Reviews

Closer to Home by Mercedes Lackey

mifterkim's review against another edition

3.0

This is a fun book if somewhat insubstantial and light compared to some of Mercedes Lackey's other series; it is probably much more suitable for young readers than most of her books. Overall I enjoyed the ride, and I really like Mags and his friends as characters.

I was glad to read more of his adventures after reading the Collegium Chronicles, but like those books I found this one a little lacking in depth. I did like the lessened amounts of violence as compared to some of her other series, but I would have enjoyed more exploration of the themes and deeper questioning of the events and the world.

seeinghowitgoes's review against another edition

1.0

Nothing happens in this book!! We get a strange half introduction to our main characters, we've obviously jumped in halfway through a story arc but the book is labeled as The Herald Spy 1! I'm usually the first to complain about exposition but there has to be a fine line somewhere.

Add a truly painful plot line about two feuding families and one of the most Duex Machina endings I've encountered in a long time.

vlphildreth's review against another edition

1.0

As much as I love Valdemar, Mags and Co. are incredibly boring. They always have a solution to every problem. There is no risk and no development in these books.

berlinbibliophile's review against another edition

3.0

This was a nice bit of fluff between heavier reads, and I still feel like I'm coming home whenever I read about Valdemar again. 
While I was getting a bit tired of Mags as a character in his last book, this one, with its several focus characters, its Haven setting, and it's renewed focus on espionage, worked better for me. If everything always feels a bit too easy for Mags, I'm willing to overlook a lot for a hero who is genuinely extremely competent at his job. 
Although Brand was a bit too obvious in his moustache-twirling villainy for me to believe, I did like this twist on Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare-inspired things are my FAVOURITE.

bummerdays's review against another edition

4.0

I rarely review a Lackey book. Mostly because I'm extremely biased. I love her books. But this one? Those 4 stars should be read like this 2 because of Amily's Gift, and the other 2 because I cannot bring myself to give Lackey less than 4 stars. Those are loyalty stars, pity stars even. I must say that I have no real problems with this book. It was just lackluster? It was Romeo and Juliet but not really. No characters grew and developed... Except perhaps the remaining parents of Romeo and Juliet at the end of the book. I feel like Lackey knocked Nikolas off a bridge just to put him conveniently out of the way without killing him. Which strikes me as not at all like her... When has she ever spared a character's life like that? He served no purpose by surviving except to tell Mags of the thieving kids... To be completely honest, despite knowing these characters for 6 books now I would not give a rat's ass if any of them died. I'm serious. I would care more if Violetta's little puppy Star died. They are simply... Flat. There's no emotions there to sway me. No great villain to terrify me, or worse... For me to sympathize with. No romance that isn't mundane. Where's the fights? The mistakes? The change and growth?? Of course Mags's books have all been kind of bland... So bland that when I started this one I couldn't even remember what happened in the last one. I read them and then promptly forget everything that happened. Although still to this day I could tell you the exact plot of Brightly Burning. I don't know... I wish Lackey would reassess. This series is salvageable... These characters could become unforgettable and important. But she's got to try something different.

beckykirk's review against another edition

2.0

Meh. I don't expect much from Ms. Lackey anymore since she's become so preachy. And what's the point of reading about characters that already know what to do and how to be? Where are the mistakes and the growth? Maybe that's why it took me 5 days to read a book that in the past would have taken me 1 or 2, because it was so dull.
And lastly why does Mags get 6 (and I'm assuming more) books about him? What about Talia or Kerowyn? They were much more interesting characters and I could understand what they were saying! Mags' dialect is so awful to read at times I get disgusted.
That being said, I do keep reading Misty's books. Is it nostalgia? Trying to recapture a bit of my childhood? I don't know and I'm so happy with my local library where I can check out her books instead of purchasing the expensive hardcovers!

lissajean7's review against another edition

2.0

I love Valdemar. But I've always read them in order. This one is the beginning of a trilogy, so I had no idea it was basically a continuation of the character Mags from the Foundation-Bastion series--which I haven't read yet. All those mentions the author puts in to remind the reader of past experiences were just plain annoying, partially because I didn't know what she was referring to, and partially because it sounded cooler than what I was currently reading. Seriously, this story was just not that interesting. I won't read the next in this series until I've gone and read the others. I do not like feeling left out of all the inside jokes...not that they were jokes, but, well...

annika2304's review

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

becomingmari's review

3.0

meh

faehistory's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0