Impacting Works: Mercedes Lackey
An impact can be either negative or positive. Both are needed. I think sometimes we learn more from the negative impacts than we do from the positive. Of course as I look back on the books I've read and reflect on what I learned from the authors most of this is my opinion and some people may not agree. That is fine, different opinions make the world more interesting. It I with this thought I look at Mercedes Lackey.
Is there an actor in your opinion who can do no wrong? What about an actor who can do no right? Is there an actor who you're not sure about because they're so hit or miss in their performances?
For me the first answer would be yes: David Tennant, Hugh Jackman, Peter Dinklage, Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones, and Jenifer Lawrence are the first to come to mind. The second answer is also yes. I have nothing against these people I just don't like their acting: Toby Macguire and Ellen Degeneres (though I did like her voice over work in Finding Nemo) For the third: Will Smith and Jackie Chan. Had I answered these questions a couple of years ago Will Smith would have been in the first list but recently he has not been doing as well in some of his choices. Jackie Chan would have been on the second list but when I saw him in the new Karate Kid he was great and there have been a couple of other movies like Shanghai Noon that I kind of like.
Hit or miss is how I would describe my feelings towards Mercedes Lackey. I admit I haven't read many of her books but what I have read is either really good or eye rolling bad. Because of this I will not buy any more of her books. It's been a long time since I read her any of her works. I recall reading a collection of short stories she wrote though I don't remember which one. I do recall the stories ranging from pretty good, okay and eyeroll worthy. The books which impacted me the most were The Mage Wars series: The Black Gryphon, The White Gryphon, and The Silver Gryphon.
I really liked The Black Gryphon. It was a great set up to the world and how it works. Skandranon is a black gryphon who is friends with a man named Amberdrake who has magical healing ability. Skandranon is a scout for the military who is scouting an evil mage rumored to be gathering power to attack. Everything about these characters pulls you in and you want them to succeed. After finishing this book I was excited to read the sequel The White Gryphon. Due to events in The Black Gryphon Skandranon is now white and they've settled in a city which has been named White Gryphon after him. Skandranon and Amberdrake are sent to negotiate with their neighbors for piece but there are those who don't want an alliance with them and even resort to murder trying to frame a gryphon. Again it was well told and in the end I wasn't sure where else they could go with it. The Silver Gryphon, the conclusion of the trilogy has the epic tale of Skandranon's son and Amberdrake's daughter being lost in the forest... I finished it but compared to the first two it felt like the story went off a cliff. According to the back of the book there is “a nameless terror which even their fathers could never have envisioned...” I don't recall even meeting that terror being much more interesting. In the first two there was an excitement to know what would happen in this one... they were lost in the woods.
In my own trilogy I have tried to build upon the previous book until it ends where it should. It is my goal to never have the story fall off a cliff. It I also my hope that my stories remain of a concistent quality with room for improvement of course.
Mercedes Lackey was born on June 24th 1950. She studied computer programming and worked first as an Artist's model and then at American Airlines. She is currently married to Larry Dixon another fantasy author who helped her wite the Mage War Trilogy. She has also collaborated with other authors including Anne McCafferey. She still writes from addiction she claims, a sentiment I can understand even if I don't always like what she writes.