Beyond by Mercedes Lackey

Beyond (The Founding of Valdemar, #1)

by Mercedes Lackey

The long-awaited founding of Valdemar comes to life in this new series from a New York Times bestselling author and beloved fantasist.

Within the Eastern Empire, Duke Kordas Valdemar rules a tiny, bucolic Duchy that focuses mostly on horse breeding. Anticipating the day when the Empire’s exploitative and militant leaders would not be content to leave them alone, Korda’s father set out to gather magicians in the hopes of one day finding a way to escape and protect the people of the Duchy from tyranny.
 
Kordas has lived his life looking over his shoulder. The signs in the Empire are increasingly dire. Under the direction of the Emperor, mages have begun to harness the power of dark magics, including blood magic, the powers of the Abyssal Planes, and the binding and "milking" of Elemental creatures. 
 
But then one of the Duchy’s mages has a breakthrough. There is a way to place a Gate at a distance so far from the Empire that it is unlikely the Emperor can find or follow them as they evacuate everyone that is willing to leave.
 
But time is running out, and Kordas has been summoned to the Emperor's Court.
 
Can his reputation as a country bumpkin and his acting skills buy him and his people the time they need to flee?  Or will the Emperor lose patience, invade to strip Valdemar of everything of worth, and send its conscripted people into the front lines of the Imperial wars?

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

4.5 of 5 stars

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Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar world has been going on for years – thankfully. Now fans are about to learn more about the early days, with the introduction of a new series: The Founding of Valdemar. And it all starts with Beyond.

Duke Kordas Valdemar has known for a long time now that the Empire's exploitative hand would eventually reach his Duchy – and beyond. He knows better than anyone all of the reasons why this would be a horrible fate for all.

His family knows the cost and risk as well, which is why Kordas' father heads out looking for magicians with a slim hope they'll find a solution. The solution is not an expected one, but with time running out, there isn't much time to consider the alternatives.

“And the Emperor’s dunderheaded idiot Knights of the Throne would refuse to ride a mare or a gelding. This made absolutely no sense at all, of course. If Kordas had been an enemy commander, one of his first moves would be to send a loose, wild mare in heat out onto the battlefield as soon as the Knights put in an appearance, but in the Empire, when masculine ego came into play, logic flew right out the window.”

Is it possible for the Founding of Valdemar to be both everything and nothing like what I expected it to be? I love that even after all of these years, Mercedes Lackey is still finding ways to surprise her readers.

Trust me when I say: Valdemar fans are not going to want to skip this latest series. The world may not (yet) be the one we're familiar with, but it is so intriguing and compelling. Better yet, it was so much fun looking for the details that would eventually lead to the stories we know so well.

I loved the inclusion of court intrigue in this story. I know I'm a sucker for any combination of magic and politics, but I just can't help it! I love the way Lackey develops the character and the threats simultaneously.

I can't wait to see what will happen next! Add this series to one I'll be keeping up with (worth it!).

Thanks to DAW and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 19 July, 2021: Finished reading
  • 19 July, 2021: Reviewed