Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flesh and Spirit | 2007 | Carol Berg | Buy |
| 2 | Breath and Bone | 2008 | Carol Berg | Buy |
| 3 | Cartamandua Legacy | 2009 | Carol Berg | Buy |
The Valen series begins with Flesh and Spirit (2007), introducing a protagonist who is far from a typical fantasy hero. Valen is addicted to a dangerous substance, estranged from his powerful family, and looking for nothing more than a safe place to hide when he stumbles into a monastery with secrets of its own. His cartographer bloodline — the ability to map magical connections in the earth — makes him valuable to factions he’d rather avoid.
Breath and Bone and Cartamandua Legacy continue Valen’s reluctant journey into the heart of a conflict between religious orders, political powers, and ancient magic. Berg uses Valen’s addiction and self-destructive tendencies not as mere character flavor but as central obstacles that shape every decision he makes, producing a fantasy series that feels grounded in human weakness even as the magical stakes escalate.