After the more-emo-than-emo fest that was Magic's Pawn, it took me a bit to pick up the second book in this trilogy.
Vanyel is older now, and he's the most powerful and experienced of the Herald Mages. He's a living legend -- songs are written about him, and everyone expects him to slay every demon and right every wrong.
He's still kinda emo.
Being a legend can be lonely. And he's still struggling to deal with Tylendel's death. Adding confusing feelings for Shavri, the healer who's lifebonded to the King *and* the mother of Van's child, just makes matters worse.
But I've found myself becoming terribly fond of Vanyel.
It's good he has Yfandes, the smart, funny Companion he can lean on. She's definitely not as stuffy as I thought most Companions were, and she adds a gentle humor to the book.
And I'm pleased with the progression of Jervis, Van's father's old armsmaster. He's not the bitter old bastard you might think.
Van's still got some of the same problems he had in Magic's Pawn, most notably, his family. They play a much bigger role in this book, as he spends a lot of his time at the family estate. But miracle of miracles, there's also a plot -- demons and magic and supernatural nodes of power and mysterious massacres -- oh my!
If you're into romantic fantasy, this trilogy is right up your alley. My fondness for Van, and for the Valdemar worlds as a whole, carried me over some plot bumps and over indulgences.
Bring the tissues -- it's a tearjerker.
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