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The Fall of Atlantis #1
Web of Light
Domaris, disciple of the Temple of Light, was wrenched from her peaceful life by the arrival of Micon, the Atlantean prince, whose powers over wind and sun, earth and fire, are coveted by the sorcerers of the dark who would harness his gifts for their own evil ends..Soon, out of a tender, earthly passion, would rise forces that might decide the final victory. For soon Domaris would bear Micon a son - but Deoris, her sister, would be enthralled by the forces of darkness.
208 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
2 people are currently reading
409 people want to read
About the author
Marion Zimmer Bradley
801 books4,895 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 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 3, 2019
I was so sure I was gonna love it, but unfortunately, it didn't happen. I like the concept of the story, but I didn't like how it was told. I had to force myself to keep reading it. Nonetheless, I have no intention of continuing its series as well.
April 21, 2010
These days this book centered on Domaris, Web of Light, is combined with the sequel centered on her sister Deoris, Web of Darkness into one novel, The Fall of Atlantis. Reviews for that book claim this forms the backstory for Bradley's Avalon series. Not really. When this book came out in 1983, there was no mention or tie to Mists of Avalon within it, I only heard about such a tie when I saw reviews for The Fall of Atlantis. For that matter, the book that ties this in with her Avalon series wasn't even credited to MZB, but Diana Paxson. (And by the way this isn't set in Atlantis, but a supposedly earlier civilization.)
So this book should stand on its own terms. And on its own terms, while I find it entertaining (and I prefer the next book with Deoris.) I don't think it can light a candle next to MZB's Darkover books. Still, it does say something that I can still remember a book I first read in my teens decades later. I was particularly taken by the relationship between the sisters.
So this book should stand on its own terms. And on its own terms, while I find it entertaining (and I prefer the next book with Deoris.) I don't think it can light a candle next to MZB's Darkover books. Still, it does say something that I can still remember a book I first read in my teens decades later. I was particularly taken by the relationship between the sisters.
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December 13, 2024O enredo de "A Queda de Atlântida", de Marion Zimmer Bradley, gira em torno do sacerdote Raja e do misterioso hóspede Mikon, que se encontram na biblioteca do templo, onde uma complexa interação entre eles revela dilemas sobre sacerdócio e conhecimento oculto. Enquanto isso, jovens discípulas como Domaris e Deor enfrentam suas próprias jornadas, imersas nas expectativas e tradições do templo e nas lendas de Atlântida. Rumores sobre o Príncipe Atat e as Túnicas Negras e Cinzentas intensificam a tensão, sugerindo um conflito iminente. Domaris começa a questionar seu destino, e a narrativa explora temas de identidade, amor e escolha, destacando a influência das forças obscuras. Com a queda de Atlântida como pano de fundo, a história envolve decisões profundas sobre amor, sacrifício e o papel dos personagens na preservação de seus legados. Em meio a isso, eventos como um ritual importante revelam suas vulnerabilidades, e a dinâmica entre os personagens se complica. A relação de amor entre Domaris e Mikon se aprofunda, enquanto Deor lida com inseguranças e ciúmes. Momentos de reflexão sobre a vida e a morte se entrelaçam com a busca por poder, culminando em desafios que definirão o futuro de todos. À medida que a história avança em um clima de tensão e expectativa, a conexão entre os protagonistas se torna cada vez mais complexa, refletindo suas lutas internas e a transformação dos vínculos familiares. O fechamento emotivo da narrativa emerge com o nascimento de Micael, simbolizando renovação, enquanto as chamas da pira fúnebre e a luz do novo dia sugerem a continuidade da vida e das esperanças em um mundo permeado por sombras e luz. O futuro da linhagem de Atlântida está, portanto, imerso em incertezas, mas também repleto de possibilidades.
April 1, 2011
#1 Fall of Atlantis
June 21, 2017
Interesting, but incomplete. Apparently this is only the first half of a larger work, and it puts a few interesting characters in play but has no plot beyond a series of meetings and a pregnancy, and no real stakes to each of these meetings. I felt like I could have stopped reading at any point, because very few problems are introduced for or resolved by these characters. Everything has already happened and been decided off-stage, or will be, and the characters are just here to talk about it. And yet, there's still something strangely compelling in the rather polite interpersonal wranglings of these people... it made me curious for the second half, in which hopefully the protagonists have agency to drive their own story rather than flit about the edges of it.
November 10, 2022
I enjoy so much of her work, that I thought I would be as intrigued by this one.
The edition I bought didn't state that it was part of a duology, so the ending felt very odd until I looked online and realized it was not a standalone, which is rather rare for Zimmer Bradley.
The reality of it is that, knowing it has a sequel, I had no interested in searching for the sequel.
The book itself is a strange combination of fantasy and philosophy. The characters didn't hold my interest enough to want to see what happens next. I was hoping for a bit more of classic Atlantis, which may be my bad, bringing such expectations into a new read.
It gets 3 stars for the interesting setting, society, and, as per usual, her clear and effective writing style.
The edition I bought didn't state that it was part of a duology, so the ending felt very odd until I looked online and realized it was not a standalone, which is rather rare for Zimmer Bradley.
The reality of it is that, knowing it has a sequel, I had no interested in searching for the sequel.
The book itself is a strange combination of fantasy and philosophy. The characters didn't hold my interest enough to want to see what happens next. I was hoping for a bit more of classic Atlantis, which may be my bad, bringing such expectations into a new read.
It gets 3 stars for the interesting setting, society, and, as per usual, her clear and effective writing style.
May 21, 2021
Estava ansiosa por ler algo que se passasse em Atlântida, mas não o tive. Teve, somente, dois personagens nativos do lugar que encontravam-se em outro lugar. E, somente um foi explorado ao excesso, mas ele era um dos personagens principais, então….
Achei que o livro apresentou ótimos plots, mas que nunca se consagraram. Morriam antes de serem algo fenomenal. Deoris foi a personagem mais interessante e pouco explorada, mas claro, sendo que a história é mais sobre a irmã e o Iniciado de Atlântida, meh.
Foi interessante, mas lento em geral… e nada mais a falar. Acredito que o volume dois teria o foco em Deoris e talvez um pouco do enredo do primeiro volume (Domaris e filho), e com certeza, seria mais interessante — mas não possuo tal livro, e então, não farei comentários sobre o mesmo.
Achei que o livro apresentou ótimos plots, mas que nunca se consagraram. Morriam antes de serem algo fenomenal. Deoris foi a personagem mais interessante e pouco explorada, mas claro, sendo que a história é mais sobre a irmã e o Iniciado de Atlântida, meh.
Foi interessante, mas lento em geral… e nada mais a falar. Acredito que o volume dois teria o foco em Deoris e talvez um pouco do enredo do primeiro volume (Domaris e filho), e com certeza, seria mais interessante — mas não possuo tal livro, e então, não farei comentários sobre o mesmo.
May 9, 2024
It’s the first prequel to one of my favorite books of all time, ancestors of Avalon. While it didn’t grab me as the Avalon book did, the last four chapters made up for the slow start.
I found all three main characters a bit too whiny and while Micon had reason to be so, both Deoris and Domaris had not. It is that I know from the books I have already read how they will grow that makes me appreciate them.
I found all three main characters a bit too whiny and while Micon had reason to be so, both Deoris and Domaris had not. It is that I know from the books I have already read how they will grow that makes me appreciate them.
June 16, 2017
Não me lembrava do amor de Micon e Domaris, de Deoris ser uma adolescente precoce e poderosa, de Riveda ser um mago invejoso ou Rajesta significativo. Ou seja, não me lembrava de nada...
November 27, 2024
did not love it
January 5, 2015
Book 1 felt incomplete. The story wasn't bad but it definitely felt like it was missing something.. I expected to find this in book 2, which in turn, took a really sick and perverted twist that almost made me put down the book. Ultimately I did enjoy reading about the two sisters which is why I gave both books 3 stars. I feel that this story could have been better without some of the drama and the title "The Fall of Atlantis" really wasn't fitting for what the book was primarily about. This story does make you connect with the characters, however, the two novels felt a little disconnected for me. This was partially because of the amount of time that elapsed in the novels.
November 25, 2016
Lots of good ideas and characterizations, but the writing is so wordy, the story is murky at best. I am reading it because it is part of a series that I hope to finish someday. I enjoyed "The Mists of Avalon" so much when I read it about 30 years ago, I assumed, had hoped, these earlier books would be as enjoyable. But so far, they are disappointing. I didn't feel like I had much clarity about anything in this book until the last 50 pages or so. But that was enough to make me look forward to reading the rest of the story, found in "Web of Darkness" and the second half of "The Fall of Atlantis."
July 8, 2017
I enjoyed this book so much the first time I read it back in the 90's I decided to read it again. (kind of inbetween books, still looking for something worth climbing into after just finishing a book of nearl 950 pages in six days). So; decided while hunting a new, worthy book, to re-read this classic Marion Zimmer Bradley book that was originally published as two separate books.
September 25, 2023
I found this book to be very interesting and insightful.
August 27, 2014
well. i liked it, but didn't understand the name of 'fall of atlantis'. where's atlantis??
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews