Books like Foundation (Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey
Set against the dawn of the Crown’s greatest institution, this novel follows thirteen‑year‑old Magpie—an orphaned mine laborer known only for the “Bad Blood” of his bandit parents—as he is seized by a Companion horse and sent to the Heralds’ Collegium in the city of Haven. Learnt to wield the magic that bonds telepathic horses to those destined to serve the Crown, Magpie discovers a talent he never imagined and finds himself thrust into the very heart of heraldic legend.
The Collegium is not a mere training house; it is a nexus of power, intrigue, and hope. As Magpie navigates the bewildering world of court life and the complexities of his new charge, political unrest erupts in Valdemar’s capital. Foreign diplomats infiltrate the court, sowing dissent and threatening the stability of the realm. In this crucible of growth, Magpie’s journey from soot‑stained child to heraldic champion illuminates the values of courage, loyalty, and the bond between rider and horse.
First publish date: 2008
Genre: Fantasy/Epic Fantasy
Authors: Mercedes Lackey
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