The Keeper's Price

Darkover (Publication Order) #14

by The Friends of Darkover (Editor)

From the back cover:

The lore of the planet of the Bloody Sun, Darkover, with its human and semi-human peoples, its science of emntal powers, its loves and hates, its feuds and favors -- all have grown into one of the greater classics of the imagination, comparable only to the Middle Earth of Tolkien.

For so deep and complex has been the creation of this worlds that readers have sought to fill in the unknown spots of its saga. They, forming the Friends of Darkover, have joined with Marion Zimmer Bradley to create this anthology of new stories of Darkover, written by its most talented followers.

Here are stories that span the whole of Darkover history -- from the days after the original landfall, through the Ages of Chaos, the Pact of the Comyn, and the coming of the Terrans. Included are three original stories by Marion Zimmer Bradley and her editorial commentaries on each story.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, Anthologies, Science Fiction Fantasy, Short Stories, Speculative Fiction

206 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 4, 1980

Reviews

[Valerie]

I'll have to add the table of contents as I go. All the authors in the anthology are listed in the citation, but I don't see the table of contents.

Ok, here goes:

(1) Introduction by the creator of Darkover: this adds little to what Bradley had already said. Evidently when she began editing anthologies, Bradley developed a sort of boilerplate introduction, which she varied only slightly. The introductions to the individual stories are somewhat more individualized, though I don't care for the way Bradley kept praising high-energy types. It's one thing to be amazed at these hyperthyroid types. It's another to regard them as role models.

(2) Vai Dom: I'm not convinced. There's very little evidence of what early Darkovan society was like--but the notion that the Ya-Men (here presented as plastic villains...but see the next story) would stage what amounted to raids for sustenance in hard times, and that no communication or compromise was possible...smacks too much of the 'the only good Indian is a dead Indian' ethos. There were troubles enough on Darkover without introducing desperate and frankly unorganized 'enemies' to explain consolidation. Nor is there any real explanation as to why the original extended family, democratic model became autocratic. Ok, in a crisis, there's no time to vote. So establish crisis managers, and plan ahead for what they will do. Do we let firefighters run our entire lives? Not if we're wise, we don't.

(3) Forest: A sketchy introduction the the shy Ya-Men's ordinary lives. Not more than a glance: but it helps to flesh out the cardboard cutouts.

(4)There Is Always An Alternative: The choice of narrator for this story is very bad. The attempt to get into the thinking of an abusive man is not likely to be successful, because the author is obviously NOT an abusive man (Bradley comments somewhat wryly in her introduction that all of the authors are women)--and does not really have a grasp of the rationalizations of the abusive. The story makes a stab at explaining the origins of the Free Amazons. Of course, it's not really consistent with other versions, but it's an interesting take, which would repay a better choice of narrator.

(5) The Tale of Durraman's Donkey: I have to say that a story that ends in a man's death does not strike me as funny. Bradley and others have an odd concept of humor.

(6) The Fires of Her Vengeance: purports to tell the story of Marelie Hastur, referred to several times in the novels. I couldn't say. I make it a point not to read stories or books with the word 'vengeance' in the title.

(7) Circle of Light: A story of a struggle to get healers accepted in Darkovan society. The argument is that the proscription against providing neonatal care (established as an emergency measure after the ship crashed) has become enshrined in policy. This story also includes the perversion of Spencer's phrase 'survival of the fittest'. This phrase says and implies nothing about 'strength'. The old parable of the willow and the oak (the willow, bending to the wind, survives, but the stronger oak is felled) points out that 'strength' is not always the best survival strategy. In this story, the healing of cardiac septal defects is regarded as anathema: it's done, but the doers are forced to conceal the fact. The apparent rationalization is that people can't become dependent on medical aid. But they ARE. Increasing the death rate because you don't want to pass on 'deleterious' genes ignores, for one thing, the fact that these 'bad' genes are often tied to ones you want and need. In Steel Beach, the Central Computer explains to the narrator why it doesn't simply rewrite a congenital susceptibility to cancer. Essentially, the Central Computer argues that the tendency is tied to other valuable traits--and it can't eliminate one without eliminating the others.

(8) The Alton Gift: The introduction to this story warns of a gruesome ending. I appreciate the warning. I didn't read the story, therefor.

(9)The Answer: Well, AN answer, anyway. This is a story about how leroni (all female in this story) began working in circles. But it leaves a lot out. For example, just destroying a glacier that threatens to fall on a village (what happened to the destroyed bits?) doesn't resolve anything. From other evidence, it's apparent that most of the water on Darkover is tied up in glaciation. This is the source of the abundant snows and rains. But if the glaciers are driven back 'past the Wall around The World', how does that affect the water budget? In Heritage of Hastur, Lew Alton rebukes Thyra for a simple alteration of the flow of a waterfall. Granted, she's behaving recklessly: but who IS reckoning the consequences?

(10) The Rescue: A Free Amazon is hired to escort a woman who makes it clear she doesn't want to be freed from her 'abductor', and finds herself forced to team up with a nonjudgemental male, due (in part) to a concussion. There's some discussion in this story as to where the outlaws get their hideouts.

(11) The Keeper's Price: Covers the sufferings Hilary Castamir underwent trying to become a Keeper, and reveals the backstory of why Callista agreed to remain sexually immature.

(12) The Hawk-Master's Son: A highly speculative account of why Kennard Alton's first marriage didn't work out. I find it a bit
far-fetched. The explanation for Dyan Ardais' youthful snobbery (more nuanced in stories of his later life, though still somewhat doctrinaire--perhaps as a result of maturation)are not really convincing. Granting for the moment that being raised in an abusive household would have caused feelings of unworthiness, which became projected outward into snobbishness, why wasn't the situation remedied earlier? Dyan should have been fostered elsewhere at a very young age--as should all of Kyril Ardais' children, legitimate or nedestro. Kyril was clearly an unfit father, and had to know he was, in his lucid moments.

(13) A Simple Dream: or not that simple, maybe. A mountaineer from remote Darkover dreams of becoming a star rover--and campaigns to reach his goal with the help of Lomie (remember her from Star of Danger? The whore in the spaceport bar? Well, if you don't, you'll have to--she appears in several more stories in these collections).

(14)Paloma Blanca: Like in this one, for example. It's an entertaining story, no mistake. I have to admire an author who'd make a woman Survey Team leader a 'Terran' descended in part from the People (cf Zenna Henderson--she's a Kroginold, if you're keeping tabs). The main problem is that it's completely anachronistic. The protagonist meets up with the Forbidden Tower (about the time of Thendara House, from the looks of it). But Lomie was rebuked in the spaceport bar by Cleindori's grown son--and that was decades after the fire that destroyed the Forbidden Tower. Bradley 'resolved' these problems by arguing alternate universes. Or by arguing that time runs differently on Darkover (or even among the stars in general). Or you could leave it unresolved, I guess. It's a good story, whatever the chrolology problems.

(15) Blood Will Tell: Tell what? This story was essentially fitted whole into Sharra's Exile, where it fits rather poorly. It's the only part of the novel that isn't told from the point of view of Lew Alton or Regis Hastur. It leaves off after the hawking expedition on Vainwal. In the novel, it's been altered a little, but it's essentially unchanged. Bradley had a sort of uneasy snobbishness that she justified by the basic argument that some people are more human than others. Some of the writers of 'apocrypha' accepted this argument, some didn't, others hacked and fitted. It's never had anything to do with 'blood'--but linguistic habits tend to leave their shadows long after the theoretical bases have been abandoned (so that, for example, we still call people 'sanguine' or 'choleric' even after the theory of 'humours' has been replaced by more realistic endocrinology).

(16) Ambassador to Corresanti: From Thendara to the Catmen, that is. This is rather poorly told, and really doesn't resolve the issues of the Catmen's behavior. And why did such an embassy have to await the time after The World Wreckers? Of course, the Cat People never lived in the caves at Corresanti except during the 'reign' of the Great Cat at the time just before the Forbidden Tower--but why let chronological accuracy interfere?

and, finally,

(17) A View from The Reconstruction: And a ludicrous one, at that. There's nothing even remotely likely about this story. It doesn't track in any way. But it's mildly amusing, in a snotty sort of way.

A note on the cover picture (by Don Maitz): if it is intended to illustrate the title story, it's downright silly. Darkovan climate, even in the warmest areas, is not such that a child, even in the epicene prepubescent stage, could go shirtless, even indoors. This is especially the case when the child is doing laran work, which notoriously causes chills in people. A trainee Keeper, especially, would be wearing an enfolding red garment, as a warning to others not to touch her, even casually. As for the bizarre garment of the adult woman...

The Dedication (by a corporate group, the Friends of Darkover, is to Andre Norton (surprised?)

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection is split into four sections, which each have multiple tales, mostly written by fans of the series, telling stories not in the main storyline. Some were even written by the Darkover creator. Therefore, you would think some are lame. In truth, I felt that the ones written by fans were often much more enjoyable than those by Bradley in this same collection.

Also, I would be remiss in not noting that she wrote an introduction for each story with her own reactions, not all of which I agreed with. She noted one she giggled at from the beginning, and it only elicited a half smile from me. Another reminder that tastes differ!

My notes below on the individual stories often reflect my reactions, but also try to be reminders that the worldview created by Bradley also allowed for inconsistencies such as Keepers who kill, bandits who will use arrows, and Renunciates who are untrained.

Section I: The Settlement
1. Vai Dom - a story which gives us the reason for the establishment of leaders among the domains, back in the early days of settlement
2. The Forest - the first interaction with the catmen which wasn't violent battle

Section II: The Ages of Chaos
1. There is Always an Alternative - what is a woman to do when she has no man and no home?
2. The Tale of Durraman's Donkey - gives life to the often-referenced folktale of the donkey and why it means what it does
3. The Fires of Her Vengeance - the vengeance of a Keeper
4. Circle of Light - how the Tower Circles were founded
5. The Alton Gift - a sad tale of destroyed lives due to the interbreeding and forced breeding programs of the ancient Leronis
6. The Answer - the answer to why the sharing of power among psychics builds the powers for all

III. Under the Comyn
1. The Rescue - mildly amusing story of an inept girl rescued by a seasoned male, wherein she refers to herself as an Amazon, not as a Renunciate
2. The Keeper's Price - another tale of the pains built into the reproductive where the psychic powers are based, it deals with bloodlust and the price that is paid, sometimes unknowingly, for the gift of power
3. The Hawk-Master's Son - this one builds a little of the history of the senior Rafe Hasture and a young Dyan Ardais in the Cadets, while both were students
4. A Simple Dream - a tale of a man, no longer so very young, who leaves all to move towards his dream of the stars
5. Paloma Blanca - a short tale which shares that redemption and change is possible for all no matter what the past has been
6. Blood Will Tell - this is offworld, where the Darkover people are on a world built to provide pleasurable pastimes to visitors; it allows us to see less of the stern view and more of the happy side of the people, and builds the first meetings of a couple who are later instrumental in their world's history

IV. After the Fall of the Comyn
1. Ambassador to Corresanti - told from the view of the catpeople, this tale introduces their thought processes, as well as allowing us to see the Hastur Lord in action
4. A View from the Reconstruction -inconsistent with the indoctrinated view of Darkover people, where a weapon that can act beyond the hand of the wearer is blasphemy, I really don't understand how it fits in with "modern" views, since the Terrans are on Darkover, and know that distance weapons are forbidden

[Erik the Red · Rating 1 out of 5]

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.

[Tbfrank · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bradley created a memorable world of lost technology, psychic powers, and alien encounters in a medieval setting. Darkover inspired, with her encouragement, contributions to the saga by fans and fledgling authors, some of whom became well-known for their own writing. This first anthology appeared in 1980, following a dozen of her novels set on Cottman IV. Of the 16 stories in this anthology, Bradley contributed two and collaborated on a third. Her two short tales echo the elements which make the novels powerful reading.

Overall, the stories do justice to the world Bradley created. Familiarity with the settings, character names, and plot lines encourage the reader to look favorably on many of them.

[Mark Smiley · Rating 3 out of 5]

An anthology of stories from the Darkover universe. I have never read any of the books in the series, nor anything by this author. These stories were submitted through contests and selected by a panel of judges.

If you have ever read any of the Thieves Guild books, 5is is reminiscent thereof. Short stories written to show off certain aspects of the world and culture which have not been developed before.

Not sure whether it was an unintentional bias or just that no man had entered the contest, but all stories were written by women.

After having read this book, I find myself intrigued by the world, but not enough to go search out any more titles in the series.

[Amanda Masters · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Darkover universe is part of any well-stocked speculative fiction library, and this story collection fills in some interesting parts of Darkover history. The stories are written by many different authors, so the quality is a bit inconsistent, but it's fun to see some different takes on familiar topics. The editorial notes are somewhat of a distraction from the fictional content.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very clearly in Bradley's early days of editing, as even the first Sword & Sorceress is light years ahead in polish and substance.

[LittleF · Rating 2 out of 5]

Leider eine Anthologie, also Sammlung von kurzen Geschichten. Und nur zweieinhalb von Marion Zimmer Bradley selbst.
Ist mir alles zu kurz.

[Jennifer Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Middle of the road, because three for the ones I don’t like so much and five for the ones I loved. Still continue in my life story with dark over

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked all of the stories.

[Jimmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

VAI DOM:(Vai dom ‘Worthy Lord’)
Marion Zimmer Bradley writes that this short story "comes first in this collection [...] because it is, chronologically, the earliest in recorded Darkovan history, coming only a few generations after Darkover Landfall."
A combination of drunkenness, powerful laran, and fighting the native Darkover bird-like creatures, the Ya-men, causes a blood debt between the childhood friends Darriel di Asturien and Robard Macrae.
THE FOREST:
The Ya-men are an awesome and interesting creature on Darkover. However, this story is more about a very, very brave girl faced with village stories, superstitions, and experiences.
ALTON GIFT:
Wow! Powerful. Too short and has me wanting more. A short story that reignites the desire to revisit the books in the Ages of Chaos.
THE KEEPER’S PRICE:
Tells the heart aching story of Callista Lanart making her decision to be Keeper of Arilinn, and not fully understanding the price she will have to pay to avoid the increasingly deadly crisis that Hilary endures for the sake of the Tower.
THE HAWKMASTER’S SON: (2 of 4 of the Dyan Ardais Short Story Series)
Another great story with Rafael Hastur and Rafe Syrtis, when they were cadets in the Thendara City Guard. However, Dyan Gabriel, the Regent of Ardais, will not stand for a commoner such as Rafe raising his status through a marriage that goes against the Comyn’s authority.
BLOOD WILL TELL:
The second chapter of book one (pages 39 to 57) of ‘Sharra's Exile’ was previously published in a slightly different form as a short story: ‘Blood Will Tell’ in ‘The Keeper's Price’.
This is a sequel to ‘The Heritage of Hastur’. This novel is a complete rewrite of ‘The Sword of Aldones’.
This short story takes place after ‘Destined for the Tower’ in ‘Towers of Darkover’. It’s a fantastic tale, (and one of my favorites), of how the damaged Lewis Alton met up with Dio Ridenow of Serrais on the pleasure planet Vainwal.

[Marcello Tarot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perché proprio “The Keeper’s Price”?
Perché scegliere proprio tale racconto per dare il titolo all’intera antologia? D’accordo, la parola “Keeper” può essere di richiamo per gli affezionati del ciclo, ma allora anche “The Alton Gift” avrebbe funto da richiamo, e il racconto omonimo è la chicca che _da sola_ merita l’acquisto dell’intera antologia. “The Keeper’s Price”, al contrario, è una lagna, è incentrato su un personaggio citato solo di sfuggita in LA TORRE PROIBITA e sul quale poi, in diverse antologie, sono stati scritti più racconti, cosa che francamente non sono mai riuscito a capire: qual è la mistica di Hilary Castamir e delle sue tragedie mestruali? O quella delle infinite lacrime di Callista o delle esagerazioni verginali delle Custodi?
Un personaggio importante, seppur secondario, che a mio parere avrebbe meritato più luce sotto i riflettori è quello di Diotima Ridenow, protagonista di “Blood Will Tell”, della stessa Bradley, un gioiellino che fortunatamente è stato poi inserito successivamente in L’ESILIO DI SHARRA.
Molto ben pensato “Ambassador to Corresanti” che, purtroppo, non ha avuto un seguito (che io sappia, almeno) e che, nelle intenzioni dell’autrice Linda Frankel, ci dà accenni per conoscere meglio gli uomini gatto rispetto alla loro infelice apparizione in LA SPADA INCANTATA.
Il fuoco della passione – non amorosa! – brucia forte in “The Fires of Her Vengeance” di Susan M. Shwartz che si conclude con una travolgente vampata di vendetta!
Nel complesso, è un’antologia che merita nonostante la presenza di altri racconti non propriamente brillanti...

[Lisa (Harmonybites) · Rating 4 out of 5]

No one will mistake this for great literature or great science fiction, so why rate it so high? Well, I was surprised at how well these held up. I haven't reread this for years--maybe decades. Yet I remember all the stories, some just from the title, others just a few paragraphs in, and that's rare for me with a short story anthology after so much time. Three of the 16 short stories are written or co-written by Marion Zimmer Bradley herself. My favorites were Elizabeth Water's "The Alton Gift" (a gut-punch of a story, one of those I remembered just from the title) and the one she co-authored with MZB, "The Keeper's Price," which gave the name to the anthology, two paired stories, Penny Ziegler's "A Simple Dream" and a sequel "Paloma Blanca" by Patricia Matthews and the concluding humor piece, Paula Crunk's "A View from the Reconstruction." Sure, if you don't already know and love Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover stories there really is no reason to read this--that would be a given. But if you do love Darkover, I can't imagine not loving these stories. Fan fiction or not, the stories in this anthology combine the loving eye of the fan and all the skillful hand of the professional writer--which is exactly what many of these authors were or would become.

[Karen-Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short story collection that fills in bits of history and back story. I enjoyed it.

The lore of the planet of the Bloody Sun, Darkover, with its human and semi-human peoples, its science of emntal powers, its loves and hates, its feuds and favors -- all have grown into one of the greater classics of the imagination, comparable only to the Middle Earth of Tolkien.
For so deep and complex has been the creation of this worlds that readers have sought to fill in the unknown spots of its saga. They, forming the Friends of Darkover, have joined with Marion Zimmer Bradley to create this anthology of new stories of Darkover, written by its most talented followers.
Here are stories that span the whole of Darkover history -- from the days after the original landfall, through the Ages of Chaos, the Pact of the Comyn, and the coming of the Terrans. Included are three original stories by Marion Zimmer Bradley and her editorial commentaries on each story.
 
 

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection includes some work by Bradley herself, including a piece that appears in one of her novels. “The Hawk-Master’s Son” gives more detail to some popular characters and there is some about the Forbidden Circle in the title story.
Perhaps the best one is “The Fires of Her Vengeance” by Susan M. Schwartz. Schwartz does a good job of conveying her character’s determination and panic. She also trusts the reader and makes the reader think. “Vai Dom” by Paxson is a good explanation about how the kingdoms in Darkover came to be. C. McQuillin’s “The Forest” is a story that is in many ways a painting.

[Christopher Sutch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering that this volume contains Darkover stories written mainly by amateur (at the time) writers, I was surprised to discover that all of these stories (with one exception) were enjoyable and well-written. The highlights, of course, are the four new stories by Marion Zimmer Bradley, but many of the others are quite good and make positive contributions to the Darkover mythology. The exception is the story co-written by professional author Jaqueline Lichtenberg, which somewhat surprised me. On the whole, however, a very enjoyable collection.

[Samuel Lubell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Early anthology of stories set on Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover. Only a couple had the Free Amazons who later dominated the anthologies so it was a mix of stories of different eras of the planet's history. This is interesting for big fans only, not where new writers should start.

[Deirdre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth reading the rantage for how things haven't changed in decades.

Made me want to root out the Darkover books and re-read. I know Bradley has some problems and blindnesses but overall it's interesting and well worth a read.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't like short stories, but the notes and intros by MZB are very good.

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

All time fav

[dogpossum]

The first of the Darkovan short stories written by Friends of Darkover (and MZB herself), the quality is inconsistent, but the concept is interesting.

[Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides]

This is probably most interesting for the introduction, where MZB muses upon being a woman writing SF/F, and the creator of a setting for which people like to produce fanfiction.

[Serena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just adore Darkover, so all these little glimpses into other people's writing about Darkover was lovely.

[Sheron McCartha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy the series

[Debi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am completely immersed in Darkover right now. MZB is amazing and it is hard to believe that the planet Darkover is not real and its characters merely fictional.

[Norman Howe · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Darkover collection with stories written by others besides MZB. As enthralling as the originals.

[Vader · Rating 3 out of 5]

5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish