Beyond cover art

Beyond

Founding of Valdemar Series, Book 1

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Beyond

By: Mercedes Lackey
Narrated by: Paul Woodson
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About this listen

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.

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?

©2021 Mercedes Lackey (P)2021 Tantor Action & Adventure Dark Fantasy Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Magic Users Wizardry

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All stars
Most relevant  
This is a classic, medieval-setting fantasy featuring a likeable protagonist beset by a host of difficulties, while trying to keep his family and those people in the Duchy safe. I shall certainly be listening to more of this entertaining series. 8/10

Strong start to an intriguing series...

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Amazing modern feeling story. I absolutely loved the vastness of the world and have ordered more of the Valdemar series

Amazing story

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for me there was a lot of "telling rather than showing". I also found it a bit strange that the second POV character just disappeared completely from the story at the end

Good worldbuilding and politics, but

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As always Mercedes lackey creates the most original plots. No tired rehash here. I’ve listened twice and enjoyed equally both times.

Wonderful plot.

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This is something I've been wanting for years - the back story of how Valdemar got started and I am not disappointed!
It was beautifully read and the story fit together perfectly.
The Earth elementals place in this book was heart breaking and no 'thing' should go through that.

At last!

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Ever since I was a young girl reading Kerowyn, I have wondered about the founding. this was longed for and was beyond my high expectations.

Everything i hoped for and more!

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How it all started. I have read all of the herald stories and love the world created. However missed the beginning. The narrator reads well and his pace is excellent.

A great listen

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Loved the book. Great author and narrator. Likeable characters. Horrible villain. Story feels finished but know there must be a continuation. Look forward to what happens next. How will the story continue. Present story unexpected story line ending. Hope sequel appears soon.

Enjoyed audiobook

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It starts with horses and families in a feudal world and their back stories. It is compelling to listen to and well narrated
The characters come to life and you get an insight into their lives and world. It leaves you on the edge to start the next book and story. I would recommend this story if you love fantasy and familiar but different worlds

Great Story of an interesting world

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Audiobook read by Paul Woodson
I read three of Lackey's Herald Mage books some time ago, so I'm not all that familiar with Valdemar and it's subsequent history, but since this goes back to the very beginning, I thought I'd give it a try when it popped up on an Audible deal. Duke Kordas of Valdemar is planning to escape the corrupt Eastern Empire, not just himself and his family, but all the people currently living in Valdemar, together with his precious horses - including the famed 'Golds.' To do this he needs to avoid attracting the evil emperor's attention for long enough for his mages to create a gate to a place so far distant the emperor can't follow. The plan is going well, the gate has become a possibility, but at the last minute Kordas is called to the capital on the emperor's whim, There, while trying to appear a nonentity, he finds unbearable amounts of injustice and cruelty, from children held hostages for the good behaviour of their noble parents, to enslaved air spirits trapped in lifesize doll bodies. Gradually his plans expand. Can he save everyone who deserves to be saved and if he does can he save himself?

The story is relatively slight, but the book is world-building heavy, including minutely detailed descriptions of how barge hulls are grown organically, and step by step, blow by blow details of how things work from machinery to . There are other viewpoint character, mainly Kordas's wife and her sister, but the story hangs on Kordas himself and he's a likeable leading character, though not without a few flaws.

I'm not 100% convinced by the reader, he has a laid back style that sounds almost bored by what he's reading.

Not convinced by the reader

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