Winds of Fate

This first volume of a new trilogy is again set in the imperiled land of Valdemar, encountered earlier in Lackey's Heralds of Valdemar series. The heir to the throne, Herald Elspeth, sets out with Gwena, her Companion (a Guardian Spirit embodied as a horse), to find an Adept who can teach her people both to use and to deflect the power of magic. On learning that she has great potential as a mage, Elspeth goes for training to the k'Sheyna clan of the Tayledras, sorcerers who specialize in cleansing lands damaged in the long-ago Magic Wars. K'Sheyna leader Darkwind, attempting to rally his people as they are assaulted by unknown forces, saves Nyara, a Changechild, and discovers that the evil Adept Mornelithe Falconsbane is the source of the clan's troubles: under Tayledras land lie miraculous artifacts the Adept desires. After Darkwind saves Elspeth, the two join forces to save his people. Lackey's delightful world of magic is inhabited by strong and believable men, women and creatures, the most enchanting being the griffins Treyvan and Hydona. (Oct.)