Mercedes Lackey Popular Books
Mercedes Lackey Biography & Facts
Mercedes Ritchie Lackey (born June 24, 1950) is an American writer of fantasy novels. Many of her novels and trilogies are interlinked and set in the world of Velgarth, mostly in and around the country of Valdemar. Her Valdemar novels include interaction between human and non-human protagonists with many different cultures and social mores. Her other main world is one much like our own, but it includes clandestine populations of elves, mages, vampires, and other mythical beings. The Bedlam's Bard books describe a young man with the power to work magic through music; the SERRAted Edge books are about racecar driving elves; and the Diana Tregarde thrillers center on a Wiccan who combats evil. She has also published several novels re-working well-known fairy tales set in a mid-19th to early 20th century setting in which magic is real, although hidden from the mundane world. These novels explore issues of ecology, social class, and gender roles. Lackey has published over 140 books and writes novels at a rate of 5.5 per year on average. She has been called one of the "most prolific science fiction and fantasy writers of all time." In 2021, Lackey was named the 38th Damon Knight Grand Master. Background Lackey was born in Chicago. Her birth prevented her father from being called to serve in the Korean War. She placed her meeting with science fiction at age 10 or 11, when she picked up her father's copy of James H. Schmitz's Agent of Vega. She then read Andre Norton's Beast Master and Lord of Thunder and continued to read all of Norton's works. Lackey had difficulties obtaining enough interesting books from the public library to sate her passion for reading. She wrote for herself but without real direction or purpose until she attended Purdue University. Lackey graduated from Purdue in 1972. While at Purdue, she took a one-on-one class of English Literature Independent Studies with a professor who was a fellow science fiction fan. He helped her analyze books she enjoyed and then use that knowledge. Lackey then encountered fan fiction, which further encouraged her writing. She began publishing work in science fiction fanzines and then discovered filk and had some filk lyrics published by Off Centaur Publications. Professional sales Lackey submitted a story to Sword and Sorceress, then sold the rewritten story to Fantasy Book Magazine. Her first sale was to Friends of Darkover. She met C. J. Cherryh through filk. Cherryh helped Lackey through 17 rewrites of 'Arrows'. During this time, Marion Zimmer Bradley included Lackey's short stories in an anthology, Friends of Darkover. Lackey claims to have been writing so much during this time that she had no social life at all. She divorced Tony Lackey, and eventually married Larry Dixon. Stance on fanfiction Despite getting her own start as a fanfiction author, she and her agent forbade fan fiction based on her own books for many years, whether distributed offline or online. Lackey stated on her website that this was due to the 1992 Marion Zimmer Bradley fan fiction affair, when a fan accused Bradley of copying the fan's work, and demanded writing credit and remuneration. After several years, Lackey's policy permitted offline fanfic, but only if the author got a release form from Mercedes Lackey that said the author acknowledged that they were using characters that belong to Mercedes Lackey and that the author's work essentially became Mercedes Lackey's property to prevent "infringing on my right to make a living from my own imagination". As of 2009 this policy changed, permitting fan fiction to be licensed as derivative fiction under the Creative Commons umbrella. Personal life She married Anthony Lackey in 1972, and they divorced in 1990. In 1990, she married Larry Dixon. She describes their home outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma as a "2+1⁄2-story concrete dome with an octagonal wooden shell over it to make it look more like a normal house ... it's round with curved outer walls, which makes placement of furniture kind of awkward." Other interests Lackey and Dixon have in the past worked in raptor rehabilitation. She refers to her various parrots as her "feathered children". The afterwords to some of her books refer to rehabilitation and falconry, and this interest has influenced and informed her writing. She also enjoys beadwork, costuming, and needlework. She claims, however, to be a "wretched housekeeper, and by and large an indifferent cook" Besides this, she does radar-reading during tornado season. She helps support the Alex Foundation. Historically, Lackey was active in the filking community. She was a major contributor to an early album of space filk, Minus Ten and Counting. She has won five Pegasus Awards, mostly for her songwriting. She was also active in the Society for Creative Anachronism, and belongs to the Great Dark Horde. She participates in The Stellar Guild series published by Phoenix Pick. The series pairs bestselling authors like Lackey with lesser known authors in science fiction and fantasy to help provide additional visibility to them. Related writers Mercedes Lackey was a protégée of Marion Zimmer Bradley, and got her start writing short stories in Bradley's story collections. Other mentors include writers C. J. Cherryh and Andre Norton, along with her editor, Elizabeth (Betsy) Wollheim of DAW Books. Her earlier Velgarth novels are all solo projects, but later volumes in the Valdemar saga are illustrated by her husband Larry Dixon, and in many of her latest works he is also credited as co-author. Many of her other novels are collaborations. She has worked with fantasy authors Andre Norton (such as the Halfblood Chronicles), Marion Zimmer Bradley (such as Rediscovery and Tigers Burning Bright), Anne McCaffrey (such as The Ship Who Searched), and Piers Anthony (If I Pay Thee Not in Gold). She has most recently written The Obsidian Trilogy with historian James Mallory; a historical fantasy series about an "alternative" Elizabeth I with romance writer Roberta Gellis; and the Heirs of Alexandria series with Dave Freer and Eric Flint. Adaptations Television and film On August 3, 2021, Deadline reported that Radar Pictures had acquired the television rights to the Valdemar novels and that Ted Field would be Executive Producer on the series. The first season is being developed as an adaptation of the Last Herald-Mage trilogy. Kit Williamson and Brittany Cavallaro have been announced as writers and producers for the show. Bibliography References Further reading Bartel, Julie (2005). "Lackey, Mercedes Ritchie". In Cullinan, Bernice E.; et al. (eds.). The Continuum Encyclopedia of Young Adult Literature. Continuum. ISBN 978-0-82-641710-7. Winters, Louis J. (1994). "Lackey, Mercedes R.". In Berger, Laura Standley (ed.). Twentieth-Century Young Adult Writers. St. James Press. ISBN 978-1-55-862202-9. External links Official website Baen catalog of books and ebooks by Mercedes Lackey Current page; both page.... Discover the Mercedes Lackey popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Mercedes Lackey books.
Best Seller Mercedes Lackey Books of 2024
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The Oathbound
Mercedes LackeyThe first book in the Vows and Honor trilogy unites swordmaster and sorceress in a quest for revenge in this thrilling epic fantasyShe was Tarma. Born to the Clan of the Hawk of th...
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The Case of the Spellbound Child
Mercedes LackeyThe fourteenth novel in the magical alternate history Elemental Masters series continues the reimagined adventures of Sherlock Holmes in a richlydetailed alternate 20thcentury Engl...
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Closer to Home
Mercedes LackeyNew York Timesbestselling author Mercedes Lackey's Herald Spy series, set in the beloved fantasy world of ValdemarMags was once an enslaved orphan living a harsh life in ...
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Arrows of the Queen
Mercedes LackeyFollows the adventures of Talia as she trains to become a Herald of Valdemar in the first book in the classic epic fantasy Arrows trilogyChosen by the Companion Rolan, a mystical h...
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Eye Spy
Mercedes LackeyIn this second installment of the Family Spies series, set in the bestselling world of Valdemar, the children of Heralds Mags and Amily must follow in their parents' footsteps to p...
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Anything With Nothing
Mercedes LackeyThis 17th anthology of short stories set in the beloved Valdemar high fantasy universe features tales by debut and established authors and a brandnew story from Mercedes Lackey.The...
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Owlsight
Mercedes Lackey & Larry DixonIt has been four years since Darian saw his village sacked and burned by barbarians. Taking refuge with the Hawkbrothers, he soon finds his life's callingas a Healing Adept. But ev...
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The Silver Gryphon
Mercedes Lackey & Larry DixonThe third and final book in Mercedes Lackey's classic Mage Wars trilogy featuring the gryphons, set in the beloved fantasy world of ValdemarA dozen years of peace have passed in th...
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Intrigues
Mercedes LackeyMagpie is a thirteenyearold orphan chosen by one of the magical Companion horses of Valdemar and taken to the capital city, Haven, to be trained as a Herald. Like all Heralds, Ma...
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Hindu Myths
Wendy DonigerRecorded in sacred Sanskrit texts, including the Rig Veda and the Mahabharata, Hindu Myths are thought to date back as far as the tenth century BCE. Here in these seventyfive semin...
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Gryphon in Light
Mercedes Lackey & Larry DixonSet in the beloved and New York Times bestselling world of Valdemar, this 1st book in a new trilogy returns to the tales of the majestic gryphons.On the border between Valdemar and...
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The Last Herald-Mage Trilogy
Mercedes LackeyThe Last HeraldMage Trilogythree groundbreaking, Lambda Awardwinning novels that established Mercedes Lackey as a fantasy tourdeforce and her Kingdom of Valdemar as a place million...
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A Tale of the Five Hundred Kingdoms Volume 1
Mercedes Lackey"She’ll keep you up long past your bedtime." #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King"The prolific Lackey (the Valdemar series) draws on the darker, Brothers Grimm side o...
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Storm Breaking
Mercedes LackeyAs Storm Breaking opens, the western allies, led by Karal, Karsite Sunpriest and delegate to the Valdemaran Court, and the Adepts Firesong and An'desha, have traveled deep into the...
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Sword of Ice
Mercedes LackeyFilled with magic, intrigue, romance and adventure, Mercedes Lackey's world of Valdemar is one of the most popular domains in fantasy literature. Home to the Heralds and thier myst...
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Beyond
Mercedes LackeyThe longawaited founding of Valdemar comes to life in this new series from a New York Times bestselling author and beloved fantasist. Within the Eastern Empire, Duke Kordas Valdema...
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Choices
Mercedes LackeyThe twelfth anthology of short stories set in the beloved Valdemar universe, featuring stories by debut and established authors and a brandnew story from Lackey herself.The Heralds...
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A Scandal in Battersea
Mercedes LackeyThe twelfth novel in Mercedes Lackey's magical Elemental Masters series reimagines Sherlock Holmes in a richlydetailed alternate 20thcentury EnglandChristmas is a very special time...
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Into the West
Mercedes LackeyThe longawaited founding of Valdemar comes to life in this second book in the new series from a New York Timesbestselling author and beloved fantasist.Baron Valdemar and his people...
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Harvest Moon
Mercedes Lackey, Michelle Sagara & Cameron HaleyThree unforgettable new storiesA Tangled Web by New York Times bestselling author Mercedes LackeyKidnapping Persephone should have been an easy task. But in the Five Hundred Kingdo...
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Unnatural Issue
Mercedes LackeyMercedes Lackey's magical Elemental Masters series recasts familiar fairy tales in a richlyimagined alternate Victorian worldSusanne Whitestone, an Earth Master magician, had ...
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The Silver Bullets of Annie Oakley
Mercedes Lackey2022 Dragon Award WinnerThe sixteenth novel in the magical alternate history Elemental Masters series follows sharpshooter Annie Oakley as she tours Europe and discovers untapped p...
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Owlknight
Mercedes Lackey & Larry DixonFrom fantasy legends Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon comes the third and final volume in a powerful saga charged with war and magic, life and love.... Two years after his parents d...
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Winds of Fate
Mercedes LackeyNew York Times bestselling author Mercedes Lackey has enchanted readers since the publication of her first novel, Arrows of the Queen. Now she takes readers on another thrilling jo...
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A Tangled Web
Mercedes LackeyKidnapping Persephone should have been an easy task. But in the Five Hundred Kingdoms, nothing’s ever simpleand the wrong blonde goddess is stolen by mistake, leaving Prince Leopol...
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Phoenix and Ashes
Mercedes LackeyMercedes Lackey's magical Elemental Masters series recasts familiar fairy tales in a richlyimagined alternate Victorian worldEleanor Robinson’s life had shattered when Father volun...
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By the Sword
Mercedes LackeyGranddaughter of the sorceress Kethry, daughter of a noble house, Kerowyn had been forced to run the family keep since her mother's untimely death. Yet now at last her brother was ...
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Seasons
Mercedes LackeyThis thirteenth anthology of short stories set in the beloved Valdemar universe features tales by debut and established authors and a brandnew story from Lackey herself.The Heralds...
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The Basilisk Throne
Greg KeyesMaster and Commander meets A Game of Thrones and Pirates of the Carribean. Rapidpaced high fantasy with allout combat on the high seas, and a canny young woman who faces the hidden...
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Passages
Mercedes LackeyThis fourteenth anthology of short stories set in the beloved Valdemar universe features tales by debut and established authors and a brandnew story from Lackey herself.The Heralds...
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The Bartered Brides
Mercedes LackeyThe thirteenth novel in the magical alternate history Elemental Masters series continues the reimagined adventures of Sherlock Holmes in a richlydetailed alternate Victorian Englan...
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The Black Gryphon
Mercedes Lackey & Larry DixonThe first book in Mercedes Lackey's classic Mage Wars trilogy featuring the gryphons, set in the beloved fantasy world of ValdemarIt is an age when Valdemar is yet unfounded, its o...
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Blood Red
Mercedes LackeyThe ninth novel in Mercedes Lackey's magical Elemental Masters series reimagines the fairy tale Red Riding Hood in a richlydetailed alternate Victorian worldRosamund is an Earth Ma...
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The Gates of Sleep
Mercedes LackeyMercedes Lackey's magical Elemental Masters series recasts familiar fairy tales in a richlyimagined alternate Victorian worldFor seventeen years, Marina Roeswood had lived in an ol...
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Tarma and Kethry
Mercedes LackeyThis omnibus of the acclaimed Vows and Honor trilogy, set in the New York Times bestselling world of Valdemar, follows Tarma and Kethry, swordswoman and sorceress, as they seek jus...
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Bastion
Mercedes LackeyMags returns to the Collegium, but there are mixed feelingshis includedabout him actually remaining there. No one doubts that he is and should be a Herald, but he is afraid that hi...
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From a High Tower
Mercedes LackeyThe tenth novel in Mercedes Lackey's magical Elemental Masters series reimagines the fairy tale Rapunzel in a richlydetailed alternate Victorian worldGiselle had lived fourteen yea...
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Beauty and the Werewolf
Mercedes LackeyRediscover the magic of the Tales of the Five Hundred Kingdoms, witty retellings of the fairy tales you thought you knew, by New York Times bestselling author Mercedes Lackey.The e...
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African Myths of Origin
Stephen BelcherGathering a wide range of traditional African myths, this compelling new collection offers tales of heroes battling mighty serpents and monstrous birds, brutal family conflict and ...
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The Complete Arrows Trilogy
Mercedes LackeyTogether for the first time in a single volume, The Complete Arrows Trilogy is the adventure that launched Valdemar, Mercedes Lackey’s expansive fantasy realm beloved by generation...
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The Hills Have Spies
Mercedes LackeyIn this new series, set in the bestselling world of Valdemar, Heralds Mags and Amily must continue to protect the realm of Valdemar while raising their children and preparing them ...
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A Study in Sable
Mercedes LackeyThe eleventh novel in Mercedes Lackey's magical Elemental Masters series reimagines Sherlock Holmes in a richlydetailed alternate 20th century EnglandPsychic Nan Killian and Medium...
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The White Gryphon
Mercedes Lackey & Larry DixonThe second book in Mercedes Lackey's classic Mage Wars trilogy featuring the gryphons, set in the beloved fantasy world of ValdemarIt has been ten years since the magical Cataclysm...
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Jolene
Mercedes LackeyThe beloved Elemental Masters series moves to America for the first time in a rich retelling of The Queen of the Copper Mountain, set against the backdrop of Tennessee coal country...