementary collection. Rosa is an Earth Master and Hunt Master. Having been rescued from a half-form werewolf as a young girl, she was recruited into a brotherhood of forester magicians, who protect those who live in, near, or travel through their forest.

She has traveled to Transylvania, to deal with a vampire preying on small villages with one of her fellow hunters. He decides to stay and she travels back. On her way, the train is forced to a stop by a massive tree which has been hit by lightning at its base to fall across the tracks. Working with a water mage, she kills a rogue air magician.

On arriving in a city, she is invited to the local White Lodge and encounters the water mage again, who had been on a mission for the head of the lodge. Graf, the lodge master, takes her under his wing, educating her so that she can be blend in society as needed. While on the estate, another attack - it turns out the air magician had a twin sister, and Rosa fights the possessed sister, rescued by water elementals. Two Romanians come to the estate, as something has been preying on outlying villages for many decades, with a person disappearing every week. Rosa agrees to accompany them. The one frustration with the series is that there are these really intricate stories, backgrounds, but we only get one novel of each. Where does Rosa go after?

Does she bump into the cousins again? I found this to be a good, refreshing entry in Lackey's long-running Elemental Masters series. Like all of Lackey's books, this series is 'hit or miss.' I can't quite decide yet if this book was a strong 'hit' for me, but it felt a little too slow. It takes a long while for the major plot to get started, but all of the character building that comes before it is also necessary. I honestly didn't know where the novel was going to go in several places. Since Lackey is occasionally terribly predicta I found this to be a good, refreshing entry in Lackey's long-running Elemental Masters series.

Like all of Lackey's books, this series is 'hit or miss.' I can't quite decide yet if this book was a strong 'hit' for me, but it felt a little too slow.

It takes a long while for the major plot to get started, but all of the character building that comes before it is also necessary. I honestly didn't know where the novel was going to go in several places. Since Lackey is occasionally terribly predictable, that helped to elevate this novel among her other works. I am going to have to think about this book carefully and mull it over before I can give it a full review.

One of the things that I liked most about this book was rather subtle: the attention to travel details. As anyone who has read knows, the characters pay constant attention to the train schedule, to the path they will take, and the difficulty of getting where they need to go. If I didn't know what Lackey was doing by focusing on the travel details so extensively, I might have found it annoying. Since I did know, I found it charming. Blood Red is probably my second favorite book in the Elemental Masters series so far (second only to Phoenix and Ashes).

Little Red Riding Hood grows up and hunts werewolves (and the occasional vampir) in Transylvania and Romania. There is also (of course) a romantic element, but the book ends with the intimation that there will be a relationship, rather than ending with a marriage, which is a nice change. Somewhat predictable at times, and I would also mention a tr Blood Red is probably my second favorite book in the Elemental Masters series so far (second only to Phoenix and Ashes). Little Red Riding Hood grows up and hunts werewolves (and the occasional vampir) in Transylvania and Romania.

There is also (of course) a romantic element, but the book ends with the intimation that there will be a relationship, rather than ending with a marriage, which is a nice change. Somewhat predictable at times, and I would also mention a trigger warning as rape and incest are mentioned (they are presumed to have happened off screen to non-major characters), but overall I quite enjoyed the book. It was nice to read about a female Earth Master whose job is cleansing, not healing (as she puts it). Recommended to fellow fans of fairy tale retellings. I don't use star ratings, so please read my review! (Description nicked from B&N.com.) “Rosamund is an Earth Master in the Schwarzwald, the ancient Black Forest of Germany.

Since the age of ten, she has lived with her teacher, the Hunt Master and Earth Magician of the Schwarzwald Foresters, a man she calls “Papa.” Her adoptive Papa rescued her after her original Earth Master teacher, an old woman who lived alone in a small cottage in the forest, was brutally murdered by werewolves. Rosa hersel I don't use star ratings, so please read my review! (Description nicked from B&N.com.) “Rosamund is an Earth Master in the Schwarzwald, the ancient Black Forest of Germany. Since the age of ten, she has lived with her teacher, the Hunt Master and Earth Magician of the Schwarzwald Foresters, a man she calls “Papa.” Her adoptive Papa rescued her after her original Earth Master teacher, an old woman who lived alone in a small cottage in the forest, was brutally murdered by werewolves.

Rosa herself barely escaped, and this terrifying incident molded the course of her future. For like her fellow Earth Masters of the Schwarzwald Lodge, Rosa is not a healer. Instead, her talents lead her on the more violent path of protection and defense— “cleansing” the Earth and protecting its gentle fae creatures from those evil beings who seek to do them harm.

And so Rosa becomes the first woman Hunt Master and the scourge of evil creatures, with a deadly specialty in werewolves and all shape¬shifters. While visiting with a Fire Master—a friend of her mentor from the Schwarzwald Lodge— Rosa meets a pair of Elemental Magicians from Hungary who have come looking for help.

They suspect that there is a dark power responsible for a string of murders happening in the remote countryside of Transylvania, but they have no proof. Rosa agrees to help them, but there is a catch: one of the two men asking for aid is a hereditary werewolf.” Well, I’m happy to see that the Elemental Masters series has bounced back after a couple of sub-par books. It’s not that the writing has been bad, it’s just that the plots have been a bit, shall we say, meandering. With Blood Red, Lackey has done something a bit different: the original fairy tale, “Little Red Riding Hood”, is merely the jumping-off point to the novel. It’s an origin story for the main character, if you will.

By establishing Rosa’s genesis in the prologue, the author is then free to spin her tale from there, far beyond the restrictions of the classic story. Another welcome change is the setting. Most novels in this series take place in cities, or at least in more populated areas. The only real exception was Home From the Sea, which was one of those entries in which nothing really happened. There’s nothing wrong with that, and Lackey certainly changed things up by putting her characters in theaters and London backalleys.

This time, our main character does spend some time traveling through cities, but ultimately ends up in the forests of Eastern Europe. And that’s another change that I approve of: this story has moved beyond the bounds of Western Europe for what I think is the first time. It puts the story squarely into the lands that spawned vampire mythology and the places where werewolves were said to roam.

It gives the characters the opportunity to encounter foreign cultures and unfamiliar customs and superstitions. I have no clue about the accuracy of anything written about in the book, but it was nice to see something different. Rosa herself is one of the stronger female heroines in this series. She defiantly refuses to conform to gender norms and is eventually appointed a Hunt Master, and this is a time where a woman wielding a weapon would send most people into apoplectic shock. She habitually wears breeches and boots, has no trouble in the wilderness, and has earned the respect of men for whom a competent female hunter is something like a unicorn—heard of but never seen. Refreshingly, there’s really no romance at hand either.

Oh, Rosa occasionally has thoughts like “Wow, that guy is cute!” or “Dresses aren’t my thing, but this is actually kind of nice”, but they’re less rather than more prevalent. I like Rosa just as she is—no nonsense and tough. With its strong female main character and some welcome deviations from other books in the series, Blood Red is a fairy tale adaptation that I can heartily recommend. Lackey seems to have gotten her spark back with regards to this series, and I find myself looking forward to future installments more than I have in a while. This review originally appeared on Owlcat Mountain on June 4, 2014. It's always fun to return to one of my favorite series, and it's even better when that series manages to consistently surprise you. Though there have been some departures, Lackey's formula for her Elemental Masters series has been 'Traditional fairy tale retold in historical (mostly British) urban fantasy setting and concludes with female elemental master living happily ever with male elemental master of appropriate opposing element.'

Blood Red, though it happily exists in the same world as the r It's always fun to return to one of my favorite series, and it's even better when that series manages to consistently surprise you. Though there have been some departures, Lackey's formula for her Elemental Masters series has been 'Traditional fairy tale retold in historical (mostly British) urban fantasy setting and concludes with female elemental master living happily ever with male elemental master of appropriate opposing element.'

Blood Red, though it happily exists in the same world as the rest of the series, takes that formula and happily shakes it around a bit. In this retelling of the 'Little Red Riding Hood' story, Rosamund is a badass earth master who hunts monsters for a living and has a particular grudge against werewolves. But the fairy tale allegory ends early on in this novel, and we're left with the story of the main character growing up and coming into her own.Read more.

The formula changes that I appreciated most in this novel were (1) shifting the geographical focus to eastern Europe and away from the familiar settings of England and France and (2) shifting away from the traditional love story. Lackey has obviously done tremendous research on the cultures and lifestyles of multiple countries and social classes for this novel, but never quite falls into the trap of 'All this research I did; let me show you it.' She brings Germany, Romania, and Transylvania to stunning life, subtly contrasting what we have been familiar with in England while also showing how much is still the same (such as a very familiar bias against female Elemental Masters in the upper echelons of the Lodges). Rosa's relationship with a certain Hungarian also does not end neatly with certain wedding bells in the future. This frees up the plot to focus very specifically on the (really rather terrifying) Big Bad rather than also having to hit all of the requisite developing romance tropes along the way. But the ending closes on a hopeful note, and I found myself almost wishing that I get to follow along as Rosa and redacted for spoilers get the chance to further develop their relationship in a future installment of the series. Some moments in the book read a bit slow, and there is a certain amount of narrative dedicated to either naval-gazing or immersing the reader a bit too much in day-to-day life in between the moments that actually move the plot along.

At this point, this is a style that should be familiar and almost expected for any Lackey fan, so I feel comfortable commenting on it without necessarily making it a negative critique. As usual, I can't wait to read the next book in this series. This installment gives me hope that she will continue to branch out into different (non-Western) cultures and fairy tales as influence for her source material. First off, let me say that I really like the Elemental Masters series. The world that Mercedes Lackey has built for these books fascinates me. When I saw this one in the new paperbacks section of my local bookstore, I bought it immediately.

I didn't even read the back, because I knew I wanted to read it regardless of the blurb text. And I wasn't wrong. Each of the books in the series borrows heavily from a fairy tale. They aren't retellings exactly.

But they do take a premise or a character or t First off, let me say that I really like the Elemental Masters series. The world that Mercedes Lackey has built for these books fascinates me. When I saw this one in the new paperbacks section of my local bookstore, I bought it immediately. I didn't even read the back, because I knew I wanted to read it regardless of the blurb text.

And I wasn't wrong. Each of the books in the series borrows heavily from a fairy tale. They aren't retellings exactly. But they do take a premise or a character or themes from a particular tale and run in new directions with them. You can clearly see the original story underneath but it is equally clear that Ms. Lackey's story isn't just the same old tale with a twist. That's part of the fun for me, I think, because I like seeing how she takes the traditional blocks and plays with them in her own style.

And this particular installment did even more of that than the others I have read. Lackey also has a flair for description. The setting in these books feels very grounded, almost historical, thanks to this talent.

In fact, she spends more time and energy describing the aspects of her world that are historical the the parts that are magical and imaginary. Normally this is a good thing and, as I said, makes the story seem 'real.' But normally the characters pretty much stay in one place, one she can get you settled into at the beginning of the book. Unfortunately, in Blood Red the main character Rosa spends most of the book traveling across Europe. There ends up being a great deal of description of the houses and clothing and landscape and travel conditions of Romania and Germany and Transylvania.

(One description of the train schedule is enough thank you very much.) You had to wade through them to get to the very enjoyable story inside. I liked the character of Rosa a lot.

She was smart, smarter than most of the people around her without quite realizing it, exceptionally competent, and practical without being rebellious. Don't get me wrong, I love a good rebellious character, but it was nice to experience one that was simply too practical to let social mores keep her from doing what needed done. All in all, I enjoyed this book but it wasn't my favorite of the series.

I hold Mercedes Lackey to very high standards because I know she more often than not meets them. If this book was by someone I'd never heard of, I would probably have given it five stars.

I have not read any of the other books in this series. This book did just fine as a standalone, balancing between explaining the rules of the world and moving forward with the story. I very much enjoyed it and plan on picking up some of the other books in the series now.

Rosa shares an origin story with Little Red Riding Hood, but that's all these two really have in common. Rosa is an Earth Master in a world where all magic is connected to one of the four elements. When she finds the woman who is I have not read any of the other books in this series. This book did just fine as a standalone, balancing between explaining the rules of the world and moving forward with the story. I very much enjoyed it and plan on picking up some of the other books in the series now.

Rosa shares an origin story with Little Red Riding Hood, but that's all these two really have in common. Rosa is an Earth Master in a world where all magic is connected to one of the four elements.

When she finds the woman who is 'grandmother' murdered by werewolves and is herself threatened, she calls on the Earth Elementals for help. The Earth Elementals respond, along with the Hunt, other humans with Earth magic at their beck and call. These are the people who hunt down the things that go bump in the night. Once the Hunt saves Rosa, she joins them.

The rest of the book is more of her life. The weakness in this book is the lack of a great journey or overcoming adversity; I believe that the book was trying to have these things. Rosa battles against prejudice against her gender, her own prejudice against werewolves, and fighting an Uber Werewolf. It just doesn't get to that level of writing or storytelling to make this an epic 'coming-of-age' journey, overcoming physical and mental adversaries. I suspect if the author told how Rosa became the first female Hunt Master and tied in the Uber werewolf story, it might've resonated more.

I can see where the novel might be setting up for more books about Rosa in the future. If it isn't, it's still a fun, light read, it's just not going to take you anywhere significant or philosophical. Blood Red has good bones. That is to say, it has a decent plot, fairly good characters, and a nice original setting. What it suffers from is a distinct overabundance of narration.

WAY TOO MUCH explaining, over-analyzing, navel-gazing, dead-horse beating, info-dumping, you name it, this book has it. Which is too bad, because premise-wise this was one of the better Elemental series entries lately. If you trimmed out all the endless explanations of what every character had done, was doing, and was Blood Red has good bones. That is to say, it has a decent plot, fairly good characters, and a nice original setting.

What it suffers from is a distinct overabundance of narration. WAY TOO MUCH explaining, over-analyzing, navel-gazing, dead-horse beating, info-dumping, you name it, this book has it. Which is too bad, because premise-wise this was one of the better Elemental series entries lately. If you trimmed out all the endless explanations of what every character had done, was doing, and was going to do, this book would be down to novella-length.

A shame, since I remember Mercedes Lackey's older books fondly. Were they always like this, and I just never noticed?

It kinda bums me out. There was also a recurrent grammatical error that apparently no one noticed: the lack of a comma after introductory words. Ex: 'Well I've been there before.' 'Well I read about that in a book.' However, this error is for the editors to correct, not Ms.

I'll keep trying to read these, but with sinking heart AND expectations. A new way to look at little red riding hood, that's for sure! I enjoyed this story as it incorporates what I like most about the Grimm Fairy Tales.

Rosanna is no shy little girl. She's an Earth Master who will become a threat to those who are corrupt. I enjoyed this book from start to finish. The training, fighting and suspense all worked for me.

Not an overly complicated book, but a well developed world. This is a bit different than the other books in this series and I liked this direction. I l A new way to look at little red riding hood, that's for sure! I enjoyed this story as it incorporates what I like most about the Grimm Fairy Tales. Rosanna is no shy little girl.

She's an Earth Master who will become a threat to those who are corrupt. I enjoyed this book from start to finish. The training, fighting and suspense all worked for me. Not an overly complicated book, but a well developed world. This is a bit different than the other books in this series and I liked this direction. I like Rosanna the Hunt Master.

The images conjured up in this tale are vivid and dark. I nice Sunday afternoon read. This review has been crossposted from my blog. Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule. Rosamund is the first female Hunt Master. When her first elemental teacher is killed by a werewolf, Rosa is spirited away to a Hunt Lodge where she will make her fame and fortune hunting down others like it.

She doesn’t expect to met anyone friendly who might ever have been a werewolf, and holds this prejudice against all werewolves – even cute o This review has been crossposted from my blog. Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule. Rosamund is the first female Hunt Master. When her first elemental teacher is killed by a werewolf, Rosa is spirited away to a Hunt Lodge where she will make her fame and fortune hunting down others like it. She doesn’t expect to met anyone friendly who might ever have been a werewolf, and holds this prejudice against all werewolves – even cute ones. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,.SPOILERS AHEAD.

I've always been a huge fan of fairy tales retellings, and this is one that I really love. This is another book in Mercedes Lackey's Elemental Masters series, which I personally feel trumps her Valdemar series, and definitely the Five Hundred Kingdoms series (definitely).

I loved that instead of being helpless, Red Riding Hood turned out to be someone with power and is eventually be the hunter instead of the hunted. Readers are not bored by details of the training the protagonist.SPOILERS AHEAD. I've always been a huge fan of fairy tales retellings, and this is one that I really love. This is another book in Mercedes Lackey's Elemental Masters series, which I personally feel trumps her Valdemar series, and definitely the Five Hundred Kingdoms series (definitely). I loved that instead of being helpless, Red Riding Hood turned out to be someone with power and is eventually be the hunter instead of the hunted. Readers are not bored by details of the training the protagonist received whilst growing up, nor her first few hunting experiences, and I liked that a lot about this story.

After an initial introduction, the story jumps right in when she is older and leading a hunt. This book is fast paced, but has the right amount of details so readers are not left wondering what just happened. Mercedes Lackey is an absolutely wonderful and skilled writer, she writes of strong women and that is another reason to love this book. I didn't have one single minute whilst reading that I wasn't caught up in the story.

Torrent Mercedes Lackey 2017

Highly recommended, and very entertaining. I really like most of the books in this series (and most of her books overall), so I'm bummed that this one wasn't as good. I liked the German/Romanian setting, and certain aspects of the plot, but overall, it lacked character depth, gave me no reason to care about the plot, and felt very typical of any Red Riding Hood retelling (she fights werewolves and other paranormal creatures, how original. Not.) I think this book could have been a lot better if it were a standalone fairy tale retelling out I really like most of the books in this series (and most of her books overall), so I'm bummed that this one wasn't as good. I liked the German/Romanian setting, and certain aspects of the plot, but overall, it lacked character depth, gave me no reason to care about the plot, and felt very typical of any Red Riding Hood retelling (she fights werewolves and other paranormal creatures, how original. Not.) I think this book could have been a lot better if it were a standalone fairy tale retelling outside of the elemental masters series, because it did have a lot of potential, but confined itself to certain parameters by sticking to the plot and magic system of this series.

I loved the style of this book. It is a shame that it isn't properly copy edited, but that doesn't stop it being a no holds barred adrenaline fuelled thrill ride! This is the first Elemental Masters book I have read. The world building is really consistent, and I enjoy the way that the character of Rosa is written. Any hints of love stories are shot down, as if to say 'Rosa is a hunter, not a damsel in distress.'

The strength of Rosa's character is inspiring, and I loved her confidence. I would r I loved the style of this book. It is a shame that it isn't properly copy edited, but that doesn't stop it being a no holds barred adrenaline fuelled thrill ride! This is the first Elemental Masters book I have read.

The world building is really consistent, and I enjoy the way that the character of Rosa is written. Any hints of love stories are shot down, as if to say 'Rosa is a hunter, not a damsel in distress.'

The strength of Rosa's character is inspiring, and I loved her confidence. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fearless female character to follow through a fun fantasy romp! Mercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts &am Mercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.

'I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. The shopping basket john burningham ebook.

Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' - they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say.

Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not. 'I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life!

I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL 'There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes. 'I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water: 'There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good - they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race.'

Also writes as.

New York Times-bestselling author Mercedes Lackey’s Herald Spy series, set in the beloved fantasy world of Valdemar Herald Mags, the King of Valdemar’s Herald-Spy, has been developing a clandestine network of young informants who operate not only on the streets of the capital city of Haven, but also in the Great Halls and kitchens of the wealthy and highborn. In his own established alternate personas, Mags observes the Court and the alleys alike, quietly gathering information to keep Haven and the Kingdom safe. His wife Amily, is growing into her position as the King’s Own Herald, though she is irritated to encounter many who still consider her father, Herald Nikolas, to be the real King’s Own. Nonetheless, she finds it increasingly useful to be underestimated, for there are dark things stirring in the shadows of Haven and up on the Hill. Someone has discovered many secrets of the women of the Court and the Collegia—and is using those secrets to terrorize and bully them.

Someone is targeting the religious houses of women, too, leaving behind destruction and obscene ravings. Someone at the Court? A disgruntled Palace servant?

One of the members of the Collegia? Someone in the patriarchal sect of the god Sethor? Could the villain be a woman?

And what is this person hoping to achieve? It isn’t blackmail, for the letters demand nothing; the aim seems to be the victims’ panic and despair. Mags and Amily take steps to minimize the damage while using both magic and wits to find the evildoer.

But just as they appear to be on the verge of success, the letter-writer tires of terror and is now out for blood. Mags and Amily will have to track down someone who leaves few clues behind and thwart whatever plans have been set in motion, and quickly—before terror turns to murder. New York Times-bestselling author Mercedes Lackey’s Herald Spy series, set in the beloved fantasy world of Valdemar Herald Mags, Valdemar’s first official Herald Spy, is well on his way to establishing a coterie of young informants, not only on the streets of Haven, but in the kitchens and Great Halls of the highborn and wealthy as well. The newly appointed King’s Own Herald, Amily, although still unsure of her own capability in that office, is doing fine work to support the efforts of Mags, her betrothed. She has even found a way to build an army of informants herself, a group of highly trained but impoverished young noblewomen groomed to serve the highborn ladies who live at Court, to be called “The Queens’s Handmaidens.” And King Kyril has come up with the grand plan of turning Mags and Amily’s wedding into a low-key diplomatic event that will simultaneously entertain everyone on the Hill and allow him to negotiate behind the scenes with all the attending ambassadors―something which had not been possible at his son Prince Sedric’s wedding.

What could possibly go wrong? The answer, of course, is “everything.” For all is not well in the neighboring Kingdom of Menmellith. The new king is a child, and a pretender to the throne has raised a rebel army. And this army is―purportedly―being supplied with arms by Valdemar. The Menmellith Regency Council threatens war. With the help of a ragtag band of their unlikely associates, Mags and Amily will have to determine the real culprit, amass the evidence to convince the Council, and prevent a war nobody wants― ―and, somewhere along the way, get married.

New York Times-bestselling author Mercedes Lackey’s Herald Spy series, set in the beloved fantasy world of Valdemar Mags was once an enslaved orphan living a harsh life in the mines, until the King’s Own Herald discovered his talent and trained him as a spy. Now a Herald in his own right, at the newly established Heralds’ Collegium, Mags has found a supportive family, including his Companion Dallen. Although normally a Herald in his first year of Whites would be sent off on circuit, Mags is needed close to home for his abilities as a spy and his powerful Mindspeech gift.

There is a secret, treacherous plot within the royal court to destroy the Heralds. The situation becomes dire after the life of Mags’ mentor, King’s Own Nikolas, is imperiled. His daughter Amily is chosen as the new King’s Own, a complicated and dangerous job that is made more so by this perilous time. Can Mags and Amily save the court, the Heralds, and the Collegium itself?