Audiobook Review: Foundation by Mercedes Lackey

Foundation
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Narrator: Nick Podehl
Series: Collegium Chronicles (Book 1)
Publication: Brilliance Audio (October 7, 2008)
Length: 10 hours and 8 minutes

Description: The long-awaited brand new novel in the best-selling Valdemar series.

In this chronicle of the early history of Valdemar, Mercedes Lackey's best-selling world, a 13-year-old orphan named Magpie escapes a life of slavery in the gem mines when he is chosen by one of the magical Companion horses of Valdemar to be trained as a Herald. Thrust into the center of a legend in the making, Magpie discovers talents he never knew he had - and witnesses the founding of the great Heralds' Collegium.

My Thoughts: This coming-of-age tale from the early days of Valdemar introduces Mags. Mags is an orphan who works in a gem mine far from Haven. When he is Chosen by Dallen his whole life changes. 

Mags is taken to Haven where things are changing for the Heralds. A new collegium is being built in the capitol to sit alongside the collegiums for the Bards and the Healers. There are some Heralds who are not in favor of the changes. But an influx of new Herald candidates makes the old system of apprenticeships to Herald impractical. 

Barely literate and totally ignorant of any life outside the mine where he was enslaved, Mags loves the new collegium with its regular meals, comfortable rooms, and clothing that aren't rags. But he is still wary and spends most of his time observing others. He does manage to make friends with a couple of other loners - Lena from the Bards and Bear from the Healers. 

He makes other friends too among the upper classes when he saves a man from overpaying for a ring. This leads him into spying to protect his home under the tutelage of the King's Own Herald Nikolas whose daughter Amily also becomes his friend.

I enjoyed this story about a young orphan boy who finds a home and a found family to make his own. I like the worldbuilding in the Valdemar novels and enjoyed seeing things in this time period when the collegiums are just being built. Nick Podehl does an excellent job of bringing the story to life. 

I bought this one from Chirp November 9, 2023. You can buy your copy here.