Mags, from Foundation, is still trying to fit in as a Herald’s Trainee, but things go sound when he discovers his deceased parents are something worse than thieves — they’re foreigners! At least, the revelation becomes worse when paired with the murky and completely useless vision of foreseers involving the king, blood, and a foreigner. It’s one of those doesn’t-make-sense-until-it-comes-to-fruition types and even then it reeks of self-fulfillment.
As a follow-up to Foundation, which I thoroughly enjoyed, I found this disappointing. The story was slow, tedious, and it involved long descriptions of a made-up sporting event that reminded me of Quiddich (at least in terms of how little I wanted to read long passages about it). There was a lot of “a day in the life.”
I also found myself unconvinced by a point when Mags’s two best friends turn on him. They said some things, kicked him at a moment when he was down, that I could only imagine an enemy saying.
I am still eager to read the final volume, but on the strength of the first book, not this one. I can’t not recommend this book, because I’m still recommending the trilogy, but don’t get your hopes up. (I type as I get my hopes wayyyy up for the conclusion of this series! 🙂 )
Rating: 2.5/5
Title: Intrigues
Author: Mercedes Lackey
ISBN: 0756406390