55. Mercedes Lackey - Foundation (Valdemar: Collegium Chronicles, Book 1)

"The new Valdemar novel takes place earlier in the kingdom’s history than has any other, set when the Heralds’ collegium was established. At that time, the system of heraldic training was changing from one-on-one apprenticeship to the collegial system used by Healers and Bards, because there were too many trainees for the old system. Some older Heralds weren’t happy with that change, and as all three collegia rapidly grew, there was much rivalry for builders and teachers. Young Mags, an orphan who drudges for a greedy, cruel mine owner, is Chosen and eventually brought to Haven for training, where his goodheartedness and near-total ignorance make him very dependent on his companion. Thanks to court intrigues and an attempt by foreign infiltrators to trick Valdemar to its disadvantage, Lackey makes a real page-turner out of Mags’ and the collegia’s development. Though similar in some ways to both Brightly Burning (2000) and Take a Thief (2001), this book’s outstanding characters, especially Mags, will greatly please Valdemar fans." - Booklist

I don't know how I missed it when it first came out, but I was THRILLED to see that Lackey wrote a new Valdemar book. I love this series and wanted her to write so many more books that take place there. While I guess my expectations were high, the book turned out OK. I was disappointed in how some of the story line was only glanced at, but in the end it was a true pleasure to read. There is no projected date of the next installment so I'll have to keep an eye out at my local bookstore.