Finding the Way and Other Tales of Valdemar, edited by Mercedes Lackey – review

Finding the Way is the latest installment of Mercedes Lackey’s ongoing anthology series set in her world of Valdemar.  Readers who have enjoyed previous anthologies will find some familiar characters in these pages, since this volume contains several stories which feature recurrent characters.  People who are new to the anthologies shouldn’t be put off by that, however, because there shouldn’t be any problems reading any story in this book on its own.

Unlike previous volumes, this one seems more dependent upon prior knowledge of other Valdemar series.  The short ficion presented in this book is very good, but there just isn’t enough time in an individual story to encompass the complex world that Lackey has created.

“Finding the Way,” the first story in the book, is by Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon.  It offers a glimpse at a species rarely glimpsed and not often mentioned in the other books set in the same world.  As a matter of fact, it took me a little while to remember what the Hertasi were (they’re a lizard-like race that lives amongst the Hawkbrothers and work as servants of sorts).  This story is about a very singular Hertasi  named Sherra who guides people through Gripping Mire, a perilous swamp that borders the Hawkbrothers’ territories.  One morning, one of the Companions enlists Sherra’s help to guide her to her Chosen.  The story that follows isn’t just an allegory for tolerance and acceptance, it’s a pretty darn good adventure story, too.

Mickey Zucker Riechert contributed the story “The Education of Evita,” which follows a more typical pattern of stories about Companions and Chosen.  Evita is Chosen and decides that she wants to see more of the world before she goes to Valdemar to learn at the Collegium.  Her Companion agrees to allow this; unfortunately, Evita doesn’t realize how recognizable the Companions really are and how dependent outlying areas are on the Heralds.  She learns some difficult lessons on the value of a good education along the way.

“Change of Life” by Judith Tarr is one of the surprises in this book.  Usually, stories set in Valdemar focus more on younger people.  This story focuses on Marlys, a woman who has raised her children and is planning her youngest daughter’s wedding. She used to dream of adventures, but once she’d gotten married she’d discarded them as childish fantasies and become content with her life.  The day before the wedding, a Companion shows up, and Marlys finds a presence that should have only added to the stress of the event quite soothing.   Of course, that isn’t the end of the story.

Finding the Way doesn’t have an overlying theme, although many of the stories do seem to feature some kind of personal revelation for the main characters in them.  The stories are well-selected, and they serve as a very good addition to the Valdemar books.  I would highly recommend this anthology to fans who are already acquainted through at least one other Valdemar novel with key concepts that are going to occur in this anthology.  This one wouldn’t be a good starter book, but it’s an excellent read for anyone who enjoys the world of Valdemar.