What do you think?
Rate this book
The Valdemar Companion
Fifteen years ago, Mercedes Lackey put pen to paper to write Arrows Of The Queen, her first novel about Valdemar, a fantasy kingdom replete with magical races and magical creatures, enemies and allies both sorcerous and mundane. This ancient land of mystery is unique even among fantasy realms, for it is protected by an elite corps—the Heralds. These men and women gifted with extraordinary mind powers are Chosen by, and bonded with, wondrous horse-like beings known as Companions. Brought by their Companions from the length and breadth of Valdemar to Haven, Valdemar's capital city, they are trained in a special school, the Collegium, and devote their lives to protecting king and kingdom. Mindspeakers, FarSeers, FarSpeakers, Firestarters, ForeSeers—their individual talents are as varied as their backgrounds. There are even those who can channel the magical nodes in the earth itself to use for their own purposes. Garbed in their uniforms of white leather, they patrol their territory, dispensing justice and keeping the peace. They are emissaries, spies, diplomats, scouts, warriors, judges, and counselors.
With eighteen novels published, and millions of copies in print, Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series has won the hearts of countless readers. In response to overwhelming demand on the part of her many fans, veteran editors John Helfers and Denise Little now present The Valdemar Companion. With the help and guidance of Mercedes Lackey, Helfers and Little have compiled a reader's guide to Mercedes Lackey's best-selling world of Valdemar. Included in this comprehensive work is an all-original Mercedes Lackey Valdemar novella, as well as an essay by Lackey about Valdemar, and extensive interviews with the author and her publisher. With an overview of the history of Valdemar, detailed essays on the various races and kingdoms, a substantial concordance containing entries on every major character, device and setting, and including articles on the magical races and creatures, a chapter on the diverse Valdemar fan clubs, and a section devoted to the songs of Valdemar, along with beautifully detailed maps, The Valdemar Companion is everything any Valdemar fan could wish for.
With eighteen novels published, and millions of copies in print, Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series has won the hearts of countless readers. In response to overwhelming demand on the part of her many fans, veteran editors John Helfers and Denise Little now present The Valdemar Companion. With the help and guidance of Mercedes Lackey, Helfers and Little have compiled a reader's guide to Mercedes Lackey's best-selling world of Valdemar. Included in this comprehensive work is an all-original Mercedes Lackey Valdemar novella, as well as an essay by Lackey about Valdemar, and extensive interviews with the author and her publisher. With an overview of the history of Valdemar, detailed essays on the various races and kingdoms, a substantial concordance containing entries on every major character, device and setting, and including articles on the magical races and creatures, a chapter on the diverse Valdemar fan clubs, and a section devoted to the songs of Valdemar, along with beautifully detailed maps, The Valdemar Companion is everything any Valdemar fan could wish for.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2001
6 people are currently reading
1104 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 3, 2014
It may interest some to know that Mercedes Lackey put out a cassette/CD called "Sun & Shadow" which does not follow any of her Valdemar books yet is strongly suggested to be a part of the history of Valdemar. You can sample some of the songs on YouTube, although the only place to buy it is from the Firebird Arts and Music website.
1. Valdemar (Espinoza)
2. I Found a Land (Espinoza)
3. Two Young Fools - part I (Espinoza)
8. Sun & Shadow (Lackey-Espinoza)
10. Windrider Unchained (Lackey-Espinoza)
(I could not find "4. How Could I Have Known?", "5. Two Young Fools - part II", "6. A Lovely Young Man", "7. Two Young Fools - part III", "9. Meetings", and "11. A Love That".)
1. Valdemar (Espinoza)
2. I Found a Land (Espinoza)
3. Two Young Fools - part I (Espinoza)
8. Sun & Shadow (Lackey-Espinoza)
10. Windrider Unchained (Lackey-Espinoza)
(I could not find "4. How Could I Have Known?", "5. Two Young Fools - part II", "6. A Lovely Young Man", "7. Two Young Fools - part III", "9. Meetings", and "11. A Love That".)
December 15, 2011
Ten years ago this would have been an invaluable reference - now, it's totally superceded by the internet. It's still an impressive collection of trivia, interviews, and ancillary fiction, though.
The short story is astonishingly unmemorable (which may have been the point - it's supposed to be a story of a totally average Herald, and I suppose it's a handy fill-your-name-in-here tool for dreaming about being Chosen) but the interviews, although not earthshaking, are neat, and the extensive concordance is the sort of thing I'd have happily memorized were I younger and had a shorter to-read list.
The funniest bit in the whole volume is the page or two on what websites to visit - good Lord, it wasn't published that long ago and it reads like utter ancient history. (This is a bit of a problem with the whole thing, really, since several more books have been written and it's hardly complete at this point.)
The short story is astonishingly unmemorable (which may have been the point - it's supposed to be a story of a totally average Herald, and I suppose it's a handy fill-your-name-in-here tool for dreaming about being Chosen) but the interviews, although not earthshaking, are neat, and the extensive concordance is the sort of thing I'd have happily memorized were I younger and had a shorter to-read list.
The funniest bit in the whole volume is the page or two on what websites to visit - good Lord, it wasn't published that long ago and it reads like utter ancient history. (This is a bit of a problem with the whole thing, really, since several more books have been written and it's hardly complete at this point.)
August 7, 2009
Oh dear ghads, this was awful. I think there are about 25 pages in this book worth the trouble - and the rest is pure dross and faffing.
If you are going to note the music associated with this specific body of work - why oh why would you only put the TITLES in a reference guide and not the poetry/lyrics as well?
*whines*
If you are going to note the music associated with this specific body of work - why oh why would you only put the TITLES in a reference guide and not the poetry/lyrics as well?
*whines*
February 8, 2012
I reread this now and again, the short story it contains, and the entries that call to me. I will always be a fan of Mercedes Lackey, the rich world she built, and the characters that you just can't help fall in love with. The Heralds of Valdemar are a flawed ray of hope in a darker world, and I'll never get tired of them.
September 16, 2012
I haven't read the novellas yet, but the concordance could have been done much better and the maps are practically illegible.
Update:
The novella was interesting, also the "traveller's guide", but the "companion" is still mediocre at best. A few google searches will give far more practical background than the concordance did.
Update:
The novella was interesting, also the "traveller's guide", but the "companion" is still mediocre at best. A few google searches will give far more practical background than the concordance did.
May 18, 2017
I love Mercedes Lackey. I love Valdemar. I love everything about this lady and her imagination.
This book is great because you can learn a lot about Lackey. She has a long interview and it's interesting to see how her brain works, and where she came from and what she does now. The book is also worth reading for the novella about Herald Tafri. I wanted more of that story!
It didn't necessarily need the gigantic encyclopedia thing at the end. I don't know that people need every single word defined for them. But overall this was a good read.
This book is great because you can learn a lot about Lackey. She has a long interview and it's interesting to see how her brain works, and where she came from and what she does now. The book is also worth reading for the novella about Herald Tafri. I wanted more of that story!
It didn't necessarily need the gigantic encyclopedia thing at the end. I don't know that people need every single word defined for them. But overall this was a good read.
November 9, 2020
I like the books Mercedes Lackey writes, she is good at creating a believable world and people to populate it. While her writing is not the strongest I do find it engaging ang and enjoyable. I like a series I can live inside of and her books are ones that have characters I feel invested in and a world I believe could exist.
December 16, 2017
Read just the novella. Light, pleasant read.
November 13, 2022
Some behind the scenes looks with the author along with other short pieces.
May 18, 2010
This was a very factual book, but for all that still vastly interesting to read. Comprised of a few stories but in actuality a lot more of information collected for any Valdemar aficionado, this is a wonderful book to read AFTER you have read all in the Valdemar series. It ties up some loose ends, explains the summaries of all the books, and even has a glossary if you forget who someone was or what something meant.
Or, perhaps this is the perfect book to have alongside as you read the novels and trilogies. I certainly didn't need it, but it was definitely wonderful to read after I knew all the stories.
Or, perhaps this is the perfect book to have alongside as you read the novels and trilogies. I certainly didn't need it, but it was definitely wonderful to read after I knew all the stories.
October 12, 2019
A bit out-of-date but still worthwhile, the book is an informative look at Valdemar and its creator. It includes a fun, short novella by Ms. Lackey as well as an "in character" guide to Valdemar & the nearby kingdoms. There are a few interviews with those who influenced Valdemar's creation. I felt the maps could have been better done, as they seem a bit cramped and difficult to read. The last section is a concordance of the Valdemar books that were published at the time, from the Arrows trilogy to "Take a Thief," useful but not exhaustive. A good book for fans of Ms. Lackey's world of Valdemar.
March 26, 2013
I found it disappointing.
There were a lot of lists; lists of the novels, lists of songs, lists of names and places and words and more. I don't get that at all; I read the books and liked them but why would I want lists of all the things in the books?
There was a refresher course in Valdemar history (really? why? why would you want one?), a few maps that did not really give much new information as far as I could see.
There was one new story and an interview. Other that that this is a book for only the strongest and most acute of fans.
There were a lot of lists; lists of the novels, lists of songs, lists of names and places and words and more. I don't get that at all; I read the books and liked them but why would I want lists of all the things in the books?
There was a refresher course in Valdemar history (really? why? why would you want one?), a few maps that did not really give much new information as far as I could see.
There was one new story and an interview. Other that that this is a book for only the strongest and most acute of fans.
January 30, 2022
Retroactive Review (30 Jan 2022): In addition to the novella "A Herald's Journey" from Mercedes Lackey herself, this anthology is filled with essays and references for the Valdemar fan. It's exactly what it says on the tin, though the maps are naturally harder to examine in mass-market paperback form. It's also unfortunately outdated as Lackey has written about 14 additional novels and edited about 15 anthologies set in this universe, but it's good enough for the "core arc" of Valdemar.
December 21, 2008
vary good book, it is very helpful for any reader of Lackeys Valdemar books. if you want to see where ever ones is in the modern times of Valdemar (Arrows onward) this is book with the maps for you. sadly it dose not have any of the older maps that would help one tell where people are in the books set in the past.
December 28, 2018
I am re-reading the Valdemar series chronologically and so the indexing terms is proving especially useful as a refresher this go around. However the section of maps is woefully incomplete and doesn't even contain all of the maps included in the individual novels. Also, the fact that the book has been published without the chronology included in all the novels is odd as well.
October 7, 2013
this book was so much fun to read because it gave a little capsule of so many of the stories that I am currently reading. I had to be careful not to spoil myself but I found myself smiling over revisiting some of the stories this way. The essays were fun too.
September 7, 2008
An enyclopedia of her world where Valdemar is, this is a book any fan of her series really should own.
March 3, 2010
Anyone who has read the Valdemar series needs to add this book to their collection, excellent!
September 9, 2011
Good overview of the world, but up to this point. Would be happy to get an update edition integrating in new Valdemar mythology from the last decade or so.
February 23, 2013
It has some useful information in it although its kind of outdated. I liked the stories too. It probably would be better to read after reading a few of the books but its not necessary.
July 25, 2012
The novella is great. The interviews are okay and some of the other short stories are okay. Most of this is a reference section for terms/people/places.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2014
Love Valdemar the stories are amazing, and a few new fun ones in here with lots of other great info.
November 3, 2015
I liked the Companion story in this book. It is good to see an ordinary person being chosen for duty. The rest is information on the series and articles. I disliked the tour story.
November 27, 2015
Lovely and lovingly made, but over ten years out of date.
January 10, 2017
Very insightful and full of handy, detailed information about the world of Valdemar; I learned many new things from reading this.
November 7, 2021
An excellent overview of the world of Velgarth as covered in the books. It was published in 2001, however, and needs to be updated.
October 22, 2011
Wow! This brought back such memories. I now feel the need to re-read all her books ...
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews