Winds of Fury (Mage Wind Trilogy) [Mass Market Paperback]

Meanwhile in Hardorn, King Ancar is preparing to launch a devastating magical attack on Valdemar. This time, however, Ancar has the assistance and guidance of a mysterious Dark Adept. Will Elspeth (with the help of some surprising new allies) be able to stop them in time to save Valdemar?

"Winds of Fury" is the final book in Mercedes Lackey's Mage Winds Trilogy. I enjoyed reading it but not nearly as much as I enjoyed the first two books in the trilogy (particularly "Winds of Fate"). The story flowed smoothly and quickly, changing perspectives every few chapters. There was plenty of action, but I found the ending to be somewhat anti-climactic. I was expecting something much more profound and moving, like the end of "Magic's Price" or "Arrow's Fall." I can only hope that the Mage Storms Trilogy will satisfactorily pick up where this slightly disappointing ending leaves off.

However, the driving force behind this story was the characters. Elspeth is still not one of my favorites, but I'm really learning to like her more and more. She is a very strong person, and I can't help but admire that sometimes. Darkwind is perfect as always, but I wish he got as much individual page time as he did in "Winds of Fate." Firesong is absolutely wonderful, particularly towards the end of the book. He is just such a flamboyant, entertaining character. I also greatly appreciated Lackey's careful development of An'desha.

As with all of her books, Mercedes Lackey does an exceptional job creating a thoroughly real world for her characters to live in. I always feel like I know exactly what Valdemar and the Vales look like. It is very easy to lose yourself completely and allow the book to take you to a new and fascinating world.

Bottom Line: A decent end to the trilogy, but the Tayledras influence and the cameos of a pair of loved and familiar faces make up for most of the short comings. Make sure to read "Fate" and "Change" first!

Elspeth and Darkwind matured a whole lot in book two, coming to work together and fall in love. I believed in that love story, and I believed in how well they worked together. I also believed in the destruction of Mornelithe Falconsbane, the more or less eternal enemy (from the "Gryphon" trilogy to the "Mage Storms" trilogy) who's set most of the overarching plot in motion.

However, in this book, "Winds of Fury," Falconsbane comes back to life, and we now find out he's had a Shin'a'in apprentice-shaman sitting in his head the whole time. (Well, An'desha had run off to learn magecraft, but if he'd have stayed in his clan, he'd have been a shaman.) I can't totally buy that, even though Ms. Lackey did it well and I like An'desha very much as a character.

Same with Nyara, Skif and Need (Nyara's new sword). They meet up with Vanyel and Stefen in the Forest of Sorrows (along with Elspeth, Darkwind, Firesong, and their Companions), which is very nice -- but it definitely came out of the blue. And although I loved seeing Vanyel and especially Stefen again (Stefen was one of my all-time favorite characters), I am just uncertain if they totally fit in here.

Finally, when Elspeth steps away from the throne of Valdemar to become the head of the Herald-mages, that makes sense. But having Queen Selenay take the news so calmly isn't; Selenay was close to tears at her "baby" leaving the nest in book one, "Winds of Fate." So, why the difference now? More Companion pressure? And if so, why wasn't it shown?

I agree that every mother finds a moment when they realize their child is now an adult, but I still find it hard to believe in this particular moment for that revelation.

The rest of the plot, where they take on Ancar (who holds Falconsbane, thus also holding the captive An'desha), I don't want to get into; that's for you to discover. And I think you'll enjoy it; it's very quick paced, funny in spots (Ms. Lackey does gallows-humor rather well), and the romances of Darkwind/Elspeth, Skif/Nyara and Treyvan/Hydona (the gryphons) work extremely well.

So, despite the somewhat off-true "Winds of Fate," I'd recommend this trilogy (even including that book, or the rest of it makes no sense at all), even though I do not feel it's Ms. Lackey's best work. To find better reads penned by Ms. Lackey, read "Oathbreakers," "By the Sword," Exile's Honor," or the Last Herald-mage trilogy about Vanyel Ashkevron. Those are deeper, richer and more realistic reads, which is why I give this book 3.5 stars out of five, as well as 3 stars overall for the trilogy. (The others all rated five stars.)