Feuds
Valdemar Anthology #18
Mercedes Lackey & Friends
The voices of other authors add their own special touches to the ancient land where Heralds “Chosen” from all walks of life by magical horse-like Companions patrol their ancient kingdom, dispensing justice, facing adversaries, and protecting their monarch and country from whatever threatens. Trained rigorously by the Herald’s Collegium, these special protectors each have extraordinary Gifts: Mindspeaking, FarSeeing, FarSpeaking, Empathy, Firestarting and ForeSeeing, and are bonded for life with their mysterious Companions.
Now, twenty-two authors ride with Mercedes Lackey to the beloved land of Valdemar, where feuds—large and small, devastating and comic, longstanding and fresh—are brewing. Familiar faces await: in her brand-new novella Mercedes Lackey brings fan-favorite Vanyel back to the page, along with his aunt, the indomitable Herald Savil. So come explore Valdemar in these fantastical tales where:
Vanyel is enlisted in a clandestine mission, but when his investigation into two squabbling noble families reveals a pair of lifebonded lovers, he and Savil find themselves scrambling to prevent an all-out war—and the King himself is watching . . .
A duel between two small town bards abruptly crosses a line, and their battle of wits explodes beyond verbal showmanship . . .
A student of the Bardic college is increasingly frustrated by a peer’s insistence that she’s seeing ghosts, but as her visions escalate she begins to wonder and to worry . . .
432 pages, Trade Paperback
First published November 26, 2024
Praise for the Valdemar anthologies:
“Fans of Lackey’s epic Valdemar series will devour this superb anthology. Of the thirteen stories included, there is no weak link—an attribute exceedingly rare in collections of this sort. Highly recommended.” —The Barnes & Noble Review
“Lackey’s delightful world of magic is inhabited by strong and believable men, women, and creatures, the most enchanting being the gryphons.” —Publishers Weekly
“Exceedingly well done, it helps keep readers unconfused while wandering the enormous fictional terrain the Valdemar oeuvre covers.” —Booklist
“Each story brings unique ideas that carry on the fantastical elements from the world created by Lackey. Fans new and old will step into a literary world that’s unlike any other and will be sucked into tales that will take them on wondrous journeys.” —RT Reviews