Favorite Author: Mercedes Lackey

Occasionally, I indulge in a book binge. This time I picked an author I’ve not read in a while. Mercedes Lackey, a female author of fantasy.

I think of her Valdemar books as being high fantasy sword and board books. Plus, there are horses that aren’t really horses and they are smarter than people most of the time. There are thirty or so books in the series. I would say she writes great trilogy adventures, but there have been the occasional four or five book bursts.

The book I always start with is Arrows of the Queen. There are three books about a new Queen’s Own who dreams of a companion and a better life. And her dreams come true with a side of court intrigue, assassins and growing up.

Photo by Samson Katt: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-white-shirt-covering-her-face-with-white-blanket-5255154/ A woman in her bed cuddling a dog an reading a book.

From there, you go on a three-book adventure with a girl from nowhere who will serve as the Queen’s Own. Wonderful stuff. Enough to make me curl up in a blanket and ignore everyone. Because I want to be Talia who finds out she’s special. Don’t we all want to be unique?

I think I found her when I was waiting for a new Anne McCaffery book to come out and the guy at the bookstore in the mall told me I might like Mercedes Lackey. He was a sci/fi fantasy nut. I got so many good recommendations from him. I miss smaller bookstores.

Mercedes Lackey writes about underdogs who make a fresh path for themselves. Not just brave in the way we think of a fighter with weapons brave. More like soul brave. Willing to sacrifice themselves to protect and serve.

She writes both male and female protagonists. The books appeal to young adult and adults. They are full-length novels. Typical chapters and scene rotations. The first books were written in the 80s, but she’s still writing. Who knows what will happen in the future? I’m hoping for more Valdemar books.

There is something about sword and board that I love. In fact, I’m playing Elden Ring, a video game, as a sword and board for this first play through. If it’s not sword and board, then I want daggers to sneak around with. Mercedes books include some weapons training and such.

The best about rereading a series is you find fresh notes in the story. When I was thirteen standing in a bookstore, I found stories of young adults being larger than life was a balm to my introverted soul. Now, as an adult, I can see the larger set pieces in a new way. I will totally admit as I’ve grown up, I’ve wished to be a girl again for just a little while.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska: https://www.pexels.com/photo/reading-a-book-at-the-beach-4996971/
Someone on a beach on a blanket reading a book next to a straw har and green grapes

The fun of this series is she went back and wrote books about the legendary heroes talked about in her first series. And she does it so much better than Star Wars did. I will argue about the ridiculousness of Jar Jar Binks until I leave this place. Valdemar is weird side character free.

I love female authors of fantasy. Female authors get in my headspace in a way I can sometimes struggle with in other authors. Her writing has grown as she’s got fifty or so books and many short stories to her name. She also writes with her husband Larry Dixon occasionally.

Mercedes is the full package. She writes books that keep me up at night and make me groggy the next morning.

Do yourself a favor and give her books a go. And let me know what you’re reading right now.