Mercedes Lackey

I discovered Mercedes Lackey when I had depleted all of Anne McCaffrey's books and was looking for another good read. I started with her Valdemar series: Arrow of the Queen, Arrow's Flight, Arrow's Fall. This series is quite good, as is her Bardic Voices series. Some of her other books set in Valdemar tend to become rather gothic. I am going to highlight my favorite of her books here.
Author's Website: http://www.mercedeslackey.com/

Bardic Universe

Young Adult and up

The heroes of these tales by Mercedes Lackey are street musicians, gypsies and magical creatures. The stories are detailed and engaging. Each of the books tells its own tale focusing on characters that we've met in previous narations. The evil villains tend to be the powerful and power-hungry while the heroes are the down-trodden, but within this framework the stories are entertaining and a fast read.

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Lark and the Wren
Robin & the Kestrel
Eagle and the Nightingales

Valdemar Universe: Herals of Valdemar

Young Adult and up

This series by Mercedes Lackey takes place in a land called Valdemar. Chronologically the books go in this order: Take a Thief, Exile's Honor, Exile's Valor, Arrows of the Queen, Arrow's Flight, Arrow's Fall. I am putting them, however in the order I feel they should be read.

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Arrows of the Queen
Arrow's Flight
Arrow's Fall
Exile's Honor

Exile's Valor
Take a Thief

Valdemar Universe: Vows & Honor

Young Adult and up

These three books fill in some pieces of the tapestry that started with the previous series. They are quick moving stories and entertaining. Strong female protagonists beat impossible odds. I am tacking on Kerowyn's Tale: By the Sword to the end of this series as it follows chronologically.

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Oathbound
Oathbreakers
Oathblood
Kerowyn's Sword

Valemar Universe: The Mage Winds Trilogy

Young Adult and up

These stories pick up the threads where Arrow's Fall left off. They introduce Mercedes' readers to a third culture on Valdemar, The Hawk Brothers. Although I enjoyed these books, they dip a bit into the horror category as Mercedes struggles to paint her villains with the blackest of brushes. Although she has 10 other books placed in Valdemar, these are the last that I am going to recommend.

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Winds of Fate
Winds of Change
Winds of Fury