Reading Order
The World of Valdemar
by Mercedes Lackey
The World of Valdemar Reading Order
One of the most expansive and enduring worlds in fantasy — Mercedes Lackey has been writing Valdemar since 1987 and shows no signs of stopping. The kingdom of Valdemar is protected by Heralds: individuals Chosen by magical white horses called Companions, bound for life in a telepathic partnership. The series spans thousands of years of in-world history across more than a dozen sub-series. It is warm, character-driven fantasy that takes trauma seriously without wallowing in it. The Vanyel trilogy — one of fantasy's first major LGBTQ+ storylines — remains among the most emotionally devastating things Lackey has written.
⚠️ Magic's Pawn deals directly with homophobia, emotional abuse, and grief. It is not as light as the Talia books. The ending will hurt. This is by design.
Reading Order
Two equally valid entry points: Arrows of the Queen (publication order, Talia's story) or Magic's Pawn (Vanyel's story, set 500 years earlier). Most readers start with Arrows. The Mage Wars and Founding of Valdemar prequels work best after you already love the world.
📖One of fantasy's first and most important LGBTQ+ storylines. Devastating and beautiful. Read after the Heralds trilogy or as a standalone entry point.
🐴 Heralds of Valdemar (3)
The original Talia trilogy. The warmest and most accessible entry point — start here if you're new to Valdemar.
💙 Last Herald-Mage (3)
Vanyel's story — one of fantasy's most emotionally devastating trilogies. Essential reading. Have tissues ready for book 3.
⚡ Mage Winds & Storms (6)
The direct sequel arcs. Six books covering the return of magic and continent-wide catastrophe. For readers who want to continue after Talia.
📚 Prequels & More (5+)
By the Sword, Mage Wars, Collegium Chronicles, and more. Valdemar has 40+ novels — this is where the rabbit hole goes.
The Companions
Companions are not horses. They are white, blue-eyed beings who Choose their Heralds — a lifelong telepathic bond that ends only with death. When a Companion dies, the Herald usually follows. When a Herald dies, the Companion always does. This bond is the emotional core of every Valdemar book, and Lackey never lets you forget what it costs.
Why it matters
- → The Last Herald-Mage trilogy (1989–1991) was one of the first mainstream fantasy series to feature a gay protagonist whose sexuality was treated as normal and central to his story — not a subplot, not a tragedy to be fixed.
- → Lackey's Valdemar takes trauma seriously. Talia, Vanyel, and many others carry histories of abuse and neglect — and the books deal with recovery, not just survival.
- → The series is still being written. Lackey published the first Founding of Valdemar book in 2021 and continues to expand the world at the rate of roughly one book a year.
- → Storm Breaking (1996) is a natural endpoint if you want a complete arc — the original saga concludes there. Everything after is expansion rather than continuation.
Darkness progression
Scale: 🕯️ Lighthearted → 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ Brutal
Finished Valdemar?
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