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Darkover (Publication Order) #22
Red Sun of Darkover
Spanning generations of Darkover history, this collection of stories journeys into the heart of Darkover power, from the ancient chieri, to the alliance of Ariada Aillard, to Regis Hastur's struggle to bridge the gap between Terrans and the people of Darkover
287 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
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539 people want to read
About the author
Marion Zimmer Bradley
803 books4,904 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 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 16, 2023
It was a long ago read, one I've never picked up again, but which I enjoyed completely at time in which I read it.
June 25, 2019
This is a fair-to-middling anthology of Darkover tales. What struck me as I read (and I'd have to go back and reread the first four anthologies to see if this holds true for them all) is just how many of these "stories" don't really live up to that name. Many of them (for example, the first story in the volume, "Different Kind of Victory" by Diana Paxson) simply fill in a perceived "blank" spot in Darkover's history but otherwise lack an intrinsic plot that is interesting on its own account (and, generally speaking, I'm a little tired of Paxson's attempt to continually mine the first century or so after _Darkover Landfall_ for stories; they're all the same and getting kind of boring to have to sit through). Several of the stories don't really even _have_ a plot, but simply solve a problem presented by the series generally (for example "Salt" by Diana Partridge, which explains why the Aillard family is the only one of the seven Comyn families with matrilineal descent and rule). That kind of story is _sort of_ interesting to a die-hard fan, but as I read this book I realized (at last?) just how uninviting or uninteresting this kind of anthology would be to someone approaching the Darkover universe for the first time. Far from pulling in new readers, this would probably only really satisfy fans (and, as a HUGE fan I'm only mildly interested).
Having said that, however, there _are_ some good stories here. There's a fine almost-eldritch tale about a giant Ages-of-Chaos matrix that captures telepaths to feed on them ("The Wasteland" by Deborah Wheeler), a story about a conservatively raised leronis learning to cooperate with a Terran to survive in the mountains during the time of _The World Wreckers_ ("The Sum of the Parts" by Dorothy Heydt), and a mildly ironic tale of the monks in Nevarsin ("A Cell Opens" by Joe Wilcox) that is flawed only by the rather abrupt ending. The volume also contains two pieces by Bradley herself: the full "Ballad of Hastur and Cassilda" and a story that explains how Regis Hastur's relationship with Danilo Syrtis evolved between the end of _The Heritage of Hastur_ and _Sharra's Exile_ ("The Shadow"), for those two people in the world who wondered about that (I wasn't impressed by either of these, but completists might like to know about them). Overall, this is not the worst Darkover anthology I've read, but it's also not nearly the best.
Having said that, however, there _are_ some good stories here. There's a fine almost-eldritch tale about a giant Ages-of-Chaos matrix that captures telepaths to feed on them ("The Wasteland" by Deborah Wheeler), a story about a conservatively raised leronis learning to cooperate with a Terran to survive in the mountains during the time of _The World Wreckers_ ("The Sum of the Parts" by Dorothy Heydt), and a mildly ironic tale of the monks in Nevarsin ("A Cell Opens" by Joe Wilcox) that is flawed only by the rather abrupt ending. The volume also contains two pieces by Bradley herself: the full "Ballad of Hastur and Cassilda" and a story that explains how Regis Hastur's relationship with Danilo Syrtis evolved between the end of _The Heritage of Hastur_ and _Sharra's Exile_ ("The Shadow"), for those two people in the world who wondered about that (I wasn't impressed by either of these, but completists might like to know about them). Overall, this is not the worst Darkover anthology I've read, but it's also not nearly the best.
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.
August 14, 2020
WASTELAND:
I liked this good short story that gives a vivid picture of how the forbidden laran weapons laid waste to the landscape of Darkover. It’s also a haunting tale of a Tower with a power that kills.
THE SHADOW:
Danilo Syrtis will have to find a way out from under the shadows that he keeps finding himself in. The hardest shadow of them all is that of his foster-father Dyan Ardais. This short story tells us of the family emergency that gives Dani the right people and the right information for Danilo to sort out his and his father’s relationship with the Hastur’s. Danilo Syrtis and Regis Hastur will not only be sworn brothers, but the best of friends, and bredhyu for life.
I liked this good short story that gives a vivid picture of how the forbidden laran weapons laid waste to the landscape of Darkover. It’s also a haunting tale of a Tower with a power that kills.
THE SHADOW:
Danilo Syrtis will have to find a way out from under the shadows that he keeps finding himself in. The hardest shadow of them all is that of his foster-father Dyan Ardais. This short story tells us of the family emergency that gives Dani the right people and the right information for Danilo to sort out his and his father’s relationship with the Hastur’s. Danilo Syrtis and Regis Hastur will not only be sworn brothers, but the best of friends, and bredhyu for life.
Read
October 23, 2025This fifth anthology of all-original Darkover stories, first published in 1987, contains the following stories: Ballad of Hastur and Cassilda, by Marion Zimmer Bradley The Shadow, by Marion Zimmer Bradley Flight, by Nina Boal Devil's Advocate, by Patricia Buard Different Path, by Penny Buchanan The Promise, by Mary Fenoglio The Sum of the Parts, by Dorothy J. Heydt Coils, by Patricia Shaw Mathews Kihar, by Vera Nazarian Salt, by Diann Patridge A Different Kind of Victory, by Diana L. Paxson Wasteland, by Deborah J. Ross Playfellow, by Elisabeth Waters The Dare, by Marny Whiteaker A Cell Opens, by Joseph Wilcox
February 21, 2019
A set of mediocre Darkover stories and novelettes.
December 18, 2020
This is where to find the ballad of Hastur and Cassilda, so often referred to in the Darkover world. Take each one of these as stand alone vignettes.
November 21, 2012
Marion Zimmer Bradley is famous for her Avalon books, but I'm a fan of her Darkover stories, set in an original world and a blend of science fiction and fantasy. I was impressed on reread of the first Darkover short story anthology, The Keeper's Price--basically a collection of "fan fiction" by other authors based on MZB's world. Enough I ranked it just below five stars, and was tempted to give it full marks. Not that I would argue it's deathless literature, but as a Darkover fan I loved it, and was surprised how memorable the various stories were even decades after I first read it--there were some I remembered just from the title, and no story I didn't completely enjoy.
The next two collections, The Sword of Chaos and Free Amazons of Darkover, though still enjoyable, didn't impress me as much. I'm afraid I feel the same about Red Sun of Darkover. The first collection seemed mostly taken from a contest, and perhaps that pushed the quality up. So many in the contents page of the next three anthologies seemed the usual suspects. Besides two stories from MZB, Diana L. Paxson, Susan M. Shwartz, Elizabeth Waters and Patricia Matthews all appeared in the first two volumes, and Paxson, Waters and Matthews also appear here.
I did especially like "Salt," a story by Diann Partridge that seeks to explain why the Aillard Domain is unique in passing through the female line, and MZB said this answer caught her "fancy." I also really enjoyed Patricia Ann Buard's "Devil's Advocate." It reminded me of Blish's A Case of Conscience in its Jesuit protagonist investigating "St Valentine of the Snows." But this is the first Darkover anthology where I actively disliked a couple of stories. According to the introduction by MZB of Patricia Matthews "Coils" the author resisted its inclusion as not really being suitable for Darkover and MZB said she twisted her arm to include it. I'm with Matthews--although an enjoyable story, I can't see it fitting Darkover at all. Finally, I really disliked MZB's own contribution, "The Shadow." I thought the way Regis was pressuring Danilo emotionally to have sex with him, well, wrong and creepy rather than loving. Admittedly, I don't remember feeling that way when I first read this years ago. Still, by and large I think Darkover fans would overall enjoy this anthology.
The next two collections, The Sword of Chaos and Free Amazons of Darkover, though still enjoyable, didn't impress me as much. I'm afraid I feel the same about Red Sun of Darkover. The first collection seemed mostly taken from a contest, and perhaps that pushed the quality up. So many in the contents page of the next three anthologies seemed the usual suspects. Besides two stories from MZB, Diana L. Paxson, Susan M. Shwartz, Elizabeth Waters and Patricia Matthews all appeared in the first two volumes, and Paxson, Waters and Matthews also appear here.
I did especially like "Salt," a story by Diann Partridge that seeks to explain why the Aillard Domain is unique in passing through the female line, and MZB said this answer caught her "fancy." I also really enjoyed Patricia Ann Buard's "Devil's Advocate." It reminded me of Blish's A Case of Conscience in its Jesuit protagonist investigating "St Valentine of the Snows." But this is the first Darkover anthology where I actively disliked a couple of stories. According to the introduction by MZB of Patricia Matthews "Coils" the author resisted its inclusion as not really being suitable for Darkover and MZB said she twisted her arm to include it. I'm with Matthews--although an enjoyable story, I can't see it fitting Darkover at all. Finally, I really disliked MZB's own contribution, "The Shadow." I thought the way Regis was pressuring Danilo emotionally to have sex with him, well, wrong and creepy rather than loving. Admittedly, I don't remember feeling that way when I first read this years ago. Still, by and large I think Darkover fans would overall enjoy this anthology.
November 9, 2025
Nel complesso, deludente
Nonostante questa antologia contenga alcune chicche, come “Salt” di Diann Partridge (che ci svela perché il Dominio di Aillard è matrilineare), “Kihar” di Vera Nazarian e “The Shadow” di MZB stessa (che ci parla dell’unione di Regis e Danilo, narrandoci un episodio avvenuto tra L’EREDE DI HASTUR e L’ESILIO DI SHARRA), sono troppi i raccontini che lasciano il tempo che trovano, e sono illeggibili quelli riguardanti i “cristoforo” e quelli riguardanti le Libere Amazzoni (e di questi ultimi fa specie che siano stati inclusi in questa particolare antologia dalla Bradley, visto che la Bradley stessa – come scrive nelle varie introduzioni – aveva chiesto che _non_ le si sottoponessero racconti incentrati su quelle là perché era appena stata pubblicata un’altra antologia, interamente dedicata a loro).
Nonostante questa antologia contenga alcune chicche, come “Salt” di Diann Partridge (che ci svela perché il Dominio di Aillard è matrilineare), “Kihar” di Vera Nazarian e “The Shadow” di MZB stessa (che ci parla dell’unione di Regis e Danilo, narrandoci un episodio avvenuto tra L’EREDE DI HASTUR e L’ESILIO DI SHARRA), sono troppi i raccontini che lasciano il tempo che trovano, e sono illeggibili quelli riguardanti i “cristoforo” e quelli riguardanti le Libere Amazzoni (e di questi ultimi fa specie che siano stati inclusi in questa particolare antologia dalla Bradley, visto che la Bradley stessa – come scrive nelle varie introduzioni – aveva chiesto che _non_ le si sottoponessero racconti incentrati su quelle là perché era appena stata pubblicata un’altra antologia, interamente dedicata a loro).
August 14, 2020
WASTELAND:
I liked this good short story that gives a vivid picture of how the forbidden laran weapons laid waste to the landscape of Darkover. It’s also a haunting tale of a Tower with a power that kills.
THE SHADOW:
Danilo Syrtis will have to find a way out from under the shadows that he keeps finding himself in. The hardest shadow of them all is that of his foster-father Dyan Ardais. This short story tells us of the family emergency that gives Dani the right people and the right information for Danilo to sort out his and his father’s relationship with the Hastur’s. Danilo Syrtis and Regis Hastur will not only be sworn brothers, but the best of friends, and bredhyu for life.
I liked this good short story that gives a vivid picture of how the forbidden laran weapons laid waste to the landscape of Darkover. It’s also a haunting tale of a Tower with a power that kills.
THE SHADOW:
Danilo Syrtis will have to find a way out from under the shadows that he keeps finding himself in. The hardest shadow of them all is that of his foster-father Dyan Ardais. This short story tells us of the family emergency that gives Dani the right people and the right information for Danilo to sort out his and his father’s relationship with the Hastur’s. Danilo Syrtis and Regis Hastur will not only be sworn brothers, but the best of friends, and bredhyu for life.
June 24, 2011
Erm, well, it's a collection of short stories, not all written by the same author. And, even more so than in that case, a bit uneven. There were a couple of stories I liked above that general three star baseline, and quite a few stories that had parts that rose above it, but as a whole, I can't say I did more than enjoy reading it. I'd recommend it for the Darkover (or serious MZB) enthusiast, but not otherwise.
December 16, 2016
If it has one star I liked it a lot
If it has two stars I liked it a lot and would recommend it
If it has three stars I really really liked it a lot
If it has four stars I insist you read it
If it has five stars it was life changing
If it has two stars I liked it a lot and would recommend it
If it has three stars I really really liked it a lot
If it has four stars I insist you read it
If it has five stars it was life changing
July 24, 2013
I have not read this book. I know nothing about this book. The book I was trying to add is Vera Bradley; Cooking with Friends. An excellent book, I might add! I can't get this book off & the book I actually read on ... so there you go.
October 24, 2012
I am very fond of "The Shadow" because Regis Hastur/Danilo Syrtis is my OTP. I still wish Dyan Ardais would die in a fire.
January 26, 2019
Another anthology of 'outtakes' as MZB called them. Not a bad one in the bunch.
January 4, 2021
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
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews