Mags had been working at the Pieters' mine, slaving in the dark, cold seams, looking for sparklies, for as long as he could remember. The children who worked the mine were orphans, kids who had been abandoned, who had lost their parents, or were generally unwanted. But Mags was different.
Mags was "Bad Blood," because his parents were bandits who had been killed in a raid by the Royal Guard. "Bad Blood" because he'd been found in a cradle in the bandits'camp. Blood so bad that no one had wanted to take him in except Cole Pieters. When he was big enough to see over the sides of the sluices he had gone to work at the mine. Mags knew nothing of the world beyond the mine, and was unaware of how unusual his paltry existence was. Then some strangers on huge white horses forced their way past the Pieters family and carried him away to Haven to become a Herald Trainee.
Suddenly the whole world opened up for him. He was warm and well fed for the first time in his life, and he had Dallen, his Companion, who seemed more miraculous than an angel. But the world of the Collegium was not all heavenly. There was political upheaval in Valdemar's capital, for the court had been infiltrated by foreign "diplomats," who seemed to be more interested in seeding discontent than in actual diplomacy...and Mags seemed to be the only one who'd noticed...
Reviews
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The Valdemar fantasy series resumes. Past experience with the series is not essential for understanding this new offering but would provide useful background. In FOUNDATION, 13-year-old Mags, who is chosen by Dallen, a Companion, is rescued from the mine where he is a virtual slave. When he begins his schooling at the Collegium, he finds he has a lot of catching up to do. Nick Podehl uses a full-steam-ahead narrative pace. He develops the characters to show class and station effectively and with subtlety, and gives Mags the air of an innocent whose lack of experience helps to shield him from the elitism he encounters. His "mind speech" with Dallen is presented with slight reverberation. J.E.M. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
About the Author
Mercedes Lackey is the author of the Valdemar series, including Take a Thief and Exile's Honor. She is the coauthor, with Andre Norton, of the Halfblood Chronicles, including Elvenborn. Some of her other novels include The Gates of Sleep, Sacred Ground, The Firebird, The Black Swan, and The Serpent's Shadow. She lives in Oklahoma.
Digital Rights Information
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All copies of this title, including those transferred to portable devices and other media, must be deleted/destroyed at the end of the lending period.
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