Subject: Review: Owlsight - Lackey & Dixon

From: [email-masked] (HKlaus6073)
Date: 22 Oct 1998 16:34:45 -0400

OWLSIGHT by Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon
	Review Copyright 1998 Harriet Klausner

[May be considered a spoiler for the first volume in the series.  --AW]

     Four years have passed since the Barbarians raided and plundered
Errold's Grove (see Book I, OWLFLIGHT).  The village has since recovered
and actually is larger than it was before the disaster.  Untrained talent,
teenager Keisha Alder has become the town's unofficial healer.  However,
in spite of her immense innate skills, she struggles with helping others
because she has never learned to block out her empathy towards the pain of
her patients and their families. Even her own family, especially her
sister Shandi is driving her crazy.  Still, formal training is out of the
question, at least for now, because the townsfolk have no one else to turn
to for assistance.
    Four years ago, Darien left the village to receive healing training
from the Hawkbrothers.  He returns accompanied by his mentors to warn the
villagers that the Barbarians are at the gate once again and razing
Errold's Grove for the second time seems to be a foregone conclusion.
    The second novel in the Owl Fantasy trilogy, OWLSIGHT, is a well
written tale as expected from the talented duo of Mercedes Lackey and
Larry Dixon.  However, this time the story lacks the vigorous action of
the debut novel or Ms.  Lackey's VALDEMAR series (same setting).  This
novel is more introspective, providing much insight, mostly through the
filter of how Keisha sees and reacts to the noises that appears to be
overwhelming her at any given moment.  Fans of the series and fantasy
tales in general will take pleasure from this book that offers a quieter
glimpse of the Valdemar universe and will look forward to the final story,
OWLKNIGHT.

Harriet Klausner

%T OWLSIGHT
%A Mercedes Lackey
%A Larry Dixon
%I Daw
%D Oct 1998
%O $24.95
%P 400 pp.
%G ISBN 0-88677-802-6