This page attempts to associate books with the Reigns of Valdemar royalty. It also attempts to include short stories from the anthologies, but that effort is incomplete/ongoing, especially as some short stories do not identify their own time period. However, this page is a helpful way to view the connections as accurately as possible. The abbreviations BF and AF indicate before or after the founding of Valdemar. The reign date headings are from the Official Timeline for the Heralds of Valdemar Series chart printed in the front of the early books.
Note: some stories have been well-intended but erroneously assigned to a time period without containing any timeline indicators at all. If scrutiny finds none, they should be moved to the Undetermined list. In the meantime, some are temporarily footnoted as needing information.[1] Definite timeline clues in a story can be added to a heading in the individual story article.
A forum post on sffchronicles.com (Science Fiction and Fantasy Community) has a Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar Saga Reading-Order Flowchart by Mike J. Nagle, showing the books and some stories in chronological order.
1000 BF: Prehistory: Era of the Black Gryphon[]
- Main article: Pre-history
1000 BF
Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Errold's Journey"
Choices: "Woman's Need Calls Me"
990 BF
975 BF
0: Founding of Valdemar[]
Reign of Valdemar
Changing the World: "For Want of a Nail"
Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Trance Tower Garrison"
Reign of Restil
Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "The Blue Coat"
Reign of Hallock
Anything with Nothing: "Anything, With Nothing"
Unknown Ruler(s)
Reign of Vera (unspecified time period before Vanyel)
Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Rebirth"
- Heir: Mathias
Unknown Ruler(s)
Reign of Terilee
Reign of Tavist
Reign of Leshia
Unknown Ruler(s)
Reign of Tyrdel
750 AF: Reign of Elspeth the Peacemaker[]
Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Sword of Ice"
No True Way: "Vixen"
Changing the World: "Softly Falling Snow"
798 AF Reign of Randale[]
Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Chance"
Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "A Song for No One’s Mourning"
No True Way: "Written in the Wind"
812 AF (est.) Reign of Treven & Jisa[]
Redhaired Twins Miniseries:1,3-6
- Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar: "The Power of Three"
- Finding the Way and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Songs of a Certain Sort"
- Tempest: "The Apprentice and the Stable Master"
- Boundaries: "The Gift of Twins"
- Under the Vale and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Slow and Steady"
Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "The Feast of the Children"
Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "In the Forest of Sorrows"
Reign of Chalinel[]
Masters of Fantasy (edited by Bill Fawcett): "Out of the Deep"
855 AF (est.) Reign of Kiril[]
Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Moving Targets"
Reign of Sedric[]
Unknown Rulers
1077 AF: Reign of Theran[]
- Main article: Reign of Theran
Unknown Rulers
Pathways: "Trust Your Instincts"
1270 AF: Reign of Co-Consorts Arden & Leesa[]
- Main article: Reign of Co-consorts Arden and Leesa
- Oathblood: "Sword Sworn"
- The Oathbound
- Oathblood: "The Talisman"
- Oathblood: "Friendly Fire"
- Oathblood: "A Tale of Heroes"
- Sword and Sorceress XII: "A Dragon in Distress"
- Oathblood: "Keys"
- Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Landscape of the Imagination"
- Oathblood: "Turnabout"
- Oathblood: "The Making of a Legend"
- Oathblood: "A Woman's Weapon"
- Oathbreakers
1315 AF: Reign of Roald[]
- Main article: Reign of Roald
- Oathblood: "Wings of Fire"
- Oathblood: "Spring Plowing at Forst Reach"
- Oathblood: "Oathblood" short story
1355 AF: Reign of Sendar[]
- Main article: Reign of Sendar
- Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar: "A Dream Deferred"
- No True Way: "A Brand from the Burning"
- Exile's Honor
- No True Way: "Weavings"
- Choices: "Moving On"
- By the Sword (part one)
- Pathways: "Ordinary Miracles"
- Pathways: events of "Patterns"
- No True Way: "Beyond the Fires"
- Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "War Cry"
- Under the Vale and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Fog of War"
1376 AF: Reign of Selenay[]
Stars: Original Stories Based on the Songs of Janis Ian: "On the Other Side"
- Finding the Way and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Unintended Consequences"
- No True Way: "Consequences Unforeseen"
- Crucible: "Unresolved Consequences"
- Tempest: "Unimagined Consequences"
- Pathways: "Unexpected Consequences"
- Choices, "Unceasing Consequences"
- Seasons: "Unknowable Consequences"
- Passages: "Expected Consequences"
- Boundaries: "Final Consequences"
- Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Safe and Sound"
- Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Broken Bones"
- Changing the World: "Midwinter Gifts"
Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "...Another Successful Experiment"
1386 AF: Reign of Selenay, continued (Talia's arrival)[]
Choices: "Of Crows and Karsites"[1]
1393 AF: Reign of Selenay, continued (Talia's journey to Hardorn)[]
Under the Vale and Other Tales of Valdemar: "In an Instant"
- Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Vkandis' Own"
- Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Strength and Honor
Tempest: "Dawn of a New Age" (Solaris is chosen by Vkandis)
1405 AF: Reign of Selenay, continued (Elspeth's journey to search for mages; peace with Karse)[]
Tempest: "Harmless as Serpents"
Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Horse of Air"
1406 AF: Reign of Selenay, continued (peace with Karse)[]
Shenanigans: "A Brother's Promise"
Under the Vale and Other Tales of Valdemar: "A Healer's Work"
Changing the World: "Be Careful What You Wish For"
Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "The School Up the Hill"
Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar: “Sun in Glory”
- Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "A Change of Heart"
- Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Heart, Home and Hearth"
- Changing the World: "Defending the Heart"
- Changing the World: "Matters of the Heart"
- Finding the Way and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Heart's Choice"
- Finding the Way and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Heart's Own"
- Under the Vale and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Heart's Peril"
- Under the Vale and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Heart's Place"
1408 AF: Reign of Selenay, continued (post-Mage Storms)[]
Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Dawn of Sorrows"[1]
MageWeaver Stardance Miniseries 1:
MageWeaver Stardance Miniseries 2:
- Fantasy : DAW 30th Anniversary: "A Perfect Day in Valdemar"
- Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Transmutation"
- Tempest: "Ripples and Cracks"
The Valdemar Companion: "A Herald's Journey"
Herald Jors Miniseries (after Kerowyn's Ride, with Collegium Deans not appearing in other books. Is there use of magic?):
- Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "The Demon's Den"
- Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Brock"
- Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "All the Ages of Man"
- Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Live On"
- Changing the World: "Nothing Better to Do"
- Finding the Way and Other Tales of Valdemar: "The Time We Have"
- Under the Vale and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Family Matters"
Undefined: Reign of Selenay[]
Stories that occur some time during Selenay's reign but without other timeline context
Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Blue Heart"
Wil and Lelia Miniseries stories 5-12 (which happen after Talamir's death in 1386)
- Under the Vale and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Sight and Sound"
- No True Way: "The Whitest Lie"
- Crucible: "The Highjorune Masque"
- Tempest: "A Small Quarrel"
- Pathways: "Bootknife"
- Choices: "Acceptable Losses"
- Seasons: "The Maralud Comes A-Knocking"
- Passages: "The Choice Makes the Chosen"
Tempest: "Medley" (some time after the Wil and Lelia story "The Highjorune Masque")
- No True Way: "Nwah"
- Crucible: "Gifts of Rage and Despair"
- Tempest: "Blind Leaps"
- Pathways: "Out of the Pelagiris"
- Choices: "Confounding, Enduring, Perfect, and Strong"
- Seasons: "No Place for a Proper Kyree" (Kade applies to the Mages' Collegium)
- Boundaries: "No Simple Kyree"
Mage Keth're'son Miniseries: (as Kethry's great-grandson, he should be a distant nephew of Kerowyn. He goes to the Mages' Collegium)
- Finding the Way and Other Tales of Valdemar: "The Groom's Price"
- Under the Vale and Other Tales of Valdemar: "The Bride's Task"
- Crucible: "A Fire in the Grass"
Pathways: "A Herald's Duty (after peace with Karse)
Passages: "The Dream Seeker" (mentions Talia)
Boundaries: "The Measure of Imagination"
Passages: "Trial by Reflection" (years after the Mage Storms which caused a birth defect)
Passages: "The Border Within" (before a war with Hardorn)
Boundaries: "The Ghost of the High Hills" (injured in a war with Hardorn)
Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Widdershins"
Changing the World: "Twice Blessed"
Chronological period undetermined[]
Many anthology stories simply do not identify their own time period.[3] A few stories occur when there was magic in Valdemar,[4] but many more occur in the era with no magic.[5] Some stories had previously been ascribed by well-intended fans to a certain date, but confirming clues have not yet been found.[1] However, most stories have not yet been scrutinized to identify their time period. Clues found by readers for any story are most welcome! Please add, move, or just let us know!!
Sword of Ice[]
- Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Ironrose"
- Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Babysitter"
- Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "A Child's Adventures"
- Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Blood Ties"[4]
- Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Choice"[4] (Valdemar ruled by a King)
- Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Song of Valdemar"
- Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "A Herald's Honor"
- Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Sunlancer"[6]
- Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "The Salamander"[1]
Sun in Glory[]
- Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Winter Death"[3][5]
- Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar: "A Herald's Rescue"
- Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar: "In the Eye of the Beholder"[3]
- Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Starhaven"[4][3]
- Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar: "True Colors"
- Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Touches the Earth"
- Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Icebreaker"
- Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar: "The Cat Who Came to Dinner"[7]
Crossroads[]
- Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Darkwall's Lady"[5][3]
- Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Naught but Duty"
- Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Finding Elvida" (Valdemar is ruled by an unnamed Queen, not Selenay)
- Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Death in Keenspur House"[1]
- Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Song For Two Voices"[3]
Moving Targets[]
- Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Dreams of Mountain Clover"
- Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar: "The Sworddancer"
- Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Passage at Arms" (Selenay's reign, after magic returns)</ref>
- Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Haven's Own"
- Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar: "An Unexpected Guest"[7]
- Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar: "What Fire Is"[6]
- Moving Targets and Other Tales of Valdemar: "The Cheat"[3]
Changing the World[]
- Changing the World: "The Reluctant Herald"
- Changing the World: "A Storytelling of Crows"[5]
- Changing the World: "Waiting to Belong"
- Changing the World: "Wounded Bird"
- Changing the World: "The Thief of Anvil's Close"
- Changing the World: "Interview with a Companion"
Finding the Way[]
- Finding the Way and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Finding the Way"
- Finding the Way and Other Tales of Valdemar: "In Burning Zones We Build Against the Sun"[5][3]
- Finding the Way and Other Tales of Valdemar: "The Education of Evita"
- Finding the Way and Other Tales of Valdemar: "A Charm of Finches"[5]
- Finding the Way and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Healing in White"
- Finding the Way and Other Tales of Valdemar: "A Bard by Any Other Name"
- Finding the Way and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Change of Life"
- Finding the Way and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Lack of Vision"[3]
Under the Vale[]
- Under the Vale and Other Tales of Valdemar: "The Simple Gifts"
- Under the Vale and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Catch Fire, Draw Flame"[5][3]
- Under the Vale and Other Tales of Valdemar: "A Leash of Greyhounds"[5]
- Under the Vale and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Discordance"
- Under the Vale and Other Tales of Valdemar: "The Watchman's Ball"
- Under the Vale and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Judgment Day"[3]
No True Way[]
- No True Way: "Old Loom, New Tapestry"
- No True Way: "The Barest Gift"
- No True Way: "A Wake of Vultures"[5]
- No True Way: "Maiden's Hope"
- No True Way: "Ex Libris"
- No True Way: "A Dream Reborn"
- No True Way: "Forget Me Never"[8] (Time found, MOVE)
Crucible[]
- Crucible: "Lost Song"
- Crucible: "A Bellowing of Bullfinches"[5]
- Crucible: "She Chooses"
- Crucible: "The Harvest"
- Crucible: "Before a River Runs Through It"
- Crucible: "Hertasi and Wyrsa and Magpies, Oh My!"
- Crucible: "Never Alone"
- Crucible: "Down the Line"
- Crucible: "The Quiet Gift"
- Crucible: "Healing Home"
- Crucible: "The Note"
Tempest[]
- Tempest: "Girl Without the Gifts"
- Tempest: "Blind Leaps"
- Tempest: "Haver Hearthstone"
- Tempest: "Unraveling the Truth"
- Tempest: "Sparrow's Gift"
- Tempest: "Harmless as Serpents"[9] (TIME FOUND, MOVE)
- Tempest: "Unexpected Meeting"[3]
- Tempest: "A Trip of Goats"[5]
- Tempest: "The Ones She Couldn't Save"[10] (Time found)
- Tempest: "One Last Night Manning the Home Station"
- Tempest: "Only Family Matters"
- Tempest: "The Unwanted Gift"
- Tempest: "BloodLines"
- Tempest: "In Name Only"
Pathways[]
- Pathways: "Silent Storms"
- Pathways: "Traded Places"
- Pathways: "The Girl Who Rejected the Ordinary"
- Pathways: "A Herald's Duty"[11] (Time found)
- Pathways: "Woven Threads of Love and Honor"
- Pathways: "Discovery"
- Pathways: "An Ostentation of Peacocks"[5]
- Pathways: "Cobblestones"
- Pathways: "Boggles and Spies"
- Pathways: "The Hidden Gift"
- Pathways: "Secrets and Truths"
- Pathways: "Cloud and Sparrow"
Choices[]
- Choices: "With Sorrow and Joy"
- Choices: "The Letter of the Law"[12] (move)
- Choices: "Who We'll Become"
- Choices: "Beyond Common Sense, She Persisted"
- Choices: "The Right Place"
- Choices: "A Siege of Cranes"[5]
- Choices: "Cloud Born"
- Choices: "Letters from Home"
- Choices: "Friendship's Gift"
- Choices: "The Once and Future Box"
- Choices: "Weight of a Hundred Eyes"[5]
Seasons[]
- Seasons: "The Price of Friendship"
- Seasons: "The Gift of Love"
- Seasons: "An Omniscience of Godwits"[5]
- Seasons: "Holiday Reunions"[5][12]
- Seasons: "Cloudwalker"
- Seasons: "Preparing for the Worst"
- Seasons: "The Rose Fair"
- Seasons: "Seeing the Truth"
- Seasons: "A Darkling Light"
Passages[]
- Passages: "Roads Less Traveled"
- Passages: "A Ruler's Gift"
- Passages: "Rising to the Occasion"
- Passages: "A Nursery of Raccoons"[5]
- Passages: "Burrowing Owl, Hidden No More"
- Passages: "Shadows and Reflections"
- Passages: "Flying the Nest"
- Passages: "Snowbound"
- Passages: "The More Things Change, the More They Change More"
- Passages: "Theory and Practice"[12] (move)
- Passages: "Tools of the Trade"
Boundaries[]
- Boundaries: "Tides of War"
- Boundaries: "A Time for Prayer"
- Boundaries: "The Ghost of the High Hills" (after war with Hardorn)
- Boundaries: "Unsavory"
- Boundaries: "Hearts Are Made for Mending" (Selenay era of Hardorn conflict)
- Boundaries: "A Gift of Courage"
- Boundaries: "Sacrifices of the Heart"
- Boundaries: "They Don't Burn Children" (after Tedrel Wars, before Solaris)
- Boundaries: "Out of Bounds"[8] (move)
- Boundaries: "A Clutter of Cats"[5]
- Boundaries: "Ghost Cider"
- Boundaries: "The Beating the Bounds"
- Boundaries: "Stepping Up"[12] (move)
- Boundaries: "Puppies & Ponies"
- Boundaries: "The Upper Air"
- Boundaries: "Boundaries"
See also[]
- Books by chronological order
- Books by series
- The Valdemar Anthology series
- Books by publication order
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Needs information from the story that indicates the date.
- ↑ The placement of this story in the timeline is based on the presumption that Herald Sendar is, in fact, Crown Prince Sendar. (See the talk page for "The One Left Behind" for further discussion of this point.)
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 This story has been carefully studied and (aside from present or absent magic) timeline indicators have not been found.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 A time of magic in Valdemar: before 812 AF
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 During the era without magic in Valdemar: 812 AF to 1406 AF
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 During the long era of anti-magic law in Karse
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Before Karse enacted laws against magic.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 After the Mage Storms
- ↑ This story occurs after Solaris becomes the Son of the Sun.
- ↑ After the Tedrel wars
- ↑ After Karse and Valdemar declare peace
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 After Gaytha becomes the Collegium housekeeper, which could be any time after 1373 AF