Hasturs Erbe

by Marion Zimmer Bradley

book data

568 ratings, 3.89 average rating, 8 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		26%
4		40%
3		27%
2		4%
1		0%

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published

March 1st 2008 by Knaur (first published 1975)

details

Taschenbuch, 560 pages

literary awards

Hugo Award Nominee (1976)

isbn

3426638215 (isbn13: 9783426638217)

description

Described as "Bradley's best novel" by Locus, THE HERITAGE OF HASTUR, longest and most intricate of the Darkover books, is a brilliant epic …more

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May 31, 2008

Ken rated it:

(review of isbn 0879979674)

Read in July, 2008

Before picking up this book, I had read eight Darkover novels, generally in the order of their publication. What, I wondered, drew so many readers to them? Some of them were truly awful, while others were enjoyable, but not great. Then I got to The Heritage of Hastur, and it has given me an "a-ha moment."
In previous works, Darkover as a world was much more compelling than any of its inhabitants, whose personalities melted into sameness. Dialogue tended to be stiff, the narrative...more

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Oct 09, 2009

Chuck rated it:

(review of isbn 0879979674)

For those who want to read the Darkover series, I would have to say that this is the novel to start with. It's engaging and exciting enough to interest you in the series, and these characters, and this timeline, are central to the Darkover canon. As someone who's read approximately 20 Bradley titles this year, this book is the missing link, the one that explains so much of what I've read before.

Set in the last timeline of the Darkover series, what is essentially the 'present day' ...more For those who want to read the Darkover series, I would have to say that this is the novel to start with. It's engaging and exciting enough to interest you in the series, and these characters, and this timeline, are central to the Darkover canon. As someone who's read approximately 20 Bradley titles this year, this book is the missing link, the one that explains so much of what I've read before.

Set in the last timeline of the Darkover series, what is essentially the 'present day' at Bradley conceives it, the novel tells the tale of young Regis Hastur (who becomes one of the two or three most important characters in the whole series), who has come to Thendara at the request his grandfather, the Regent and ruler of Darkover.

Regis does not have laran, the telepathic ability that is much prized and is expected of the Comyn, the ruling class of Darkover. He wishes to escape, to go off planet, to go to the stars amongst the Terrans. He has no wish to become Regent, to assume the duties expected of him as a member of the Hastur clan. He strikes a deal with his grandfather--to serve three years in the City Guards, the Darkover equivalent of the military. If, at the end of this time, Regis does not show any trace of laran and still wishes to leave, he may.

Regis' story is interspersed with that of Lew Alton, a part Terran whose status as Comyn is dubious; although he is the legitimate son of Kennard Alton, the Lord of a Domain, his Terran blood makes him highly suspect. Regis is a young adult at is one of the officers in the Guard. In the past, he has been friends with Regis, but the gap between them--Lew is a commanding officer, Regis a cadet, and at the same time, Regis is a potential monarch, and, in theory, all would be "under" him in society's pecking order.

While in the Guards, Regis befriends Danilo Syrtis, a character who will be very recognizable to Darkover fans and who actually appears in more novels than does Regis. Danilo is also young, and is from an honorable but poor family. He is very attractive, and is preyed on my an abusive older noble named Dyan Ardis; ultimately, Danilo is forced from the officer corps and sent home in disgrace on Ardis' word.

Regis is furious; despite the fact that the two young me part on poor terms, Regis is determined to defend Danilo and see Ardis' industice undone.

Lew ,in the meantime, is sent to the remote province of Alderaan, which is accused of dealing "on the side" with Terrans, purchasing illegal weapons. He is sent off by his father to deal with this issue.

The writing is tight, engaging, fast. Lot of good action, lots of interesting explorations and of gender and sexuality, a characteristic of Bradley's best fiction. Interestingly, all the protagonists are male, unusual in a feminist author. Al the characters are well done; interestingly, this the only Darkover book that has any first person narration. A la Dickens Bleak House, the novel shifts back and forth between omniscient narration and first person "I" narration; Lew is the first person narrator.

Really good; many reviews say this is Bradley's best, or was at the time. I can't say it's not excellent, but I think this book signals the beginning of Bradley's truly great phrase, when she will write Thendara House and the rest of the Renunciates seriews, which she will sustain to the end of her life with Traitor's Sun. I'd put this near the top-rank, with Thendara House and Traitor's Sun being her her absolute best.

The only thing that mars the book is some clumsy foreshadowing in the Lew Alton sections; perhaps, unfamiliar with this point of view technique, she's not as fully in control of it as she is with her other narrative methods.(less)

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Apr 12, 2008

Jackie "the Librarian" rated it:

(review of isbn 0879979674)

bookshelves: adultfiction, favorites, sciencefiction

Read in January, 1983

recommends it for: SF fans

Set on the planet Darkover, a lost colony of Terra. The humans who landed there have developed a feudal system of government, and have interbred with the reclusive indigenous people. Their new environment led to some families developing specific psychic abilities, and becoming leaders of the government.
The Heritage of Hastur relates the intertwined histories of Regis Hastur, the future ruler of Darkover, in his days as a youth training in the guards, and Lew Alton, son of a powerful ruling...more

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Jun 19, 2009

The_antichris rated it:

(review of isbn 0879979674)

bookshelves: sffantasy

Read in June, 2009

It's interesting reading Darkover now because every time I get absorbed in what I enjoyed last time I read the books, I go '...but how does agriculture work???' and fall out of it.

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Sep 28, 2007

Philip rated it:

(review of isbn 0879979674)

bookshelves: lgbt-related, scifi-fantasy

Read in March, 2007

Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover novels had always intimidated me, but after taking a peek at the timeline provided by this book I thought it'd be interesting to give it a shot. With that said, I still wasn't quite able to wrap my mind around the power struggle presented in this book, though it does give us good class dynamics and an engaging history. Still, I would have enjoyed it more if there had been more time spent on greater character development.

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Oct 01, 2007

Melody rated it:

(review of isbn 0879979674)

Read in August, 2008

Re-read. Just as involving as I remember, though the alternating narratives breaks the story up a lot. Mostly this time I just read the Regis/Danilo story and skimmed Lew's. The perfect book to read on the train to jury duty & back. It's my Harlequin equivalent.

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