Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar

Top positive review

Great addition!

Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2022

This collection of short stories is a wonderful addition to the Valdemar world. These are not all by the original creator of the world, Mercedes Lackey, but by a variety of authors. Some include characters from the books, while others are other new characters that fit seamlessly into the world. And many of the stories are part of a mini series that is threaded through other books within the Tales of Valdemar series.

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Lonnie Wayne Killion

Its okay

Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2014

I love the Valdemaren storyline but I found the stories to be a little too short. Not really enough character development. To me it was just okay.

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From the United States

Kim Deister

Great addition!

Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2022

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Risa Reads

Not a dud in the bunch

Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2018

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How many anthologies have you read that felt like you had to slog through story after story before getting to one you truly enjoyed?
You won't run into that here, or in many future Valdemar anthologies!
I've read these in hardcopy, years ago, but after reading the recently released 12th collection, I felt nostalgic and went back to the beginning.
That's the thing about fantasies, they never get old!

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Lori L

Valdemar--what else is necessary?

Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2019

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A Valdemar anthology is always a pleasure, though they can be uneven, because of the varied authors. This one is 14 years old, and I'm sure I have it "somewhere" in print, but it's been long enough that the stories were new to me, and greatly appreciated.

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A wonderful, touching collection of stories

Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2006

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It was with some sadness I awaited the arrival of Crossroads and other Tales of Valdemar. Mercedes Lackey's vibrant world introduced me to the world of fantasy, and I knew it was going to be the last of Valdemar for a while. I found this anthology to be a collection of moving stories exploring all aspects of living in Valdemar. Not just tales of Heralds, this collection spans the variety that can be found. I regret no stories of Tayledras, though Larry Dixon's gryphon story that opened the anthology moved me to tears.

Most of the stories dealt with war and its harsh realities. Perhaps it's a reflection of the era in which we live, perhaps it's because a good battle makes a good story. Either way, these tales go beyond just a story. They evoke a life, and a world, in which we all would want to live.

Mercedes Lackey brings us another tale of Tarma and Kethry, and I am glad, for to me, no Valdemar collection would be complete without these legendary figures. It was their books that got me to thinking about paganism, and their stories broadened an already wide world.

With works by such diverse authors as Michael Z. Williamson, Mickey Zucker Riechert, Tanya Huff, Fiona Patton, Judith Tarr, Brenda Cooper, and others, the authors' unique voices shine through united in a love of the world that Mercedes Lackey created. Like many others, I hope this isn't her last Valdemar book, but if it is, then it is a worthy grand finale.

Adept Starfeather k'Valdemar

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G. Robinson

Overall excellent

Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2007

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Unlike the current trend in anthologies to have novella length stories (see Winter Moon for instance) this is a collection of shorts which overall is very good. The worst of the stories would rate a 3 stars (much better than average) and the best 4 1/2 stars (just short of outstanding).

Like the quality of the stories their relation to Vaqldimar varies. Some could have as well been set in Venice, LA or NY (and some of these were very good too). Overall and excellent read.

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