Shenanigans is the latest anthology incorporating stories from Mercedes world of Valdemar. I really enjoyed this anthology. There was fun and adventure. The characters are very likable. I always look forward to these anthologies as I love reading about Valedar.

Shenanigans is the 2022 addition to the Valdemar anthologies, which allow other authors to play in the world of Mercedes Lackey. This volume brings back some of the previous authors as well as some newer authors to round out the adventures of Heralds, Bards and Healers throughout time within Valdemar. This volume of the anthology series is a lighter read than some of the others that had heavier harder, which by the Shenanigans, each of the stories has some form of character shenanigans occurring.

As Valdemar is one of my favorite worlds, reading it since the late 1980s, I generally enjoy the play within the world from the Companions to the hertasi, and the gryphons to the bondbirds, and all of the various cultures of the Shin'a'in to the Karse. The fact that within the Valdemar series from book 1 Lackey created a well represented diversity and equality of all genders, sexuality groups, and some of the difficult social topics that we deal with today have been presented and talked about within these books and anthologies.

This time was no different, as familiar previous authors brought back characters and continued on stories that had a good stopping point, but revisiting and learning more about them also brought laughter. The new authors that contributed brought new mixes into the world and enhanced Valdemar and the diversity.

The only part that I wish the previous authors had done was in two of the stories to give anyone new to the anthologies a little more about the characters that have such a rich history, hidden in previous anthologies. While I knew these characters, some of what was in the story would have made less sense to me without having read the previous short stories, and in some cases, clear back to Volume 1 of the anthologies.

Regardless, it was an enjoyable afternoon read, and perfect for someone looking for a book where they can stop and start depending on their need of the day.

Thank you Mercedes Lackey and DAW/Penguin Random House for the ARC opportunity.

This is absolity brilliant. Each and every story made me laugh. Some are part of a miniseries, but most are stand alone.

It's impossible to go into detail on each and every story, but they are all worth reading and very reflective of the theme in the anthology's title.

Yet another excellent entry into the series of Valdemar anthologies, some of the stories are both fantastical and fantastic!

I read past my bedtime (yet again) so that I could devour the stories as soon as possible; I particularly enjoyed the stories which revisited characters who had featured in a previous anthology, and those with Hertasi as main characters; the Hertasi stories were so much fun. Now all I need are the full length novels featuring these characters!

An enjoyable read regardless of it being the reader’s introduction to Valdemar or if you are a long time fan.

With thanks to Netgalley and Daw Books for my ARC.

Shenanigans Edited by Mercedes Lackey is an absolutely delightful collection of short stories set in the heralds of Valdemar Universe.

What I Loved
-World building for the universe that I already loved.
-Kindness as a core theme
-Pranks in the The Collegium

My only issue with this collection is that I now crave much longer stories for a few of the new characters presented to me in the world.

Who would I Recommend this book for

Shenanigans is a wonderful read both for existing fans of the heralds of Valdemar universe and for those wanting a friendly place to enter that world for the first time.

Fans of Mercedes Lackey’s “Valedemar” books have always clamored for more stories set in Velgarth, and Lackey’s short story anthologies offer a lot of charm and elaboration on minor characters or points of world-building. The stories in this collection, as in previous anthologies, all feel closely guided by Lackey’s editorial eye, but are not uniformly successful. Familiar Lackey collaborators Larry Dixon, Elizabeth Waters and Brenda Cooper deliver stories about diverse concerns and amusements (Heralds recovering from PTSD during the Valdemar-Hardon war; a Shin’a’in herder and an unexpected racehorse). As with previous anthologies, the problems presented in the stories are relatable but readily resolved, the moral and ethical world view is steadily pointed toward kindness, and the entire collection, while not fundamentally world-altering, certainly allows fans to deepen their travels around Lackey’s world as they await Valdemar’s arrival on streaming services with the last Herald-Mage books.

This is the newest collection of Valdemar short stories. I missed the previous one, BOUNDARIES, and noticed two things about this one: the books are now trade paper, which I hate, and this one, at least, seemed to be based around a single theme (pranks), which the previous collections were not.

I had mixed feelings about this collection. Most of the stories were okay or good. I quite enjoyed the opening story was about a pair of hertasi (sentient lizards who act as servants) who outsmart three highwaymen; "All Around the Bell Tower," told from the point of view of a youngster who seems to be autistic and who sees visions, which features Herald Wil; and the annual story featuring Lena at the Temple of Thenoth, which always focuses on animals (this time it's a dog) and also the annual story about the Iron Street Watch guards, this one featuring an intelligent chicken.

I also enjoyed the two stories that had love stories between older people in them, "Love, Nothing More, Nothing Less" and "One Trick Pony," and a Herald-based detective story, "Of Ghosts and Stones and Snow."

Several stories are about deliberate or accidental prank at the Collegium, most are sort of fluffy. My least favorite was "Trap Spell," which I found pretty blah.

Fantastic new short stories set in the Valdemar world, very expansive on new ideas and gifts and such a great read! Fans of Lackey's series will love this new edition of short stories, plus the addition from Larry Dixon and Mercedes Lackey! I look forward to the next installment!

A lively collection of stories that reunite us with familiar characters from previous collections.

All my favorites are here and new stories and characters to love. And of course the theme holds true. I would save this book for times when you need a laugh to get out of your deep thoughts.

The Collegium features heavily as a place that pranks should be and would be expected as the youngest learn the steadiness of their new roles.

Bards, Healers, and Heralds all feature heavily in this, as do Companions who can certainly contribute, and do here, to the Shenanigans.

Another great collection, highly recommended.

I always love compilation books especially featuring Mercedes’ lackey. I have all of her valdemar series and look forward to buying this one as well. I love short stories you get a whole story you can read at one time. It’s fun seeing what stories other authors create based in the same valdemar world. I highly recommend it!

Shenanigans is another good addition to the treasury of Valdemar tales.

I found a couple stories less able to hold my complete interest than others, and a few were wonderful. I was also delighted to return to familiar friends like the Dann family (by Fiona Patton).

Anthologies are almost by definition a mixed bag of stories usually developed around a theme and this one is no different. Reading enjoyment as with so many things in life is subjective. We all have preferences and opinions.

I think this has a bit of something for everyone and would definitely recommend it.



I received this ARC from DAW and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

#Valdemar #Shenanigans #NetGalley