A couple of weeks ago I read Foundation by Mercedes Lackey, the first book in the Collegium Chronicles. The book takes place in Velgarth, a world created by Lackey, where magic may be found in people with the gift for it. They are found by beautiful white horses called “Companions,” who happen to be much more intelligent than your average horse. The young, gifted person they choose becomes their “Chosen,” and is taken to Valdemar to be trained how to use their new power(s) so that they may become a Herald and service their country.
Mags has worked in the Pieter’s mines all of his life. He earned the name Mags or Magpie because of his ability to spot “sparklies” in the stone tunnels. He lives on meager portions of cabbage soup and bread and huddles for warmth in the basement of Cole Pieter’s house with other children who the Pieters force to work in the mines. All of the children are orphaned or unwanted and told how grateful they should be for their place in the mine. The only hope Mags has of escaping the mines is waiting until he turns sixteen and becomes a legal adult, no longer under the Pieters’ guardianship.
It comes as a surprise when one day a stranger comes on a white horse to take him to Haven. Mags is informed that he has the gift of Mind-Speak and is taken to the Collegium at Haven to be trained. There, for the first time in his life, Mags has friends: Dallen, his Companion; Lena, a Bardic Trainee; and Bear, a Healer Trainee. But he also learns of a plot to destroy this new found peace and must fight for the right to learn at the Collegium.
I loved this book! I could not put it down and took it almost everywhere with me until I finished it. I enjoyed Mags’ story and his character. Foundation could be suggested to anyone who enjoys fantasy adventures, who likes magic, or likes Mercedes Lackey. She has multiple series that take place in Velgarth and this certainly is not the first one. However, with a little background information, I feel that this book can be read without reading the other series first. This book will be one of my picks, displayed near the front desk.
The Collegium Chronicles: Foundation, Intrigues, and Changes (coming out this year!).
For a full list of Mercedes Lackey’s books, here is a great website: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/l/mercedes-r-lackey/
