My life in books

As has been made clear, I love the secondary world of Valdemar created by Mercedes Lackey. I also, one may have noticed, love the writing of Tanya Huff. So you can imagine my delight when Tanya Huff released a collection of her Valdemarian stories featuring Herald Jors and his Companion Gervais, in The Demon’s Den and Other Tales of Valdemar.

The stories are told in a linear fashion, and begin with Jors as a young Herald, not long into his career, unsure of himself, his judgement, his abilities, but still, like any Herald, giving all that he can, the best that he can, relying on the unearthly wisdom of his Companion to find the best way. As his adventures continue, he becomes more comfortable with himself, his duties, and his place in the world. He makes mistakes. He learns about himself. He experiences successes, and failures to achieve everything he’d hoped to. He learns about love and heartbreak. And finally, he comes into his own, a Herald in his prime, confident and assured but aware of his limits and his needs.

I’d read these before, of course - they were all originally published in Lackey’s Valdemar anthologies - and enjoyed them, but there’s a deeper enjoyment to be found in seeing Jors growing and maturing as one reads these stories one after the other. I’m glad Huff had the idea to put them into a single collection, and that Lackey granted permission for her to publish a Valdemarian collection.

Mercedes Lackey’s Elemental Masters series is not one of my favourites. I’ve read a few of the books in the series, and enjoyed them, and bounced rather hard off some others. And there have been some that, based on the brief publisher’s descriptions, just didn’t interest me. However, the 11th novel in the series, A Study in Sable, caught my attention because it involves Sherlock Holmes, and John and Mary Watson, both of whom, in this universe, are Elemental magicians - and have had to keep their activities more or less secret from Holmes, who is, of course, a sceptic. It’s rather fun watching Holmes becoming slowly convinced that there are, in fact,some powers and abilities he knows nothing of, and slowly come to see how they may be useful to his investigations.

A Study in Sable also involves three other main characters, Sarah, a gifted medium, her friend and partner Nan, a telepath and psychometrician, and their ward, the child Suki who is a former street urchin, and, like Nan, a telepath.

In this tale, a case that intrigues Holmes, one that involves a young woman who apparently ran off to Canada with her lover, intersects with a case that Sarah is hired to deal with, the haunting of a melodramatic opera singer who, coincidentally, is the sister of the missing girl who is the focus of Holmes’ attention.

The main plot is quite interesting, and offers some surprising twists on its way to a satisfying conclusion. However, I found the novel somewhat marred by a few self-contained incidents that added nothing to the unravelling of the main plot, and seemed to serve solely to show Watson and his wife working in concert with Sarah, Nan, other magic holders - and other creatures not human.

The 12th installment of the series, A Scandal in Battersea, brings Sarah and Nan together with Holmes again. This time, the threat to England is first revealed in the terrifying dreams of a young woman of good family being cared for in a genteel home for the insane. When John and Mary Watson, along with Nan and Sarah, do their standard Christmas duty of visiting the madhouses to see if any of the poor souls are actually psychics or potential magicians put away because of the strangeness of their perceptions, they discover that young Amelia is a clairvoyant, and that her visions are of a horrendous being from another universe that is preparing to break through into our own. Though they cannot discover who is the human magician working to bring the monster through the gate, they soon realise that he is kidnapping other young women as sacrifices - some disappear altogether, others are found, with their minds empty and their souls beyond even the reach of Sarah’s mediumistic talents. Calling on all their allies, they race against time to prepare for the breakthrough of the creature before all is lost.

There are very strong Lovecraftian overtones to this story, from the somewhat mediocre magician lured into following the rituals in a mysterious book, to the other-dimensional nature of the monster and its mostly glimpsed, never fully described nature.

These are not my most favourite enlargement to the vast corpus of Holmes-insired work, but they are still quite enjoyable on their own merits - indeed, they would work as well with some other intelligent but otherwise ordinary human being in the roles that Holmes portrays. But it wouldn’t be quite as much fun, I suppose.

Mercedes Lackey seems to release a new Valdemar anthology every year just before Christmas, and 2017 was no exception. Which means that one of my solstice presents was an ebook of the latest volume, Pathways.

This year’s collection is, as always, a balance of stories about heralds or would-be Heralds and stories about people from other parts of Valdemar’s world, some human and some not. Because this is an ongoing series of anthologies, there are some familiar characters, as authors write new tales about old friends. These are for the most part optimistic stories, in which problems get solved, wrongs are righted, plots are foiled, lessons are learned, people find their place in the world.

I sometimes wonder about the reasons behind my deep affection for Lackey’s created country of Valdemar. It’s more than just the enjoyment of good hero stories, or the fact that she was writing women protagonists, and even putting queer characters into her stories, back when there was much less of that going around. I think it hinges on two things.

First, the Valdemarian insistence that there is no one truth, one right form of worship, no state religion. I like the idea of real religious tolerance, and I like that Lackey wanted to write about a society that makes no official windows into people’s souls.

Second, but probably more important, is the idea of the Heralds - and the requirement that the head of government and their chief advisor be Heralds. Living in this world where both the leaders and the agents of the state are so often corrupt, and lack any notion of social justice, it’s a fine fantasy indeed to escape into Valdemar, where Heralds can be trusted to, at the very least, have good intentions.

I’m glad to have spent the last hours of a very rotten year - both personally and globally - reading something light and full of hope that there are good people, and that not only do they sometimes win, but they get to be happy for a while.


*There are 20 short stories in this anthology, 17 written by women, two written by men, and one written by a person who chose not to indicate their gender.

Mercedes Lackey's Closer to the Chest, the third volume in the Valdemar-set Herald Spy series, is somewhat unusual for Lackey, as it quite openly addresses a serious modern issue - misogyny, expressed through harassment and violence.

A new religion with a highly patriarchal, misogynistic set of teaching arrives in Valdemar, where the long-held policy of religious tolerance offers no resistance to them, despite the distaste felt by many toward their anti-woman rhetoric.



Not long afterwards, Mags, spymaster in training, begins to notice more and more disaffected, working class men spouting misogynist diatribes. Two women-only religious orders are vandalised, as are a series of small, women-owned businesses. And around the Court and Collegium, women are receiving poisonous and threatening letters.

It's a complex investigation that draws on the talents of Mags, Amily, their Companions, and the entire network of observers and agents that are a part of the Crown's intelligence service.

I enjoyed this, as I enjoy most of Lackey's work; the pointed social commentary added to the pleasure.

With the publication of The House of the Four Winds, Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory have a new series on the go, though given the long wait for volume two of their Dragon Prophecy series, I find myself wondering if we'll ever see another volume of One Dozen Daughters - and that would be a real shame. Because The House of Four Winds is a delightful fantasy. And the series concept has a great deal of promise.

The premise is this. Duke Rupert and Duchess Yetive, the rulers of the very small and not at all consequential Duchy of Swansgaarde, have twelve daughters and one son. The son, of course, will inherit the dukedom, but the future of the daughters is much less clear, as Swansgaarde can not possibly afford to provide appropriate dowries for twelve royal brides. Fortunately, Duke Rupert and Duchess Yetive are sensible, practical people who have raised their daughters to be competent young women, perfectly able to take care of themselves and earn their own livings. So, as each daughter reaches the age of 18, she will be outfitted with everything she needs to make her way in the world and sent off to make her fortune, much as younger sons are often encouraged to do in this kind of fantasy.

The oldest daughter, Clarice, has a gift for swordsmanship, and intends to make the teaching of swordwork her profession. However, she's practical enough to realise that she needs some experience and a reputation in order to get a good position with lots of paying pupils, so she disguises herself as a young man and sets out in search of adventure.

On a sea journey to the new world, she is caught up in more adventure than expected when there's a mutiny on the ship she's booked passage on and the surviving crew ends up on the secret island refuge of the Brotherhood of Pirates, subject to the demands of the ruler of the House of Four Winds.

There's action and romance. And pirates. Lots of pirates. And Clarice is a smart, level-headed, capable young woman, an admirable protagonist in every way. It's a lovely plot that leads to a well-earned happily ever after.

I want to read the next book, which I suspect will be about Clarice's next younger sister, who wants to be a thaumaturge.

I've been feeling rather poorly for a large portion of the year, and when I get that way, I seek comfort reading. There are certain books - mostly fantasy - that I re-read again and again for comfort. This year I've been turning to Katherine Kurtz and Mercedes Lackey when things get rough and I want something familiar that pushes my buttons in comfortable ways. So far, the comfort reading re-read list:

Katherine Kurtz:
Deryni Rising, Deryni Checkmate, High Deryni
The Bishop's Heir, The King's Justice, The Quest for Saint Camber
King Kelson's Bride
The Deryni Archives

Mercedes Lackey:
Magic's Pawn, Magic's Promise, Magic's Price
Winds of Fate, Winds of Change, Winds of Fury

Rediscovery (co-written by MZB and Mercedes Lackey, pub. 1993) tells the story of the rediscovery of the planet Darkover by the Terran Empire, more than 2,000 years after the original colonists crashed there. The crew of the survey ship that finds the planet try to follow basic First Contact rules, but when the flyer they send down to make an exploratory visit crashes during a storm in the Hellers, and the powerful young leronis Leonie Hastur senses their plight and sends a telepathic warning to the nearby Aldaran Comyn, that intention evaporates. Fortunately for the Terrans, crew members Elizabeth Macintosh and David Lorne have some telepathic ability, which enables Kermiac Aldaran to communicate with them. Before long, it's been verified that the Darkovans are descended from the colonists of a Lost Ship, the planet has been assigned Restricted Status - meaning a spaceport can be build if local government agrees, and limited trade may be permitted - and Lord Kermiac has granted the Terrans land to build their port near the village of Caer Donn. Lorill Hastur, Leonie's twin brother, is sent by the comyn of the other domains to investigate the situation.

There are, of course, many complications, including a secondary plotline involving Lorill Hastur, Leonie's twin brother, another Terran telepath, Ysaye Barnett, and Leonie, who is in telepathic contact with both of them during much of the novel. This ends in death for Ysaye and complete withdrawal from outside telepathic contact for Leonie after Lorill and Ysaye are inadvertently exposed to kiresith pollen intended as a trap for Elizabeth.

Meanwhile Elizabeth and David, now married and planning to remain on Darkover as Spaceport personnel, are captured for ransom by bandits while on a field trip. When the Terrans rescue them using aerial weapons that violate the Compact banning weapons that operate at more than an arm's length distance, setting off a dangerous forest fire in the process, only the Aldarans - who do not follow the Compact - remain interested in contact with humans. And so the first Terran spaceport on Darkover is built in the Hellers, at Caer Donn, and the pattern of relations between the Empire and the six Domains of the Comyn is set.

With respect to sexual politics, we see clearly the patriarchal family structure that has developed on Darkover, with occasional references to the exceptions (or escapes) to the restricted place of women in Darkovan society - life in the Towers, or life as a Renunciate (Free Amazon). Leonie lives in a secluded world where women have power as Keepers, and the Keeper of Arilinn has power at the highest levels as the representative of the Towers. But all other women must have a man to acknowledge their legitimacy or they are without any place in society. All the Darkovan women we see at Aldaran are in some way connected to, legitimated and protected by men - Lady Aldaran, Mariel, Felicia, Thyra. Indeed, the worst thing one can say of a child is that her father is unknown. And as women under the protection of a man, they cannot function as equals. Kermiac tells Elizabeth: "to tell the truth, I am not accustomed to discussing serious business with women."

Terran society, however, appears relatively egalitarian. Because the novels were not written in chronological order, in Rediscovery (written in 1993) which takes place several generations earlier than The Bloody Sun (written in 1964), the Terran Space Service is more integrated, with more women in positions of authority (Ysaye Barrett is the senior computer analyst, Aurora Lakshman is the Chief Medical Officer).

Contraception is freely available, as is abortion, at least within the Service. While sexuality in the Service seems to be a matter of personal choice, it's clear that the various planets in the Empire have varied cultural norms with respect to sexual behaviour. Ysaye comes from a culture that values monogamous marriage and frowns on contraception and abortion. On the other hand, various references are made to planets like Vainwal, where sex work is legal and attitudes seem very permissive.

One of the particularly enjoyable aspects of this novel for me is that many characters who play major roles in the saga of Darkover are shown here as they were before the events that made them crucial characters in the history of Darkover - Leonie and Lorill, but also Kadarin, and Thyra. Jeb Scott will eventually marry Felicia Darriel, and father Rafe and Marjorie Scott. Kermiac's younger sister Mariel will marry Wade Montray; their daughter Elaine will marry Kennard Alton. Elizabeth and David will stay on Darkover and raise their child Magda Lorne. In this book, written well after many of the novels dealing with the generations of contact with the Terrans, Lackey and Bradley have worked into the narrative a host of references to things to come. The narrative itself is rather on the thin side, but for the devoted fan of Darkover, the joy of seeing how it was in the beginning makes Rediscovery a book worth reading.

Well, maybe not for profit. But there are a good many books that I like to reread for fun. They are comfortable old friends, and depending on my mood, I can pick sonething that I know is absolutely going to hit whatever spot needs hitting.

When I'm sick and depressed and cranky - which is a state that hsppens every once in a whike to most peoole with chronic illness - one of the authors I turn to for sonething that will soothe but not challenge me is Mercedes Lackey, and her Valdemar books in particular. They are full of spunky women (and a few men - Vanyel being one of my favourites) who face all sorts of obstacles, but always manage to get through whatever is blocking their way, and get the job done. That lifts my spirits.

I had one of those spells earlier this year, and while I was caught in the middle of it. I read a bunch of Mercedes Lackey books:

Magic's Pawn
Magic's Promise
Magic's Price

Winds of Fate
Winds of Change
Winds of Fury

Storm Warning
Storm Rising
Storm Breaking

More series reading from 2013, this time books that are in series that are, or may be, unfinished.



George R. R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire
A Feast for Crows
A Dance with Dragons

Elizabeth Moon, Paladin's Legacy series
Limits of Power

Kate Elliott, the Crossroads series
Shadow Gate
Traitor's Gate
(Technically, this is the end of a trilogy, but Elliott has a stand-alone novel and a second trilogy planned in the same universe which will continue the story.)

Michelle Sagara West, the Chronicles of Elantra
Cast in Peril

Katharine Kerr, the Nola O'Grady series
Water to Burn

Marie Brennan, the Onyx Court series
In Ashes Lie
A Star Shall Fall

Juliet Marillier, Sevenwaters series
Heir to Severwaters
Seer of Sevenwaters

Diane Duane, Young Wizards series
A Wizard of Mars

Jasper Fforde, Thursday Next series
The Woman Who Died A Lot

Liz Williams, Inspector Chen series
Iron Khan

Kevin Hearne, Iron Druid Chronicles
Hunted

Mercedes Lackey, Foundation series
Bastion

P. C. Hodgell, Kencyr series
Bound in Blood
Honor's Paradox

Deborah J. Ross, Darkover series
Children of Kings

Some interesting anthologies and collections of short stories came my way last year. The anthologies included two nicely edited theme anthologies by John Joseph Adams (dystopias and homages to Barsoom), a vamipre themed antholgy edited by Nancy Kilpatrick, a survey of urban fantasy edited by Peter Beagle and a dragon-themed anthology edited by Jack Dann.

Of particular interest were two volumes edited or co-edited by Connie Wilkins: the second volume in a new annual series of anthologies featuring short stories with lesbian protagonists; and an uneven but engaging selection of alternate history short stories with a focus on queer protagonists as nexi of change.

I was also delighted to be able to obtain a copy of an anthology edited by Nisi Shawl of short stories written by authors of colour who attended Clarion as Octavia E. Butler Scholars. The anthology was offered by the Carl Brandon Society for a limited time as a fund-raising project and is no longer available.

Peter Beagle (ed.), The Urban Fantasy Anthology
John Joseph Adams (ed.), Under the Moons of Mars
John Joseph Adams (ed.), Brave New Worlds
Nancy Kilpatrick (ed.), Evolve: Vampire Stories of the New Undead
Jack Dann (ed.), The Dragon Book: Magical Tales from the Masters of Modern Fantasy
Nisi Shawl (ed.), Bloodchildren: Stories by the Octavia E. Butler Scholars
Connie Wilkins & Steve Berman (eds.), Heiresses of Russ 2012
Connie Wilkins (ed.), Time Well-Bent: Queer Alternative Histories


I also read several collections this year, including two more volunes from PM Press's Outspoken Authors series, featuring work by and interviews with Nalo Hopkinson and Kim Stanley Robinson.

Other collections of works by SFF writers included: a set of novellas from Mercedes Lackey featuring two familiar characters, Jennifer Talldeer and Diana Tregarde, and a new heroine, techno-shaman Ellen McBride; a collection of short stories by Elizabeth Bear featuring forensic sorcerer Abigail Irene Garrett; short stories by Maureen McHugh; and forays ibto the fantasy realm of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander.

In honour of Alice Munro, this year's recipient of the Nobel Prize for literature, I read a collection of her more recent short stories (and plan on reading several more in the coming months - I've always loved her work and am delighted that she has been so deservedly recognised). Also worthy of note was Drew Hayden Taylor's collection of stories set among the residents of the fictional Otter Lake First Nations reserve, and Margaret Laurence's short stories set in Ghana. In the realm of historical fiction, There were stories by Margaret Frazer featuring medieval nun and master sleuth Dame Frevisse; I discovered and devoured Frazer's novels last year, and will speak of them in a later post.

Kim Stanley Robinson, The Lucky Strike 
Nalo Hopkinson, Report from Planet Midnight
Mercedes Lackey, Trio of Sorcery
Elizabeth Bear, Garrett Investigates
Maureen McHugh, After the Apocalypse
Lloyd Alexander, The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain

Margaret Laurence, The Tomorrow-Tamer
Margaret Frazer, Sins of the Blood
Drew Hayden Taylor, Fearless Warriors
Alice Munro, Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage

All in all, I found a wide range of short fiction to enjoy this year.