Crown of Vengeance

Written by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory

Crown of Vengeance begins a new epic fantasy saga from New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory

She is the unwanted spawn of a mad king and queen, her lands lost before her birth; her family—her very name—erased from history. Cursed by many, yet protected by an even greater curse.

She was born on a night of storm and terror, raised in protected concealment, then banished from the only home she had ever known—an ancient enemy’s final stroke in a war begun centuries before.

Secret studies of hidden lore reveal the truth of the prophecy that heralded her coming. Dark dreams teach lessons of war and duty, of strategy and magecraft, that she could not learn in a thousand lifetimes.

She does not have a thousand lifetimes. She has just one—and time is running out. For the prophecy spoke not just of her, but of a great Darkness that would destroy the elven kingdoms. A Darkness that is coming ever closer.

She is Vieliessar Farcarinon and she must save her people. Even if she must shatter custom and destroy the world she was born to rule.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Jul 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491502990

Mercedes Lackey

New York Times bestselling author Mercedes Lackey has written over one hundred titles and has no plans to slow down. Known best for her tales of Valdemar and The Five Hundred Kingdoms, she's also a prolific lyricist and records her own music.

[jeremypreacher · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

On the one hand, this is totally competent generic fantasy - tolerable writing, plausible military action, well-established worldbuilding, and elves who are actually assholes for once.

On the other, it is many many pages of mostly-repetitive battles between characters with unpronounceable names and no real closure, as it's the first book in the series. The first third isn't bad, as it's all establishing plot and worldbuilding, but the main character never really develops beyond Gloomy Destined Hero, and while the side characters are charming, they're fairly flat.

It's certainly readable enough, once you accept that you're never going to be able to distinguish Rithdeliel of Oronoviel from Rondithiel Lightbrother, or encompass the ridiculousness that is the Lost City, Celephrandullias-Tildorangelor. (To the authors' credit, they are effusive in their praise of their copyeditors in the Acknowledgements.) But it's a bit of a slog and kind of goes nowhere without the sequel ready to hand.