Publication
Titan Books, c2016.
Collection
Series
Status
Available
Description
Herald Mags, the King of Valdemar's Herald Spy, has been developing a network of young informants who operate on the streets and also in the halls and kitchens of the wealthy and highborn. His wife Amily is King's Own Herald and finds it useful to be underestimated for there are dark things stirring in the shadows of Haven. Someone has discovered many secrets of the women of the Court and the Collegia and is using those secrets to terrorize and bully them. Mags and Amily will have to track down someone who leaves few clues behind.
User reviews
LibraryThing member MarthaJeanne
I wish I could free myself of the feeling that all the misogyny in this book wasn't a comment on the recent US election.
LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
Nice. It starts out very slow (which I enjoyed) - Mags and Amily dealing with petty stuff, mostly. Then things snowballed a little. It's a bit wish-fulfillment - kill off the MRA attitude before it becomes entrenched - and I don't quite get what the High Priest thought he was getting out of it.
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Presumably something, since he lent a hand on so many levels, but I don't see what - what his goal was. That aside - the story worked, some great new characters, Mags and Amily and Dallen and Rolan working together and with others. This series is so much more Herald-y than Mags' first - I'm enjoying it. Show Less
LibraryThing member Spurts
Closer to the Chest - Mercedes Lackey
Start to finish, this one stayed true to protagonist Mags and the Valdemar universe.
A solid storyline -- unlike parts of previous books that had a kajillion raised and dropped plot points, deluge of new characters taking away from our main ones, main characters
Another page-turner read for me. The villainy that reared up in this one hardly as world-ending dire -- new sect encouraging misogyny and one misigynistic criminal -- and not that believable for Valdemar lost it a bit for me (I'm on the fence if "well done, hear, hear, pass the ammunition" or cheap plot point given the makeup of author's fanbase — possibly even response to objections by fans on how out-of-characteristically some women were treated/used in last volumes).
Not sure if this completes Mag's books or not.
Start to finish, this one stayed true to protagonist Mags and the Valdemar universe.
A solid storyline -- unlike parts of previous books that had a kajillion raised and dropped plot points, deluge of new characters taking away from our main ones, main characters
Show More
acting out of character, ...Another page-turner read for me. The villainy that reared up in this one hardly as world-ending dire -- new sect encouraging misogyny and one misigynistic criminal -- and not that believable for Valdemar lost it a bit for me (I'm on the fence if "well done, hear, hear, pass the ammunition" or cheap plot point given the makeup of author's fanbase — possibly even response to objections by fans on how out-of-characteristically some women were treated/used in last volumes).
Not sure if this completes Mag's books or not.
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LibraryThing member quondame
This has a real attempt at a thriller plot and read fairly well without too much cuteness. Of course our hero can do anything, but he’ll never be smug about it.
LibraryThing member jamespurcell
Serious conflict comes to Haven when women receive nasty and threatening notes which escalate as businesses and temples run by women are also desecrated. Mags and Amily need to team up and do it well to combat this cascading violence. With guidance and assistance from senior heralds and spies, they
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finally bring down the culprits. Another good story from Mercedes Lackey within her Valdemar world. Show Less
LibraryThing member Glennis.LeBlanc
The third book of the second trilogy featuring Mags has him very much in the roll of King’s Spy. The main baddie in this book has been leaving nasty messages to women all over the Palace and with the trainees at Bardic, Herald and unaffiliated students. Some of the notes actually reveal secrets
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Netgalley.
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no one should know about. Overall the story was ok but came across as a bit preachy about the villains. In a way it is nice that the kingdom isn’t in the balance in this story. It was more of a keeping peace in the city than a lives in balance. Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Netgalley.
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LibraryThing member Mary_Beth_Robb
Rather timely in its theme
LibraryThing member bgknighton
Fun series, good characters, interesting description of spying.
LibraryThing member kmartin802
The third book in the Herald Spy trilogy sees Mags and Amily both growing into their adult responsibilities. Mags is busy with his poor orphans down in Haven. He has rescued them from the men who want to use them as thieves and is teaching them to carry messages and work in a variety of wealthy
Amily is also busy up at the Court. She is working with her own intelligence network among the Queen's handmaidens. She is also building her skills as the King's Own even though she is a bit resentful that many still consider her father Herald Nikolas the King's Own.
Amily's lower profile comes in useful when a series of anonymous letters threatens the stability of the Court. The letters target women and are filled with misogynistic threats and crude remarks. Mags is also dealing with threats against women in religious orders and woman shop owners down in Haven. It soon becomes clear that the same hand is directing each action. But finding out who is a difficult task.
Mags is focused on a religious order that worships the patriarchal god Sethor because of their dismissive attitude toward women. But it seems that the attacks require mind gifts. Mags didn't know that mind gifts could exist outside of the Heralds.
This was an excellent episode in Mags's story. It is also a great return to the world of Valdemar with its Heralds and Companions. I enjoyed the story.
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households. Along the way they are bringing him valuable intelligence that he is using to keep Valdemar safe.Amily is also busy up at the Court. She is working with her own intelligence network among the Queen's handmaidens. She is also building her skills as the King's Own even though she is a bit resentful that many still consider her father Herald Nikolas the King's Own.
Amily's lower profile comes in useful when a series of anonymous letters threatens the stability of the Court. The letters target women and are filled with misogynistic threats and crude remarks. Mags is also dealing with threats against women in religious orders and woman shop owners down in Haven. It soon becomes clear that the same hand is directing each action. But finding out who is a difficult task.
Mags is focused on a religious order that worships the patriarchal god Sethor because of their dismissive attitude toward women. But it seems that the attacks require mind gifts. Mags didn't know that mind gifts could exist outside of the Heralds.
This was an excellent episode in Mags's story. It is also a great return to the world of Valdemar with its Heralds and Companions. I enjoyed the story.
Show Less
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9781783293766
Original publication date
2016