A review by chirson
Magic's Price by Mercedes Lackey

2.0

Things turn much darker in the conclusion (including sexual violence that really didn't contribute much of anything to the story). It's really weirdly paced - a combination of fan service, angst and a final confrontation that happens off page. In fact, a lot of this book could be used to illustrate a lesson on how not to write one's fantasy epic. And yet - there is some charm to this book and to this series, regardless of harmful tropes (less obvious at the time of writing than now), regardless of exaggerations, regardless of some saccharine moments. It's a book for an angsty teen more than for anyone else, and there's better books like that now, certainly, but I don't think there were always many like it, in the mainstream areas of fantasy at least.

(I did like the introduction of new intelligent beings and everything connected to the cursed/blessed border of Valdemar, and bits of dynastic politicking.)