I love most of Lackey's Valdemar books. My favorites are the three about Vanyel published after the three books begun with this novel. However, this novel is what started the series and makes a good introduction to Lackey, whose novels often fall into this pattern: unappreciated teen leaves home to find their destiny among comrades who become her true family--think McCaffrey's Harper Hall novels.
Talia is an appealing heroine and I like how she grows in confidence in these novels. I loved this book as a teen, and in a fit of nostalgia reread them recently, and found they still hold up. Also like those novels of McCaffrey, the Valdemar novels revolved around a strong bond between a human and magical creature--in this case seeming horses that are full partners. The series continues in Arrows Flight and concludes in Arrows Fall.
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