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Clingfire #2
Zandru's Forge
In the era of The Hundred Kingdoms, a time of war and unrest, a legendary friendship is forged between king and keeper which will lead to a new destiny for Darkover.
528 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
32 people are currently reading
761 people want to read
About the author
Marion Zimmer Bradley
805 books4,865 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fan fiction and reprinted some of it in commercial Darkover anthologies, continuing to encourage submissions from unpublished authors, but this ended after a dispute with a fan over an unpublished Darkover novel of Bradley's that had similarities to some of the fan's stories.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 51 reviews
September 29, 2011
This book, begun as a collaboration between Marion Zimmer Bradley and Deborah J. Ross before Marion's death, and finished after her death by Ms. Ross, is a telling of the story of Varzil the Good, who was frequently referenced in many of the earlier-written Darkover novels as a historical figure, the author of the "compact" that kept Darkover from being consumed by unrestrained psychic warfare. That in itself made the book interesting; the fact that the plot also overlapped with that of "Hawkmistress", which has always been my favorite of all the Darkover novels, was an added treat (although for someone other than me, I'm not sure whether it would be a feature or a bug; significant sections of this book's plot might seem overly familiar to someone who has read "Hawkmistress" and didn't necessarily love it as much as I did; still, the book is hardly just a retelling of that story, and the parts of it that are retell it from the point of view of King Carolin, rather than from Romilly's viewpoint, so it remained fairly fresh.) There were a few more sloppinesses of proofreading here than I like, somewhere a bit over a dozen, I'd guess, but that's neither a new feature of the Darkover books, nor unique to them; mass-market paperbacks are pretty universally sloppily proofread these days, and the typos were neither abundant enough, nor egregious enough, to spoil a marvellous story.
November 8, 2016
wow! What a story! So far the best (I'm reading the whole series in its chronological order). I really liked it, the characters were good and the writing, too. I felt the Darkover atmosphere around me and I loved every minute.
I liked Varzil. He's really good at heart and I felt his need to put a stop on towers involving on the wars between reigns. The scene where he stopped Hali's attack is wonderful.
Really good and recommended!
I liked Varzil. He's really good at heart and I felt his need to put a stop on towers involving on the wars between reigns. The scene where he stopped Hali's attack is wonderful.
Really good and recommended!
May 2, 2011
La nascita del Patto che cambiò Darkover
Gli Inferni di Zandru è un romanzo importantissimo per Darkover, perché fa luce finalmente su un personaggio storico di rilevanza fondamentale: Varzil (o Varzy) Ridenow.
Varzil Ridenow viene nominato in quasi tutti i romanzi che si possono collocare cronologicamente dopo questo. È chiamato anche Varzil il Saggio, o il Buono, infatti è colui al quale si deve il Patto che mise fine al periodo dei Cento Regni, dando origine ad un nuovo corso della Storia per Darkover, cambiando la funzione delle Torri, che fino a quel momento erano state una fucina di armi laran, e vietando le armi di distruzione di massa e anche qualsiasi tipo di arma a distanza.
Le pietre matrici, conseguentemente al Patto, potranno essere utilizzate più limitatamente e mai per uccidere.
Le Torri inoltre diverranno indipendenti dai sovrani, ed i poteri dei cerchi di operatori verranno utilizzati solo per scopi benefici.
Finora avevamo incontrato Varzil solo di sfuggita in un paio di romanzi, ma, finalmente, con Gli Inferni di Zandru conosciamo la sua storia, la sua collaborazione con Carolin Hastur, l’idea in embrione del Patto e la sua attuazione.
Il romanzo si apre con un Varzil sedicenne davanti ai cancelli di Arilinn, una delle Torri più importanti (che in seguito diverrà la più importante), che chiede ad Auster Syrtis, il Custode di Arilinn, di essere ammesso.
Auster comprende immediatamente il potenziale di Varzil, ma non lo ammette fra i suoi. Infatti vede che il ragazzo è piuttosto fragile fisicamente e teme che non riesca a sopportare il faticoso lavoro psichico della Torre; la sua morte potrebbe portare ad una guerra, visto che il padre del ragazzo, Felix Ridenow, è contrario al suo addestramento e non è in rapporti amichevoli con gli Hastur e con gli altri nobili da cui Arilinn dipende.
Ma Varzil è deciso e Felix si rende conto che il figlio, pur non avendo sofferto del malessere della soglia, che rivela la manifestazione del laran durante la pubertà, ha tuttavia un Dono di grandissima entità.
Nella Torre di Arilinn Varzil incontrerà persone che gli segneranno la vita, primo fra tutti Carolin Hastur, erede al trono di Hali.
Fin dal primo incontro Carolin, forse dotato di un minimo potere di precognizione, si rende conto del grande potere di Varzil:
Se Varzil fosse stato un ragazzo come tutti gli altri, forse avrebbe potuto dimenticare il proprio sogno infantile, ma Carolin aveva percepito la forza del suo laran e una passione in grado di prendere qualunque strada, buona o cattiva.
Lui è importante... per me, per tutto Darkover.
E già nella sua prima esperienza in un cerchio di matrici, Varzil percepisce l’effetto che la polvere mangiaossa ha fatto su una bambina di dieci anni, l’alone verdognolo, l’odore di putrefazione:
È sempre così con la polvere mangiaossa. Ci sono quelli che muoiono con i nervi bruciati pochi giorni dopo essere stati esposti. Altri sopravvivono solo qualche settimana, vomitando. Ma questi, soprattutto i più giovani... sembra che guariscano, la speranza si accende nei nostri cuori, ma la loro è la morte più lunga e più tragica.
Tra Varzil e Carolin nasce una profonda amicizia, i due giovani diventeranno bredin, cioè fratelli giurati, e condivideranno una visione di un Darkover nuovo, senza guerre combattute con armi laran.
«Carlo, questa è una cosa importante: la visione del passato non mi è stata concessa per un caso, tutto sta succedendo di nuovo, non vedi? Forse non con quelle stesse armi, ma il conflitto è lo stesso. Ogni epoca ha la sua follia, ma la lezione del Cataclisma è andata perduta.»
[…]
«Siamo condannati a ripetere gli stessi errori fino alla nostra stessa distruzione?»
«Finché gli uomini concepiranno armi simili con l’intenzione di usarle», disse il giovane Ridenow. «E credo che noi l’abbiamo. »
Carolin non aveva mai sentito una tale desolazione nella voce del suo più caro amico. Qualcosa di ardente e appassionato sbocciò in lui. «E allora dobbiamo fare in modo che gli uomini non possano concepire armi simili!»
«Come?» Varzil scosse il capo. «Finché gli uomini saranno uomini e il tempo esisterà, ci saranno coloro che dovranno risolvere le loro divergenze con una spada invece che con le parole. »
«E allora facciamo in modo che usino le spade finché non si sono ridotti a una poltiglia sanguinolenta!» ribatté Carolin infervorato. «Almeno, chi sferra il primo colpo può rischiare di cadere sotto il secondo! Mettiamo fine alla pece magica, alla polvere mangiaossa e agli incantesimi delle matrici che sono in grado di seminare morte da lontano.»
[…]
«Credo che non riusciremo mai a eliminare il combattimento armato o le scuse per ingaggiarlo. Se fossi il re del mondo, proibirei qualunque arma che non faccia correre lo stesso pericolo di vita a chi la usa. Costringerei tutti gli altri re, anzi, qualunque signorotto dal Muro Attorno al Mondo ai deserti delle Terre Aride, a firmare il mio Patto.»
[…]
«Un giorno, quando io sarò Custode e tu re, non saremo costretti a ripetere gli errori del passato.»
«Ricostruiremo la comunità di Neskaya», rispose Carolin, «ma non come un’altra fonte di orribili armi laran, bensì come simbolo di pace e speranza. Lo giuro sul mio onore.»
Ma fra loro ed i loro ambiziosi ma pacifici progetti per il futuro ci sono due ostacoli notevoli.
Il primo è costituito da Rakhal, il cugino di Carolin, che, alla morte dello zio, Felix Hastur, lo usurperà del trono.
Il secondo, ancora più temibile, è Eduin Mac Earn (in realtà Deslucido), un giovane educato come laranzu alla Torre di Arilinn insieme a Varzil e Carolin, apparentemente loro amico. Egli è in realtà un’arma nelle mani del padre Rumail Deslucido, che vuole distruggere tutta la progenie degli Hastur, in particolare della sua nemica giurata Taniquel Hastur Acosta (Rumail e Taniquel sono due fra i protagonisti de La Caduta di Neskaya – Longanesi 2007).
Come tutti i Deslucido, Eduin ha un dono laran particolare: è capace di mentire sotto incantesimo di verità. L’incantesimo di verità consente ai leronyn di sapere se chi si trova al loro cospetto sta mentendo oppure no; questo è impossibile nel caso di un Deslucido. Eduin, dunque, potrà fingere tutto ciò che vorrà, soprattutto la sua amicizia verso Carolin, e rimanere impunito.
Questa storia è importante anche da un altro punto di vista. Fino a quel momento nelle Torri i coordinatori del lavoro con il laran, i Custodi o Tenerezu, erano stati uomini:
È una fortuna che le donne non possano diventare Custodi.
Con questo capitolo della saga invece sarà consentito anche alle donne di diventare Custodi, smentendo tutte le tradizioni e sovvertendo completamente l’ordine della cose: nei periodi successivi, quello dei Sette Domini dei Comyn e della collaborazione di Darkover con L’Impero Terrestre, questo incarico sarà ad esclusivo appannaggio femminile, dando origine a figure fondamentali nella storia di Darkover, come Leonie Hastur e Cleindori Aillard.
E se il mondo poteva cambiare abbastanza perché una donna diventasse Custode, allora anche il Patto di Carolin poteva diventare realtà.
Finalmente, quindi, possiamo leggere dell’origine della leggenda, vedere il significato dell’anello con la pietra bianca che apparirà secoli dopo in La Matrice Ombra al dito di Mikhail Alton Hastur (The Shadow Matrix, 1997 – Longanesi 1997) comprendere l’importanza del Patto prima che questo fosse concepito e quali difficoltà incontrò la sua attuazione, prima che tutti, sovrani e Custodi delle Torri comprendessero l’assurdità delle armi laran.
Deborah J. Ross ha affrontato questo arduo compito con grande maestria, sebbene il materiale da maneggiare fosse pericoloso quasi quanto la pece magica: Varzil e Carolin sono risultati all’altezza della leggenda, pur mostrando tutte le loro debolezze umane.
Varzil il Testardo, Varzil dalle Mille Risorse, pensò. L’amico, che aveva affrontato una banda di uomini felini per salvare suo fratello, che aveva sventato più di un tentativo di assassinio, che condivideva il suo sogno di una pace con onore per tutto Darkover. Varzil il Buono.
Un pensiero lo colse. C’erano tre poteri al mondo: quello della Torre, quello della corona... e quello del cuore; forse, il più potente di tutti, era quest’ultimo.
[Per chi volesse approfondire il personaggio di Romilly (Romilda), ls sue vicende sono narrate ne La Signora del Falco.(Hawkmistress!, 1982 – Tea 1983)]
Recensione completa:
http://greenyellowale.blogspot.com/20...
Gli Inferni di Zandru è un romanzo importantissimo per Darkover, perché fa luce finalmente su un personaggio storico di rilevanza fondamentale: Varzil (o Varzy) Ridenow.
Varzil Ridenow viene nominato in quasi tutti i romanzi che si possono collocare cronologicamente dopo questo. È chiamato anche Varzil il Saggio, o il Buono, infatti è colui al quale si deve il Patto che mise fine al periodo dei Cento Regni, dando origine ad un nuovo corso della Storia per Darkover, cambiando la funzione delle Torri, che fino a quel momento erano state una fucina di armi laran, e vietando le armi di distruzione di massa e anche qualsiasi tipo di arma a distanza.
Le pietre matrici, conseguentemente al Patto, potranno essere utilizzate più limitatamente e mai per uccidere.
Le Torri inoltre diverranno indipendenti dai sovrani, ed i poteri dei cerchi di operatori verranno utilizzati solo per scopi benefici.
Finora avevamo incontrato Varzil solo di sfuggita in un paio di romanzi, ma, finalmente, con Gli Inferni di Zandru conosciamo la sua storia, la sua collaborazione con Carolin Hastur, l’idea in embrione del Patto e la sua attuazione.
Il romanzo si apre con un Varzil sedicenne davanti ai cancelli di Arilinn, una delle Torri più importanti (che in seguito diverrà la più importante), che chiede ad Auster Syrtis, il Custode di Arilinn, di essere ammesso.
Auster comprende immediatamente il potenziale di Varzil, ma non lo ammette fra i suoi. Infatti vede che il ragazzo è piuttosto fragile fisicamente e teme che non riesca a sopportare il faticoso lavoro psichico della Torre; la sua morte potrebbe portare ad una guerra, visto che il padre del ragazzo, Felix Ridenow, è contrario al suo addestramento e non è in rapporti amichevoli con gli Hastur e con gli altri nobili da cui Arilinn dipende.
Ma Varzil è deciso e Felix si rende conto che il figlio, pur non avendo sofferto del malessere della soglia, che rivela la manifestazione del laran durante la pubertà, ha tuttavia un Dono di grandissima entità.
Nella Torre di Arilinn Varzil incontrerà persone che gli segneranno la vita, primo fra tutti Carolin Hastur, erede al trono di Hali.
Fin dal primo incontro Carolin, forse dotato di un minimo potere di precognizione, si rende conto del grande potere di Varzil:
Se Varzil fosse stato un ragazzo come tutti gli altri, forse avrebbe potuto dimenticare il proprio sogno infantile, ma Carolin aveva percepito la forza del suo laran e una passione in grado di prendere qualunque strada, buona o cattiva.
Lui è importante... per me, per tutto Darkover.
E già nella sua prima esperienza in un cerchio di matrici, Varzil percepisce l’effetto che la polvere mangiaossa ha fatto su una bambina di dieci anni, l’alone verdognolo, l’odore di putrefazione:
È sempre così con la polvere mangiaossa. Ci sono quelli che muoiono con i nervi bruciati pochi giorni dopo essere stati esposti. Altri sopravvivono solo qualche settimana, vomitando. Ma questi, soprattutto i più giovani... sembra che guariscano, la speranza si accende nei nostri cuori, ma la loro è la morte più lunga e più tragica.
Tra Varzil e Carolin nasce una profonda amicizia, i due giovani diventeranno bredin, cioè fratelli giurati, e condivideranno una visione di un Darkover nuovo, senza guerre combattute con armi laran.
«Carlo, questa è una cosa importante: la visione del passato non mi è stata concessa per un caso, tutto sta succedendo di nuovo, non vedi? Forse non con quelle stesse armi, ma il conflitto è lo stesso. Ogni epoca ha la sua follia, ma la lezione del Cataclisma è andata perduta.»
[…]
«Siamo condannati a ripetere gli stessi errori fino alla nostra stessa distruzione?»
«Finché gli uomini concepiranno armi simili con l’intenzione di usarle», disse il giovane Ridenow. «E credo che noi l’abbiamo. »
Carolin non aveva mai sentito una tale desolazione nella voce del suo più caro amico. Qualcosa di ardente e appassionato sbocciò in lui. «E allora dobbiamo fare in modo che gli uomini non possano concepire armi simili!»
«Come?» Varzil scosse il capo. «Finché gli uomini saranno uomini e il tempo esisterà, ci saranno coloro che dovranno risolvere le loro divergenze con una spada invece che con le parole. »
«E allora facciamo in modo che usino le spade finché non si sono ridotti a una poltiglia sanguinolenta!» ribatté Carolin infervorato. «Almeno, chi sferra il primo colpo può rischiare di cadere sotto il secondo! Mettiamo fine alla pece magica, alla polvere mangiaossa e agli incantesimi delle matrici che sono in grado di seminare morte da lontano.»
[…]
«Credo che non riusciremo mai a eliminare il combattimento armato o le scuse per ingaggiarlo. Se fossi il re del mondo, proibirei qualunque arma che non faccia correre lo stesso pericolo di vita a chi la usa. Costringerei tutti gli altri re, anzi, qualunque signorotto dal Muro Attorno al Mondo ai deserti delle Terre Aride, a firmare il mio Patto.»
[…]
«Un giorno, quando io sarò Custode e tu re, non saremo costretti a ripetere gli errori del passato.»
«Ricostruiremo la comunità di Neskaya», rispose Carolin, «ma non come un’altra fonte di orribili armi laran, bensì come simbolo di pace e speranza. Lo giuro sul mio onore.»
Ma fra loro ed i loro ambiziosi ma pacifici progetti per il futuro ci sono due ostacoli notevoli.
Il primo è costituito da Rakhal, il cugino di Carolin, che, alla morte dello zio, Felix Hastur, lo usurperà del trono.
Il secondo, ancora più temibile, è Eduin Mac Earn (in realtà Deslucido), un giovane educato come laranzu alla Torre di Arilinn insieme a Varzil e Carolin, apparentemente loro amico. Egli è in realtà un’arma nelle mani del padre Rumail Deslucido, che vuole distruggere tutta la progenie degli Hastur, in particolare della sua nemica giurata Taniquel Hastur Acosta (Rumail e Taniquel sono due fra i protagonisti de La Caduta di Neskaya – Longanesi 2007).
Come tutti i Deslucido, Eduin ha un dono laran particolare: è capace di mentire sotto incantesimo di verità. L’incantesimo di verità consente ai leronyn di sapere se chi si trova al loro cospetto sta mentendo oppure no; questo è impossibile nel caso di un Deslucido. Eduin, dunque, potrà fingere tutto ciò che vorrà, soprattutto la sua amicizia verso Carolin, e rimanere impunito.
Questa storia è importante anche da un altro punto di vista. Fino a quel momento nelle Torri i coordinatori del lavoro con il laran, i Custodi o Tenerezu, erano stati uomini:
È una fortuna che le donne non possano diventare Custodi.
Con questo capitolo della saga invece sarà consentito anche alle donne di diventare Custodi, smentendo tutte le tradizioni e sovvertendo completamente l’ordine della cose: nei periodi successivi, quello dei Sette Domini dei Comyn e della collaborazione di Darkover con L’Impero Terrestre, questo incarico sarà ad esclusivo appannaggio femminile, dando origine a figure fondamentali nella storia di Darkover, come Leonie Hastur e Cleindori Aillard.
E se il mondo poteva cambiare abbastanza perché una donna diventasse Custode, allora anche il Patto di Carolin poteva diventare realtà.
Finalmente, quindi, possiamo leggere dell’origine della leggenda, vedere il significato dell’anello con la pietra bianca che apparirà secoli dopo in La Matrice Ombra al dito di Mikhail Alton Hastur (The Shadow Matrix, 1997 – Longanesi 1997) comprendere l’importanza del Patto prima che questo fosse concepito e quali difficoltà incontrò la sua attuazione, prima che tutti, sovrani e Custodi delle Torri comprendessero l’assurdità delle armi laran.
Deborah J. Ross ha affrontato questo arduo compito con grande maestria, sebbene il materiale da maneggiare fosse pericoloso quasi quanto la pece magica: Varzil e Carolin sono risultati all’altezza della leggenda, pur mostrando tutte le loro debolezze umane.
Varzil il Testardo, Varzil dalle Mille Risorse, pensò. L’amico, che aveva affrontato una banda di uomini felini per salvare suo fratello, che aveva sventato più di un tentativo di assassinio, che condivideva il suo sogno di una pace con onore per tutto Darkover. Varzil il Buono.
Un pensiero lo colse. C’erano tre poteri al mondo: quello della Torre, quello della corona... e quello del cuore; forse, il più potente di tutti, era quest’ultimo.
[Per chi volesse approfondire il personaggio di Romilly (Romilda), ls sue vicende sono narrate ne La Signora del Falco.(Hawkmistress!, 1982 – Tea 1983)]
Recensione completa:
http://greenyellowale.blogspot.com/20...
July 24, 2022
Ho completato, con questo testo, la lettura dei romanzi di Darkover disponibili in italiano. Anche se in alcuni passaggi, manca la splendida prosa di MZB, il testo mi ha riportato subito ad oltre 30 anni fa, quando aspettavo con impazienza tutte l enuove uscite della Nord e successivamente di TEA per leggere i romanzi ambientati sul pianeta dalle molteplici lune: devo dire che la magia c'è ancora, per questo primo esempio personale di Fanstasy-Science Fiction, che ho sempre e volutamente sostentuo appartenere molto più alla SF che all'altra branca della letteratura fantastica. Peccato che nessn editore voglia prendersi in carico la ristampa dell'intero ciclo e magari delle altre opere ad esso collegate: chiaramente gli eventi personali di MZB trascendono per il marketing il valore dei suoi testi.
April 16, 2017
It took me way too long to read this book. This was mainly caused by my desinterest in part of the narrative. It was not a bad back per se because I love the age it plays in but there were still a lot of things left to be desired.
This story belongs to a trilogy and should be read as such. Unfortunately, it has been some time since I read the first book. It took me some time to remember the details but 1it still was okay.
The book is mainly told from the POV of three young men who enter the tower to receive an education for the magical potential. While they all have different aims in life they develop a deep friendship and meet numerous times during their lives.
While I liked the part of the book about their way into adulthood and their friendship I was bored by the way the story progressed. Sometimes the solution was quite obvious but the characters were quite stubborn and refused to open their eyes. The story offered no real surprise for me and the ending was easy to guess.
I hope the last book in the trilogy will offer a great ending because the story deserves one but I really look forward to read other books in the Darkover series. I tend to like books more that are written from a female POV.
This story belongs to a trilogy and should be read as such. Unfortunately, it has been some time since I read the first book. It took me some time to remember the details but 1it still was okay.
The book is mainly told from the POV of three young men who enter the tower to receive an education for the magical potential. While they all have different aims in life they develop a deep friendship and meet numerous times during their lives.
While I liked the part of the book about their way into adulthood and their friendship I was bored by the way the story progressed. Sometimes the solution was quite obvious but the characters were quite stubborn and refused to open their eyes. The story offered no real surprise for me and the ending was easy to guess.
I hope the last book in the trilogy will offer a great ending because the story deserves one but I really look forward to read other books in the Darkover series. I tend to like books more that are written from a female POV.
October 14, 2024
Varzil and Carolin are two people who will change Darkover for the future. Neither of them knew that when they first met, but Carolin felt that Varzil had great power. Their friendship is something that endures through it all.
This story has a lot of people who love each other but along the way some of them begin to lust for power. The Hastur family is powerful but not all of them are worthy of being the King. Rumail from The Fall of Neskaya is still around, he was thought to have been killed in the last war but he wasn’t. He moved around as a poor man who also managed to sire a lot of sons. He still held on to his mission to revenge against the Hasturs and the Taniquel Hastur-Ascota. Most of his sone did not have enough laran but attempted to assassinate Hasturs and failed. His son, Eduin, is the only son with laran to be able to be trained in a Tower. He makes Eduin promise to wreak revenge on the Hasturs and find the other child of Taniquel. There is a lot of intrigue, revenge, war and death in this story.
This book has an ending that puts to rest a lot of things, but it leaves others hanging. It really does set up the next book very well. There are mysteries left to uncover and there is the new future of Darkover to discover.
This story has a lot of people who love each other but along the way some of them begin to lust for power. The Hastur family is powerful but not all of them are worthy of being the King. Rumail from The Fall of Neskaya is still around, he was thought to have been killed in the last war but he wasn’t. He moved around as a poor man who also managed to sire a lot of sons. He still held on to his mission to revenge against the Hasturs and the Taniquel Hastur-Ascota. Most of his sone did not have enough laran but attempted to assassinate Hasturs and failed. His son, Eduin, is the only son with laran to be able to be trained in a Tower. He makes Eduin promise to wreak revenge on the Hasturs and find the other child of Taniquel. There is a lot of intrigue, revenge, war and death in this story.
This book has an ending that puts to rest a lot of things, but it leaves others hanging. It really does set up the next book very well. There are mysteries left to uncover and there is the new future of Darkover to discover.
July 9, 2021
I read the original books in the Darkover series as they came out. Now I'm rereading them in chronological order with the addition of the ones co-authored with Deborah Ross and enjoying them greatly. Zandru's Forge is the story of Carolin Hastur and Varzil the Good, one I've long wished I knew more about. I remember bits from the earlier readings, but it's nice to get a fuller picture in the Clingfire Trilogy.
I do love the lore and worldbuilding in Darkover, and this book adds a lot to it. I got to see the first female acting as a Keeper here, something unique at this time though it becomes the norm in later times. The conflict of the Towers in becoming involved in the wars of kings as well as the terrible finality of laran weapons is well-written and believable in our own nuclear age.
So, now I'm on to Hawkmistress, a re-read that is somewhat concurrent with this book before I finish the Clingfire trilogy. I'm really enjoying my foray back into this fabulous world.
I do love the lore and worldbuilding in Darkover, and this book adds a lot to it. I got to see the first female acting as a Keeper here, something unique at this time though it becomes the norm in later times. The conflict of the Towers in becoming involved in the wars of kings as well as the terrible finality of laran weapons is well-written and believable in our own nuclear age.
So, now I'm on to Hawkmistress, a re-read that is somewhat concurrent with this book before I finish the Clingfire trilogy. I'm really enjoying my foray back into this fabulous world.
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.
May 21, 2021
Questo secondo tomo della trilogia è ancora più frammentato del secondo, i tre tomi non sono in ordine così lineare con il resto del ciclo di Darkover e qui troviamo riscritta gran parte di "Hawkmistress" raccontato da Carolin Hastur più che da Romilly MacAran. Niente di nuovo nella trama, è la stessa storia e nessun approfondimento che potremmo aspettarci. Anche la "vendetta" che Eduin Deslucido dovrebbe portare avanti ed il suo "dono" di mentire anche se sottoposto a incantesimo di verità, avrebbero potuto dare più spessore alla storia, mentre troviamo dei personaggi estremi, molto buoni o molto cattivi ma solo perchè questo è il ruolo che è stato loro accennato. Anche qui poco spessore, poche emozioni.
September 23, 2025
This is the 2nd book of the Clingfire Trilogy, I think it’s cool that we get to see from generation to generation with the Darkover series, but specifically with this trilogy you see the struggle of good vs evil through the generations, and how even evil men have their own motivations even if they are misguided. Arzil is one of my favorite characters introduced in this world. Becoming such a force to be reckoned with but also a kind a compassionate Keeper to his people. Looking forward to the last book in this trilogy!
November 26, 2017
A fascinating look back in Darkovan history to the Age of Chaos and the origins of the Compact, revealing the true horror of laran weapons as political ambition pitches Tower against Tower. It's difficult to see how two boys, Carolin Hastur and Varzil (later termed "the Good"), can build this alliance and enforce compliance, but the need is so clearly seen from our perspective. And in these days of unrest, I wish something similar could be agreed in reality too.
September 26, 2016
Darkover is at its best when it does a classic duty-vs-love plotline, and Zandru's Forge is all about that in the beginning. The intro has Rumail Deslucido, who survived the events of The Fall of Neskaya, and his son Eduin, who is going to train as a laranzu with the ultimate goal of murdering all the Hasturs that he can. And that then becomes one of the central conflicts of the first half of the book. Working in the Towers for most of his life, Eduin inevitably becomes close with the other Tower workers as the bonds created by psychic rapport find root in him, but he's also working with Hasturs! Will his familial obligation to kill off all the children of Taniquel win out over his friendship with Carolin Hastur, son of the beloved King Felix II?
Well, after he gets brainwashed halfway through the book, the answer is yes. After that, it's more of a suspense tale as it becomes about how Eduin commits his crimes and how anyone is going to figure it out when Eduin is used to keeping his laran shields up and when he has the Deslucido Gift of lying under truthspell. And Ross seems to realize that this isn't as interesting to read about from within, so Eduin's viewpoint sections drop out almost completely after this happens.
Most of the rest of the book is about Varzil Ridenow--the future King Varzil, Varzil the Good, Varzil who's basically sainted by everyone living in the time of Regis Hastur and Lew Alton and so on--and how he started out as a shivering youth waiting for hours outside the gates of Arilinn Tower waiting for entrance. The Ridenows and the Hasturs had a long-standing feud, partially because the Hasturs viewed the Ridenows as little more than jumped-up Dry Towns bandits--which is what they are, admittedly, as we learn in Stormqueen!--and his father didn't want him to attend one of the "Hastur" Towers. But he gets in, and becomes a powerful laranzu, and starts dreaming of a day when kings would no longer turn laran on each other in destructive wars but would fight sword to sword, so that every man must risk death if he would seek to kill another. Stop me if you've heard this before.
The third thread of the book is about Carolin Hastur and his brother Rakhal, who seizes the throne on their father's death and begins a reign of terror and blood, forcing Carolin to flee to the wilds and assemble an army to fight for his rightful place. This is basically the plot of Hawkmistress! except from a different point of view, and I vaguely remember reading Hawkmistress! decades ago so I knew the plotline. Plus, if Rakhal had won and plunged Darkover into a tyranny from which there was no escaping, then the Compact would hardly have gotten off the ground, would it?
Zandru's Forge felt a bit like it was trying to cover too much ground, which is what kept it from five stars for me. If it had focused more closely on Eduin, on his internal conflict between wanting to kill Carolin for being a Hastur but admiring Carolin for being a kind and good man over the year that they worked together in Arilinn Tower, and then having Varzil finally gaining admittance to the Tower and being suspicious of Eduin, Eduin's struggle to keep his secret and find an opportunity to kill Carolin but hesitating because of friendship...that would have been a tightly focused, great novel that I would have loved. As it is, focusing on Eduin and Varzil and Carolin, and with Carolin's story already being a retread of another novel, made Zandru's Forge feel a bit bloated to me.
Also, none of the viewpoint characters are women. I think this is a bit more excusable in a book as heavily-focused on the Towers as this one, since they are much more egalitarian than the rest of Darkover and thus the gender-politics aspect doesn't come as strongly to the fore as it does in, say, Stormqueen!, but it's still unusual for a Darkover book. I would have liked to get a few chapters from Felicia's point of view.
The ending was a disappointment. Not because it was badly written, but just because it went even stronger on the ties to Hawkmistress! and Varzil and Eduin faded from the narrative a bit. A tale of the good king returning to his own is pretty great--see also The Return of the King--but it's not what originally drew me into Zandru's Forge and I'm sad that's the note it went out on.
As a summary, I guess I liked the characters of this book better than in The Fall of Neskaya, but the plot worse, so it averages out to about the same since Goodreads doesn't allow half-stars. Since the Compact hasn't been signed yet and the same character are likely to remain in A Flame in Hali, maybe that will be the best of the three.
Previous Review: The Fall of Neskaya
Next Review: A Flame in Hali.
Well, after he gets brainwashed halfway through the book, the answer is yes. After that, it's more of a suspense tale as it becomes about how Eduin commits his crimes and how anyone is going to figure it out when Eduin is used to keeping his laran shields up and when he has the Deslucido Gift of lying under truthspell. And Ross seems to realize that this isn't as interesting to read about from within, so Eduin's viewpoint sections drop out almost completely after this happens.
Most of the rest of the book is about Varzil Ridenow--the future King Varzil, Varzil the Good, Varzil who's basically sainted by everyone living in the time of Regis Hastur and Lew Alton and so on--and how he started out as a shivering youth waiting for hours outside the gates of Arilinn Tower waiting for entrance. The Ridenows and the Hasturs had a long-standing feud, partially because the Hasturs viewed the Ridenows as little more than jumped-up Dry Towns bandits--which is what they are, admittedly, as we learn in Stormqueen!--and his father didn't want him to attend one of the "Hastur" Towers. But he gets in, and becomes a powerful laranzu, and starts dreaming of a day when kings would no longer turn laran on each other in destructive wars but would fight sword to sword, so that every man must risk death if he would seek to kill another. Stop me if you've heard this before.
The third thread of the book is about Carolin Hastur and his brother Rakhal, who seizes the throne on their father's death and begins a reign of terror and blood, forcing Carolin to flee to the wilds and assemble an army to fight for his rightful place. This is basically the plot of Hawkmistress! except from a different point of view, and I vaguely remember reading Hawkmistress! decades ago so I knew the plotline. Plus, if Rakhal had won and plunged Darkover into a tyranny from which there was no escaping, then the Compact would hardly have gotten off the ground, would it?
Zandru's Forge felt a bit like it was trying to cover too much ground, which is what kept it from five stars for me. If it had focused more closely on Eduin, on his internal conflict between wanting to kill Carolin for being a Hastur but admiring Carolin for being a kind and good man over the year that they worked together in Arilinn Tower, and then having Varzil finally gaining admittance to the Tower and being suspicious of Eduin, Eduin's struggle to keep his secret and find an opportunity to kill Carolin but hesitating because of friendship...that would have been a tightly focused, great novel that I would have loved. As it is, focusing on Eduin and Varzil and Carolin, and with Carolin's story already being a retread of another novel, made Zandru's Forge feel a bit bloated to me.
Also, none of the viewpoint characters are women. I think this is a bit more excusable in a book as heavily-focused on the Towers as this one, since they are much more egalitarian than the rest of Darkover and thus the gender-politics aspect doesn't come as strongly to the fore as it does in, say, Stormqueen!, but it's still unusual for a Darkover book. I would have liked to get a few chapters from Felicia's point of view.
The ending was a disappointment. Not because it was badly written, but just because it went even stronger on the ties to Hawkmistress! and Varzil and Eduin faded from the narrative a bit. A tale of the good king returning to his own is pretty great--see also The Return of the King--but it's not what originally drew me into Zandru's Forge and I'm sad that's the note it went out on.
As a summary, I guess I liked the characters of this book better than in The Fall of Neskaya, but the plot worse, so it averages out to about the same since Goodreads doesn't allow half-stars. Since the Compact hasn't been signed yet and the same character are likely to remain in A Flame in Hali, maybe that will be the best of the three.
Previous Review: The Fall of Neskaya
Next Review: A Flame in Hali.
March 12, 2018
And so from the sublime to the fanciful. Fantasy is mot my favorite genre (I much prefer solid science fiction ) so why I keep picking up these books is a mystery of its own. Having started this series, I feel somewhat duty-bound to finish it. It is not an onerous task, simply one that must be spread out over time so that I don't over-dose.
March 20, 2020
Though the second in the series, reads fine by itself. Benefits from larger context of other Darkover novels.
Enjoyed this back-story on the history people refer to elsewhere in my other books. Looking forward to the third book. Though Spell Singers is blah, all others I've read have been great reads.
Enjoyed this back-story on the history people refer to elsewhere in my other books. Looking forward to the third book. Though Spell Singers is blah, all others I've read have been great reads.
November 5, 2020
This book dragged a bit. The last section is almost identical to the last section of Hawkmistress! and the comparison really highlights the weaknesses of Zandru's Forge.
It's worth reading if you'd like to learn more about the legendary Carolyn Hastur and Varzil the Good and the inception of their Compact, but I don't think it's an essential part of Darkover.
It's worth reading if you'd like to learn more about the legendary Carolyn Hastur and Varzil the Good and the inception of their Compact, but I don't think it's an essential part of Darkover.
June 3, 2020
3.5
I don't know...i was on a roll, reading the whole series, but I think I got a bit bored.
I think this book didn't develop the characters well enough. 🤷
Still. It is tells an important part of Darkover's history and fills in some of the distant, forhitten past.
I don't know...i was on a roll, reading the whole series, but I think I got a bit bored.
I think this book didn't develop the characters well enough. 🤷
Still. It is tells an important part of Darkover's history and fills in some of the distant, forhitten past.
January 30, 2021
Friendships and power bring change
I was entranced as I have been with several books in Marion's Darkover world. Two young men become friends and struggle to change their people's future both enduring loss for the greater good.
I was entranced as I have been with several books in Marion's Darkover world. Two young men become friends and struggle to change their people's future both enduring loss for the greater good.
February 2, 2021
The 2nd book of the series is full of action, well developed characters, and a great story line. I look forward to reading the 3rd book. I would recommend this book and the series to anyone who enjoys a good story with interesting characters and a fair amount of action. Enjoy!!!!! 2014
September 25, 2017
Darkover is always worth a visit, even if not actually written by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Varzil and Carolin are great fantasy protagonists and the plot kept my interest.
December 24, 2018
4.5. At first I was frustrated that I was not renewing my relationship with the characters from The Fall of Neskaya. I persevered and am now glad I did. Not sure if I will continue on yet...
April 5, 2019
Somewhat depressing and slow at times, but it was interesting to read the story of Hawkmistress told from another point of view in the 3rd section.
June 8, 2019
This was pretty typical for this trilogy: battles both psychic and conventional, intrigue, betrayal, and romance. It doesn't really drag anywhere, so it's readable.
July 8, 2019
This was better than the first Clingfire collaboration and the continuation of the underlying revenge motivation was well maintained.
July 22, 2020
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
September 1, 2020
A summer re read, just as good as I remembered it but so long ago it was like a new book.
May 5, 2022
Lots of History.
I liked reading these back to back. They teased out lots of background details and motivations for Darkover Historical characters. Some editing errors.
I liked reading these back to back. They teased out lots of background details and motivations for Darkover Historical characters. Some editing errors.
August 16, 2009
Another one of those books that Marion Zimmer Bradley kept churning out long after her death. Seriously, Deborah Ross was a friend of Bradley's and apparently they "roughed out" a number of story lines which Ross later finished after Bradley's passing. This is the second in the "Clingfire Trilogy."
I have to say that, as a read, the Book is pretty damned good. The characters are engaging, the narrative exciting, the worldbuilding good. The two main characters, Carolin and Varzil, are characters who later become mythic figues in the Darkover canon, and it's interesting to see them rendered as believable, flesh and blood, flawed humans.
The two main story lines are the lifelong friendship between the two protagonists, who are directly responsible for the Compact, that bit of Darkovian law that prohibits the use of any weapon that kills beyond arm's reach--the idea being that, if anyone who wields a weapon also puts his or her own life on the line to wield it, wars will remain, but they won't become the catastrophic, massive loss of life events that they could be. The events of this novel, along with The Fall of Neskaya, the first in this series, explore the horrific use or "laran," or psychic weapons that wrought such destruction that saner heads like Carolin and Varzil ultimately prevail.
The other storyline is Carolin's assumption of the throne. He was the legitimate heir to the much-loved, long reigning Felix II, but has no real desire to be a ruler. He is awy when the old king dies. His cousin Rakhal assumes the throne and rules the lands with such heavy handed tyranny that the peace loving Carolin realizes the only way to save his people is to oppose Rakhal and assume the throne for himself. For those of you who have read other Darkover novels (or if you have read my comments on the Darkover novels), you might recognize that this second story line is also the plot of an earlier Bradley novel, Hawkmistress.
In fact, this is a retelling of these same events from a different point of view. The main character of Hawkmistress, Romily, apppears in the novel as an important secondary character in the last few chapters, but the story is retold from Carolin's point of view. Some of the dialogue is identical to the previous novel (as it has to be since the first novel is "established history" of these events).
Again, this is a thoroughly satisfying read.
My reservations are not really reservations, just a realization that Ross, as gifted as she is, is not Bradley. What distinguishes almost all of Marion Zimmer Bradely's best fiction is the interesting exploration of gender identity and gender roles. Ross, probably wisely, doesn't do this. She doesn't try to BE Bradley, but rather tries to faithfully render the stories Bradley didn't get to finish. As I said, I don't fault Ross for not being Bradely, but I do miss this interesting element that's in most of the good Bradley darkover novels.
Second, most of Bradley's best fiction has at least one strong woman as a point of view character--in many of her novels, ALL of the point of view characters are women. It's fun to follow around a smart, tough woman as she adventures. (This isn't to say that Bradley didn't render interesting male characters, both as point of view characters or as other main characters, because she did). However, all the point of view characters in Zandru's Forge are male--again, something that seems odd in a novel set on Darkover.
Third, Bradley was just a superb writer of action and battle sequences--something very, very few writers do well. Bradley was much better at writing action sequences than JRR Tolkien, for instance, and I say that with a full awareness of and respect for Tolknien's genius. Bradley was flat out that good writing action. While Ross's action and battle scenes are servicable, they aren't Bradley. Lest this seems a ticky-tacky point to make, this novel rewrites one of Bradley's great action sequences--the final battle between Carolin's and Rakhal's forces at the end of Hawkmistress. Having read Hawkmistress this summer and havng it fresh on my mind, I can say, kindly, that, while Ross does a competent job, Bradley's rendering is brilliant.
Fourth and last, I'm not sure how I feel about rewriting a 'classic' Darkover novel from another character's point of view. Of coursse, Zandru's Forge is much more than that, and the 'revisions' I refer to are only in the last few chapters. But it struck me as odd--familiar and in some ways unsuspenseful because I already knew what was going to happen.
Overall, a good read for people who love Darkover novels. And since this year marks the tenth anniversary of Bradley's death, loyal fans are, I'm sure, pleased that the rest of the stories she intended are, through the efforts of Deborah Ross, going to see the light of day.
I have to say that, as a read, the Book is pretty damned good. The characters are engaging, the narrative exciting, the worldbuilding good. The two main characters, Carolin and Varzil, are characters who later become mythic figues in the Darkover canon, and it's interesting to see them rendered as believable, flesh and blood, flawed humans.
The two main story lines are the lifelong friendship between the two protagonists, who are directly responsible for the Compact, that bit of Darkovian law that prohibits the use of any weapon that kills beyond arm's reach--the idea being that, if anyone who wields a weapon also puts his or her own life on the line to wield it, wars will remain, but they won't become the catastrophic, massive loss of life events that they could be. The events of this novel, along with The Fall of Neskaya, the first in this series, explore the horrific use or "laran," or psychic weapons that wrought such destruction that saner heads like Carolin and Varzil ultimately prevail.
The other storyline is Carolin's assumption of the throne. He was the legitimate heir to the much-loved, long reigning Felix II, but has no real desire to be a ruler. He is awy when the old king dies. His cousin Rakhal assumes the throne and rules the lands with such heavy handed tyranny that the peace loving Carolin realizes the only way to save his people is to oppose Rakhal and assume the throne for himself. For those of you who have read other Darkover novels (or if you have read my comments on the Darkover novels), you might recognize that this second story line is also the plot of an earlier Bradley novel, Hawkmistress.
In fact, this is a retelling of these same events from a different point of view. The main character of Hawkmistress, Romily, apppears in the novel as an important secondary character in the last few chapters, but the story is retold from Carolin's point of view. Some of the dialogue is identical to the previous novel (as it has to be since the first novel is "established history" of these events).
Again, this is a thoroughly satisfying read.
My reservations are not really reservations, just a realization that Ross, as gifted as she is, is not Bradley. What distinguishes almost all of Marion Zimmer Bradely's best fiction is the interesting exploration of gender identity and gender roles. Ross, probably wisely, doesn't do this. She doesn't try to BE Bradley, but rather tries to faithfully render the stories Bradley didn't get to finish. As I said, I don't fault Ross for not being Bradely, but I do miss this interesting element that's in most of the good Bradley darkover novels.
Second, most of Bradley's best fiction has at least one strong woman as a point of view character--in many of her novels, ALL of the point of view characters are women. It's fun to follow around a smart, tough woman as she adventures. (This isn't to say that Bradley didn't render interesting male characters, both as point of view characters or as other main characters, because she did). However, all the point of view characters in Zandru's Forge are male--again, something that seems odd in a novel set on Darkover.
Third, Bradley was just a superb writer of action and battle sequences--something very, very few writers do well. Bradley was much better at writing action sequences than JRR Tolkien, for instance, and I say that with a full awareness of and respect for Tolknien's genius. Bradley was flat out that good writing action. While Ross's action and battle scenes are servicable, they aren't Bradley. Lest this seems a ticky-tacky point to make, this novel rewrites one of Bradley's great action sequences--the final battle between Carolin's and Rakhal's forces at the end of Hawkmistress. Having read Hawkmistress this summer and havng it fresh on my mind, I can say, kindly, that, while Ross does a competent job, Bradley's rendering is brilliant.
Fourth and last, I'm not sure how I feel about rewriting a 'classic' Darkover novel from another character's point of view. Of coursse, Zandru's Forge is much more than that, and the 'revisions' I refer to are only in the last few chapters. But it struck me as odd--familiar and in some ways unsuspenseful because I already knew what was going to happen.
Overall, a good read for people who love Darkover novels. And since this year marks the tenth anniversary of Bradley's death, loyal fans are, I'm sure, pleased that the rest of the stories she intended are, through the efforts of Deborah Ross, going to see the light of day.
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.
June 19, 2025
Not as good as some of Bradley's earlier books, but I will still read the sequel.
December 4, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. My experience is that the second book in a trilogy doesn't live up to the first, or the high anxiety and climax of the third. The battle scenes were more descriptive and better wrote than in the first book. There was less focus on the love relationships in this book too. Although the love plays an important part in the story, it is not paramount to the plot. I'm also wondering if there is not a relationship between Varzil and Carolin that is much more than friends. She never comes out and says it, but I believe they are bi-curious. Finally, I think it was a better book because the good guys don't always win. The characters don't have much to hold on to besides hope.
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