The Valdemar Companion

by John Helfers; Denise Little

  DL: How has Misty’s writing changed over the years you‘ve been working with her?

  BW: Obviously Misty’s craft has improved with each book. Experience is always the best teacher for a writer, and Misty’s been getting plenty of that. Since Misty has published twenty-four Valdemar novels in fifteen years, to avoid burnout, we’ve been interspersing the Valdemar books on our list with non-Valdemar books in the last few years. The variety keeps everybody excited about the next Valdemar novel, so maybe it’s healthy for Misty’s Valdemar production to be limited to one book a year, with many other kinds of projects in the works between the Valdemar novels. The very last thing that I as a publisher and editor, and fans as readers, want is for Misty to get burned out on Valdemar! We have some very big and exciting non-Valdemar projects in the works here at DAW, including Misty’s own version of the Arthurian legend. I can hardly wait to read them.

  DL: What are your favorite Valdemar books, and why?

  BW: I guess I’m very typical in this department—I have a soft spot for Vanyel. I suppose I have a history of editing book with gay male protagonists. I edited Marion Zimmer Bradley’s The Heritage Of Hastur, which was among the very first novels in our genre with a gay male hero, which was inspired by Ursula K. LeGuin’s The Left Hand of Darkness. I remember Marion telling me that she felt Ursula had set the stage for this development in our genre by publishing a book that featured a hermaphroditic alien race. I think the character of Vanyel is something very special, and I’m extremely proud that Misty won the Lambda Award for “Best Gay Male Fantasy Hero”. I also am particularly partial to By The Sword. Kerowyn is so different from most female protagonists—she’s a hard-core career mercenary who is disinclined to sentiment or romance. (In fact, when Kerowyn does fall in love, it disrupts her plans—I always felt she was really annoyed by it!) I know that By The Sword is Misty’s favorite among her books, and I could tell how much fun she was having while she was writing it, so I have nice memories of that time. When Misty finished writing By The Sword, it was the longest book she had written at that point in her career, and she called me up laughing, and said about the manuscript: “It’s 666 pages long—the devil’s number!”

  DL: What are your favorite characters in the series, and why?

  BW: I tend to like the scrappy, difficult types, like Tylendel, and Alberich. I love Kerowyn and Tarma for their toughness. I also particularly like Skandranon’s (and many other gryphons’) conceitedness. I think it’s amusing and realistic to have characters with negative personality characteristics who manage to be likable despite them (or sometimes because of them). My newest favorite is Herald-Chronicler Myste, for obvious reasons.

  DL: What do you think readers see in Valdemar that keeps bringing them back to the series?

  BW: Many, many things. Valdemar is a very rich and rewarding place to be. And Misty brings her characters to life with unusual vividness, warts and all! I think the nature of mind-magic, as opposed to the wave-the-wand kind of magic, is that it’s far more personal, and far more limited, and therefore more fraught with vulnerability, I think this makes it easier for readers to become immersed in a character’s plight. I also feel that the bonds with magical creatures—the Companions and the bondbirds, are a potent draw. But I think it’s the incredible breadth of the history and landscape of Valdemar, which keep readers coming back to the series. With two-dozen Valdemar novels in print, Misty still hasn’t excavated more than a fraction of the over two-thousand-year history of Velgarth/Valdemar!

  DL: As a reader, what parts of Valdemar would you like to see explored in future volumes?

  BW: This could be a very, very long answer! I love Valdemar, and I’d like to see every nook and cranny explored, so I’ll try to limit my response. One story I very much wanted Misty to write is the one that she’ll be writing as her next Valdemar book: Alberich’s story, Exile’s Honor, is tentatively scheduled for publication in Fall of 2002. I would also love to read the story of the woman who became the sword Need. What was her life like before she became a sword? How did this happen to her? We’ve seen snippets of that story, just enough to whet my appetite, and it’s a vast new area and time frame of Velgarth waiting to be explored. Naturally I’d like to know more about it. Talamir’s story is another obvious subject for a book or a series: that story would bring us into a whole new era of Valdemar’s history—the Tedrel wars, when King Sendar was slain and Talamir lost his original Companion Taver and was re-chosen by Rolan. That time period set up everything that has happened in Queen Selenay’s rule, so I think it would add to the richness of the Valdemar we know to go exploring in that era. She probably isn’t ready yet, but I hope that one day Misty will tell us about the story of King Valdemar and the founding of the kingdom named after him. Exactly what was going on in the Eastern Empire that could make an honorable noble and all his people abandon everything and flee together to the ends of the known world? On a more general note, I’d like to see Misty reincarnate a herald her readers arc familiar with as a Companion who is a central character in a book—I think that would put an interesting spin on the character of the particular Companion. I have my suspicions that Misty may have done that with Kerowyn’s Sayvil, but it’s been a side note, not the central part of a story. And how about the story of the very first Companions? I also think that fans would enjoy reading more about the students in Healer’s and Bard’s Collegium. We haven’t read nearly as much about the nomadic, tribal, and militarily disciplined Shin’a’in as we have about their flamboyant cousins, the Hawkbrothers… As I said, I love Valdemar. I could go on and on!

  DL: How does it feel, knowing you‘ve been part of bringing the world of Valdemar to life? What are you proudest of?

  BW: It feels great! Obviously I’m very proud of Misty. It isn’t everyone who goes from filksinging fan to best-selling author practically overnight. I’m also proud that Misty, in all of her books, works in elements of personal and social politics without lecturing or soap-boxing. The Valdemar books have subtle moral messages about all sorts of ethical issues. Since many of Misty’s readers are young, I think that this is especially noteworthy. Misty has something important to say in each book she writes.

  DL: Do you have any personal stories from years with Misty that you‘d like to share with her fans?

  BW: Yes, I most certainly do! I have many stories, but what I’d like to tell readers is what a profound effect Misty herself (I’m not talking about her books here) has had on my life. Since developing severe cat allergies after college (where I lived in an apartment with multiple felines) I had been a petless person until I got to know Misty. Misty, as her fans know, has a large menagerie of pet parrots, and is an expert in avian biology and psychology. Hearing Misty talk about her birds, and about her relstionship with Dr. Irene Pepperberg, and Dr. Pepperberg’s African Grey parrot, Alex, (who is undoubtedly the most famous parrot in the world) was so fascinating that I began to frequent bird stores in lower Manhattan, where I live. Quickly, I was hooked. I had never even considered a parrot as a pet, and, like most people, I was ignorant about the true nature of parrots. I knew parrots were smart… but affectionate, loving, even cuddly? I never imagined any such thing! Misty spent uncountable hours with me on the phone discussing the attributes of the many various types of parrots, and counseling me about what kind of parrot I might want to buy, and how to correctly care for my non-mammal pet. Now, nine years later, I am the happy owner of five parrots. I still call Misty for her expert advice. And Misty is extremely generous with her time, but that’s not all. Three years ago, knowing my then eleven-year-old-daughter, Zoe, loved cockatoos, Misty flew from Oklahoma to New York carrying a baby cockatoo, a rare and expensive bird, as a present for my daughter. We were really overwhelmed. That brings up another point—I could tell numerous stories about Misty’s generosity of spirit. Over the years she has helped more friends in need than anyone I know, sometimes putting her own safety—even her own life—into jeopardy to do it. She and Larry are voluntee
r firefighters in her small town. In addition to that, Misty takes more people under her wing than anyone I have ever met. It’s not difficult to see where her concept of selfless Heralds come from.

  DL: What kinds of challenges have you faced as you brought this series from its first published book to today’s success? Do any specific publishing problems and triumphs through the years come to mind that you‘d feel comfortable sharing with the fans?

  BW: The only thing that could even remotely be considered a problem involves Misty’s incredibly prolific writing speed. Misty writes a lot, and loves to be involved in many projects at once, often working with collaborators. Obviously, one publisher cannot handle Misty’s entire output. This can occasionally become problematic when two or more of her publishers schedule a book of hers in the same or consecutive months. It’s in everyone’s best interests not to have Misty competing for rack space against herself! Through the years I have developed relationships with certain of Misty’s other editors and we have tried to avoid this particular situation. Though Misty publishes with other houses, I am very, very proud that DAW remains her main publisher. We are extremely happy that we have been the publisher of her Valdemar books, and now Misty is publishing a variety of other types of fantasy with us, including some absolutely terrific historical fantasy. We publish most of her solo work, and the only Misty-collaboration we publish is the one with her husband, Larry Dixon. Let me say in print that DAW has a greater commitment to her career than any other publisher. She is one of the brightest stars in the DAW firmament, and that is a triumph for us as well as for her!

  DL: What kinds of goals and hopes do you have for future Valdemar books?

  BW: The New York Times bestseller list would be good! The #1 spot on it would be better!

  DL: As an editor, what do look for each time a new Valdemar novel arrives on your desk?

  BW: In part, what any reader looks forward to: enjoying the story! But seriously, it’s my job as the editor to make sure that Misty has given her readers the best book she possibly can, in every way. I try to make sure each story is well developed in every aspect, that the action is clear and easy to follow, that the atmosphere is well established, that the ending is satisfying, that the characters are well fleshed out. Those are the things that any professional editor gets to do with any book. I’m just lucky in that Misty’s work is such a pleasure.

  DL: Do you have any words of advice for fans who hope one day follow in Misty‘s footsteps and become writers?

  BW: The most basic advice of all: if you want to be a writer, you have to write. I mean that seriously. Most people who eventually become professional writers write because they are compelled to. I always say a real writer writes in all tenses: has always written, does always write, and will always write in the future. Just keep on doing it and don’t let rejection stop you. Do it until you get it right, and don’t give up!

  As legions of fans have discovered, Mercedes Lackey’s Valdemar is a fascinating, beautifully imagined realm, and the novels set in it are compelling, engrossing narratives; in fact, they are as close to addictive as anything in fiction. The main problem with Valdemar—from a reader’s point of view, anyway—is that the hooks just don’t come out fast enough. Which means that, when a new installment in the series becomes available and it’s time to sit down and start reading, for some of us, anyway, those once crisp and clear memories of Valdemar aren’t as pristine as they were on the glorious day when we read the last volume. Another problem—and one that Lackey fans hope will increase steadily with time—is that with so many novels in the series available, it’s getting trickier to keep all the players and events from the books straight, even without allowing for the lapse of time between their publication.

  For all the readers who have suffered the effects of erosion of time on their memory, or who find that with twenty-six volumes’ worth of Valdemaran history stuffed in their heads the fine details occasionally get patchy, and for those who have picked up the series in the middle or are still working their way through it, what follows are two very useful aids for these readers of the Valdemar novels: a short synopsis of every book, and a concordance of all proper names, place names, invented words, and other uniquely Valdemaran terms. May your memories be so perfect that you never need them but if that’s not the case, enjoy!

  For those looking for a quick refresher course in Valdemaran history, what follows is a summary of each of the books in the series. These storylines are, of necessity, abbreviated, being merely long enough to remind those who have read the books of what happened when to whom. By their very nature, there will be spoilers in these story descriptions, so readers should be careful when reading material about books that they have not yet had a chance to enjoy. We’ve tried to minimize these spoilers while still presenting enough of the story to spark the memory of those who have read the books, but the balance is a delicate and not always obvious one. We have done our best here to encapsulate the genius of Mercedes Lackey and Valdemar without in any way destroying the reading pleasure of those new to the kingdom. May our efforts serve you well…

  —The Editors

  The Heralds Of Valdemar

  trilogy

  (otherwise known as the Arrows books)

  1987

  Arrows of the Queen

  Talia Sensdaughter is a misfit among her people, the stern Holderkin in the Borderlands of Valdemar. At thirteen, while running away from home to escape an unwanted marriage arranged by her family, she is Chosen by the Grove-Born Companion, Rolan, who has been on a months-long Search for her. She returns with him to the Valdemaran capitol of Haven, where she discovers that Rolan has selected her, despite her youth and inexperience, to be the Queen’s Own Herald. She accepts the challenge, and vows to grow into the role. Although she enjoys her new life at the Heralds’ Collegium, especially in contrast to her grim prior existence with the Holderkin, unexpected dangers lurk there. Rumors about the last Queen’s Own indicate that his death occurred under suspicious circumstances, and Talia worries that her own life could be at risk as well. She’s right—only the strength of Talia’s bond with Rolan saves her when the hazing of the Unaffiliated students that has been making her life as a Heraldic trainee miserable turns murderous.

  Talia’s brush with death brings out her Herald’s Gift of Empathy. It could not have manifested at a more crucial time—Queen Selenay desperately needs Talia’s help raising Elspeth, the Heir, in order to save the spoiled, selfish child and turn her into someone whom a Companion could Choose. And the Queen needs Talia’s advice on matters of the realm, in order to keep the forces threatening to destroy Valdemar from within and without at bay. Using only her Gift, Rolan’s advice, and the help of the friends she’s made at Haven, young Talia must unravel a sinister plot that threatens to topple the throne of Valdemar it self.

  1987

  Arrow's Flight

  Now that Elspeth, the Heir to the throne, has been Chosen by the Grove-Born Companion Gwena, Talia is finally able to concentrate on her own future. Eighteen years old and a full-fledged Herald, Talia leaves Haven to serve her internship in the company of Herald Kris as they ride an eighteen-month circuit through northern Valdemar. Rumors that Talia is misusing her Gift of Empathy and accusing her of mind-control have spread throughout the land, even to these far-flung reaches of Valdemar. The rumors accuse Talia of influencing the Queen, the Heir, and even the entire Council, to do her will. Talia is horrified when she discovers, through Kris, just what people have been saying about her, and her concerns that she has misused her Gift, even unintentionally, push her to the edge of emotional collapse. Her fears and her self-doubt feed upon each other over time, leaving her shields so thin that she becomes a danger to herself and everyone around her. But Kris and the companions are determined to help her. Isolated together far from civilization by a massive snowstorm, they work to properly train Talia to shield and ground, something she had always done instinctively until this crisis. The success of that training he
lps restore her confidence in her own talents and integrity, and events rapidly prove her fitness as a Herald. Knis and Talia finish the circuit in triumph.

  1988

  Arrow's Fall

  Talia returns to Haven after her internship and takes her rightful place on the Council as Queen’s Own, only to discover that she’s arrived at a crisis point. King Alessandar of Hardorn has proposed marriage to Elspeth on behalf of his son, Ancar, and many members of the Council, particularly Krls’s uncle and Talia’s old enemy Lord Orthallin, are for the match. But Queen Selenay, Elspeth, and Talia all have reservations. The decision is left open, pending more information. To get that information, Talia and Kris go to Hardorn as Selenay’s official envoys in advance of the Queen. The more they hear of Ancar, the more convinced they are that the marriage should be avoided. The prince has an unsavory reputation among his people, and he’s assembled what appears to be his own army, including wizards reputed to practice dark magic.