• Magic's Pawn

  • Valdemar: The Last Herald Mage, Book 1
  • By: Mercedes Lackey
  • Narrated by: Gregory St. John
  • Length: 12 hrs and 14 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,538 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Magic's Pawn  By  cover art

Magic's Pawn

By: Mercedes Lackey
Narrated by: Gregory St. John
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $24.95

Buy for $24.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

In Magic's Pawn, an ancient age in the history of Valdemar comes to life - an age when the kingdom was ravaged by the ungoverned fury of bandit warlords, ferocious ice dragons, and the wild magic of wizards. A new addition to Lackey's Valdemar kingdom - and her most powerful series to date!

©1991 Mercedes R. Lackey (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Magic's Pawn

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,065
  • 4 Stars
    280
  • 3 Stars
    108
  • 2 Stars
    43
  • 1 Stars
    42
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    868
  • 4 Stars
    298
  • 3 Stars
    124
  • 2 Stars
    45
  • 1 Stars
    56
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,023
  • 4 Stars
    213
  • 3 Stars
    92
  • 2 Stars
    29
  • 1 Stars
    41

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This is my favorite Valdemar series.

Where does Magic's Pawn rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Great listen!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Magic's Pawn?

When Van stood up to his father.

Which character – as performed by Gregory St. John – was your favorite?

Vanyel

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The end but I don't want to spoil it.

Any additional comments?

A well done production spot on. Homosextual main charactor done with such care that you could even let a young adult listen to it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good story, bearable narration

Phrasing and pronounciations off. Love the story. Would buy it again with a better/redone narration.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love it

I've always enjoyed this book. This series is one I always suggest. Listening was a joy.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great narrator!

Having read every Valdemar book, it's easy to notice some early writing "hiccups" that only show Lackey's starting. This is still such a good start to Valdemar, enough world building that leads to further development, a great hero, an awesome message of diversity and commitment.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

loved the narration!

In the beginning I wasn't so sure of the narrator 's voice but I totally grew to love it and feel he really did a great job with Van's voice.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good enough

I wish the narrator had more consistent and accurate pronunciation. He also paused in the middle of sentences weirdly, but his voice acting was alright, and none of this took away from the story at all.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I found it again

Would you consider the audio edition of Magic's Pawn to be better than the print version?

Some what

Who was your favorite character and why?

The two main characters

Which scene was your favorite?

When thanyell got pulled from the river.

Yes I can't spell

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes

Any additional comments?

This is a great book and well narrated but several of the names were mispronounced I know this because I heard the original which I have and I have heard several of the songs with the character names in it. Minus the mispronunciation its as good as the original.

If you wont the originals email me.
svenstanley@gmail.com

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This story grips you from beginning to end.

I have read it many times. It is my favorite of Ms. Lackey's works. I like it because it captures the true angst of teen emotion and coming of age but makes it exotic in a wonderfully unique world with captivating magic. The second and third books of the series continue Vanyel's adventures as an adult; but in my opinion this first book outshines them and is most satisfying in if itself.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Don't overlook this older gem!

Would you consider the audio edition of Magic's Pawn to be better than the print version?

Well, no, but it's great to have an audio version finally.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Vanyel, because he's such a human, flawed hero and his journey is epic.

What about Gregory St. John’s performance did you like?

He did a great job making all the characters' voices distinct.

Any additional comments?

Great gay role model for teens!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • KS
  • 01-19-17

Great book performance odd

Thrown off by odd pronounciations. First time hearing it, but have read it loads of times.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!