Scan barcode
A review by xeni
No True Way: All-New Tales of Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey
3.0
I had this weird sense of deja vu while reading this Valdemar collection. At least half of these stories I've read before. But I have no record of it - no previous addition to GR, no hard copy on my shelf, no recollection of the other half of these stories so I probably did not read this exact book before. Did half these stories get sold and end up in other short story collections as well? It's just so strange.
Anyway, as usual with SS collections I find them either 1. too simple or 2. I want more. Since the authors don't need to focus on creating the setting (Valdemar is so established by now, it's probably rather easy to write in this world as an outside author), I expect a higher quality of story. You should be writing compelling characters with interesting plots. And I expect even more from the authors who are writing series (like the Dann siblings one), since they have even less character work to do! But overall these stories left me feeling a bit meh.
I'll keep reading the Valdemar SS collections. How can I not when I adore the world? I'm hoping that their quality also improves as I move up in the years.
Anyway, as usual with SS collections I find them either 1. too simple or 2. I want more. Since the authors don't need to focus on creating the setting (Valdemar is so established by now, it's probably rather easy to write in this world as an outside author), I expect a higher quality of story. You should be writing compelling characters with interesting plots. And I expect even more from the authors who are writing series (like the Dann siblings one), since they have even less character work to do! But overall these stories left me feeling a bit meh.
I'll keep reading the Valdemar SS collections. How can I not when I adore the world? I'm hoping that their quality also improves as I move up in the years.