Aurelia Ryder
urban fantasy
Series · fantasy
The Founding of Valdemar
The Founding of Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey has 3 known books (3 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with Beyond (2021).
- Books
- 3 known books (3 novels)
- Published
- 3
- First published
- 2021
- Status
- completed
- Shelved under
- Fantasy
- Last checked
Start here: Beyond (2021) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Beyond
Beyond opened The Founding of Valdemar in 2021 at 416 pages -- its longest volume -- more than three decades after Lackey first introduced the kingdom in Arrows of the Queen, following Duke Kordas Valdemar as he leads his people away from a tyrannical empire.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Beyond - Book 2:
Into the West
Into the West followed in 2022 at 368 pages, continuing the exodus Duke Kordas Valdemar leads in search of a place his people can settle safely -- origin-story material Mercedes Lackey wrote more than three decades after first introducing the kingdom.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Into the West - Book 3:
Valdemar
Valdemar closed the trilogy in 2023 at 400 pages, its title marking the founding act that eventually becomes the kingdom every other Valdemar book is set in.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Valdemar
About The Founding of Valdemar
More than three decades after introducing Valdemar in Arrows of the Queen, Lackey went all the way back to the very beginning: the founding of the kingdom itself, centuries before any Herald, Companion, or Collegium existed. The trilogy follows Kordas Valdemar, a minor duke leading his people in a desperate exodus away from a tyrannical, expansionist empire, in search of a place his community can settle safely and build a fairer, freer society — the founding act that eventually becomes the kingdom every other Valdemar book is set in.
Beyond, Into the West, and Valdemar trace that journey and settlement, showing readers the political ideals, the earliest magic, and the founding generation's hard choices that shape everything the Heralds and Companions later inherit — origin-story material that reframes the entire series' founding myth for longtime readers while remaining fully accessible to newcomers with no prior Valdemar knowledge at all.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in the Founding of Valdemar trilogy?
Three: Beyond (2021), Into the West (2022), and Valdemar (2023).
Is the Founding of Valdemar a good starting point for new readers?
Yes — it's set centuries before every other Valdemar sub-series and requires no prior knowledge of Heralds, Companions, or any earlier books, making it one of the most accessible entry points into the series alongside the original Arrows trilogy.
What order should I read the Founding of Valdemar in?
Publication order: Beyond, Into the West, Valdemar. It's a single continuous story following Kordas Valdemar and his people's journey to found the kingdom.
Who is Kordas Valdemar?
A minor duke who leads his people away from a tyrannical empire in search of a new home, eventually founding the kingdom that gives the entire series its name.
Is there a fourth Founding of Valdemar book planned?
None has been announced as of mid-2026. The trilogy's capstone title, Valdemar (2023), reads as a natural conclusion to the founding story.
If you like The Founding of Valdemar
Reading order last verified .