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Darkover (Publication Order) #29
An den Feuern von Hastur
This famous and bestselling series continues with the bestselling fantasy author, Mercedes Lackey. Leonie Hasture, headstrong daughter of one of the most powerful telepathic families who rule Darkover, is to be trained in the use of her psychic powers. Although this is an event she has long dreamed of, she is plagued by a terrifying premonition....
336 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1993
51 people are currently reading
940 people want to read
About the author
Marion Zimmer Bradley
800 books4,879 followersMarion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley was an American author of fantasy novels such as The Mists of Avalon and the Darkover series, often with a feminist outlook.
Bradley's first published novel-length work was Falcons of Narabedla, first published in the May 1957 issue of Other Worlds. When she was a child, Bradley stated that she enjoyed reading adventure fantasy authors such as Henry Kuttner, Edmond Hamilton, and Leigh Brackett, especially when they wrote about "the glint of strange suns on worlds that never were and never would be." Her first novel and much of her subsequent work show their influence strongly.
Early in her career, writing as Morgan Ives, Miriam Gardner, John Dexter, and Lee Chapman, Marion Zimmer Bradley produced several works outside the speculative fiction genre, including some gay and lesbian pulp fiction novels. For example, I Am a Lesbian was published in 1962. Though relatively tame by today's standards, they were considered pornographic when published, and for a long time she refused to disclose the titles she wrote under these pseudonyms.
Her 1958 story The Planet Savers introduced the planet of Darkover, which became the setting of a popular series by Bradley and other authors. The Darkover milieu may be considered as either fantasy with science fiction overtones or as science fiction with fantasy overtones, as Darkover is a lost earth colony where psi powers developed to an unusual degree. Bradley wrote many Darkover novels by herself, but in her later years collaborated with other authors for publication; her literary collaborators have continued the series since her death.
Bradley took an active role in science-fiction and fantasy fandom, promoting interaction with professional authors and publishers and making several important contributions to the subculture.
For many years, Bradley actively encouraged Darkover fan fiction and reprinted some of it in commercial Darkover anthologies, continuing to encourage submissions from unpublished authors, but this ended after a dispute with a fan over an unpublished Darkover novel of Bradley's that had similarities to some of the fan's stories. As a result, the novel remained unpublished, and Bradley demanded the cessation of all Darkover fan fiction.
Bradley was also the editor of the long-running Sword and Sorceress anthology series, which encouraged submissions of fantasy stories featuring original and non-traditional heroines from young and upcoming authors. Although she particularly encouraged young female authors, she was not averse to including male authors in her anthologies. Mercedes Lackey was just one of many authors who first appeared in the anthologies. She also maintained a large family of writers at her home in Berkeley. Ms Bradley was editing the final Sword and Sorceress manuscript up until the week of her death in September of 1999.
Probably her most famous single novel is The Mists of Avalon. A retelling of the Camelot legend from the point of view of Morgaine and Gwenhwyfar, it grew into a series of books; like the Darkover series, the later novels are written with or by other authors and have continued to appear after Bradley's death.
Her reputation has been posthumously marred by multiple accusations of child sexual abuse by her daughter Moira Greyland, and for allegedly assisting her second husband, convicted child abuser Walter Breen, in sexually abusing multiple unrelated children.
(from Wikipedia)
Bradley's first published novel-length work was Falcons of Narabedla, first published in the May 1957 issue of Other Worlds. When she was a child, Bradley stated that she enjoyed reading adventure fantasy authors such as Henry Kuttner, Edmond Hamilton, and Leigh Brackett, especially when they wrote about "the glint of strange suns on worlds that never were and never would be." Her first novel and much of her subsequent work show their influence strongly.
Early in her career, writing as Morgan Ives, Miriam Gardner, John Dexter, and Lee Chapman, Marion Zimmer Bradley produced several works outside the speculative fiction genre, including some gay and lesbian pulp fiction novels. For example, I Am a Lesbian was published in 1962. Though relatively tame by today's standards, they were considered pornographic when published, and for a long time she refused to disclose the titles she wrote under these pseudonyms.
Her 1958 story The Planet Savers introduced the planet of Darkover, which became the setting of a popular series by Bradley and other authors. The Darkover milieu may be considered as either fantasy with science fiction overtones or as science fiction with fantasy overtones, as Darkover is a lost earth colony where psi powers developed to an unusual degree. Bradley wrote many Darkover novels by herself, but in her later years collaborated with other authors for publication; her literary collaborators have continued the series since her death.
Bradley took an active role in science-fiction and fantasy fandom, promoting interaction with professional authors and publishers and making several important contributions to the subculture.
For many years, Bradley actively encouraged Darkover fan fiction and reprinted some of it in commercial Darkover anthologies, continuing to encourage submissions from unpublished authors, but this ended after a dispute with a fan over an unpublished Darkover novel of Bradley's that had similarities to some of the fan's stories. As a result, the novel remained unpublished, and Bradley demanded the cessation of all Darkover fan fiction.
Bradley was also the editor of the long-running Sword and Sorceress anthology series, which encouraged submissions of fantasy stories featuring original and non-traditional heroines from young and upcoming authors. Although she particularly encouraged young female authors, she was not averse to including male authors in her anthologies. Mercedes Lackey was just one of many authors who first appeared in the anthologies. She also maintained a large family of writers at her home in Berkeley. Ms Bradley was editing the final Sword and Sorceress manuscript up until the week of her death in September of 1999.
Probably her most famous single novel is The Mists of Avalon. A retelling of the Camelot legend from the point of view of Morgaine and Gwenhwyfar, it grew into a series of books; like the Darkover series, the later novels are written with or by other authors and have continued to appear after Bradley's death.
Her reputation has been posthumously marred by multiple accusations of child sexual abuse by her daughter Moira Greyland, and for allegedly assisting her second husband, convicted child abuser Walter Breen, in sexually abusing multiple unrelated children.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
December 10, 2009
This is the second worst Darkover novel. It's not flat out bad the way 'Forbidden Tower' was--it's half of a good novel and half poor plotting and too many loose ends.
Worth reading because it sets the stage for the "Against the Terrans" cycle, the last three novels of Bradley's life which are including Exhile's Song, which is in my opinion, as good as any as she wrote and perhaps her best. This novel introduces us to some interesting women characters, a culture in conflict (Darkover and the Terrans), and several potential interesting story lines.
But, in contrast to most Darkover novels, the story lags because exposoiton of background pushes story telling to the back, the action scenes (something Bradley was a master of) are klunky and uninteresting, and there are several major plot strands that are either left unresolved or are just solved with a line or two that seems totally random.
This book is a collaboration with Mercedes Lackey, who is a well-respected SF/Fanstasy writer in her own right. I have never read any of her stuff, but I have several friends whose opinion I respect who swear by her. So I guess it's not fair to blame the collaboratr, Lackey, for the flaws and to credit Bradley with the good parts.
But this novel makes mistakes that a writer at the height of her powers and on the verge of writing novels that cross the line into greatness don't normally make. I don't think I'm being overly hard here; I did read the book quickly but, when I was done, I was kind of like, "Um, well THAT was sloppy."
A book that, if it wasn't by Marion Zimmer Bradley, might be a decent novel. But, by the high standards she set for herself, one that wasn't very good.
Worth reading because it sets the stage for the "Against the Terrans" cycle, the last three novels of Bradley's life which are including Exhile's Song, which is in my opinion, as good as any as she wrote and perhaps her best. This novel introduces us to some interesting women characters, a culture in conflict (Darkover and the Terrans), and several potential interesting story lines.
But, in contrast to most Darkover novels, the story lags because exposoiton of background pushes story telling to the back, the action scenes (something Bradley was a master of) are klunky and uninteresting, and there are several major plot strands that are either left unresolved or are just solved with a line or two that seems totally random.
This book is a collaboration with Mercedes Lackey, who is a well-respected SF/Fanstasy writer in her own right. I have never read any of her stuff, but I have several friends whose opinion I respect who swear by her. So I guess it's not fair to blame the collaboratr, Lackey, for the flaws and to credit Bradley with the good parts.
But this novel makes mistakes that a writer at the height of her powers and on the verge of writing novels that cross the line into greatness don't normally make. I don't think I'm being overly hard here; I did read the book quickly but, when I was done, I was kind of like, "Um, well THAT was sloppy."
A book that, if it wasn't by Marion Zimmer Bradley, might be a decent novel. But, by the high standards she set for herself, one that wasn't very good.
December 21, 2022
At last, Terrans have landed on Darkover, in effect rediscovering the planet populated initially by one of Earth's Lost Ships. It was written in conjunction with Mercedes Lackey. The book focuses on the Terrans with some interactions with some young Hastur Comyn. The plot of a technological society meeting with a more primitive (by design) society is interesting. Darkover doesn't have the resources, especially metals, that the Terrans want, and they don't understand the psi powers that Darkoverans use. In some ways, this is a retelling of white men taking over from the native Americans or other stories of that type, imposing their values on the natives while destroying their society. Even though these are fellow humans (Darkover was populated initially by Northern Europeans, mainly from Scotland), the Terrans are skeptical of the worth of Darkover's people. It's a thought-provoking view.
The actual plot line that revolves around the three young Terrans and the two Hastur twins is much weaker and very slow to evolve. That storyline seems to end abruptly without many resolutions except to point out that the weapons the Terrans brought will create terrible problems for Darkover.
The actual plot line that revolves around the three young Terrans and the two Hastur twins is much weaker and very slow to evolve. That storyline seems to end abruptly without many resolutions except to point out that the weapons the Terrans brought will create terrible problems for Darkover.
November 27, 2016
I had vague memories about this book. Probably I didn't like so much the first time I read it. I have to admit it's a bit boring. Few things happen and it's incredible because, you know, we are talking about Darkover and Earth people meeting again after so much time! But, Lorrill Hastur makes a bad decision and fate decides that the first contact with Earth is Alderan's home, so thing are on ralenty.
I liked that we meet three important women of Darkover: Leonie Hastur, one of the most powerful leroni in the history of Darkover, Rohana Ardais and her cousin Melora, both of them linked with a terrible fate we will know in the next books.
The good thing about this reading again it's that I can put a lot of thing in place because I already know what will happen!
I liked that we meet three important women of Darkover: Leonie Hastur, one of the most powerful leroni in the history of Darkover, Rohana Ardais and her cousin Melora, both of them linked with a terrible fate we will know in the next books.
The good thing about this reading again it's that I can put a lot of thing in place because I already know what will happen!
January 17, 2019
Questo capitolo della lunga saga di Darkover è stato quello che mi ha deluso di più. Il libro è scritto con Mercedes Lackey e credo che l'apporto di un secondo paio di mani abbia inciso negativamente nella stesura del romanzo. Non è che voglio dare tutte le colpe a Lackey però ho notato proprio delle differenze fra alcune parti del testo e altre. La storia ha grandi potenzialità: è l'incontro tra un gruppo di esploratori spaziali e un pianeta popolato dai discendenti di una Nave Perduta; naufragata sul pianeta duemila anni prima, la colonia ha perso completamente i contatti con il resto dell'umanità dimenticando col tempo le sue origini. Il racconto vede alternativamente i due punti di vista, degli spaziali e dei nativi, ed è in questa dualità che ho trovato una profonda spaccatura. La parte darkoviana è quella che mi è piaciuta molto, in cui la mano di Zimmer Bradley dipinge con poche pennellate dei personaggi complessi e incredibilmente interessanti. Ma la parte più corposa del testo è incentrata sui nuovi arrivati e qui incontriamo personaggi piatti, monocordi, privi di un qualunque approfondimento psicologico. Questa parte del testo è piena di divagazioni inutili sul poco credibile impero terrestre a cui appartiene la nave mentre vede un'assenza quasi totale della storia personale dei protagonisti, di cui è pressoché impossibile capire le motivazioni delle loro scelte e del loro comportamento. Pur essendo uno degli ultimi testi della saga usciti con la firma di Zimmer Bradley, sembra un testo vetusto degli anni '50 a cui si sarebbero potuti perdonare certi difetti; questi però stonano in un testo del 1993... Anche l'intreccio diventa man mano sempre meno originale. È davvero un peccato aver sprecato una storia così. Nel complesso l'ho trovato un libro annacquato, con capitoli molto belli alternati ad altri assolutamente dimenticabili.
March 2, 2022
questo libro è fortemente offensivo!
una merdosa novella di 20 pagine ripetuta e rimestata per 300. Che per motivi editoriali un autore debba allungare il brodo posso capirlo ma qui si esagera al punto di offendere l intelligenza dei lettori
una merdosa novella di 20 pagine ripetuta e rimestata per 300. Che per motivi editoriali un autore debba allungare il brodo posso capirlo ma qui si esagera al punto di offendere l intelligenza dei lettori
March 11, 2018
Interessante che lo abbia scritto 20 anni dopo i primi. Lei, MZB, dice di non avere inventato Darkover ma di averlo scoperto.
June 24, 2015
That's it?
I first read Rediscovery years ago, and all I remembered before I reread it this time was that the Terrans set a whole forest on fire and...no, that was it. I didn't remember any of the characters or anything else that happens, and now that I've reread it, it turns out that's because nothing that was actually memorable happened.
It starts out promising enough, with the Terrans dropping out of FTL near the Cottman system, setting up a base on one of the moons, and doing weather surveys of the planet to check for intelligent life. Meanwhile, Leonie Hastur, one of most laran-gifted children of her generation, starts having premonitions of danger coming from the moons, which is obviously ludicrous, but she does have strong laran...
Then the story gets bogged down in construction reports, inconsistent characterization, wheel-spinning, and eventually stops without a real ending. Sometimes the Terrans react appropriately to the idea that there are aliens on Darkover that are cross-fertile with humans, sometimes they just take it totally in stride even though it's like a human having children with a thermophilic bacterium. The Prime Directive is really important, but when they break it by crashing on the planet they just throw the rest of it out. The cause of Ysaye's pregnancy isn't even investigated by the Terrans. Leonie Hastur is able to break her Keeper training isolation repeatedly even though she's a novice telepath in Arilinn Tower, which has the strongest matrix technicians on Darkover and a special matrix screen to keep out outside thoughts.
In Sharra's Exile, Regis wonders about what exactly the Hastur Gift is and whether he has it. In Rediscovery, Leonie knows she has the Hastur Gift and the phrase "living matrix" is used repeatedly, so apparently they totally lost knowledge of it in the last century? Kadarin and Kermiac are both characters here, and while Kadarin is three-quarters chieri and a long lifespan is believable, that would make Kermiac something like 140 years old in The Heritage of Hastur.
I did learn the answers to a question I had after reading Sharra's Exile. The Comyn get their Imperial money from rents paid by the Empire to the Comyn Council for the privilege of operating a spaceport, and apparently it's a large sum if it lets Comyn lordlings live like kings on pleasure planets for years at a time.
The ending is Stephensonian in its suddenness. After the Terrans roar in and set an entire wood on fire, it skips over the aftermath, skips over any investigation into Ysaye's death and how the skeptics among the Terrans would react to "cause of death: a psychic involuntarily spontaneously combusted her," and just has Lorill Hastur telling the Council, "Yep, the Terrans are dangerous." No meeting of the Captain with the Comyn? No dealing with the aftermath of the Terrans breaking the Compact and demonstrating that they routinely use distance weapons? Nothing? Oh. Okay then.
I'm putting this here because it's not a complaint so much as a weird stylistic anachronism, but the starships and spacemen element of the Terran Empire comes out pretty strongly, with it being mentioned that women were prohibited from joining Spaceforce within the captain's memory. I know that social progress isn't a straight line, but that seems bizarrely quaint. It's also a missed opportunity, because there's nothing interesting done with Darkovan attitudes toward women vs. Terran attitudes because the only comparison drawn is that Terran women sometimes wear pants and Darkovans aren't used to having women in positions of authority. As clumsy as issues of gender are in the Darkover books, at least they're usually mentioned. Here, there's "they wear pants!" from the Darkovans and "Oh, how provincial" from the Terrans and that's the extent of it.
"Missed opportunity" sums up all of Rediscovery, really. This could have been a great explanation of how the Darkovan/Terran relationship ended up the way that it did, but it's mostly just a mass of contradictions and ends with a whimper. Unless you're a huge fan of the Darkover books, there's no reason to read this one.
I first read Rediscovery years ago, and all I remembered before I reread it this time was that the Terrans set a whole forest on fire and...no, that was it. I didn't remember any of the characters or anything else that happens, and now that I've reread it, it turns out that's because nothing that was actually memorable happened.
It starts out promising enough, with the Terrans dropping out of FTL near the Cottman system, setting up a base on one of the moons, and doing weather surveys of the planet to check for intelligent life. Meanwhile, Leonie Hastur, one of most laran-gifted children of her generation, starts having premonitions of danger coming from the moons, which is obviously ludicrous, but she does have strong laran...
Then the story gets bogged down in construction reports, inconsistent characterization, wheel-spinning, and eventually stops without a real ending. Sometimes the Terrans react appropriately to the idea that there are aliens on Darkover that are cross-fertile with humans, sometimes they just take it totally in stride even though it's like a human having children with a thermophilic bacterium. The Prime Directive is really important, but when they break it by crashing on the planet they just throw the rest of it out. The cause of Ysaye's pregnancy isn't even investigated by the Terrans. Leonie Hastur is able to break her Keeper training isolation repeatedly even though she's a novice telepath in Arilinn Tower, which has the strongest matrix technicians on Darkover and a special matrix screen to keep out outside thoughts.
In Sharra's Exile, Regis wonders about what exactly the Hastur Gift is and whether he has it. In Rediscovery, Leonie knows she has the Hastur Gift and the phrase "living matrix" is used repeatedly, so apparently they totally lost knowledge of it in the last century? Kadarin and Kermiac are both characters here, and while Kadarin is three-quarters chieri and a long lifespan is believable, that would make Kermiac something like 140 years old in The Heritage of Hastur.
I did learn the answers to a question I had after reading Sharra's Exile. The Comyn get their Imperial money from rents paid by the Empire to the Comyn Council for the privilege of operating a spaceport, and apparently it's a large sum if it lets Comyn lordlings live like kings on pleasure planets for years at a time.
The ending is Stephensonian in its suddenness. After the Terrans roar in and set an entire wood on fire, it skips over the aftermath, skips over any investigation into Ysaye's death and how the skeptics among the Terrans would react to "cause of death: a psychic involuntarily spontaneously combusted her," and just has Lorill Hastur telling the Council, "Yep, the Terrans are dangerous." No meeting of the Captain with the Comyn? No dealing with the aftermath of the Terrans breaking the Compact and demonstrating that they routinely use distance weapons? Nothing? Oh. Okay then.
I'm putting this here because it's not a complaint so much as a weird stylistic anachronism, but the starships and spacemen element of the Terran Empire comes out pretty strongly, with it being mentioned that women were prohibited from joining Spaceforce within the captain's memory. I know that social progress isn't a straight line, but that seems bizarrely quaint. It's also a missed opportunity, because there's nothing interesting done with Darkovan attitudes toward women vs. Terran attitudes because the only comparison drawn is that Terran women sometimes wear pants and Darkovans aren't used to having women in positions of authority. As clumsy as issues of gender are in the Darkover books, at least they're usually mentioned. Here, there's "they wear pants!" from the Darkovans and "Oh, how provincial" from the Terrans and that's the extent of it.
"Missed opportunity" sums up all of Rediscovery, really. This could have been a great explanation of how the Darkovan/Terran relationship ended up the way that it did, but it's mostly just a mass of contradictions and ends with a whimper. Unless you're a huge fan of the Darkover books, there's no reason to read this one.
January 7, 2014
When "Rediscovery" came out, I was delighted. At last, I thought, we can see what happened when the Terrans first came to Darkover! How exciting!
Then I read the book.
This book doesn't quite contradict everything written before, but that's not for lack of trying. A few inconsistencies are the ages of the characters, the timing of events and the events themselves. For example:
* Kermiac Aldaran was described in "The Heritage of Hastur" as being in his mid-fifties. Unless he had a father or grandfather with the same name, he'd be over 100. Kadarin and Thyra, villains from Heritage, may be part chieri and ageless, but Kermiac is not. Same goes for Felicia Darriel.
* In "The Forbidden Tower," Leonie Hastur remarks to Damon Ridenow that she has seen Terran ships in Thendara and knows that her brother, Lorill, has had dealings with the Terrans, she seems horrified at the idea of giving her student, Callista Lanart, to an alien and finds it hard to believe that he has laran (psi abilities). This is directly contradicted in "Rediscovery," where Leonie not only has direct mental contact with someone on the ship (Ysaye), but knows that she became pregnant with her brother's child!
There are a number of inconsistencies, indeed, too many to name, but they are jarring; especially to someone who has read the other books.
Yes, yes, I know: Ms. Bradley did not consider the books to be a "series," save for books considered to be direct sequels (ie, "The a Spell Sword" and "The Forbidden Tower"). She was often impatient with readers who complained of the inconsistencies between other books. Still, the inconsistencies of this book as compared to the others was jarring enough to impair my enjoyment of the story.
Speaking of "story," this book suffers from another flaw that seemed to be frequent with Ms. Bradley. It often seemed to me that she would get to a certain place in the story, get tired (or bored) with writing it, and decide to rush to the end, even though there seemed to be more of the various plot points to cover. I am often left wondering what happened with so-and-so or what happened with a particular thread of the story.
Many of the main characters do not seem to be fully fleshed out. The characters who appear in the other books seem to "walk-ons" or cameos and little else. A shame, because their stories are closely connected to the Hastur twins? Why do the Lornes decide to stay on Darkover?
However, please do not get the impression that I dislike Ms. Bradley's writing. I think that she was an excellent writer with many, many stories that were left untold when she passed away. Indeed, it is because she was so good that I find any technical flaws to be so disconcerting. I know she was capable of so much more.
So, in a nutshell, "Rediscovery" more or less readable, but if you are looking for something consistent with the other Darkover books, this isn't it.
Then I read the book.
This book doesn't quite contradict everything written before, but that's not for lack of trying. A few inconsistencies are the ages of the characters, the timing of events and the events themselves. For example:
* Kermiac Aldaran was described in "The Heritage of Hastur" as being in his mid-fifties. Unless he had a father or grandfather with the same name, he'd be over 100. Kadarin and Thyra, villains from Heritage, may be part chieri and ageless, but Kermiac is not. Same goes for Felicia Darriel.
* In "The Forbidden Tower," Leonie Hastur remarks to Damon Ridenow that she has seen Terran ships in Thendara and knows that her brother, Lorill, has had dealings with the Terrans, she seems horrified at the idea of giving her student, Callista Lanart, to an alien and finds it hard to believe that he has laran (psi abilities). This is directly contradicted in "Rediscovery," where Leonie not only has direct mental contact with someone on the ship (Ysaye), but knows that she became pregnant with her brother's child!
There are a number of inconsistencies, indeed, too many to name, but they are jarring; especially to someone who has read the other books.
Yes, yes, I know: Ms. Bradley did not consider the books to be a "series," save for books considered to be direct sequels (ie, "The a Spell Sword" and "The Forbidden Tower"). She was often impatient with readers who complained of the inconsistencies between other books. Still, the inconsistencies of this book as compared to the others was jarring enough to impair my enjoyment of the story.
Speaking of "story," this book suffers from another flaw that seemed to be frequent with Ms. Bradley. It often seemed to me that she would get to a certain place in the story, get tired (or bored) with writing it, and decide to rush to the end, even though there seemed to be more of the various plot points to cover. I am often left wondering what happened with so-and-so or what happened with a particular thread of the story.
Many of the main characters do not seem to be fully fleshed out. The characters who appear in the other books seem to "walk-ons" or cameos and little else. A shame, because their stories are closely connected to the Hastur twins? Why do the Lornes decide to stay on Darkover?
However, please do not get the impression that I dislike Ms. Bradley's writing. I think that she was an excellent writer with many, many stories that were left untold when she passed away. Indeed, it is because she was so good that I find any technical flaws to be so disconcerting. I know she was capable of so much more.
So, in a nutshell, "Rediscovery" more or less readable, but if you are looking for something consistent with the other Darkover books, this isn't it.
August 13, 2014
Over 30 years ago, bestselling author Bradley first wrote about Darkover--a frigid world where would-be colonists crashlanded centuries ago. Now, with almost 20 Darkover novels in print, Bradley has combined forces with bestselling author Lackey to write of the rediscovery of Darkover by a ship from the mother planet, Earth. Darkover fans will be thrilled with this return to their favorite fantasy world
Bradley's Darkover is such a wonder-filled world that is so rich in culture and history. This book reveals what happens when the old Terran (Earth) culture clashes with the established Darkovian. This is definitely one for the fans.
Bradley's Darkover is such a wonder-filled world that is so rich in culture and history. This book reveals what happens when the old Terran (Earth) culture clashes with the established Darkovian. This is definitely one for the fans.
March 22, 2015
Oh dear. This was terrible. There many, many logical problems (a blind woman responds to a girl's distress because she _looks_ unhappy?), the continuity was wrongtown, and the writing was generally clunky. It's as though this book was written just to fill in some gaps in the Darkover chronology. I'd not bother with this - it's dismal.
December 1, 2024
This story really put in perspective what happens when two societies, although the same species but lightyears apart in technology, come together in the same space. Here the Terrans, who are part of the Empire and traveling in space to find new places meet up with one of the lost ships that many years ago were lost trying to colonize a new planet. On Darkover, the people of that lost ship developed a world that to us looks very medieval in nature. But they have developed a special psi power of the mind that has taken the place of what we see as technology. Nothing good can come of these two cultures meeting. But they have and what will continue to happen will be interesting.
A shuttle from the spaceship carrying a crew with at least 3 people, Elizabeth Mackintosh, David Lorne, Ysaye Barnett, who tested high in mental telepathy end up crashing in the middle of a major snowstorm near the kingdom of Aldaran. Along with a few other crew members like Ryan Evans, a biologist, Aurora Lakshman, a doctor, and Ralph MacAren the pilot. They end up being saved from the ice and snow by the Aldarans. This kingdom in the Hellers that is ruled by Kermiac and his wife, Margali. Kermiac being a telepath is able to talk with Elizabeth because languages have changed a lot between the two societies.
A relationship is formed between Kermiac and the Terrans. Meanwhile the Hastur twins, Leonie and Lorill, who are very strongly connected to each other end up playing a big part in what happens to all. Leonie has touched Ysaye’s mind and convinced her brother, Lorill, to go to Aldaren and find out exactly who these people are and what to make of them. That is when the story gets very interesting with a lot of intrigue. Also, the interactions between the characters are fun to watch and see where things go and what happens to everyone.
In the end, a spaceport is allowed to be built in the Hellers by leave of Kermiac of Aldaran. It is up to the Hasturs if there is any further contact with the Terrans those who live the in lowlands called the Domain or are they restricted to the Hellers. No more can be said without spoilers.
Mercedes Lackey is the co-writer, and I love her stories and can see her influence in the writing and telling of the story.
A shuttle from the spaceship carrying a crew with at least 3 people, Elizabeth Mackintosh, David Lorne, Ysaye Barnett, who tested high in mental telepathy end up crashing in the middle of a major snowstorm near the kingdom of Aldaran. Along with a few other crew members like Ryan Evans, a biologist, Aurora Lakshman, a doctor, and Ralph MacAren the pilot. They end up being saved from the ice and snow by the Aldarans. This kingdom in the Hellers that is ruled by Kermiac and his wife, Margali. Kermiac being a telepath is able to talk with Elizabeth because languages have changed a lot between the two societies.
A relationship is formed between Kermiac and the Terrans. Meanwhile the Hastur twins, Leonie and Lorill, who are very strongly connected to each other end up playing a big part in what happens to all. Leonie has touched Ysaye’s mind and convinced her brother, Lorill, to go to Aldaren and find out exactly who these people are and what to make of them. That is when the story gets very interesting with a lot of intrigue. Also, the interactions between the characters are fun to watch and see where things go and what happens to everyone.
In the end, a spaceport is allowed to be built in the Hellers by leave of Kermiac of Aldaran. It is up to the Hasturs if there is any further contact with the Terrans those who live the in lowlands called the Domain or are they restricted to the Hellers. No more can be said without spoilers.
Mercedes Lackey is the co-writer, and I love her stories and can see her influence in the writing and telling of the story.
December 3, 2024
Overall, it's an OK addition to the series, designed specifically to explain why the Darkovans are so wary of the Terrans. It just doesn't really come together as a story. Then there's one of the most abysmal plot lines I've ever read, which sounded like it was written by a clueless misogynist from the 50s:
SPOILERS and TRIGGER warnings:
One of the Terran woman is drugged and becomes pregnant in an incident she doesn't clearly remember. She has an allergic reaction to the drugs, is put in an induced coma, and it's determined she's also allergic to the pregnancy. The medical staff refuse to wake her up, or allow any contact from friends. They perform an abortion and a hysterectomy, because the pregnancy was unauthorised and it would be too dangerous to get pregnant again. The captain blames the pregnancy on her religious aversion to birth control. Nobody asks her opinion, or what happened, even when she recovers. It's well known that she never had any relationships with men, let alone casual sex. And it's just left at that. Not even her friends bother finding out what happened. I kept expecting some follow up, but no, nothing.
SPOILERS and TRIGGER warnings:
One of the Terran woman is drugged and becomes pregnant in an incident she doesn't clearly remember. She has an allergic reaction to the drugs, is put in an induced coma, and it's determined she's also allergic to the pregnancy. The medical staff refuse to wake her up, or allow any contact from friends. They perform an abortion and a hysterectomy, because the pregnancy was unauthorised and it would be too dangerous to get pregnant again. The captain blames the pregnancy on her religious aversion to birth control. Nobody asks her opinion, or what happened, even when she recovers. It's well known that she never had any relationships with men, let alone casual sex. And it's just left at that. Not even her friends bother finding out what happened. I kept expecting some follow up, but no, nothing.
November 20, 2025
Marion Zimmer Bradley, and her literary work, must be viewed through two, often competing, lenses.
First, she was writing stories with strong, relatable female protagonists battling male oppression at a time when very few other authors were prepared to do so. Many modern readers cannot conceive of a time when women were not allowed to have a credit card in their own name, which was but one of the policies Bradley was dealing with in her time. She was a feminist long before it became fashionable. She was one of a very few voices that spoke powerfully to young women about their own worth. Much of her writing, read today, can be seen as trite, obvious, or overbearing, but it must be remembered that it was none of those things at the time it was written. This was a woman who co-founded, and named, the Society for Creative Anachronism, who championed pagan rights when the mainstream saw them as satanic, and who encouraged and published unknown female authors like Mercedes Lackey. Viewed through this lens, Bradley was a progressive woman to be lauded, as she was, posthumously, when she received the World Fantasy Award for lifetime achievement in 2000.
Second, and hideously, Bradley was a pedophile, who molested her own children. She also procured and groomed children for her husband, Walter Breen, to assault. She admitted to knowing what he was doing to these children, but refused to stop helping him, much less report him or interfere with his desires. Her own daughter was her accuser, so we can be assured this is not a "he said, she said" situation. Viewed through this lens, then, her life and work become irredeemably tainted.
We are, perhaps, used to evaluating art for art's sake, commenting on Ender's Game, or Harry Potter, as though their authors' views, hateful as they are, should not condemn the output of their minds and hands. Perhaps we are right to do so; after all, these views are only beliefs and words, no matter how widespread a bully pulpit their famous speakers are able to command. However, when beliefs and words turn into actions, we must draw the line. Since 2014, when definitive proof finally came to light, I have found myself unable to recommend anything written by Marion Zimmer Bradley. I remain so appalled by her actions that I can never give more than one star to anything she has written, no matter how groundbreaking, how heartfelt, how astounding it may be. I urge everyone reading this to join me in boycotting her work forever.
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* (extremely rare) There is something very wrong with this book &/or this author; never again.
** (seldom) Has flaws, or I just couldn’t get into it; no thanks.
*** (usual) Not great, not bad; no need to return to it.
**** (often) Better than average; I’d read it again.
***** (rare) A superb example of the genre, &/or an incredible piece of art; I re-read it often.
First, she was writing stories with strong, relatable female protagonists battling male oppression at a time when very few other authors were prepared to do so. Many modern readers cannot conceive of a time when women were not allowed to have a credit card in their own name, which was but one of the policies Bradley was dealing with in her time. She was a feminist long before it became fashionable. She was one of a very few voices that spoke powerfully to young women about their own worth. Much of her writing, read today, can be seen as trite, obvious, or overbearing, but it must be remembered that it was none of those things at the time it was written. This was a woman who co-founded, and named, the Society for Creative Anachronism, who championed pagan rights when the mainstream saw them as satanic, and who encouraged and published unknown female authors like Mercedes Lackey. Viewed through this lens, Bradley was a progressive woman to be lauded, as she was, posthumously, when she received the World Fantasy Award for lifetime achievement in 2000.
Second, and hideously, Bradley was a pedophile, who molested her own children. She also procured and groomed children for her husband, Walter Breen, to assault. She admitted to knowing what he was doing to these children, but refused to stop helping him, much less report him or interfere with his desires. Her own daughter was her accuser, so we can be assured this is not a "he said, she said" situation. Viewed through this lens, then, her life and work become irredeemably tainted.
We are, perhaps, used to evaluating art for art's sake, commenting on Ender's Game, or Harry Potter, as though their authors' views, hateful as they are, should not condemn the output of their minds and hands. Perhaps we are right to do so; after all, these views are only beliefs and words, no matter how widespread a bully pulpit their famous speakers are able to command. However, when beliefs and words turn into actions, we must draw the line. Since 2014, when definitive proof finally came to light, I have found myself unable to recommend anything written by Marion Zimmer Bradley. I remain so appalled by her actions that I can never give more than one star to anything she has written, no matter how groundbreaking, how heartfelt, how astounding it may be. I urge everyone reading this to join me in boycotting her work forever.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* (extremely rare) There is something very wrong with this book &/or this author; never again.
** (seldom) Has flaws, or I just couldn’t get into it; no thanks.
*** (usual) Not great, not bad; no need to return to it.
**** (often) Better than average; I’d read it again.
***** (rare) A superb example of the genre, &/or an incredible piece of art; I re-read it often.
September 14, 2018
I am a big fan of MZB and thought I had read all the Darkover novels, but somehow I missed this one, an MZB/Mercedes Lackey collaboration. This slim book was a bit of a disappointment, clearly meant to be a prequel to "The Shattered Chain" sequence. The characters (many of whom will re-appear or are familiar) seem very one-dimensional and the plot limps, to put it nicely. I thought that several elements, such as the wedding, got a big build-up and then disappeared, and I wondered at the need for some elements, such as the abortion which was rather clumsily handled. I suppose this book is a "must read" for the compulsive MZB fan, but I wasn't impressed.
March 24, 2017
I am going to splash back into Darkover ... I feel it coming on. It's been ages since I read this book and I think the first time I read it I was underwhelmed. This time my rating is quite different!
Rediscovery is an amazing story, relating the rediscovery of the planet by a team of Earth scientists (spacefarers). They find that the planet is already populated by the folks of one of the lost ships of Earth. This story relates the actions and reactions of all involved as each group encounters a 'tribe' of people quite unlike what they are.
Rediscovery is an amazing story, relating the rediscovery of the planet by a team of Earth scientists (spacefarers). They find that the planet is already populated by the folks of one of the lost ships of Earth. This story relates the actions and reactions of all involved as each group encounters a 'tribe' of people quite unlike what they are.
December 31, 2017
The dread Leonie Hastur at the start of her career. Leonie senses the arrival of the Terrans, and touches off the revolution of Darkover's culture by saving the lives of their landing crew with her telepathy.
REDISCOVERY is one of my less favorite Darkover novels. I've been listening to the ones that are available in audio, and this is the only Darkover audio book I found and didn't buy. Now that I've read it I remember the shades of tragedy. I do wish there were more Darkover novels on audio, because the people and culture are deeply affecting.
Read 4 times
REDISCOVERY is one of my less favorite Darkover novels. I've been listening to the ones that are available in audio, and this is the only Darkover audio book I found and didn't buy. Now that I've read it I remember the shades of tragedy. I do wish there were more Darkover novels on audio, because the people and culture are deeply affecting.
Read 4 times
October 5, 2019
Ben je voulais relire les Ténébreuse, puis en allant voir sur la page Wiki de Marion Zimmer Bradley j'ai découvert que son mari et elle étaient pédophiles et qu'elle approuvait, donc ça me fait un peu bizarre maintenant. Je crois que je ne vais pas continuer plus loin, mais le bouquin en lui-même fait partie des quelques tomes SF de la saga fantasy de Ténébreuse, et c'était plutôt sympa même si ça donne une autre dimension en connaissant le point de vue de l'autrice... Enfin bref. Voilà quoi '-'.
April 13, 2020
Although this collaboration suffers due to a rather jerky plot, and a Keeper-in-training who gets away with far too much that should be prohibited (and functions as a deus ex machina in doing so), its overall importance to the Darkover series, and more interesting laran tricks, keep its rating up. In detailing the events surrounding the rediscovery of the Lost Colony of Darkover by the Terran Empire, and the personalities driving those events, this book firmly anchors the reader in the Darkover canon. Recommended, for Darkover fans only. Newcomers should start elsewhere in the series.
February 17, 2024
As a prequel (because I've read so many others in this series that take chronological place after this), it's a very helpful story. Puts into place the background for some VERY main characters and describes more of the Hellers and why Aldaran is continues to be separate from others on Darkover.
"There is whiskey over there too (...) Trust the descendants of Scots, if they really are, to make whisky wherever in the Galaxy they find themselves."
BUT, sentences like this made me think this was one of the initial novels from the '70s, not 1993: "The black woman [this is near the mid/end of the book. We KNOW her name!] looked up at his footstep, and smiled."
"There is whiskey over there too (...) Trust the descendants of Scots, if they really are, to make whisky wherever in the Galaxy they find themselves."
BUT, sentences like this made me think this was one of the initial novels from the '70s, not 1993: "The black woman [this is near the mid/end of the book. We KNOW her name!] looked up at his footstep, and smiled."
August 16, 2024
while a bit heavy handed compared to the subtle scope of LeGuin, and while certainly aspects of this writing and thinking are ... out of fashion, let's say, it's quite lovely to dive back into the world of Darkover and I'm impressed and grateful that I grew up reading such strikingly feminist and overall rather queer/queer friendly writing. not free of things to critique but complicated, interesting plotting and certainly some liberated ideas as well.
September 7, 2021
Questo libro pareva interessante e soprattutto spiegava come i terrestri fossero giunti sul Pianeta rosso... tuttavia il finale mi ha molto amareggiata... il mio personaggio preferito ha fatto una brutta fine, purtroppo. La trama era comunque abbastanza interessante, anche se alcuni personaggi erano troppo stereotipati, peccato.
December 24, 2021
Interesting read, even if you aren’t a Darkover fan.
I found many parallels to current times in the US and maybe even all so called developed countries as the people on both sides of this rediscovery confront truths before them. Tech vs human...
Old book, but worth the read if you find comfort in dystopian lit.
I found many parallels to current times in the US and maybe even all so called developed countries as the people on both sides of this rediscovery confront truths before them. Tech vs human...
Old book, but worth the read if you find comfort in dystopian lit.
October 21, 2019
One of the better Darkover novels that filled in some pieces and offered some characters I liked.
March 30, 2020
Decent book, but awfully grand guignol ending.
July 11, 2020
The prequel to the Darkover series written after most of them were done. Marion Zimmer Bradley never was conventional and that is what makes her writing so rich.
July 31, 2020
Solid story. Fills in a lot of gaps.
December 17, 2020
I really have enjoyed all of the Darkover books, this is no exception, the rediscovery of Darkover thousands of years later by a forgotten Terran civilization.
December 18, 2020
I love this point in the saga. Ysaye is such an intriguing character, and the tensions of Terra and Darkover come to the fore. Cultural superiority by right of technology well explored.
May 16, 2022
A new Era begins.
This would be an excellent introduction to the Darkover series. You get a taste of the planet and fall for the characters. Life is harsh and beautiful.
This would be an excellent introduction to the Darkover series. You get a taste of the planet and fall for the characters. Life is harsh and beautiful.
September 3, 2024
Marion Zimmer Bradley is a wonderful writer. She has a great way with words and she knows how to spin an engaging story. Darkover is one of those places where I long to go sometimes, to revisit places and characters that have taken root in my heart.
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