#Magic's Pawn

[queer-book-character-tournament]

Character, book, and author names under the cut

Thaniel Steepleton- The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley

Iäna Pel-Thenhior- The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison

Murderbot- The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells

Vanyel Ashkevron- The Last Herald-Mage Series by Mercedes Lackey

[boneskullravenriver]

Book haul?? My first since i can never do this with Barnes and noble lol. Too expensive. But!! Apparently you can buy used books online for cheap. I paid almost $50 for this.

I'm happy. I've been wanting TID for a while because I only ever borrowed it from the library. Herongraystairs my beloved

They came in pretty good shape too. Just a couple of creases here and there but nothing major

[kvalenagle]

I was searching the upstairs closet for a lightbulb and I came across what is basically the "lgbtqia+ Millennial who likes to read starter pack." Gotta say, I didn't realize I still had any Silver Gryphon t-shirts left. Takes me back to being a teenager =]

[ewingstan]

Okay, its definitely true that the Vera twins are much more interesting characters. But reading through Magic's Pawn, I'm struck by how Tylendel and Staven are used for a similar twins-who-feel-each-others-experiences thing, a one-twin-traumatizes-the-other-through-incompatible-sexual-experiences thing, and a said-trauma-is-due-to-one-being-gay-and-the-other-straight thing.

And it did it without making acting on gay desires automatically violating and harmful. There were demonstrably other ways he could've written that conflict! I think wildbow's a better writer than Mercedes Lackey, she shouldn't be lapping you here!

[artbyvampiraptor]

Vanyel and Tylendel from Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey ;u;

[asha-mage]

I need a new series to listen to on audiobook during my commute/exercise/walks etc, but I always feel like I'm rolling the dice with audibook narrators and the sample usually isn't enough time for me to tell. So I turn it over to you mutual and/or booklr. Which of these is the best narrated and/or audiobook experience? (All of them are in my wheel house and on my TBR so I'd be happy with any of them from a premise standpoint- it's just audiobook quality that I'm thinking about here)

[abookfairy]

Magic's Pawn, by Mercedes Lackey

I have known about the Valdemar series for a long time. I cannot remember exactly when I first heard of it, but it has been on my radar for years at this point. So recently, I finally decided to finally get it over with and start with what has been described as one of the best trilogy in that universe : The Last Herald-Mage series, featuring the legendary Vanyel.

After reading it, I finally understand what has made this series so popular. Vanyel is a fascinating character, and I greatly admire the author for not giving him an “ideal hero” type of personality, at least in the first book. Vanyel is beautiful, clever, and the best Herald-Mage of all time, but he is also vain, has a tendency to self-pity, can be a bit selfish, and is deeply hurt after years of abuse that made it difficult for him to trust people. This is a combination of character trait that I do not expect in a classic fantasy series, especially one written in the 80s (but perhaps my expectations of a classic fantasy series hero are a bit skewed). Vanyel is also gay, which is something that is definitely out of the norm for a fantasy series written in the 80s. Speaking of, I was surprised by how real the LGBT+ representation was in the first book : aside from Vanyel being gay, Tylendel is bisexual and Starwind and Moondance are a gay couple. Tylendel dies, but it is completely unrelated to his sexuality, and he is a developed character whose death greatly impacts those who loved him, especially Vanyel. While there are a few questionable things here and there, it is still much better than one could expect or hope for the time period, at least in my opinion.

Vanyel’s abuse and the consequences of it are represented in an interesting way that felt very compelling and realistic. I really like when works of fiction acknowledge that abuse does not make you a saint and can give you some deep personality flaws. Vanyel’s vanity, self-pitying tendencies and lack of trust in people almost cut him off from forming true connections with people. Furthermore, he doesn’t find a true community that fully accepts him as soon as he lives the abusive one, which is a trope that I fully understand (wish-fulfillement and everything) but that I don’t necessarily like. Even at the end, when he is in a much better place that he started in and has made some positive relationships, he is still not fully content with his life, which is understandable.

I also found very interesting the way adults were depicted in that novel when it comes to their relationship with Vanyel. Mostly, they all fail him in some way or another. Some redeem themselves and learn from their mistakes, like Savil (who is one of my favorite characters) and some have to leave Vanyel’s life, like his father. However, even if Vanyel manages to find some trusted adults and mentors, like Starwind, Moondance, and Savil after Tylendel’s death, the impact of the rejection and abuse he has suffered from means that the damage is already done. In fact, this is what this book felt to me : less of a self-contained plot, and more of an explanation of how it got to this point, how Vanyel became who he was. Perhaps this is what this trilogy was intended to be : an explanation of Vanyel, his choices, and why he made them, less than a traditional story.

It could also probably be a plea in favour of therapy for kids! Seriously, so many things would have turned out better if Vanyel and Tylendel had been sent to therapy (or its universe equivalent) from the start.

Speaking of Tylendel, I liked his relationship with Vanyel, as flawed as it was. He was the first person, aside from Lissa, to actually bother to try to understand him and give him affection. He was a ray of hope for Vanyel, which was why his death hit so hard, both for the characters and the readers. The most cruel thing is indeed to give a man hope and then snatch it away. However, it is also clear that Tylended could never completely be what Vanyel needed. Vanyel needed a protector and a lover, but he also needed a companion to help him grow, and Tylendel was simply way too inexperienced to understand that. I have read some spoilers about Tylendel though, so we’ll see what happens in the next books.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this introduction to the Valdemar world. The characters were well-written, their relationships touching, and the world itself is interesting. I look forward to reading the next book.

[dorkytheatrekid]

“This I think I have learned: where there is love, the form does not matter, and the gods are pleased.” 

-Magic’s Pawn by: Mercedes Lackey

[noplot-justvibes]

I've been reading this old fantasy book from the 90s that has all the elements to be the. most. tragic. gay. book ever.... the characters? amazing in theory , the plot points? a tragic win after another there's an attempted suicide over dramatic gay love ffs !!! , the themes? perfect and gay and sad,,, co-dependency internalised homofobia self-loathing emotional isolation daddy issues

the execution?.................. nefarious horrendous atrocious dreadfully dull clumsy at best,, I'm reading the saddest shit feeling absolutely NOTHING editing in my head mourning what could have been

[shsenhaji]

📚 June and July Reading Round-Up 📚

Since I didn't post my June Reading Round-Up, here is both June and July together!

I didn't read much in June, but sort of made up for that in July.

In June, I read:

- Intrigues by Mercedes Lackey (enjoyable, good follow-up to the first book, very heart-wrenching in places, interested to see where the plot and the conflicts go from here, liked the characters, Mags my beloved, that ending!)

- Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey (very good, plot not quite what I expected going in, poor Vanyel!, really liked the thematic resonance of the ending, enjoyed how Vanyel's character and emotional growth was handled)

- The Keeper's Six by Kate Elliot (my first Kate Elliot book, good, couldn't really connect emotionally to the themes and the writing style, liked the messages and characters, loved the worldbuilding, was left with questions but a satisfying ending)

In July, I read:

- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (so good!!!! Loved the narration, the writing, Violet and her character growth, the relationships with the other characters, the romance, the worldbuilding, enjoyed how the author subverted tropes and wrote them in her own way, that ending!!! Very scared but excited for the next book)

- Poster Girl by Veronica Roth (read it in two consecutive sittings, enjoyed the worldbuilding and the themes, liked the ending, definitely a lot of interesting questions to think through, interesting perspective from the main character)

- Exit Strategy by Martha Wells (quick read, wasn't as immersed in the writing as with the previous books, some very iconic lines, heartfelt as ever, reunion didn't disappoint, emotional ending)

- A Restless Truth by Freya Marske (great and very enjoyable, gripping and compelling, got more emotionally invested as I read, loved the themes and characters and pacing, Maud and Violet my beloveds, loved seeing Alan and Hawthorn)

- Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop (re-read, didn't feel as groundbreaking as when I first read it, but I still enjoyed it a lot)

- Heir to the Shadows by Anne Bishop (read it in one sitting, loved the character growth and development, somewhat emotionally exhausting but well-paced)

[alphabetcompletionist]

see i could be a different kind of autism blog because i'm real good at identifying magic: the gathering cards from crappy photos but there just isn't that many opportunities for that except me scouting ebay

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP RSTU XY

22/26

[coquettefawn]

pawn shop blues

[heavenswaif]

nicole dollanganger fan meet up

[lotus-pear]

rewatched madoka magica again today bc i fucking hate myself and to absolutely no one’s surprise i went through all five stages of grief in a single evening

[raayllum]

—Frank Bidart, excerpt of "The Third Hour of the Night", in Half Light

[glitterbabyyyy]

Lana’s dream and mine too!