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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

The Black Gryphon

Sun in Glory and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Errold's Journey"

Choices: "Woman's Need Calls Me"

990 BF

The White Gryphon

975 BF

The Silver Gryphon


0: Founding of Valdemar[]

Beyond

Into the West

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"

Magic's Pawn

No True Way: "Vixen"

Seasons: "A Midnight Clear"

Crucible: "Vexed 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"

Magic's Promise

No True Way: "Written in the Wind"

Magic's Price

812 AF (est.) Reign of Treven & Jisa[]

Redhaired Twins Miniseries:1,3-6

Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "The Feast of the Children"

Pathways: "Reborn"

Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "In the Forest of Sorrows"

Redhaired Twins Miniseries: 2

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"

Pathways: "To Catch a Thief"

Foundation

Intrigues

Changes

Redoubt

Bastion

Closer to Home

Closer to the Heart

Closer to the Chest

Reign of Sedric[]

The Hills Have Spies

Eye Spy

Spy, Spy Again

Unknown Rulers

1077 AF: Reign of Theran[]

Main article: Reign of Theran

Brightly Burning

Unknown Rulers

Pathways: "Trust Your Instincts"

1270 AF: Reign of Co-Consorts Arden & Leesa[]

Main article: Reign of Co-consorts Arden and Leesa

1315 AF: Reign of Roald[]

Main article: Reign of Roald

1355 AF: Reign of Sendar[]

Main article: Reign of Sendar

1376 AF: Reign of Selenay[]

Pathways: "Patterns"

Seasons: "Going Home"

Passages: "Temper"

Stars: Original Stories Based on the Songs of Janis Ian: "On the Other Side"

Exile's Valor

Lady Cera Miniseries:

Wil and Lelia Miniseries 1-3:

Seasons: "A Midwinter's Gift"

Take a Thief

Sword of Ice and Other Tales of Valdemar: "...Another Successful Experiment"

1386 AF: Reign of Selenay, continued (Talia's arrival)[]

Wil and Lelia Miniseries 4:

Arrows of the Queen

Arrow's Flight

Choices: "Of Crows and Karsites"[1]

1393 AF: Reign of Selenay, continued (Talia's journey to Hardorn)[]

Arrow's Fall

By the Sword

Under the Vale and Other Tales of Valdemar: "In an Instant"

Colonel Tregaran Miniseries:

Tempest: "Dawn of a New Age" (Solaris is chosen by Vkandis)

Winds of Fate

1405 AF: Reign of Selenay, continued (Elspeth's journey to search for mages; peace with Karse)[]

Winds of Change

Tempest: "Harmless as Serpents"

Passages: "Tables Turned"

Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Horse of Air"

1406 AF: Reign of Selenay, continued (peace with Karse)[]

Winds of Fury

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

Storm Warning

Storm Rising

Storm Breaking

Seasons: "One Town at a Time"

Gryphon Hadara Miniseries:

Herald Arvil Miniseries

Hobgoblin Ree Miniseries:

1408 AF: Reign of Selenay, continued (post-Mage Storms)[]

Owlflight

Herald Arvil Miniseries 3:

Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar: "Dawn of Sorrows"[1]

MageWeaver Stardance Miniseries 1:

Owlsight

MageWeaver Stardance Miniseries 2:

Owlknight

Gryphon Kelvren Miniseries:

Gryphon in Light

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?):

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)

Tempest: "Medley" (some time after the Wil and Lelia story "The Highjorune Masque")

Kyree Nwah Miniseries:

Mage Keth're'son Miniseries: (as Kethry's great-grandson, he should be a distant nephew of Kerowyn. He goes to the Mages' Collegium)

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[]

Sun in Glory[]

Crossroads[]

Moving Targets[]

Changing the World[]

Finding the Way[]

Under the Vale[]

No True Way[]

Crucible[]

Tempest[]

Pathways[]

Choices[]

Seasons[]

Passages[]

Boundaries[]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. 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.
  2. 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. 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. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 A time of magic in Valdemar: before 812 AF
  5. 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. 6.0 6.1 During the long era of anti-magic law in Karse
  7. 7.0 7.1 Before Karse enacted laws against magic.
  8. 8.0 8.1 After the Mage Storms
  9. This story occurs after Solaris becomes the Son of the Sun.
  10. After the Tedrel wars
  11. After Karse and Valdemar declare peace
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 After Gaytha becomes the Collegium housekeeper, which could be any time after 1373 AF
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