Originally published in 1991, Andre Norton and Mercedes Lackey’s Elvenbane introduced a fantasy series that has earned over 15,000 ratings on Goodreads: the Halfblood Chronicles. The story is set in a harsh land where elves from another world have seized control of all they see, only for a half-elven girl to emerge as the unlikely face of resistance.
Now, Mercedes Lackey and Ben Ohlander have returned to the world of the Halfblood Chronicles with a brand new fourth novel, presented here within a deluxe, limited edition two-volume set that features newly edited and typeset versions of all four books!
This deluxe limited edition is lovingly bound in premium burgundy-stained leather and stamped with gold and copper foil. The third and fourth volumes in the Mercedes Lackey Library, following Grandmaster and Heralds of Valdemar, this exclusive collectible is crowdfunded by Arc Manor on BackerKit and designed in partnership with the same team that created the first two volumes.
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Over 1600 pages long, the two deluxe volumes and slipcase weigh more than eight pounds!
This definitive edition features an original painting by dragon master Rob Carlos, as well as sprayed edges, ribbon bookmarks, endpapers, a translucent vellum digital signature page, supplemental interviews and essays, and much more. Stretch goals may unlock more full-color art commissions!
The Halfblood Chronicles is a linked series of books that introduces new characters in each volume, expanding the world and pulling the saga forward.
Elvenbane
This is the story of Shana, a halfblood born of the forbidden union of an Elvenlord father and a human mother. Her fugitive mother dead, Shana is rescued and raised by dragons, an ancient race unbeknownst to elven or humankind.
From birth, she was the embodiment of the Prophecy that the all-powerful Elvenlords feared. Now, Shana must explore her heritage and seek allies in her struggle to stay alive while beset by powerful foes.
Elvenblood
The powerful magic of ruthless Elvenlord masters has dominated the world for centuries, oppressing not just the human slaves and halfblood wizards, but female and low-magic elves as well.
Now, elven maiden Sheyrena and her half brother Lorryn must escape the dangers of elven politics that would condemn them to unsavory fates. They will meet Shana, the legendary Elvenbane who leads a ragtag band of half-blood wizards, escaped human slaves, and free-thinking dragons in their struggle against the mighty Elvenlords.
Only the long-forgotten Iron People, a band of human nomads, have escaped the tyranny of the reigning Elvenlords. How have they survived through the centuries?
As the winds of change sweep the world, and as tensions seething beneath the surface of Elven society threaten to break into open revolt, Shana meets the ancient tribe. Could an age-old secret free Shana and her people...or will its discovery call down their doom?
Elvenborn
The reclusive Elvenlord Kyrtian emerges as a hero in a world torn by politics and war. When his cousin, Aelmarkin, tries to prove that Kyrtian is unfit to run his estate, the plan backfires, and soon Kyrtian, who doesn't share the venal, greedy nature of his cousin, finds himself with more power than he ever wanted.
Like his father before him, Kyrtian has always treated the humans on his estate like employees, instead of enslaving them as other Elvenlords do. His father's legacy also leads Kyrtian to learn ancient military skills long since abandoned. Kyrtian's rediscovered knowledge piques the interest of the current elven council, and soon Kyrtian finds himself appointed the new commander of the army assembled to deal with the sons of the most powerful Elvenlords, the Young Lords, who have rebelled against their fathers and are waging war.
But by taking advantage of both the privileges of his new command and the help of some unexpected new friends, Kyrtian finally gains the resources to embark on his own, personal quest: resuming his father's search for the Great Portal, the magical doorway to Evelon, through which the original Elvenlords entered this world.
Elvenbred
Elvenbred is set on the elven homeworld, Evelon, where the elven cities are falling to attacks from gargantuan Predators, their primary defenses the magically controlled Machina. Amid the constant siege of the city of Veridian, Lord Haldeen, the ruthless Gatekeeper, struggles to hold his position in spite of the whims of the king. Haldeen gambles everything on a forbidden experiment to open the Worldgate that elves used for evacuation years before, but retrieves more questions than answers.
Triana, a rare female Elvenlord, had been pursuing her own power when she was snatched away to a foreign land, where she is held in contempt by her captors. Will she be able to adapt and escape her fate? And if she does escape is there a way home?
We've kept the rewards simple so that we can get them into your hands as quickly as possible.
NOTE: The Halfblood Chronicles e-book and paperback editions are not offered in this campaign, but are available for pre-orders at your favorite retailers.
As with any crowdfunding campaign, a timeline is always an estimate. For example, uncertainty around US tariffs and their effects on global trade and shipping had a significant impact on the Grandmaster fulfillment timeline. We'll keep backers updated frequently and transparently as we navigate fulfillment in a world where war, oil shortages, political unrest, and environmental unpredictability can all affect the best-laid plans. It can take 3-4 weeks just to ship this many books!
2026
October 01 - Campaign Ends, Commission Stretch Goal Artwork
October 15 - We receive the campaign funds from BackerKit
November - Surveys sent to backers
2027
February - Receive Final Artwork
March - Manufacturing Orders Placed
June - Freight from factory to fulfillment warehouse (6-8 weeks, dependent on global container ship schedules/availability)
September - Fulfillment begins
October - Wave One fulfillment ends
November - Wave Two fulfillment begins (late surveys, edge cases, lost packages)
We charge actual costs for shipping and handling after the campaign ends, during BackerKit surveys. We'll do our best to find the lowest prices, but backers should expect the cost of moving physical products around the world to continue to increase. For prior volumes, domestic shipping cost around $15 and international shipping ranged from $20-40.
We are able to ship with duties pre-paid for most countries around the world, allowing backers to receive your packages easily and with no hassle from your local carriers. Duties will be included in shipping costs in your surveys.
As with any large fulfillment, a small percentage of packages may be damaged or lost in transit. We are committed to replacing lost or damaged rewards.
LATE SURVEY POLICY
Sometimes life happens and backers forget to complete their surveys. Our policy is to hold your rewards for one year past the date the primary fulfillment commences. After that year has elapsed we close the campaign. Please commit to filling out your surveys in a timely manner!
We are committed to paying human artists to create extraordinary original paintings based on the world of the Halfblood Chronicles. We further commit ourselves to reviewing sketches, comps, and renders at every stage of the process.
For this campaign most of our risks and challenges are due to external factors: political unrest, economic uncertainty, supply chain disruptions, environmental disasters, and energy shortages. As AI tools sneak their way into more workflows, we have also learned to exercise extra caution and oversight throughout the commissioning, review, and delivery process to make sure that all art is created entirely by human hands, at every stage of creation.
We have contracted the same team for fulfillment who handled Misty's prior direct-to-fan campaigns. They have successfully fulfilled campaigns during COVID, tariff wars, and significant economic uncertainty. Our commitment to you is that we will continue to do our best to navigate a changing world in order to get your rewards into your hands. We believe that our team's record speaks for itself.
As always, we will share frequent progress updates, including our successes, failures, challenges, and pivots.
📖 Printopia 2026
This is aPrintopia 2026project 📚 A celebration of books, comics, and graphic novels featuring an amazing lineup of creators crowdfunding together from September 10 – October 1 📅
👀 Explore the Printopia Banners Every project belongs to a banner, so you can discover stories you'll love and creators to follow:
Fantasy: Epic worlds, mythical beasts, and magic systems that defy reality.
Sci-Fi: Futuristic technology, space adventures, and mind-bending science.
Horror & Thriller: Spine-chilling scares, dark mysteries, and high-stakes suspense.
Romance: Heartwarming journeys, passionate bonds, and unforgettable love.
All-Ages: Fun, engaging, and wholesome tales perfect for every generation.
Anthologies & Collections: Curated short stories, diverse art styles, and unique creative voices.
🎁 Printopia Freebies Overview — Check out all the different ways you can get freebies in addition to your pledge rewards!
Banner Digital Zine Freebie — Support 3+ creators per banner to unlock their limited banner digital zine freebie, filled with art, stories, and bonus content from that group’s participants. Collect a new and exciting digital zine from each banner!
Cross-Collab Freebies — Back both projects in a Cross-Collab pair and get freebies from those participating creators (see individual project pages for exact freebie details and unlock requirements).
Fantasy
Is ONE world really enough? Do you not need to conquer more like the book dragon we all know you are?
Authors and creators need coffee to sustain themselves, and here is your chance to directly support them. We've all banded together on this quest, so why not check out other campaigns?
Back 3 or more campaigns in the Fantasy Banner get an Exclusive Zine featuring Bonus Content from every Creator!
INKmagine and Create