Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Spy, Spy Again by Mercedes Lackey

Spy, Spy Again (Valdemar: Family Spies #3)

Spy, Spy Again was probably my favorite of the three Family Spies books. I liked the switching perspectives between Tory and Sira. Sira was a lot of fun and it was fun getting to know a more far-flung country of the Valdemar Universe. That said, most of Spy, Spy Again took place traveling to and from Karse and that was rather… monotonous. I’m very glad we got the bits with Sira and the afrinn interspersed throughout.

The Karstie priests are fucking idiots. Sexist idiots. Their entire reasoning for Sira not being a Sleepgiver was based on her gender. So, so dumb. Probably could have infiltrated the Karsite priesthood via female cooks or servants and just poisoned them all. Whatever ended up happening to the ones in the prison, they deserved it. I hope the priests at the end got buried when their strength ran out under those shields. Just… ugh.

I quite liked the afrinn. Elemental spirits are fun, when they're not vrondi being annoying. It was really convenient for the travel back to Valdemar for Eakkashet and the other to tag along. It was also super convenient to have Halina negotiate with the vrondi about the Mages. Still really bugs me that that’s even a thing… and I could have sworn Vanyel had them watching only when magic was used and not, like, all the time. More ughs in the direction of that. Good thing Kee was alright going back to Sleepgiver Mountain at the end.

Speaking of the end, it was wrapped up cleanly, if not satisfactorily. I won’t say more, because spoilers. But yeah Spy, Spy Again was pretty good. Definitely my favorite of the three. 

Favorite Line

"Any sane man knows that walls don't work. You can't guard every furlong, it would bankrupt you, and you still wouldn't have enough people to do it if you put everyone you could call a fighter in the country up on it with a spear. And what good's a wall with no one on it? Anyone can go over or under it. A wall's useless except around a city, and even then, it'll only defend you for about a month in a siege." - Tiron

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