The Hills Have Spies is the first of the Family Spies trilogy, set within the world of the Valdemar saga. This series focuses not just on Mags, whom we know from The Collegium Chronicles and The Herald-Spy, but on Amily and Mags’ children. This first book in the trilogy is Perry’s story, the oldest of the three children.
Unlike so many other heroes of the Valdemar stories, Perry is not a Herald. But that isn’t to say that he doesn’t have his own part to play in support of the monarchy. Perry has the gift of Animal Mindspeech, and his gift is powerful. And he uses it such creative ways. He also has the makings of a spy, just like his father.
In many ways, the book is a coming-of-age story for Perry, as well as a journey for Mags, as he starts to realize that his son is coming into his own. And he’s forced to do that when Perry takes matters into his own hands when his son realizes what Mags himself hasn’t… that there is no one else to stop what’s happening on Valdemar’s borders.
This is fantasy at his finest, bringing the reader deep in the world of Valdemar!