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A review by tbarger
Steadfast by Mercedes Lackey
1.0
This book was awful. First, the editing was terrible and lazy. Characters were misidentified (for example, the air wizard is playing with a salamander), the time line is wonky with the length of time events took place getting confused, and Katie was raised by parents who were outcasts but still has intimate knowledge of her mother's people whenever it's convenient to the plot. These are basic issues that a good read through could have fixed.
Additionally, the book is not consistent with the other EIGHT BOOKS in this series. Magic works differently - the characters are identified as not being Masters, but Katie, the heroine is able to summon a phoenix. If the characters use their relationship with the Elementals to defend themselves, then the creatures will be horribly corrupted, despite characters in other books doing precisely that with no consequences.
Worst of all, the story telling is lazy. The main conflict of the book is resolved when the villain accidentally sets himself on fire. The characters exhibit absolutely no agency. Katie gets her job due to magical luck after she follows the directions of a minor character. The men don't actually do anything except show up and help rescue her from the fire. There is no explanation as to how her brutish ex-husband found Katie in Brighton, no back story for why she married him, and the romance between her and Jack is tepid.
I really like this series and I was so disappointed.
Additionally, the book is not consistent with the other EIGHT BOOKS in this series. Magic works differently - the characters are identified as not being Masters, but Katie, the heroine is able to summon a phoenix. If the characters use their relationship with the Elementals to defend themselves, then the creatures will be horribly corrupted, despite characters in other books doing precisely that with no consequences.
Worst of all, the story telling is lazy. The main conflict of the book is resolved when the villain accidentally sets himself on fire. The characters exhibit absolutely no agency. Katie gets her job due to magical luck after she follows the directions of a minor character. The men don't actually do anything except show up and help rescue her from the fire. There is no explanation as to how her brutish ex-husband found Katie in Brighton, no back story for why she married him, and the romance between her and Jack is tepid.
I really like this series and I was so disappointed.