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Darkover Omnibus #2
The Ages of Chaos
Set during the lawless Ages of Chaos, when the ruling families of the Seven Domains of Darkover ruthlessly inbred their psychic offspring to gain powerful and fearsome talents, two young women are born with "wild" psychic gifts. These stories—Stormqueen! and Hawkmistress!, one tragic and one triumphant—combine to give the reader a vivid and poignant picture of a devastating time period in the history of this fantastic world.
From the Paperback edition.
From the Paperback edition.
763 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 1996
89 people are currently reading
421 people want to read
About the author
Marion Zimmer Bradley
799 books4,867 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 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 19, 2019
I tried to read 'Stormqueen!' - I barely made it a few chapters in. The writing was not good, the editing atrocious, and the story confusing, unpleasant, and disturbing. I had heard good things about Bradley and was disappointed, so I looked her up and also discovered that both her children have come out and said she molested them growing up. That was the final straw for me - reading a book about disturbing child marriage practices and is bad enough, but when the author also is a child molester it crosses a whole new line. I will not be finishing this book nor reading any more of Bradley's books.
July 9, 2024
Writing is slow, with quick peaks after very long rising conflict. However, I do not care all that much.
Stormqueen! was entrancing, sickening, and ended well (sad ending).
Hawkmistress! is okay. Romilly is inches away from being a pick-me, if she did not dislike men as much as women. This makes her a less relatable and likable protagonist. I am not as interested in stories about animal-lovers as I am other types of magic, but it was overall a good tale nonetheless. A bit heavy handed on misogyny-as-plot sometimes.
Stormqueen! was entrancing, sickening, and ended well (sad ending).
Hawkmistress! is okay. Romilly is inches away from being a pick-me, if she did not dislike men as much as women. This makes her a less relatable and likable protagonist. I am not as interested in stories about animal-lovers as I am other types of magic, but it was overall a good tale nonetheless. A bit heavy handed on misogyny-as-plot sometimes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2011
So, I checked this out from the library (having previously read both books in the omnibus) because Jo Walton's review of Hawkmistress made me want to re-read it.
Unfortunately, I thought Hawkmistress was terrible. Romilly thinks she is/is portrayed as on a quest when the reality is that she's just kind of bouncing around. And her father and almost everyone else blaming her for his beating her? Just no.
Stormqueen, on the other hand, was much more readable. Though there was an element here of "weirdly compulsive without actually [being] good," as Walton put it.
It was weird, but as I was reading Stormqueen in particular I could see how Mercedes Lackey's Velgarth setting (or at least some elements like the makes-you-glow-blue truth spell) grew out of these books.
Unfortunately, I thought Hawkmistress was terrible. Romilly thinks she is/is portrayed as on a quest when the reality is that she's just kind of bouncing around. And her father and almost everyone else blaming her for his beating her? Just no.
Stormqueen, on the other hand, was much more readable. Though there was an element here of "weirdly compulsive without actually [being] good," as Walton put it.
It was weird, but as I was reading Stormqueen in particular I could see how Mercedes Lackey's Velgarth setting (or at least some elements like the makes-you-glow-blue truth spell) grew out of these books.
August 9, 2019
the second story is good, but the first is poor
September 15, 2020
Stormqueen!
- It was not good. I found it tedious, scenes were too long and some things were repetitive. Still, I finished it. 2 or 3 stars
Hawkmistress!
- This I could not finish, though I almost made it. In the end I just did not read one more word. Romilly is an awful character that just drifts around and doesn't develop one bit, she is not learning from others nor from experience. 1 star
- It was not good. I found it tedious, scenes were too long and some things were repetitive. Still, I finished it. 2 or 3 stars
Hawkmistress!
- This I could not finish, though I almost made it. In the end I just did not read one more word. Romilly is an awful character that just drifts around and doesn't develop one bit, she is not learning from others nor from experience. 1 star
January 26, 2024
Ages of Chaos book 2
I started reading Marion Zimmer Bradley's books close to thirty years ago. It's been great returner to her Dark over stories. I really like the story of the Hawk mistress and plan to read the stories of Darkover in order as close as I can to get the full effect.
I started reading Marion Zimmer Bradley's books close to thirty years ago. It's been great returner to her Dark over stories. I really like the story of the Hawk mistress and plan to read the stories of Darkover in order as close as I can to get the full effect.
May 21, 2019
Enjoying this series
Love this world, the people. The character development is great, you really come to care about these people. Highly rey
Love this world, the people. The character development is great, you really come to care about these people. Highly rey
April 19, 2022
Strong female character.
Excellent coming of age story. Romy survives and does a lot of growing. Typos are the only reason it lost a star.
Excellent coming of age story. Romy survives and does a lot of growing. Typos are the only reason it lost a star.
April 26, 2024
Loved it!
Vivid characters, and a great storyline. This book was difficult to put down for any amount of time. I only wish there were more stories from the ages of chaos.
Vivid characters, and a great storyline. This book was difficult to put down for any amount of time. I only wish there were more stories from the ages of chaos.
March 4, 2012
Ah... Darkover. After having read eleven Darkover books, reading the next two (Stormqueen! and Hawkmistress! in the omnibus The Ages of Chaos) feels like returning home, albeit to a fantasy home. This was surprising since The Ages of Chaos takes place in early Darkovan chronology, before Darkovans meet with the Terrans. The previous Darkover books I read, with the exception of Darkover Landfall have the underlying theme of the clash of Darkover culture with Terran culture. In The Ages of Chaos, this underlying theme is missing. However, there are still aspects of Darkover culture that are familiar from previous novels (although the setting is an earlier time period). What makes the two novels in The Ages of Chaos stand out is the sacrifices that are being made in order to bred and keep laran (Darkovan psi powers) within the ruling families.
In the first novel of the omnibus, Stormqueen!, the story centers around a young woman (a pre-teen more accurately), Dorilys, with a special type of laran to call forth lightning and storms. Stubborn, willful, and terribly spoiled as the heir to her father's domain, Dorilys has killed twice already before her father decides he needs more help training and controlling his daughter and her powers. From one of the Towers, a trained monitor is sent to help along with another who has his own laran to fear and to conquer as well as his own personal worries - worries that affect not just him, but the whole of Darkover. The story is told primarily through the viewpoints of the two who are sent to help Dorilys.
In the second novel, Hawkmistress!, the story is told through the main character, Romilly, who eventually runs away from home after being told she must marry a man she finds absolutely repulsive. Fed up with being told what she could and couldn't do (as a 'Lady'), she disguises herself as a boy as it is safer than to travel as a young woman alone (she is 14 in the beginning of the story) only to find that she rather enjoys the freedom she has disguised a boy - more freedom than she ever had as a girl. The story is set against the background of a civil war, and Romilly finds herself in the company of exiled men and others who are loyal to the exiled King Carolin. Romilly's laran is the ability to share minds with hawks and horses (and other animals). As her father's daughter, she learned to train hawks and horses, but at the age of 14 was being told it was "unseemly" to be doing such things (things she loved to do). Such is the impetus for her leaving her home (even her prospective husband would not let her continue training hawks and horses). Romilly's only real desire is to be herself and to train hawks and horses. Her laran seems harmless enough, but there are consequences and side effects she hadn't thought of. As time passes and as she сontinues to use her laran (without Tower training), she finds her powers aren't really all that simple to deal with and that they could put her own life at risk.
Although I initially thought I wouldn't enjoy these two stories as much as the previous Darkover stories, I was surprised to find I enjoyed them just as much. Part of this, I think, is how Bradley writes. I find her style engaging. As for the stories, you are hardly bored as something is always happening and the characters are always doing something (unlike other books I could name, but won't since they are probably mentioned on this blog somewhere already). This makes for good pacing in a story. Need I say that there were a few twists here and there? How could there not be, these two stories are set in the 'Ages of Chaos' after all. ;)
Overall, a good read. The omnibus gets 5 out of 5. :D
(Originally posted on my blog - http://www.brigidsflame.com/feymorgai...
In the first novel of the omnibus, Stormqueen!, the story centers around a young woman (a pre-teen more accurately), Dorilys, with a special type of laran to call forth lightning and storms. Stubborn, willful, and terribly spoiled as the heir to her father's domain, Dorilys has killed twice already before her father decides he needs more help training and controlling his daughter and her powers. From one of the Towers, a trained monitor is sent to help along with another who has his own laran to fear and to conquer as well as his own personal worries - worries that affect not just him, but the whole of Darkover. The story is told primarily through the viewpoints of the two who are sent to help Dorilys.
In the second novel, Hawkmistress!, the story is told through the main character, Romilly, who eventually runs away from home after being told she must marry a man she finds absolutely repulsive. Fed up with being told what she could and couldn't do (as a 'Lady'), she disguises herself as a boy as it is safer than to travel as a young woman alone (she is 14 in the beginning of the story) only to find that she rather enjoys the freedom she has disguised a boy - more freedom than she ever had as a girl. The story is set against the background of a civil war, and Romilly finds herself in the company of exiled men and others who are loyal to the exiled King Carolin. Romilly's laran is the ability to share minds with hawks and horses (and other animals). As her father's daughter, she learned to train hawks and horses, but at the age of 14 was being told it was "unseemly" to be doing such things (things she loved to do). Such is the impetus for her leaving her home (even her prospective husband would not let her continue training hawks and horses). Romilly's only real desire is to be herself and to train hawks and horses. Her laran seems harmless enough, but there are consequences and side effects she hadn't thought of. As time passes and as she сontinues to use her laran (without Tower training), she finds her powers aren't really all that simple to deal with and that they could put her own life at risk.
Although I initially thought I wouldn't enjoy these two stories as much as the previous Darkover stories, I was surprised to find I enjoyed them just as much. Part of this, I think, is how Bradley writes. I find her style engaging. As for the stories, you are hardly bored as something is always happening and the characters are always doing something (unlike other books I could name, but won't since they are probably mentioned on this blog somewhere already). This makes for good pacing in a story. Need I say that there were a few twists here and there? How could there not be, these two stories are set in the 'Ages of Chaos' after all. ;)
Overall, a good read. The omnibus gets 5 out of 5. :D
(Originally posted on my blog - http://www.brigidsflame.com/feymorgai...
April 13, 2020
I love the quote on page 30: "You must not be angry at unthinking speach; if you listen to every dog that barks, you will have no lesure to learn wisdom."
April 1, 2025
Stormqueen: ****
Hawkmistress: **
Hawkmistress: **
March 15, 2022
2015 Review: Where Stormqueen! was more about the breeding-program, Hawkmistress! was more about the Hundred Kingdoms. I loved them both in their own rights. Both Dorilys & Romilly are strong characters. Dorilys is frightening wonder, and Romilly is emotionally driven. Both are awesome & I'm eager for Thunderlord!
2009 Review of Stormqueen!: It takes place during the Age of Chaos, when the Seven Domains of Darkover are ruled as independent, warring fiefs engaged in a psychic arms race, developing deadly weapons through the use of their psionics and genetically engineering their children to produce ever-stronger mental powers. One of the casualties of this breeding program is Dorilys, the Stormqueen of the title. Sweet-natured, yet extremely willful and spoiled, she is denied nothing--not only because she is Heir to the Aldaran Domain, but because she is able to enforce her demands with psychically-generated lightning bolts. But as she grows older, she becomes less and less able to control her storm-causing abilities. Will Dorilys successfully master her body and mind...or will her mental strength ultimately consume her?
https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/6242342-news-flash-more-darkover-novels?ref=ru_lihp_up_abp_1_mclk&uid=6242342
2009 Review of Stormqueen!: It takes place during the Age of Chaos, when the Seven Domains of Darkover are ruled as independent, warring fiefs engaged in a psychic arms race, developing deadly weapons through the use of their psionics and genetically engineering their children to produce ever-stronger mental powers. One of the casualties of this breeding program is Dorilys, the Stormqueen of the title. Sweet-natured, yet extremely willful and spoiled, she is denied nothing--not only because she is Heir to the Aldaran Domain, but because she is able to enforce her demands with psychically-generated lightning bolts. But as she grows older, she becomes less and less able to control her storm-causing abilities. Will Dorilys successfully master her body and mind...or will her mental strength ultimately consume her?
https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/6242342-news-flash-more-darkover-novels?ref=ru_lihp_up_abp_1_mclk&uid=6242342
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February 27, 2016From a feminist perspective: Stormqueen wasn't what I thought it would be. It was primarily from a male perspective. I have to remember that this is from the 70s though, and of course the politics, for being written at that time, were new liberal territory. I appreciate her writing style, because it's fun to read, but Stormqueen took forever to get to the point and seemed to bounce around a lot. It got interesting towards the very end, then was over. You finally get to know the most interesting character with only a few pages left, but it's not satisfying.
Hawkmistress was great! It was something I wish I'd read as a teen. Definitely reminded me a lot of the character of Arya from GOT, but years beforehand. Fun and fast read, not long, and I of course wish there was more. What was also interesting was the openness of Romilly, who openly questions her sexuality in a non-negative manner. Three cheers to this Darkover story!!!
Hawkmistress was great! It was something I wish I'd read as a teen. Definitely reminded me a lot of the character of Arya from GOT, but years beforehand. Fun and fast read, not long, and I of course wish there was more. What was also interesting was the openness of Romilly, who openly questions her sexuality in a non-negative manner. Three cheers to this Darkover story!!!
August 10, 2008
This is a omnibus edition and it has 2 book.
I started by the second book and I really loved it. I was my first Darkover book, and it is still one of my favourites (I read more since then).
The first book (StormQueen) has some details that may confuse someone that is not familiar with the Darkover world.
Booth book are set in a feudal kind of society, where women are over protected (and considered inferior by some) there is war and some people has psychic abilities...
Most of the Darkover book are about the psychic gifts and their use (specially in war)
I started by the second book and I really loved it. I was my first Darkover book, and it is still one of my favourites (I read more since then).
The first book (StormQueen) has some details that may confuse someone that is not familiar with the Darkover world.
Booth book are set in a feudal kind of society, where women are over protected (and considered inferior by some) there is war and some people has psychic abilities...
Most of the Darkover book are about the psychic gifts and their use (specially in war)
August 30, 2012
HORRIBLE editing. Did they even edit them at all, I wonder? It really seems like not. You will probably be able to figure out what is meant by the context of the sentences. It gets really annoying though. If you can find them, I suggest finding "Stormqueen!" and "Hawkmistress!" separately and read them that way. I'm hoping this is the only Darkover Omnibus to be so badly edited. The first one, "Darkover: First Contact" was fine.
April 14, 2014
I'm in the middle of a Darkover re-read at the moment, I've read the earlier (written by Marion Zimmer Bradley) ones several times. As a series it is very patchy, but entertaining. I prefer "Stormqueen" to "Hawkmistress" (the two novels in this omnibus), but they are interesting because they fill in some of the history of Darkover.
May 4, 2014
In inglese è meglio meglio meglio! Anche perchè se non ricordo male, nella versione tradotta erano state tradotte anche alcune parole darkovane (tipo riyachiya con fanciulla fiore) -.-
October 30, 2009
The version I read only had "Stormqueen!" but I really enjoy her books, and this one was no exception.
June 19, 2015
Loved the stories about Darkover's history during the Ages of Chaos. Skimmed through this--will read it again as a buddy-read w/ a friend this summer.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews