Mercedes Lackey

Tarma, the only survivor of her clan's genocide, and Kethry, a fugitive from a forced marriage, swear a blood oath to use their own magical powers and that of a magical sword to avenge the wrongs done to womankind

The Oathbound

Becky A

I love most of the stories in here, but am really distressed by the fact that the heroines are totally down with setting a villain up to be repeatedly raped as punishment. As punishment for being a rapist, yes, but I find it really, really skeevy.

Allison Garrett

The Oathbound is part of the Vows and Honor trilogy by Mercedes Lackey. Tarma, a sword sworn mercenary and her partner in crime Kethry, a mage, go through many adventures in this book to try and make a name for themselves. 
	The Good: 
•	Tarma and Kethry are both very likeable characters, and their bond is one I admire. Especially based on when this book was written, two strong heroines with no romantic purpose in the story was almost unheard of. They are both strong and determined and get things done. 
•	Immersive stories- I really got caught up in the mini stories that were written into the different chapters. 
The Bad: 
•	Short Stories- I think Lackey intentionally wrote it this way, but it read like a collection of short stories about the same two characters rather than one story. Some of those stories did have a little cross over, but it made it easy for me to put down. 
•	No origin story?-I know that Lackey originally wrote Tarma and Kethry’s origin to be part of an anthology and then wrote the rest of their story together. It just felt odd that we jumped into them already travelling and knowing each other when we, the reader, didn’t know them. Their meeting seems like a more logical place to start their story together. 

I’m giving The Oathbound 3/5 stars. It was enjoyable and I’m looking forward to the next book in the duology, but it did feel a little disjointed to me.

The Oathbound

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