Search - Exile's Honor (Daw Book Collectors, No. 1235)

Great story--as usual--by Mercedes Lackey.

TRAINING THE ENEMY

Alverich had spent most of his youth in the Karsite military schools training to be an officer. As the son of an impoverished mother, he had had no other career choice open to him. And Alberich had risen in the ranks with almost unnatural speed. He developed expertise with many weapons and excelled in academic subjects with an ease that was the envy of his classmates. But in fact, the reclusive Alberich studied long and hard, pushing himself ruthlessly.
In battle, Alberich had always had a sort of "sixth sense" about things which were about to happen--when and from where the enemy would attack. Instinctively, he hid this ability, for the Sunpriests kept careful watch for anyone exhibiting the "demon powers" which were the hallmark of Karse's greatest enemy--the witch-nation of Valdemar. Those they caught were "cleansed" in the fires of Vkandis Sunlord.
Both Alberich's skill and secret served him well in the army of Karse, and when Alberich became one of Karse's youngest captains, he received a special gift--a powerful white stallion "liberated from the enemy." But this honor was merely a distraction, for the Sunpriests had laid a trap which even Alberich's strange foresight could not predict...
Saved from burning as a witch when his odd white stallion braved the flames and carried him over the border into Valdemar, he was healed by the same enemies he had been taught to hate his entire life. Though he knew he could never again return to his home, Alberich also knew he could never truly become a Valdemaran. How could Alberich remain true to his own people and still retain his honor while helping to train the direst enemy of Karse?

good read

This is the first book that is not a re-read so far. I really liked this first part of Alberich's story. I always loved him in _The Arrows of the Queen_ trilogy and even though I knew where his story would end, it was still fun to read. I really found it funny that Mercedes Lackey wrote herself into this book... She goes by "Misti," apparently, and she made the Herald-Chronicler named Myste... hahaha. It was kind of sad that she wrote herself in as a dumpy-klutzy looking person... I wonder if she is as near-sighted as she claimed to be in the book...

I have longed to read Alberich's story ever since first mention of him. Since this book hard to find in the library it was a delight to finally get my hands on it. It did not disappoint. If you come to love this one read "It takes a Theif" next, the portrayal of Alberich in this book makes him a firm favorite with me. Why can't I find a man like this...sigh.