Most Popular Books by Mercedes Lackey

When a ruthless blackmailer begins targeting several families visiting the Court over the Midwinter Holidays to the extent that a young man commits suicide and a daughter is kidnapped, Mags and Amily risk everything to track down the culprit and bring him to justice.

Granddaughter of a sorceress and daughter of a noble house, Kerowyn had been forced to run the family keep since her mother''s untimely death. Now all of her hopes and plans to return to training horses and hunting have been shattered by an attack on her ancestral home, the death of her father, the wounding of her brother and the kidnapping of his fiance.

The fourteenth novel in the magical alternate history Elemental Masters series continues the reimagined adventures of Sherlock Holmes in a richly-detailed alternate 20th-century England. While Sherlock is still officially dead, John and Mary Watson and Nan Killian and Sarah Lyon-White are taking up some of his case-load--and some for Lord Alderscroft, the Wizard of London. Lord Alderscroft asks them to go to Dartmoor to track down a rumor of evil magic brewing there. Not more than four hours later, a poor cottager, also from Dartmoor, arrives seeking their help. His wife, in a fit of rage over the children spilling and spoiling their only food for dinner that night, sent them out on the moors to forage for something to eat. This is not the first time she has done this, and the children are moor-wise and unlikely to get into difficulties. But this time they did not come back, and in fact, their tracks abruptly stopped "as if them Pharisees took''d ''em." The man begs them to come help. They would have said no, but there''s the assignment for Alderscroft. Why not kill two birds with one stone? But the deadly bogs are not the only mires on Dartmoor.

An Osage Indian PI investigates human remains and strange happenings at a construction site in the New York Times–bestselling author''s paranormal mystery. Jennifer Talldeer is Osage and Cherokee, granddaughter of a powerful Medicine Man. She walks a difficult path: contrary to tribal custom, she is learning a warrior''s magics. A freelance private investigator, Jennifer also tracks down stolen Native American artifacts. The construction of a new shopping mall uncovers fragments of human bone, revealing possible desecration of an ancient burial ground. Meanwhile, the sabotage of construction equipment at the site implicates many activists—particularly Jennifer''s old flame, who is more attractive and dangerous than ever. Worst of all, the grave of Jennifer''s legendary Medicine Man ancestor has been destroyed, his tools of power scattered, and a great evil freed to walk the land. Now Jennifer must make peace with the many factions—both here and in the spirit realm—and solve the mystery of her ancestor''s grave before the world falls into oblivion. "This is page-turning, spine-tingling stuff." — Booklist

Ancient Egypt, Atlantis, and war dragons—all collide in this wildly inventive epic fantasy series from New York Times-bestselling author Mercedes Lackey! “It’s fun to see a different spin on dragons . . . and as usual, Lackey makes it all compelling.” —Locus Meet Vetch, a young slave who dreams of becoming a jouster—one of the few warriors who can actually ride a flying dragon. In secret, he begins to raise his own dragon . . . Beloved fantasy author Mercedes Lackey creates a vivid, dynamic fusion of the cultures of ancient Egypt and legendary Atlantis with the most exciting and believable portrayal of dragons ever imagined.

The thirteenth novel in the magical alternate history Elemental Masters series continues the reimagined adventures of Sherlock Holmes in a richly-detailed alternate Victorian England. The threat of Moriarty is gone—but so is Sherlock Holmes. Even as they mourn the loss of their colleague, psychic Nan Killian, medium Sarah Lyon-White, and Elemental Masters John and Mary Watson must be vigilant, for members of Moriarty’s network are still at large. And their troubles are far from over: in a matter of weeks, two headless bodies of young brides wash up in major waterways. A couple who fears for their own recently-wedded daughter hires the group to investigate, but with each new body, the mystery only deepens. The more bodies emerge, the more the gang suspects that there is dangerous magic at work, and that Moriarty’s associates are somehow involved. But as they race against the clock to uncover the killer, it will take all their talents, Magic, and Psychic Powers—and perhaps some help from a dearly departed friend—to bring the murderer to justice.

The fourth novel in Mercedes Lackey''s magical Elemental Masters series reimagines the fairy tale The Snow Queen in a richly-detailed alternate Victorian England The letter that introduced twelve-year-old Sarah Jane Lyon-White to Isabelle Harton, who ran the Harton School in central London, seemed quite simple and straightforward. But it was what was not written in the letter that resonated to Isabelle’s own finely tuned “extra” senses: “Sarah has gifts we cannot train,” the letter whispered to her, “nor can anyone we know. Those we trust tell us that you can….” And it was true, for the Harton School was far from ordinary. It was Isabelle’s job to train children who possessed the odd types of magic that could not be trained by London’s powerful Elemental Masters: clairvoyants, telepaths, those with the ability to sense hidden danger, the vision to see into the past, and even that rarest of all talents: the ability to see and communicate with the dead. But Isabelle was uneasy, for though she knew that Sarah Jane had a touch of telepathy, there seemed to be something else about the girl—something that had not yet manifested. And Isabelle was right to be worried, for as soon as Sarah’s full talents became evident, there was an attempt made on her life. For Sarah was that rarest of magicians: a true medium, and for some reason, a powerful Elemental Master wanted her dead. Isabelle knew that to protect her ward she would have to seek help from the Elemental Masters of the city. That meant she would also see Lord David Alderscroft, the man she had once loved, but who had inexplicably chilled toward her and broken her heart long ago—for he was the leader of the city’s Elemental Masters, the man who was now called the Wizard of London.

The long-awaited founding of Valdemar comes to life in this second book in the new series from a New York Times-bestselling author and beloved fantasist. Baron Valdemar and his people have found a temporary haven, but it cannot hold all of them, or for long. Trouble could follow on their heels at any moment, and there are too many people for Crescent Lake to support. Those who are willing to make a further trek by barge on into the West will follow him into a wilderness depopulated by war and scarred by the terrible magics of a thousand years ago and the Mage Wars. But the wilderness is not as "empty" as it seems. There are potential friends and rapacious foes.... ....and someone is watching them.

Prince Manfred and his mentor and bodyguard, the deadly warrior Erik, survived dangers and enemies both natural and supernatural, and if they thought that their new mission was going to be anything but more of the same, they soon gave up on that hope. Returning from Jerusalem, they and their escort of knights of the Holy Trinity are escorting an envoy of II Khan Mongol to the lands of the Golden Horde-between the Black Sea and the Carpathians, which happen to be eastern bastion against their old enemies, the demon Chernobog and his possessed puppet, the Jangellion. Unfortunately, what began as a diplomatic mission leads to Manfred and his knights being caught up in an inter-clan civil war, rescuing a fugitive woman and her injured brother, and becoming involved in the problems of Prince Vlad, Duke of Valahia, who has been held as a hostage by King Emeric of Hungary until freed by Countess Elizabeth Batholdy to use as bait to capture a group of nonhumans. Instead, the wolflike nonhumans, who masquerade as gypsies, free Prince Vlad, and help him to return to his homeland to raise revolt against Hungary and to renew age-old magics. Manfred and Erik are forced into an alliance of convenience between the Golden Horde and the ancient magical forces of Valahia, as directed by the troubled Vlad. The magic calls for blood and Vlad is deathly afraid of it¾and at the same time, is irresistibly drawn toward it . . . At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).

This 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 justice for past wrongs. The Oathbound: Introduces Tarma--swordswoman trained by elite warriors in all forms of deadly combat--and Kethry, former noblewoman whose magical skills were shaped by a powerful school of sorcery. United by the Goddess and armed with a magical sword drawing them to those in need, Tarma and Kethry swore a blood oath to fight against evil. Oathbreakers: When Idra, leader of the Sunhawk mercenaries, failed to return from a journey to her home kingdom of Rethwellan, Tarma and Kethry set out in search of her. Instead they find a land shadowed by a dark enchantment, the claim to the throne in question, and the people of Rethwellan in terrible jeopardy. Oathblood: The sisters of sword and spell have pledged to train others to fight for their cause, starting a school for fledgling warriors and mages. But training turns out to be far more perilous than expected--and when two of their students are kidnapped, Tarma and Kethry must draw upon their combined skills to answer the call of destiny in ways they never imagined.

Tannim is a human mage fond of fast cars and loud music, working with the elf lord Keighvin to rescue runaway kids in serious trouble. But those kids are being used by Keighvin'' enemies to bait a trap. Meanwhile, Tannim thinks he''s found the right woman, but it seems she wants to kill him.

THE CLASSIC FANTASY PHENOMENON: Explore the world of Valdemar alongside the realm’s magical protectors and their horse-like Companions in this fantasy anthology featuring 13 epic short stories! Step into the ancient land of Valdemar! A world beset by war and internal conflicts, it’s protected by the Chosen Heralds—Mindspeakers, Firestarters, and Empaths alike—who endeavor to keep the peace and defend their country in the name of their monarch. Emissaries, spies, diplomats, scouts, warriors, judges and counselors, the Heralds follow a rigorous code of ethics and are bonded for life with their horse-like Companions. Join Tanya Huff, Michelle West, Mickey Zucker Reichert, Judith Tarr, Fiona Patton and others as they add their own special touch to the world of Valdemar. Discover how the abilities of one remarkable individual can bring peace to two lands which have been sworn enemies for centuries . . . Learn why pain and tragedy are the most valuable teachers an empath can have . . . and see how a man never Chosen can still be a Herald in this heart. Discover the fantasy phenomenon in this epic collection of 13 tales of magic and valor—including an all-new novella by Mercedes Lackey herself!

New York Times bestselling fantasy author Mercedes Lackey breaks into YA with a dangerous, utterly original futuristic world in which a fearless teen girl leaves behind her close community to be a Hunter in Apex City and finds something worse than the usual monsters. Long ago, the barriers between our world and the Otherworld were ripped open, and it''s taken centuries to bring back civilization in the wake of the catastrophe. Now, the luckiest Cits live in enclosed communities, behind walls that keep them safe from the hideous creatures fighting to break through. Others are not so lucky. To Joyeaux Charmand, who has been a Hunter in her tight-knit mountain community since she was a child, every Cit without magic deserves her protection from dangerous Othersiders. Then she is called to Apex City, where the best Hunters are kept to protect only the most important people. Joy soon realizes that the city''s powerful leaders care more about luring Cits into a false sense of security than protecting them. More and more monsters are getting through the barriers, and the close calls are becoming too frequent to ignore. Yet the Cits have no sense of how much danger they''re in-to them, Joy and her corp of fellow Hunters are just action stars they watch on TV. When an act of sabotage against Joy takes an unbearable toll, Joy uncovers a terrifying conspiracy in the city. There is something much worse than the usual monsters infiltrating Apex.

In The Mage Winds trilogy, which began with the best-selling novel, Winds of Fate, author Mercedes Lackey continues the epic that started with her first published book, Arrows of the Queen introduced readers to the remarkable land of Valdemar, the kingdom protected by its Heralds--men and women gifted with extraordinary mind powers--aided and served by their mysterious Companions--horselike beings who know the many secrets of Valdemar''s magical heritage. None but the Companions remember the long-ago age when high magic was lost to Valdemar as the last Herald-Mage gave his life to protect his kingdom from destruction by dark sorceries. But now the protective barrier set so long ago over Valdemar is crumbling, and with the realm imperiled by the dark magic of Ancar of Hardorn, Princess Elspeth, Herald and heir to the throne, has gone on a desperate quest in search of a mentor who can teach her to wield her fledgling mage-powers and help her to defend her threatened kingdom.

In March 1987, a young author from Oklahoma published her first novel, Arrows of the Queen. This modest book about a magical land called Valdemar was the beginning of a fantasy masterwork series that would span decades and include more than two dozen titles. Now readers can take a journey to the world of Valdemar-including Tanya Huff, Mickey Zucker Reichert, Fiona Patton, and Judith Tarr-each adding their own special touches.

Fantasy.

Kiron has secretly gathered an army of dragon riders to seek refuge in the abandoned desert city they have named Sanctuary, where they join with other dragon riders to rid their world of both war and magical domination. But now it is time to build a new society in Aerie: an ancient city that seems to have been designed for dragon riders and their dragons.

An original short fiction anthology set in Mercedes Lackey''s bestselling world of Valdemar-featuring heroic Heralds and their horselike companions-and including an all-new novella by Lackey herself, as well as stories by masters such as Mickey Zucker Reichert, Judith Tarr, Tanya Huff, and others.

A massive collection of wonderous science fiction and fantasy stories from New York Times best-selling Mercedes Lackey. Includes Fiddler Fair and Werehunter for the first time in one volume. Fiddler Fair Running the gamut from her beloved Bardic fantasies to urban fantasy set in the modern world, from science fiction adventure to chilling horror, this is Mercedes Lackey at her best. Animal rights fanatics try to "liberate" genetically reconstructed dinosaurs. Lawrence of Arabia meets a power beyond human comprehension, and King Arthur is reborn into the present day when he again gains possession of the enchanted sword Excalibur. Werehunter A young woman who has been given the power to transform herself into a leopard, but she now finds herself pursued by a hunter who is more than human. Skitty, ship''s cat extraordinaire, and telepathic problem-solver, saves the day on a spaceship. Return to the world of the Heralds of Valdemar series, and much more. Plus, Merecedes Lackey''s celebrated occult detective Diana Tregarde, attends a gathering of romance writers and encounters a visitor whose passionate desire is for fresh, warm blood. At the publisher''s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).

In the second novel in national best-selling legend Mercedes Lackey''s richly-conceived new Joust series, the dragonrider Vetch escapes to Alta, the subjugated land of his birth. There, he hopes to teach his people to raise and train dragons-and build an army that will liberate his homeland.