Instruct: Classify Amazon reviews into positive or negative sentiment
Query: Lackey returns in her old form

As with a couple of other reviewers, I had just about given up on Lackey, niether "take a thief" or "brightly burning" were worthy of the work we know she can put out or of Valdemar. And other series/works by her were also suffering. Here we see Lackey regaining her focas and style. Although not equal to the "last herald mage" trio this effort is equal many of the other earlier novels. Clean writing, empathy for the character, moral questions, a nice backstory, a plot that goes somewhere and doesn't rush at the end of the novel to give some action for the sake of _something_ happening. Lackey has returned as an author worthy of the title of a grand dame of fantasyWorth reading, worth buying.