LIMITED TIME OFFER. Get 3 months for $0.99 a month. Get this deal.
Beyond cover art

Beyond

Founding of Valdemar Series, Book 1

 Preview
Get this deal Try for $0.00
Offer ends December 16, 2025 11:59pm PT.
Amazon Prime member exclusive: get any 2 titles with your free trial. Terms apply.
Just $0.99/mo for your first 3 months of Audible.
1 audiobook per month of your choice from our unparalleled catalog.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals.
Auto-renews at $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Beyond

Written by: Mercedes Lackey
Narrated by: Paul Woodson
Get this deal Try for $0.00

$14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime. Offers ends December 16, 2025 11:59pm PT.

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $27.83

Buy Now for $27.83

About this listen

Within the Eastern Empire, Duke Kordas Valdemar rules a tiny, bucolic Duchy that focuses mostly on horse breeding. Anticipating the day when the Empire's exploitative and militant leaders would not be content to leave them alone, Korda's father set out to gather magicians in the hopes of one day finding a way to escape and protect the people of the Duchy from tyranny.

The signs in the Empire are increasingly dire. Under the direction of the Emperor, mages have begun to harness the power of dark magics, including blood magic, the powers of the Abyssal Planes, and the binding and "milking" of Elemental creatures.

But then one of the Duchy's mages has a breakthrough. There is a way to place a Gate at a distance so far from the Empire that it is unlikely the Emperor can find or follow them as they evacuate everyone that is willing to leave.

But time is running out, and Kordas has been summoned to the Emperor's Court.

Can his reputation as a country bumpkin and his acting skills buy him and his people the time they need to flee? Or will the Emperor lose patience, invade to strip Valdemar of everything of worth, and send its conscripted people into the front lines of the Imperial wars?

©2021 Mercedes Lackey (P)2021 Tantor Action & Adventure Dark Fantasy Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Magic Magic Users Wizardry
All stars
Most relevant
I am now heading to the second to continue the story!!! Very exciting, I hope this continues to the heralds and companion.

Great book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Loved it, now I can invision how Valdemar started. Valdemar is one of my favourite series.

Fantastic read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I was so happy to find this book of Valdemar. It’s great to know how it all began. The story is amazing. Action packed, fun and some romance. I can’t wait to read the next book. Valdemar is one of my all time favourite series. I have read/listened to it at least a million times over the years, and it never gets boring. I started it in book format, then in e-books and now in audio.
Mercedes Lackey Is one of my all time favourite authors.

Loved it!!!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is a satisfying story that goes into unexpected detail about the birthing of a foal and the use of magic portals. The characters could use more depth but are vividly painted and interesting to follow. Looking forward to more.

Entertaining, modern fantasy storytelling

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
performance is a little dry but story isn't absolutely wonderful.
so happy to learn the beginning of Vladimir

Mercedes Lackey does it again

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
There is a lot to this book. The only problem I have with it was the foul language. it wasn't in any of the other Valdemar books, and it immediately threw me. I was immersed in the book, then thump! I was flat on my butt in the cold. Story is wonderful otherwise.

Excellent overall.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
it's a much different experience listening as opposed to reading.

I enjoyed the narrator and it was good to revisit the story

thoroughly enjoyed listening

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.