Tests of Blood

[TalonRider]

Since there won't be a forum set up, or an email address to write the author, per the announcement, I thought I'd take it upon myself to start a discussion for this story.

 

Two chapters are currently posted.

 

I found these chapters to be interesting. I've run across some elements that this reader hasn't seen before. I won't say anymore at the risk of giving any spoilers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will ask one question of a certain shadowy figure and a goat. Have you guys been giving lessons?

[TalonRider]

This story is starting to heat up. I also think it's a matter of time before Dalen is approached by his own companion. I wonder what the cold hearted Selenay will tell Dalen.

[TalonRider]

If I didn't think it before, I definitely know it know for sure, Dalen's mother is a real b***h.

 

Is Dalen shaych? I'm not sure at this point myself. I've seen nothing that would indicate the Dalen and Bart are nothing more than friends at this point in time.

 

What do some of the rest of you think of this story? It's hard to discuss something when you're the only one talking. And if it's one thing I don't like to do is talk to myself, I might wind up answering.

[wildone]

What do some of the rest of you think of this story? It's hard to discuss something when you're the only one talking. And if it's one thing I don't like to do is talk to myself, I might wind up answering.

 

Well let me help you out here Jan .

 

I didn't even think to look at this forum for a thread to discuss.

 

Yeah, I'm reading chapter by chapter as their released. I guess the thing about the story is that I kind of want Allen to hurry up and tell us if Dalen is shaych, and if he is, how bout Bart? But I know that I will keep reading as there is so much more to the story than that one question. Unfortunately those questions relvolve around this question though.

 

Will a Companion choose him? Will he be the rebirth of his ancestors? What will his mother do next? What will happen when he leaves Haven, and it seems Bart is going elsewhere than where Dalen is going?

 

If you haven't read anything of this story, I highly encourage that you do. It is amazing.

 

 

 

Steve

[TalonRider]

I have some of the same questions myself. I think that eventually, whether he wants one or not, Dalen will chosen by a companion.

 

I think the reason that Bart was chosen at Dalen's birthday part is, that for reasons yet known to us, Dalen and Bart are important to each other.

 

I'm sure 'mother dearest' will rear her ugly head again.

[David McLeod]

Wow. It took me a while to find this forum, but then, I'm pretty sure at least a couple of my ancestors were Luddites. Or saboteurs who threw their sabots into machinery. FYI, I posted the following review of this story. I have no idea where it went--somewhere in cyberspace, I guess. (We used to call it the bit bucket. Anyone old enough to remember that?) Perhaps here I can generate some discussion of what seems (after having read only one chapter) to be a great story.

 

 

REVIEW:

It has been years since I have read any of Mercedes Lackey's stories of the Herald Mages, yet "Tests of Blood" reopened that world to me in the first few paragraphs. Dalen (the likelly protagonist...I've not read past Chapter 1, yet) and his mother became real very quickly. Dalen's father and his relationship with Prince Dellinar promise to bring a degree of complexity into the story. The tension between Dalen's desires and his likely destiny is delicious. The first chapter introduces many possible plot points and conflicts that are so much more tantalizing than a cliffhanger.

 

END REVIEW

 

In a moment of self-serving hubris, I invite readers to:

 

Book of Heroes: George of Sedona, The Translator, In the Prince's Secret Service, and Knight Templar in Training. They're all in the eFiction section under my name. I couldn't get the "link" feature to work. Sorry.

 

David McLeod

[wildone]

Chapter Seven of Tests of the Blood is up!!

 

I was actually surprised in the direction of the story went. It seemed like we were just getting the possibility that Dalen and Bart might be more than just friends, they both head off to different areas of the country to help out in the war.

 

I did find it interesting that even though we saw Dalen's mother as being evil, it was actually her examples that helped Dalen make an impression on Jolan Crutchfield. I guess it all goes to a good purpose and a bad purpose for everything, just how you decide to use it .

 

Now we have Quinn entering the story, and I wonder a few things about him. First off, I don't get the impression that he is shaych, but mainly because I'm wondering if this story will have any of it's characters as that . I'm more interested in why Liandra has chosen Quinn to take over for her in the keeping of the Windfire's Vale. Is it that in the past she hasn't felt the need to retire and turn over the Vale to his father or uncles, or is there something special about Quinn that she knows he is the one.

 

The other reason I wonder if Quinn is shaych is the fact that obviously Liandra has chosen him to take over care of the Vale, but let's say that he and Dalen fall for each others, I don't foresee Dalen staying forever in the Vale nor do I see Quinn willing to leave the Vale to continue a life with Dalen.

 

Anyways, I'm looking forward to see if my prediction is right or wrong. Also, I'd be curious to see how Bart is doing with his assignment.

 

 

Steve

[dkstories]

This has to be one of my favorite new stories on GA. The valdemar series of books has always been a favorite of mine ever since I found Magic's Price while I was in the Navy. Having a story with a gay character in it really helped me come to terms with being gay at that time of life, and I read the entire series many times, always being careful to keep the book hidden lest my fellow sailors find me reading a book with a queer as the main character.

 

This story is mostly a tribute to that wonderful trilogy and I'm glad it's here for all to read.

 

As for Dalen, I think he's really in denial about a lot of things. Being shaych is probably the least of them...

[TalonRider]

I agree about Dalen being in denial. If he's destined to be chosen by a companion, it will happen regardless of what he wants. As for something between him and Bart, I'm still not sure.

[wildone]

I agree about Dalen being in denial. If he's destined to be chosen by a companion, it will happen regardless of what he wants. As for something between him and Bart, I'm still not sure.

 

 

Didn't the Companion that chose Bart talk to Dalen and said none of them would choose him unless he wanted to be Chosen?

[TalonRider]

Didn't the Companion that chose Bart talk to Dalen and said none of them would choose him unless he wanted to be Chosen?

Yes, that's true. But that could change if it really needed too, I'm guessing.

[TalonRider]

Chapter 9 has been posted.

 

And it just keeps getting more and more interesting as we find out more about Dalen.

[dkstories]

I liked Paet's last line to Dalen. Had me laughing out loud.

[TalonRider]

I liked Paet's last line to Dalen. Had me laughing out loud.

Now that you mention it Dan, that was a good one. I went back to look at it, and it made me laugh too.

[wildone]

I liked Paet's last line to Dalen. Had me laughing out loud.

 

 

Nothing better than when having no whitty come back, always use the

Shut Up

line .

[Mark Arbour]

I don't normally get into Fantasy stories; just not my genre. I've never read anything by Mercedes Lackey, and I've never even read the Harry Potter stories. I know I should, I just haven't. Not my thing. So I was e-talking with Myr the other night and he told me about this story and said it was really good, really well written. I was polite and smiled to myself, knowing that Myr IS into this stuff and that he was probably biased. But Myr's a great guy, and has organized one hell of a site here, so I decided that I should credit his recommendation and check it out.

 

So I wandered into this story and found that all of that fantasy crap that you guys obsess about...that didn't matter at all. This guy can write. The story is great, well done and well put together. I found myself backtracking from time to time, desperate to internalized what a Mage, a Herald, and a Companion are just so I could more enjoy the story.

 

So Allen, I'm bummed that you don't have an e-mail address or a specific forum so I could try to flood you with praise to make up for your fantastic work. That, and I have no gift so I can't conjure your little ass up here in my family room and tell you how good your story is, or use one of those Teleron or Television like things to communicate with you. This is as close as I can get.

 

Sigh. I guess I'll have to go get Lackey's book. How ironic: Fan Fiction isn't supposed to drive an audience to it's root story, it's supposed to attract it's audience from them. That is, unless the writer is as good as Smithee.

[dkstories]

Nothing better than when having no whitty come back, always use the

Shut Up

line .

 

Poor Dalen...sometimes there just isn't a good come back, especially when you're being told a hard truth.

 

Mark, one thing that I've found with good fanfiction, is that the good stories actually SHOULD drive the reader to read the originals. Fan Fiction like this one, where the author uses original characters, just the original setting of the stories is usually are the best to read. Alan Smithee may not want to be on the forums, but I've had it from a good source that he DOES read reviews posted for the story, and posts here in there Story Cafe and that he does appreciate the feedback. You'd probably enjoy reading the Last Herald-Mage Trilogy the best. The first book is Magic's Pawn and tells the story of Vanyel Ashkevron, Dalen's famous ancestor.

 

Now if only we can get Chapter 10 and find out what happens next....

[Mark Arbour]

Poor Dalen...sometimes there just isn't a good come back, especially when you're being told a hard truth.

 

Mark, one thing that I've found with good fanfiction, is that the good stories actually SHOULD drive the reader to read the originals. Fan Fiction like this one, where the author uses original characters, just the original setting of the stories is usually are the best to read. Alan Smithee may not want to be on the forums, but I've had it from a good source that he DOES read reviews posted for the story, and posts here in there Story Cafe and that he does appreciate the feedback. You'd probably enjoy reading the Last Herald-Mage Trilogy the best. The first book is Magic's Pawn and tells the story of Vanyel Ashkevron, Dalen's famous ancestor.

 

Now if only we can get Chapter 10 and find out what happens next....

 

Hey Dan...thanks for the recommendation! After I posted that last entry, I headed to Amazon and found out that Ms. Lackey is quite prolific. I'm sitting there, staring at the screen, thinking "Where do I start?" Now I know.

[dkstories]

Hey Dan...thanks for the recommendation! After I posted that last entry, I headed to Amazon and found out that Ms. Lackey is quite prolific. I'm sitting there, staring at the screen, thinking "Where do I start?" Now I know.

 

You are welcome! The Arrows of the Queen trilogy was the first to actually be written and takes place several hundred years after the Last Herald Mage trilogy. Many of the trilogies can be read in any order, but it was Last Herald-Mage that had me sneaking around my ship looking for hiding places to read it in peace (heaven help me if they found me reading a book with a gay character). It also helped a lot with me beginning to see that being 'gay' wasn't necessary wrong.

[Mark Arbour]

You are welcome! The Arrows of the Queen trilogy was the first to actually be written and takes place several hundred years after the Last Herald Mage trilogy. Many of the trilogies can be read in any order, but it was Last Herald-Mage that had me sneaking around my ship looking for hiding places to read it in peace (heaven help me if they found me reading a book with a gay character). It also helped a lot with me beginning to see that being 'gay' wasn't necessary wrong.

 

I knew you were in the navy, I've heard you talk about that before...what kind of ship? And where did you finally go to find some solitude? I know that's getting off topic, but I'll bet Allen will cut me some slack.

[TalonRider]

Chapter 10 has been posted.

 

It would appear that Dalen and Paet have learned a very important lesson in this chapter. The price almost cost them dearly.

[TalonRider]

I agree about Dalen being in denial. If he's destined to be chosen by a companion, it will happen regardless of what he wants.

 

Before I left home for the Christmas Holiday. I downloaded this story to re-read. This might be of some importance. During the ride with the King, it is told that if Dalen were 'chosen', he would be named heir to the throne due to Dellinar's children being too young. I think eventually, Dalen will become 'chosen'. He has been told twice now that if he doesn't want to be 'chosen', he won't be. He may do it more out of a sense of Duty and not because he doesn't want it.

[TalonRider]

Test of Blood, Chapter 11 has been posted.

 

Excellent chapter. It picks up where the last chapter left off. I hope Dalen's horse finds its way to the camp site. What's become of Landir and the other trainee?

 

I get the feeling the next time Dalen sees Bart, there's going to be a very interesting conversation held.

[wildone]

I'm glad to see that Allen has sent in the the next chapter, thanks .

 

I agree with you Jan, the questions continue to mount. What has befallen Landir worries me as he is definitely the most senior and his experience sounds like it will be much needed. I was a little suprised at how strong Dalen was in stated his claim to be leader of the group. It seems like he is maturing rapidly that he is willing to assume control of the group.

 

Lee's conversation with Dalen also was interesting. It seems like the entire kingdom may know about Dalen and the belief that he is shaych. His further mindspeak conversation with Paet makes me think that Bart isn't out of the stroy and Dalen may eventually realize all that he has done for him and maybe even why.

 

When Dalen is riding behind Paet on his Companion, did it seem like he was getting comfortable with the feeling too? I was wondering, has it been discussed if their is a possiblity of having a Herald/Mage? I know that Dalen wants to be a Mage more than anything, but can he combine the two together, or has it already been done?

 

Thanks again,

 

Steve

[TalonRider]

I was a little surprised at how strong Dalen was in stated his claim to be leader of the group. It seems like he is maturing rapidly that he is willing to assume control of the group.

As a Prince, it would be his right to take command. He was smart enough to realize and make the statement about the officers being his advisers. We also know that the letters from his dad are beneficial as well. I'm sure all the time spent with Bart has also helped bring him out of the shell.

When Dalen is riding behind Paet on his Companion, did it seem like he was getting comfortable with the feeling too? tongue.gif I was wondering, has it been discussed if their is a possiblity of having a Herald/Mage? I know that Dalen wants to be a Mage more than anything, but can he combine the two together, or has it already been done?

For someone who doesn't want a companion, that surprised me to hear his thoughts. As I've commented before, I think he will change his mind. I also think, that when Dalen discovers that he is shaych, and quits denying it, he may find he has hidden feelings for Bart. Could we possibly have a life-bond here?

 

I was wondering, has it been discussed if their is a possibility of having a Herald/Mage? I know that Dalen wants to be a Mage more than anything, but can he combine the two together, or has it already been done?

This might answer these questions.

 

The Arrows of the Queen trilogy was the first to actually be written and takes place several hundred years after the Last Herald Mage trilogy. Many of the trilogies can be read in any order, but it was Last Herald-Mage that had me sneaking around my ship looking for hiding places to read it in peace (heaven help me if they found me reading a book with a gay character).