Eye Spy (Valdemar: Family Spies, #2)

by Mercedes Lackey

In this second installment of the Family Spies series, set in the bestselling world of Valdemar, the children of Heralds Mags and Amily must follow in their parents' footsteps to protect the realm.

Mags, Herald Spy of Valdemar, and his wife, Amily, the King’s Own Herald, are happily married with three kids. Their daughter, Abidela, dreams of building on her parents' legacy by joining her father's network of spies, hoping to offset her seeming lack of a Gift.

But when Abi senses the imminent collapse of a bridge only moments before it happens, she saves countless lives, including that of her best friend, Princess Katiana. The experience, though harrowing, uncovers her unique Gift—an ability to sense the physical strains in objects.

Intrigued by the potential of her Gift, the Artificers seek to claim her as their own—but only the Healers can train her. Through training with both of them, Abi discovers unique facets of her Gift, including a synesthetic connection to objects that allows her to “see” as well as feel the strains.

Her Gift may also grant her a distinct advantage as a spy—there won’t be a building in the entire kingdom of Valdemar with a secret room that she doesn’t know about. With the help of her mentors, she must hone her gift to uncover the hidden secrets in the depths of Valdemar.

• ISBN10: 0756413214
• ISBN13: 9780756413217
• Publish Date: 28 April 2020 (first published 9 July 2019)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: DAW Books
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 320
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780756413217

Reviews

[Danielle Ackley-McPhail]

I always enjoy Ms. Lackey's work and am a long-time fan of Valdemar. This book did not disappoint, but I must admit that I have come somewhat adrift in the timeline and this installment in the series felt just a little disjointed because I could not track where it fell in the scope of series history I am more familiar with. Granted, this is more to do with me as a reader than the book itself. In either case, this was a rich and original read, dealing with aspects of the universe I had not seen before, or expanding on those that had only been touched on.

[Kim Deister]

One of the best parts of the Valedemar books is that the stories build upon a rich cast of characters that are referenced through out the saga, allowing for a lot of in-depth character development. In this book, Abi (the middle child of Mags and Amily, first seen in The Collegium Chronicles series prior to this trilogy) is the focus. The daughter of two Heralds, she’s trying to find her own place in the world, her own calling.

Another thing I love about this overall saga is the diverse representation… in sexuality, gender, and race. Abi is portrayed as aromantic, asexual, which I appreciated. I love all of the books of Valdemar. Part of that is the fantasy aspect, of course. But it’s also because the stories revolve around so much more than romantic relationships between characters. It’s about the quest for good over evil, the struggles with morality.

If you love a great fantasy with exquisite world-building, Mercedes Lackey is a genius at delivering both of these things.

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Eye Spy is the second book in the Family Spies series of interrelated stories set in Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar. Released 9th Aug 2019 by Penguin on their DAW imprint, it's 336 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats.

These are nice stories, set in a world with a magic system and mythology rich in history developed over several decades (the first book set in Valdemar came out in 1994, I believe). They're mostly aimed at teen/tween readers and have a reassuring tone of inclusivity, anti-bullying, good role models and families.

Abi is the young daughter of Mags and Amili from book 1 and tie-ins, who discovers a natural talent with engineering and structure integrity when she feels a bridge is about to collapse and prevents any deaths. The later book covers more of her adventures and conflict resolution as she goes on missions and finds her place in the hierarchy of Valdemar.

I have always liked the inclusiveness and positive messages in these books. The characters are varied and generally well written. I confess that sometimes, the sheer number of books in this universe has left me feeling as though some of them are becoming somewhat repetitious. In the search for an upbeat happy ending, this one felt just a little tacked on and rushed.

I did enjoy this book very much and it's always a red-letter day when I find a new Valdemar book, and this one was no exception.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.