Darya of the Bronze Age

Eric Carstairs of Zanthodon #4

by Lin Carter

Under the trackless sands of the Sahara lies Zanthodon. That vast subterranean realm is the final homeland of the one-time masters of the world's surface - great dinosaurs, mighty jungles, and the living bands of primitive peoples from Neanderthals to Ancient Minoans and even Barbary Pirates!

It was into the cruel hands of those feared corsairs that Eric Carstairs' beloved cave-maiden, Darya the Cro-Magnon princess, had fallen. It was his mission to save her, as well as to keep his caveman friends and his professor guide from the innumerable dangers spawned in the unmapped wilds of the Underground World.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction

173 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 1981

About the author

Lin Carter was an American author, editor, and critic best known for his influential role in fantasy literature during the mid-20th century. Born in St. Petersburg, Florida, he developed an early passion for myth, adventure stories, and imaginative fiction, drawing inspiration from authors such as Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft, and J. R. R. Tolkien. After serving in the U.S. Army, Carter attended Columbia University, where he honed his literary skills and deepened his knowledge of classical and medieval literature, myth, and folklore — elements that would become central to his work.
Carter authored numerous novels, short stories, and critical studies, often working within the sword-and-sorcery and high fantasy traditions. His own creations, such as the “Thongor of Lemuria” series, paid homage to pulp-era adventure fiction while adding his distinctive voice and world-building style. His nonfiction book Tolkien: A Look Behind The Lord of the Rings was one of the first major studies of Tolkien’s work and its mythological roots, and it helped establish Carter as a knowledgeable commentator on fantasy literature.
Beyond his own writing, Carter was a central figure in bringing classic and forgotten works of fantasy back into print. As editor of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series from 1969 to 1974, he curated and introduced dozens of volumes, reintroducing readers to authors such as William Morris, Lord Dunsany, E. R. Eddison, and James Branch Cabell. His introductions not only contextualized these works historically and literarily but also encouraged a new generation to explore the breadth of the fantasy tradition.
Carter was also active in the shared literary universe of the “Cthulhu Mythos,” expanding upon the creations of H. P. Lovecraft and other members of the “Lovecraft Circle.” His collaborations and solo contributions in this genre further cemented his reputation as both a creative writer and a literary preservationist.
In addition to fiction and criticism, Carter was an active member of several science fiction and fantasy organizations, including the Science Fiction Writers of America. He frequently appeared at conventions, where he was known for his enthusiasm, deep knowledge of the genre, and willingness to mentor aspiring writers.
Though sometimes critiqued for the derivative nature of some of his work, Carter’s influence on the fantasy revival of the late 20th century remains significant. His combination of creative output, editorial vision, and scholarly enthusiasm helped bridge the gap between the pulp traditions of the early 1900s and the expansive fantasy publishing boom that followed.
Lin Carter’s legacy endures through his own imaginative tales, his critical studies, and the many classic works he rescued from obscurity, ensuring their place in the canon of fantasy literature for generations to come.

Reviews

[Jason Waltz]

Young me would have enjoyed this titillating tall tale, this me marvels at what passed for grand adventure storytelling once. While heroic deeds are done and there is much sword-slinging and derring-do, there is also much silliness and an immense amount of authorial wish fulfillment. A faux historical treatise with footnotes and faulty sciences and a mashup of eras and characters like a Heroscape game. I'll not be reading any further of these adventures and I'm not recommending you do either.

[Jim Kuenzli]

Read a long time ago. Love Carter books , but this one not as much as others.

[Richard]

More of the same. This story is mostly about Darya and her time as a captive of the pirates. Some of the things that happen or don't happen are a stretch even for fiction. A quick read but oh so redundant.

[Colin]

So . . . I got this book as a sort of joke gift. My wife knows my interest in Appendix N, and we recently had our 8th wedding anniversary (traditional gift: bronze), so she gave me this book as an 8th anniversary gift. I've read some Lin Carter, but not much, so I eagerly began reading. One of he worst books I've ever read. I mean, it is problematic in every way - racist, sexist, and just bad writing. It also reveals some very sadomasochistic thinking on the part of Carter (even some lezdom stuff), which is not a problem when consensual (but it's not in the book), and some creepy recounting of how youthful and sexual some characters are to the point that it reads mildly like pedophilia (surely not the intent, but . . . ugh). It does have its "charming" bits, as one reviewer said, and I can absolutely see the adventure/action elements that led to Lin Carter being an Appendix N author who inspired the creation of D&D (though this particular book was published in 1981, too late to have been part of the original Appendix N itself). But the worst thing is the extent to which this is just an inferior ripoff of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Pellucidar stories, to the point where some of the main characters are clearly just renamed versions of Burroughs' characters. I'm not recommending this book - it would probably only get one star from me if it were not Appendix N, as an Appendix N author's book where I can see the inspirational roots of D&D, I gave it two - but it made me laugh often, if only at how bad the writing was at points. Pellucidar has its problematic elements, to be sure, but you're far better off reading the Pellucidar books by E.R. Burroughs. But . . . well, I still had fun, if only picking this one apart!

[Derek]

In the previous book, _Hurok of the Stone Age_, Carter has apparently split the narrative between the protagonists imprisoned in the secret city of Zar, and those protagonists involved in the pirate fortress city of El-Cazar, where this book is the latter of these threads. The story does better by ditching half the cast and telling of the other half in one consolidated block. This allows him to really dig into the events and setting of El-Cazar.

This particular part feels like it was grafted from an aborted historical adventure novel. El-Cazar is an entertaining setting but has real problems with the inclusion into the inner world of Zanthodon: Where does the pirate wealth come from, as well as the familiar foodstuffs? How can the city support merchants when the economy is entirely dependent upon pirate raids upon Bronze and Stone Age neighbors? Despite this, Carter's writing became transparent and enthusiastic enough to carry me along.

Again, he solves the problems of the previous books at the cost of introducing a new one. Eric Carstairs is still the nominal first person narrator of the story, and while he admits to reconstructing the events where he was not present--ignore for the moment events where he could never have received detailed information after the fact--the new snags for this book are losing the introductory page framing it as the found narrative of Eric Carstairs, and immediately launching into the story where Eric Carstairs is not personally present. So it feels like a third person narrative except for some occasional first person pronouns in reference to an unknown speaker. Carter later establishes that there is indeed a first person narrator, and at about page 100 (well over halfway) makes his identity relatively clear, but never explicit. A reader coming into this book without the previous ones would be baffled.

The irony of this is that the third person narration really works for the story and for Carter's writing style (such as it is). Filtering the events through Eric Carstairs was either too taxing for his skills or unsuitable for the story he wanted to tell. At this point I'm thinking that this book is probably the best of the series.

[Charles]

A very rambling book. I'd give it probably 2 and a half stars. I enjoyed it at one level and it was an easy read. But it definitely did not have a coherent plot and there was a lot of coincidences involved.

[Alton Motobu]

Fourth in the Underground World series focuses on cave girl Darya who is captured by pirates and taken to their island fortress. She is feisty and fiery and does not succumb to their nasty advances; eventually she is rescued by warriors in her tribe led by her father. Lots of references to breasts and nudity, probably for juvenile male audience. Much better than its predecessor "Hurok" (third book in the series). Sub-plot about descendants of the Minoans is terrible.

[Little Timmy]

Good other worlds story. Lin carter is a great fun read for an afternoon's diversion. Recommended