Magic’s Pawn is the first novel in a series called The Last Herald’s Mage. The novel centers around a Herald called Vanyel in the kingdom of Valdemar. A Herald mage is an individual possessing extraordinary psychic and magical abilities and selfless nature. The novel shows Vanyel’s slow growth, from being forced to live under his contemptuous father, to finding his sexual identity and identity as a Herald.
Vanyel is a vulnerable character, unsure of himself, his worth and decision, especially after the tragic death of his lover. He tries to be better and grow, especially after being sent to Hawkbrothers, but an incident in which he fails to kill a dragon before it takes its victim, makes him fall deeper into his insecure mindset. But with the support of his Herald-Mage aunt, he slowly begins to learn his true worth and place in the world.
The novel was published in 1989, and aside from its main genre of fantasy it focuses on important topics, such as sexual orientation and homosexuality, love and grief, identity issues and finding oneself.
