By the Sword (Valdemar)
by Mercedes Lackey
By the Sword by Mercedes Lackey holds a highly rated rating of 4.24 out of 5, based on 17.3K reader ratings. First published in 1991. The book spans 492 pages.
About By the Sword
Granddaughter of the sorceress Kethry, daughter of a noble house, Kerowyn had been forced to run the family keep since her mother’s untimely death. Yet now at last her brother was preparing to wed, and when his bride became the lady of the keep, Kerowyn could return to her true enjoyments—training horses and hunting.But all Kerowyn’s hopes and plans were shattered when her ancestral home was attacked, her father slain, her brother wounded, and his fiancée kidnapped. Drive by desperation and the knowledge that a sorcerer had led the attack, Kerowyn sought her grandmother Kethry’s aid, a journey which would prove but the first step on the road to the fulfillment of her destiny. For facing her family’s foes would transform Kerowyn into an outsider in her own land, a warrior bound to the spell blade Need, and a mercenary forced to choose between loyalty to her comrades in arms and the Herald of Valdemar, whom she had rescued and who in his turn had helped to awaken her to the true meaning of love and to her own unique powers of magic.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Author | Mercedes Lackey |
| Published | 1991 |
| Pages | 492 |
| Genres | Fantasy, Fiction, Romance, Young Adult |
| Average Rating | 4.24 / 5.00 |
| Total Ratings | 17,268 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What genre is By the Sword?
By the Sword is categorized as Fantasy, Fiction, Romance, Young Adult. Its primary genre classification is Fantasy.
Is By the Sword worth reading?
Based on 17.3K reader ratings, By the Sword has an average score of 4.24 out of 5.00, which is considered "Highly Rated."
How many pages is By the Sword?
By the Sword has 492 pages.
Who wrote By the Sword?
By the Sword was written by Mercedes Lackey. It was first published in 1991.
What is the ISBN for By the Sword?
The ISBN-13 for By the Sword is 9780886774640.0.
Data sourced from community book ratings and reviews. Last updated: April 15, 2026




