Tomes of Spellcasting--The Silver Gryphon

Tomes of Spellcasting

Welcome to the land of mystery, where the impossible is possible, and the improbable the reality. Join me as I investigate worlds filled with magic and meet the souls that wield this wondrous powers.

W A R N I N G !

This review does not represent the opinions of the general public. It reflects my personal thoughts and opinions on the book.

That said, on to the review!

Title: The Silver Gryphon
Author: Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon
Publisher: DAW Books
Format: Paperback
Copyright Date: 1996

Skandrannon and Amberdrake thought their worries were over with the winning of peace in the land of the Black Kings. Now, though, they have found new sources of worry: their children! Skan's son Tadrith and Drake's daughter Blade have enlisted in the Silver Gryphons, White Gryphon's police force, and have been sent to man a far distant outpost. En route to that remote spot, however, they are attacked by strange, unknown creatures that are strangely invulnerable to magic. It is there that they soon learn that the Magewar between Ma'ar and Urtho may have had far more dangerous consequences and side-effects than they imagined. And with no way of alerting White Gryphon to the danger, there is no way for Skan and Drake, members of the search party looking for their children, to realize the danger they are walking into!

The Silver Gryphon takes the story of the Black Gryphon a step farther by following the exploits of his son. And let me tell you, the son--despite his feelings of being constantly in his father's shadow--is no slouch when you get right down to it. After all, it isn't every gryphon in the world who could do so much with broken wings, right?

One of the most interesting parts of this novel is the way Tadrith and Blade must persevere beyond their usual abilities to survive when all the magical gear loses their enchantments. You'd think that they, growing up during the years after the Magewar when magic was unpredictable and unreliable, would be better trained in surviving without depending on magic. I must say that it does make for an interesting dynamic, though, and I have to wonder: are the gods (or spirits, or whatever) trying to tell everyone something by forcing everybody to rely on something other than magic to survive?

The Silver Gryphon is a great story in a long-running saga. It might seem intimidating at first, but each page becomes more and more enjoyable. Whether it's from the character dynamics, the way the plot drives the story, or anything else, I don't know. I do know that this is definitely a book worth reading!

Rating: Thumbs up! Ever feel like you'll always be compared to your parents? Tad and Blade know how you feel!

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