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Diadem #1
Diadem from the Stars
Far out among the stars the masterminds of the spider people had placed their mightiest mysteries in the scientific device called the diadem. And when that coronet was stolen, they were prepared to pursue it throughout eternity.
The thief crashed among the nomads of Jaydugar, a semi-barbarian world... and the diadem found its way into the hands - and onto the skull - of the girl Aleytys.
She was herself a strange one - daughter of a sky wanderer, outcast among the people who had raised her out of fear and awe. And the diadem was to prove both her bane and her treasure. For she could not remove it once it had sunk its electronic web into her brain and her nervous system - and she did not know how to control the powers that were contained within it.
Yet every moment she wore it, she would be a target for the vengeance of the spider race and the avarice of a thousand worlds.
The thief crashed among the nomads of Jaydugar, a semi-barbarian world... and the diadem found its way into the hands - and onto the skull - of the girl Aleytys.
She was herself a strange one - daughter of a sky wanderer, outcast among the people who had raised her out of fear and awe. And the diadem was to prove both her bane and her treasure. For she could not remove it once it had sunk its electronic web into her brain and her nervous system - and she did not know how to control the powers that were contained within it.
Yet every moment she wore it, she would be a target for the vengeance of the spider race and the avarice of a thousand worlds.
235 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
47 people are currently reading
825 people want to read
About the author
Jo Clayton
71 books66 followersJo Clayton, whose parents named her after Jo in Little Women, was born and raised in Modesto, California. She and her three sisters shared a room and took turns telling each other bedtime stories. One of her sisters noted that Jo's stories were the best, and often contained science fiction and fantasy elements.
Clayton graduated from the University of California in 1963, Summa Cum Laude, and started teaching near Los Angeles.
In 1969, after a religious experience, she moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, joining the teaching order Sisters of Mount Carmel as a novice. She left three years later, before taking final orders.
During her time in New Orleans, Clayton sold sketches and paintings in Pioneer Square to supplement her income.
After being robbed several times, Clayton moved to Portland, Oregon in 1983. She remained there for the rest of her life.
Clayton was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1996. Jo continued to write during her year and a half in the hospital. She finished Drum Calls, the second book of the Drums of Chaos series, and was halfway through the third and final book when she lost her struggle with multiple myeloma in February, 1998.
Literary executor Katherine Kerr made arrangements with established author Kevin Andrew Murphy to finish the third book of the Drums of Chaos series. It is now completed.
Clayton graduated from the University of California in 1963, Summa Cum Laude, and started teaching near Los Angeles.
In 1969, after a religious experience, she moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, joining the teaching order Sisters of Mount Carmel as a novice. She left three years later, before taking final orders.
During her time in New Orleans, Clayton sold sketches and paintings in Pioneer Square to supplement her income.
After being robbed several times, Clayton moved to Portland, Oregon in 1983. She remained there for the rest of her life.
Clayton was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1996. Jo continued to write during her year and a half in the hospital. She finished Drum Calls, the second book of the Drums of Chaos series, and was halfway through the third and final book when she lost her struggle with multiple myeloma in February, 1998.
Literary executor Katherine Kerr made arrangements with established author Kevin Andrew Murphy to finish the third book of the Drums of Chaos series. It is now completed.
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August 12, 2016
Having just read a later book by the same author, I saw some similarities and found that I enjoyed the later book better. This one was originally published in 1977, so there may have been some growth in the writer. However, both books had a woman traveling across a (somewhat) hostile planet that was peopled by different races. The tendency to exclaim to a deity of some kind was similar, but the age and experience level of each woman, and the events during her travels were very different.
In this book the world on which the heroine lives seems to be rather hostile to women in most places. In addition, the heroine seems to bring out the worst in men. I was amazed at the number of times she was groped without expressing any interest on her part. Some of that may have been due to the times when this book was written (the 70s were not friendly to sexually-active women and so what we would consider unacceptable today made sex acceptable then). However, while the sex is not graphic, those who are sensitive to sexual violence should be aware that this book had multiple women and circumstances with non-consensual sex, including sexual slavery and battery during sex.
However, there is no guilt due to being raped, only the need to get away and heal. This isn't a book about that trauma, as it is part of overall survival rather than a defining moment. In fact, I've grown so accustomed to violence in books today, that it was strange when the heroine was upset by killing someone, even when it was an evil person.
The heroine of this book is young and fairly sheltered. While she has faced prejudice and hatred growing up, she was unaware of the reasons why and knew little of the world beyond her town. In fact, there is a lot of negative emotion in this book, and that may be why I didn't enjoy it so much. The heroine manages to keep going and doesn't take any of the hatred to heart or beat herself up over her choices. That last was a very nice aspect of the book. While she may have been sickened by some of the things she had to do, she didn't carry on in guilt once she moved past it.
One aspect of the book that didn't work well for me is that she is pregnant pretty much the entire book. Even though she knew she was pregnant, it didn't seem that she thought of it until a ways in, around the time she was starting to show. However, she makes a comment after giving birth that makes it clear that she was aware of her pregnancy all along. It often felt as if the baby was an afterthought.
Overall, despite having been written in the 1970s, the book is not dated, and has held up very well across time. While it is a science fiction novel, the setting is more of a fantasy one with psychic powers/magic and more advanced technology showing up in only very limited situations. It looks like future books take place on different worlds, so I'm not sure how much more they fit with the more typical science fiction setting.
I received a copy for review through NetGalley.
In this book the world on which the heroine lives seems to be rather hostile to women in most places. In addition, the heroine seems to bring out the worst in men. I was amazed at the number of times she was groped without expressing any interest on her part. Some of that may have been due to the times when this book was written (the 70s were not friendly to sexually-active women and so what we would consider unacceptable today made sex acceptable then). However, while the sex is not graphic, those who are sensitive to sexual violence should be aware that this book had multiple women and circumstances with non-consensual sex, including sexual slavery and battery during sex.
However, there is no guilt due to being raped, only the need to get away and heal. This isn't a book about that trauma, as it is part of overall survival rather than a defining moment. In fact, I've grown so accustomed to violence in books today, that it was strange when the heroine was upset by killing someone, even when it was an evil person.
The heroine of this book is young and fairly sheltered. While she has faced prejudice and hatred growing up, she was unaware of the reasons why and knew little of the world beyond her town. In fact, there is a lot of negative emotion in this book, and that may be why I didn't enjoy it so much. The heroine manages to keep going and doesn't take any of the hatred to heart or beat herself up over her choices. That last was a very nice aspect of the book. While she may have been sickened by some of the things she had to do, she didn't carry on in guilt once she moved past it.
One aspect of the book that didn't work well for me is that she is pregnant pretty much the entire book. Even though she knew she was pregnant, it didn't seem that she thought of it until a ways in, around the time she was starting to show. However, she makes a comment after giving birth that makes it clear that she was aware of her pregnancy all along. It often felt as if the baby was an afterthought.
Overall, despite having been written in the 1970s, the book is not dated, and has held up very well across time. While it is a science fiction novel, the setting is more of a fantasy one with psychic powers/magic and more advanced technology showing up in only very limited situations. It looks like future books take place on different worlds, so I'm not sure how much more they fit with the more typical science fiction setting.
I received a copy for review through NetGalley.
August 9, 2016
https://koeur.wordpress.com/2016/08/0...
Publisher: Open Road
Publishing Date: August 2016 (1977)
ISBN: 9781504038393
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 4.0/5
Publishers Description: Raised, but never loved, by the barbarian valley people of Jaydugar, a planet of two suns, young Aleytys has always known she did not belong. Abandoned by her space-traveling mother and barely tolerated by a superstitious primitive tribe fearful of divine reprisals, Aleytys is forced to flee for her life following the catastrophic appearance of a fireball in the sky.
Review: As usual, Jo Clayton delivers an epic scifi novel that is built around superb characterization and world building. Aleytys, the offspring from what I would call a rape, as her father the head clan leader buys her mother from a slaver for a bunch of horses. Her mother is an off world alien as are most of the residents on Jaydugar. Before her mother leaves the clan, she shows her alien powers and promises destruction if anything should befall her daughter. Fast forward 16 years and young Aleytys is considered bad luck, and as an omen shoots across the sky, the superstitious people seek to burn her at the stake prompting her to follow a map that her mother left for her.
The character development is great as it rides in consummate fashion with the movement and Aleytys grows into herself as trials rise to the fore while on her quest to find her mother. The disparate communities are thoughtfully done as are the changing landscapes and the endemic wildlife. There is some weird shjt that skirts the edges of believability but doesn’t wander too far off an ingrained story line.
A reboot from the science fiction 70’s, Jo Clayton’s Diadem still delivers decades later and her work will always remain relevant.
Publisher: Open Road
Publishing Date: August 2016 (1977)
ISBN: 9781504038393
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 4.0/5
Publishers Description: Raised, but never loved, by the barbarian valley people of Jaydugar, a planet of two suns, young Aleytys has always known she did not belong. Abandoned by her space-traveling mother and barely tolerated by a superstitious primitive tribe fearful of divine reprisals, Aleytys is forced to flee for her life following the catastrophic appearance of a fireball in the sky.
Review: As usual, Jo Clayton delivers an epic scifi novel that is built around superb characterization and world building. Aleytys, the offspring from what I would call a rape, as her father the head clan leader buys her mother from a slaver for a bunch of horses. Her mother is an off world alien as are most of the residents on Jaydugar. Before her mother leaves the clan, she shows her alien powers and promises destruction if anything should befall her daughter. Fast forward 16 years and young Aleytys is considered bad luck, and as an omen shoots across the sky, the superstitious people seek to burn her at the stake prompting her to follow a map that her mother left for her.
The character development is great as it rides in consummate fashion with the movement and Aleytys grows into herself as trials rise to the fore while on her quest to find her mother. The disparate communities are thoughtfully done as are the changing landscapes and the endemic wildlife. There is some weird shjt that skirts the edges of believability but doesn’t wander too far off an ingrained story line.
A reboot from the science fiction 70’s, Jo Clayton’s Diadem still delivers decades later and her work will always remain relevant.
March 22, 2016
Aleytys is a witch's daughter, hated but grudgingly cared for by her community for fear of activating a curse. When a terrible fate threatens her, she flees and must learn to survive out in a wild world she's never seen.
I suppose one would classify this as science-fantasy, if there is such a term. It's definitely on the softer side of SF. Spaceships and aliens bookend the tale, but the bulk of it takes place in a more primitive environment, and there is "magic" (or at least what appears to be.) I really liked Aleytys as a character. She's a horny adolescent who's generally good and smart but makes a lot of mistakes, as one would expect from the unfamiliar situations she finds herself thrown into. Stylistically, the book reminded me of Anne McCaffrey's earlier, better work, though a bit sexier.
My only criticism is that it upon reaching the conclusion it felt more like a first act than a complete story. Fortunately, I already have the next installment, which I am very much looking forward to.
(As an aside, this was apparently a favorite novel of comics writer Chris Claremont, who took the protagonist's name for one of his X-Men supporting characters in the early 80s. It seems like he also drew a lot from the naming conventions Clayton used as well.)
I suppose one would classify this as science-fantasy, if there is such a term. It's definitely on the softer side of SF. Spaceships and aliens bookend the tale, but the bulk of it takes place in a more primitive environment, and there is "magic" (or at least what appears to be.) I really liked Aleytys as a character. She's a horny adolescent who's generally good and smart but makes a lot of mistakes, as one would expect from the unfamiliar situations she finds herself thrown into. Stylistically, the book reminded me of Anne McCaffrey's earlier, better work, though a bit sexier.
My only criticism is that it upon reaching the conclusion it felt more like a first act than a complete story. Fortunately, I already have the next installment, which I am very much looking forward to.
(As an aside, this was apparently a favorite novel of comics writer Chris Claremont, who took the protagonist's name for one of his X-Men supporting characters in the early 80s. It seems like he also drew a lot from the naming conventions Clayton used as well.)
July 15, 2020
“What time is it?
Aleytys leaned out and peered up at the sky. The red blur with its pale blue ghost was well into the afternoon slide for the western horizon. “About sa’at haftuman,” she said thoughtfully.
“That means a lot,” he grunted. “Translate.”
“About six hours till Horli-set.”
This exchange (pages 228 and 229 on my copy) to me exemplify two aspects of the book, one good, one not so good. The good? The world building is really good in this novel, rather immersive, a world of different cultures and clans, primarily it seems Arabic but with elements from other cultures too (including witches). It is a world with its own fauna and flora, two suns (Hesh and Horli), lots of adventure, cities and wilderness and caravans and religious ceremonies. It feels fleshed out, not sparse or spartan, but lived in. Maybe not a lot of sense of history, but definitely a world that feels it has cultures with rich traditions and a good bit of interesting wildlife.
It is also a sink-or-swim at times immersive experience, with so many words for articles of clothing or certain societal positions or strange trees or dangerous wildlife or what have you it could be difficult even through context to piece together what was going on as far as setting elements went. I could quickly tell a horan was a type of tree, that a gurb was some sort of feline-pet, a tars was some sort of intelligent lion (possibly the creature on the cover), but other words like sabbiyya or the phrase “Ai-Aschla” or sinaubar or what nastha was (a meal?) or with one passage “and the muted whisper of the river blended with the darting drones of shash, szuhm, and khasrat”…a lot of these I don’t know if the words were Arabic or Persian or made-up words for the fictional world of this novel. It’s too many fictional words, particularly early on, about things that aren’t essential to the storyline or that are easily discerned from context. The name of the two suns, yes, absolutely, important, easily grasped early on, but so many others, particularly when I suspected they were more local color words that a few chapters away I might not ever see again…it was a lot and made it at times a challenging read.
Ok, those complaints aside, what else did I think about the book? Though it had some uneven pacing, it was still a decent science fantasy adventure story, more fantasy for most of the book but with strong science fiction framing elements in the opening and ending chapters. Basically, a thief steals a powerful object from an alien species, the titular diadem, and crash lands while trying to escape with his prize on a “barbarian world” where no one has any technology above a crossbow. This thief is only present in the opening chapter and several chapters at the end, with the rest of the book telling the tale of a young woman named Aleytys, introducing her as a somewhat shunned young woman within the clan she lives with, living a fairly comfortable life in a fertile valley deep in the mountains, a woman who soon has to flee when she learns most of this same clan wants her dead, her escaped informed by Aleytys finding out in a letter from the mother that she never knew that her mother was from the stars and went home, giving Aleytys what she needed to know to leave this world and find her mom. With some help from some sympathetic people in her clan, Aleytys escapes and makes her way over most of this world, her paths eventually crossing with the thief and the extremely powerful diadem he stole (though not until well into the book, well over half way).
Though from time to time Aleytys has helpful companions, most of the time she is either alone or has unhelpful companions. She gets captured or otherwise held in a situation she isn’t entirely free to leave several times, each time putting her in mortal danger. Someone from her clan tracks her for many days, wanting her back (just to kill her), and another time Aleytys gets enslaved (oh yes, slavery is alive and well on this world); most of the book Aleytys is being held against her will and in mortal danger, or is alone and being followed and in mortal danger if the pursuer catches her.
And she gets raped. Several times. At first I thought a few scenes were just iffy consent issues, but she quickly seemed to agree despite the man not really asking though it looked like she could have said no and stopped him (or he would have stopped), as uncomfortable as it looked, but later on, nope, rape. Rape rape. Not graphic but definitely there. That more than anything could have been a deal breaker for me. I suppose believable that she would have been raped, but it didn’t always make for enjoyable reading.
So why did I continue reading it? Aleytys showed real character growth as the book progressed, I liked how she overcame each adversity as it appeared in her path, and it was interesting to see Aleytys develop powers even before she ever got the diadem, basically telepathic powers, powers that could make at least animals, possibly people, do her bidding (and also fight those who had such powers and unlike her use those powers to enslave or hurt people). I liked a few of the twists in the book (the very act of helping one person in the book actually made that person into a horrible adversary despite her very good intentions). I hope that this is not spoiler territory, but it looked like at the end later books won’t be as immersed in a thicket of made up cultural words and might be really interesting, especially as she makes her way to other planets.
My last observation is that though the book has an ending (the last adversaries wishing her death are dealt with) it is by no means the end. She doesn’t know what the diadem will do, doesn’t know really much about her new companions, and doesn’t know where she is going next. It is very much the start of a saga. I am actually given the ending curious to what happens next, which is one of the reasons I rank the novel as high as I do. It was a fairly fast read and I can see reading the second novel in the series.
Aleytys leaned out and peered up at the sky. The red blur with its pale blue ghost was well into the afternoon slide for the western horizon. “About sa’at haftuman,” she said thoughtfully.
“That means a lot,” he grunted. “Translate.”
“About six hours till Horli-set.”
This exchange (pages 228 and 229 on my copy) to me exemplify two aspects of the book, one good, one not so good. The good? The world building is really good in this novel, rather immersive, a world of different cultures and clans, primarily it seems Arabic but with elements from other cultures too (including witches). It is a world with its own fauna and flora, two suns (Hesh and Horli), lots of adventure, cities and wilderness and caravans and religious ceremonies. It feels fleshed out, not sparse or spartan, but lived in. Maybe not a lot of sense of history, but definitely a world that feels it has cultures with rich traditions and a good bit of interesting wildlife.
It is also a sink-or-swim at times immersive experience, with so many words for articles of clothing or certain societal positions or strange trees or dangerous wildlife or what have you it could be difficult even through context to piece together what was going on as far as setting elements went. I could quickly tell a horan was a type of tree, that a gurb was some sort of feline-pet, a tars was some sort of intelligent lion (possibly the creature on the cover), but other words like sabbiyya or the phrase “Ai-Aschla” or sinaubar or what nastha was (a meal?) or with one passage “and the muted whisper of the river blended with the darting drones of shash, szuhm, and khasrat”…a lot of these I don’t know if the words were Arabic or Persian or made-up words for the fictional world of this novel. It’s too many fictional words, particularly early on, about things that aren’t essential to the storyline or that are easily discerned from context. The name of the two suns, yes, absolutely, important, easily grasped early on, but so many others, particularly when I suspected they were more local color words that a few chapters away I might not ever see again…it was a lot and made it at times a challenging read.
Ok, those complaints aside, what else did I think about the book? Though it had some uneven pacing, it was still a decent science fantasy adventure story, more fantasy for most of the book but with strong science fiction framing elements in the opening and ending chapters. Basically, a thief steals a powerful object from an alien species, the titular diadem, and crash lands while trying to escape with his prize on a “barbarian world” where no one has any technology above a crossbow. This thief is only present in the opening chapter and several chapters at the end, with the rest of the book telling the tale of a young woman named Aleytys, introducing her as a somewhat shunned young woman within the clan she lives with, living a fairly comfortable life in a fertile valley deep in the mountains, a woman who soon has to flee when she learns most of this same clan wants her dead, her escaped informed by Aleytys finding out in a letter from the mother that she never knew that her mother was from the stars and went home, giving Aleytys what she needed to know to leave this world and find her mom. With some help from some sympathetic people in her clan, Aleytys escapes and makes her way over most of this world, her paths eventually crossing with the thief and the extremely powerful diadem he stole (though not until well into the book, well over half way).
Though from time to time Aleytys has helpful companions, most of the time she is either alone or has unhelpful companions. She gets captured or otherwise held in a situation she isn’t entirely free to leave several times, each time putting her in mortal danger. Someone from her clan tracks her for many days, wanting her back (just to kill her), and another time Aleytys gets enslaved (oh yes, slavery is alive and well on this world); most of the book Aleytys is being held against her will and in mortal danger, or is alone and being followed and in mortal danger if the pursuer catches her.
And she gets raped. Several times. At first I thought a few scenes were just iffy consent issues, but she quickly seemed to agree despite the man not really asking though it looked like she could have said no and stopped him (or he would have stopped), as uncomfortable as it looked, but later on, nope, rape. Rape rape. Not graphic but definitely there. That more than anything could have been a deal breaker for me. I suppose believable that she would have been raped, but it didn’t always make for enjoyable reading.
So why did I continue reading it? Aleytys showed real character growth as the book progressed, I liked how she overcame each adversity as it appeared in her path, and it was interesting to see Aleytys develop powers even before she ever got the diadem, basically telepathic powers, powers that could make at least animals, possibly people, do her bidding (and also fight those who had such powers and unlike her use those powers to enslave or hurt people). I liked a few of the twists in the book (the very act of helping one person in the book actually made that person into a horrible adversary despite her very good intentions). I hope that this is not spoiler territory, but it looked like at the end later books won’t be as immersed in a thicket of made up cultural words and might be really interesting, especially as she makes her way to other planets.
My last observation is that though the book has an ending (the last adversaries wishing her death are dealt with) it is by no means the end. She doesn’t know what the diadem will do, doesn’t know really much about her new companions, and doesn’t know where she is going next. It is very much the start of a saga. I am actually given the ending curious to what happens next, which is one of the reasons I rank the novel as high as I do. It was a fairly fast read and I can see reading the second novel in the series.
August 9, 2022
Science Fantsy, Auftakt eine Reihe. Eine junge Frau, Mutter eine "Hexe" von den Sternen, Vater ein planetarer Häuptling, begibt sich auf eine Reise, löst sich von der Gemeinschaft. Zusammen mit ihrem Freund sucht sie auch ihre Mutter und erlebt Abenteuer, entwickelt ihre PSI-Fähigkeiten.
Es war damals irgendwie nicht das, was ich erwartete. Vielleicht zu viel Fantasy und zu wenig Science. Ich wurde mit der ganzen Geschichte nicht warm, obwohl sie durchaus spannend war. Deswegen habe ich die Reihe auch nicht weiter gelesen.
Das Cover finde ich auch nicht gut, ist gibt zwar einen Erotik-Touch im Roman, aber die Heldin hat so ein Cover nicht verdient.
Es war damals irgendwie nicht das, was ich erwartete. Vielleicht zu viel Fantasy und zu wenig Science. Ich wurde mit der ganzen Geschichte nicht warm, obwohl sie durchaus spannend war. Deswegen habe ich die Reihe auch nicht weiter gelesen.
Das Cover finde ich auch nicht gut, ist gibt zwar einen Erotik-Touch im Roman, aber die Heldin hat so ein Cover nicht verdient.
November 23, 2025
I'm sure there are some interesting ideas here, but the story just couldn't catch me. And then when the plot began, it consisted of the protagonist getting raped again and again (and sometimes liking it and sometimes not) and I just stopped hoping it will become entertaining at any point. It's not as actively insulting as other books I've rated 1 star but with DNF at 60% (and me skimming through it before that) I can't justify a different rating.
June 8, 2021
All the expected problems: too many unnecessary, undefined new vocab words, too many characters, main character who is both a chosen one and a ‘not like other girls’ type, basic beginning of a quest plot with no reason for me to care. Very boring. And worst of all, so much horrible, unnecessary rape, sexual slavery and sexual violence as plot device and page filler.
I am amazed that this was written by a woman. It seemed to have no understanding whatsoever of women’s bodies, or understanding that they’re actual people and not sex plot devices. Maybe it’s a joke?
I am amazed that this was written by a woman. It seemed to have no understanding whatsoever of women’s bodies, or understanding that they’re actual people and not sex plot devices. Maybe it’s a joke?
May 12, 2019
This was a difficult read. I really wanted to like the story, but it was very hard to follow. The main issue with the story is the overuse of made up words.
Sci-fi and fantasy always have their own made up words and languages but the trick is to use them sparingly or slowly teach the reader to translate then through character interaction, kind of like the Belter language in The Expanse or Elvish in LOTR.
Here we just have words and names of things that may be terms of endearment or just gibberish, they're inconsistent so there's no pattern to learn from, add in the fact that the character names are also a bit exaggerated and it can be very confusing a read.
However, the story is a good idea, kind of more fantasy than sci-fi until the end. It reminds me of the Dragons if Pern in terms of it being science fiction in a fantasy setting. I liked the idea of the evil spider aliens etc but we don't really see them during the course of the story.
To be fair: this was my first book using my library's app to borrow an e-book. I haven't really read e-books before, so there is a chance I would have connected with the story more if I had a physical copy of the book. In that instance I'd possibly give it three stars.
Sci-fi and fantasy always have their own made up words and languages but the trick is to use them sparingly or slowly teach the reader to translate then through character interaction, kind of like the Belter language in The Expanse or Elvish in LOTR.
Here we just have words and names of things that may be terms of endearment or just gibberish, they're inconsistent so there's no pattern to learn from, add in the fact that the character names are also a bit exaggerated and it can be very confusing a read.
However, the story is a good idea, kind of more fantasy than sci-fi until the end. It reminds me of the Dragons if Pern in terms of it being science fiction in a fantasy setting. I liked the idea of the evil spider aliens etc but we don't really see them during the course of the story.
To be fair: this was my first book using my library's app to borrow an e-book. I haven't really read e-books before, so there is a chance I would have connected with the story more if I had a physical copy of the book. In that instance I'd possibly give it three stars.
August 17, 2016
I have been a fan of Jo Clayton or years and have most of her book in the original paperback. When I was offered Diadem from the Stars in ebook form in return for an honest review I jumped at the chance. I was not disappointed. The story does not sound dated. it is as fresh and interesting today as it was in the 1980's. The Characters are very well written, the plot a great mix of fantasy and space opera, and the Diadem at the heart of the story is still compelling. This is a long series and I look forward to getting the rest of the series in ebook form as my eyes are much older than when the book first came out and the print looks a lot smaller. That is a problem my ereader solves.
September 18, 2020
Enjoyed this book tremendously - back in 1979 it was a pretty fresh style.
Read
November 12, 2019I don't have a single clue how to rate this one.
February 4, 2023
Quite possibly the worst book I have ever read.
February 17, 2020
This was mostly a very fun story, and I like the implications of this alien race of aromantic bisexual disasters roaming about getting into adventures. Alas, I could have done without the psychic rape. Which is a rather harsh pill to swallow. Still and otherwise, I enjoyed it.
Read
July 30, 2016Reviewed at my blog: Babbling Books
DNF
I always try my hardest to finish books if I go through the trouble of requesting them but with this book I just couldn’t bring myself to read any further.
Now I can only judge from what I’ve read so far but this book is obviously shooting to be a sort of fantasy/science fiction mix and that’s fine, it’s why I was interested in the first place; but when the first four chapters have the main character being abused and called the B word so many times it just gets hard to stomach. There’s a difference between a character overcoming adversity and a book just being too overzealous with abuse.
I do realize this book was apparently released originally back in the 1980s so the tone and overall appeal are likely different than what it would be for this generation now, but I just couldn’t even get a feel for the main character Aleytys or the world she was supposed to be in. It felt somewhat Arabic in nature and then with the sci-fi/fantasy elements I couldn’t determine what things I could actually look up that might help me get my bearings on clothing or location or even just the language that was being used. Even the writing was hard to follow because I couldn’t tell if some of the words were for poetic effect or if it was just a language I am unfamiliar with.
Since this is a DNF I am not giving it a rating as usual and there are of course people who I believe might enjoy this book so I still encourage others to give it a try. This was just not to my particular liking.
*I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley from Open Road Integrated Media in exchange for an honest review*
DNF
I always try my hardest to finish books if I go through the trouble of requesting them but with this book I just couldn’t bring myself to read any further.
Now I can only judge from what I’ve read so far but this book is obviously shooting to be a sort of fantasy/science fiction mix and that’s fine, it’s why I was interested in the first place; but when the first four chapters have the main character being abused and called the B word so many times it just gets hard to stomach. There’s a difference between a character overcoming adversity and a book just being too overzealous with abuse.
I do realize this book was apparently released originally back in the 1980s so the tone and overall appeal are likely different than what it would be for this generation now, but I just couldn’t even get a feel for the main character Aleytys or the world she was supposed to be in. It felt somewhat Arabic in nature and then with the sci-fi/fantasy elements I couldn’t determine what things I could actually look up that might help me get my bearings on clothing or location or even just the language that was being used. Even the writing was hard to follow because I couldn’t tell if some of the words were for poetic effect or if it was just a language I am unfamiliar with.
Since this is a DNF I am not giving it a rating as usual and there are of course people who I believe might enjoy this book so I still encourage others to give it a try. This was just not to my particular liking.
*I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley from Open Road Integrated Media in exchange for an honest review*
March 6, 2009
Picked up this older scifi series at a used bookstore. This first installment was actually primarily a fantasy-type novel until the very end. Pretty standard (now at least) underappreciated, somewhat abused adolescent girl with interesting abilities has to leave her current situation and set off on a long journey, pleasant and horrifying situations ensue. Will be interested in how this series starts to play out.
Read
January 13, 2017DNF
April 29, 2017
I found this series via a later book and worked backwards. If I started here - I may not have continued.
Ah well - onto the next until I hit the one that hooked me.
Ah well - onto the next until I hit the one that hooked me.
March 11, 2019
Really boring, half the book was about the suns rising and setting and the other half about Aleytys taking baths. I couldn't get myself interested in the story not a bit.
January 3, 2023
Aleytys (“Leyta” to her friends) isn’t like the other girls in her clan. No one else has that bright red hair. Although she is the daughter of Azdar, the clan head, he barely acknowledges Aleytys exists, and his first wife Qumri is physically and emotionally abusive to her. Leyta does have her friends among the younger folk, but her father’s generation fears and sometimes hates her, and no one will explain why beyond Qumri’s insistence on calling Aleytys’ mother (never to have her name mentioned) “whore.” One night there is a fireball in the sky that awakens bad memories in the older clanspeople, and Aleytys’ life is about to change.
As it happens, Aleytys’ mother Shareem was not from the clan, but a literal alien who’d crash landed on the planet and gotten enslaved. Her psychic powers were weakened by the injuries she’d sustained and subsequent illness, so it was not until after Aleytys (which means “wanderer” in her mother’s tongue) was born that she could exert her own will. Shareem found a possible way off-planet, but Aleytys was too young to travel with her so she entrusted the baby to the clan with dire warnings about what would happen if the child were harmed. She also left instructions on how to start the journey to follow and entrusted them to one of the few clansmen who’d been kind to her.
As Leyta’s own psychic abilities start to bloom, her enemies in the clan decide they can no longer wait to see if she will bring doom, and concoct a ritual which will supposedly prevent her mother’s curse from activating. Aleytys is forced to flee, and thus begins the journey that will unite her with the diadem from the stars!
This 1977 novel is the first of nine books in the Diadem series (plus an extra one set in the same universe but not starring Aleytys) as our heroine travels across the galaxy searching for her mother and her birthright, both aided and hindered by the eponymous piece of jewelry. This first book just gets her off her birth world.
The time appears to be the far future as humanity has scattered to the stars. The clan is descended from one of a number of different civilizations’ starships that crashed on the planet thousands of years ago and since lost mechanical technology. Thus, there are multiple tribal civilizations, with a touch of Middle Eastern culture seen in word fragments and such. Speaking of words, Ms. Hudson goes ahead and just uses local terms for many things without defining them so you will have to parse out what they are from context.
The science fiction bits bookend the story, as the Diadem is stolen from truly alien aliens by a thief named Stavver (and the narration and dialogue never lets us forget he’s a thief) and his ship crash lands, causing the fireball that sets off Aleytys’ journey, and at the end Aleytys is the one who dons the item and gains/is imprisoned by its power. In the middle, it’s more science fantasy as there’s a lot of prophecy, superstition, psychic powers and eventually outright magic going on. Fate is a huge theme here.
Also a theme is “men are untrustworthy.” Even the fellow who Leyta is having an affair with at the beginning of the story, Vadj, who’s quite benevolent, is going ahead despite having a prophetic dream where his and Aleytys’ child will burn down the clan. Condoms are apparently not an option. Far more troubling is Tarnsian the caravaner. When first met, he’s a creep who is routinely abused by his tribe but has some psychic powers that give him grief. Aleytys gives him some pointers on self-defense in exchange for learning some of his tricks. When we see Tarnsian next, he’s become a monster who routinely rapes women and uses his powers as a tyrant.
There’s a lot of rape and dubious-consent sex here; younger readers might want to give this one a pass.
The women Aleytys interacts with are also often terrible, but it’s less being untrustworthy, and more just open spite.
The best bits are the long journey parts where Aleytys and the author explore the world.
Content note: Rape, dubious consent sex, consensual extramarital sex. Slavery. Physical and emotional abuse. Slut-shaming (especially rich since the person in question is a slave and not allowed to opt out.)
Overall: Some neat world building, the cultural stuff is interesting. But if there’s this much rape in the rest of the series, I’m noping out.
As it happens, Aleytys’ mother Shareem was not from the clan, but a literal alien who’d crash landed on the planet and gotten enslaved. Her psychic powers were weakened by the injuries she’d sustained and subsequent illness, so it was not until after Aleytys (which means “wanderer” in her mother’s tongue) was born that she could exert her own will. Shareem found a possible way off-planet, but Aleytys was too young to travel with her so she entrusted the baby to the clan with dire warnings about what would happen if the child were harmed. She also left instructions on how to start the journey to follow and entrusted them to one of the few clansmen who’d been kind to her.
As Leyta’s own psychic abilities start to bloom, her enemies in the clan decide they can no longer wait to see if she will bring doom, and concoct a ritual which will supposedly prevent her mother’s curse from activating. Aleytys is forced to flee, and thus begins the journey that will unite her with the diadem from the stars!
This 1977 novel is the first of nine books in the Diadem series (plus an extra one set in the same universe but not starring Aleytys) as our heroine travels across the galaxy searching for her mother and her birthright, both aided and hindered by the eponymous piece of jewelry. This first book just gets her off her birth world.
The time appears to be the far future as humanity has scattered to the stars. The clan is descended from one of a number of different civilizations’ starships that crashed on the planet thousands of years ago and since lost mechanical technology. Thus, there are multiple tribal civilizations, with a touch of Middle Eastern culture seen in word fragments and such. Speaking of words, Ms. Hudson goes ahead and just uses local terms for many things without defining them so you will have to parse out what they are from context.
The science fiction bits bookend the story, as the Diadem is stolen from truly alien aliens by a thief named Stavver (and the narration and dialogue never lets us forget he’s a thief) and his ship crash lands, causing the fireball that sets off Aleytys’ journey, and at the end Aleytys is the one who dons the item and gains/is imprisoned by its power. In the middle, it’s more science fantasy as there’s a lot of prophecy, superstition, psychic powers and eventually outright magic going on. Fate is a huge theme here.
Also a theme is “men are untrustworthy.” Even the fellow who Leyta is having an affair with at the beginning of the story, Vadj, who’s quite benevolent, is going ahead despite having a prophetic dream where his and Aleytys’ child will burn down the clan. Condoms are apparently not an option. Far more troubling is Tarnsian the caravaner. When first met, he’s a creep who is routinely abused by his tribe but has some psychic powers that give him grief. Aleytys gives him some pointers on self-defense in exchange for learning some of his tricks. When we see Tarnsian next, he’s become a monster who routinely rapes women and uses his powers as a tyrant.
There’s a lot of rape and dubious-consent sex here; younger readers might want to give this one a pass.
The women Aleytys interacts with are also often terrible, but it’s less being untrustworthy, and more just open spite.
The best bits are the long journey parts where Aleytys and the author explore the world.
Content note: Rape, dubious consent sex, consensual extramarital sex. Slavery. Physical and emotional abuse. Slut-shaming (especially rich since the person in question is a slave and not allowed to opt out.)
Overall: Some neat world building, the cultural stuff is interesting. But if there’s this much rape in the rest of the series, I’m noping out.
September 10, 2025
I first began reading this series in the early 1980s. Made it about halfway through the second book. Decided to try it again over 40 years later. While Clayton is definitely a landmark writer in the SF and fantasy genres (the Diadem series is a blend of both), and deserves credit for being one of the early voices of women in post-1960s SF/F, this book is definitely a product of its time.
An interesting concept with ambitious worldbuilding, the Diadem books center around a female character essentially defined by how much sex she has, how many people she has it with, and how much everyone wants to have sex with her. Said sex is not always consensual, and one grim episode (thankfully not depicted in detail) is decidedly not. In fairness, Aleytys is no Rescue Me Barbie. Although she DOES spend lots of time laughing for no reason, being vain as hell, and getting SA'ed by an array of bad guys, she's a survivor who's pretty tough by the standards of female characters in 1970s SF/F. Neither a fighter nor a pushover before acquiring the diadem, she maintains a defiant attitude that causes more suffering than comfort. There's an annoying element of Chosen One Syndrome at work here; even so, Aleytys is far better than the whiny dishrags who dominate both Clayton's era and certain veins of more contemporary fantasy.
Aside from dated tropes, a cast of dislikeable characters of all genders, a distasteful undercurrent of Islamophobia, and a degree of podiatric fervor that would make Tarantino blush, this book's biggest problem is its overuse of "exotic" alien/fantasy jargon. It's hard to feel eager about reading six books filled with 350+ pages of passages like this one:
"Poisoned." N'frat's face turned hard. "The Khem-sko rode ahead to check it and found a family group of ghekhsewe dying there from the water. He sent a boy back and went on to the kedya-water. We'll get there tomorrow and we'll hold ch'chyia to search out the bwobyan who did this." Her set, angry face softened. She smiled at Aleytys. "You be sure and ride. I'll take the chanerew." She clicked her tongue and the sesmat loped ahead to join the group of Shemqyatwe.
Arg.
And no, it doesn't make much more sense in context than it does out of context.
The whole book reads more or less like that.
I get what Clayton was going for. This is, however, a bit much even by the stands of that era.
Diadem from the Stars is worth reading as an example of the F/SF of its time. Just know what you're getting into if you check it out.
An interesting concept with ambitious worldbuilding, the Diadem books center around a female character essentially defined by how much sex she has, how many people she has it with, and how much everyone wants to have sex with her. Said sex is not always consensual, and one grim episode (thankfully not depicted in detail) is decidedly not. In fairness, Aleytys is no Rescue Me Barbie. Although she DOES spend lots of time laughing for no reason, being vain as hell, and getting SA'ed by an array of bad guys, she's a survivor who's pretty tough by the standards of female characters in 1970s SF/F. Neither a fighter nor a pushover before acquiring the diadem, she maintains a defiant attitude that causes more suffering than comfort. There's an annoying element of Chosen One Syndrome at work here; even so, Aleytys is far better than the whiny dishrags who dominate both Clayton's era and certain veins of more contemporary fantasy.
Aside from dated tropes, a cast of dislikeable characters of all genders, a distasteful undercurrent of Islamophobia, and a degree of podiatric fervor that would make Tarantino blush, this book's biggest problem is its overuse of "exotic" alien/fantasy jargon. It's hard to feel eager about reading six books filled with 350+ pages of passages like this one:
"Poisoned." N'frat's face turned hard. "The Khem-sko rode ahead to check it and found a family group of ghekhsewe dying there from the water. He sent a boy back and went on to the kedya-water. We'll get there tomorrow and we'll hold ch'chyia to search out the bwobyan who did this." Her set, angry face softened. She smiled at Aleytys. "You be sure and ride. I'll take the chanerew." She clicked her tongue and the sesmat loped ahead to join the group of Shemqyatwe.
Arg.
And no, it doesn't make much more sense in context than it does out of context.
The whole book reads more or less like that.
I get what Clayton was going for. This is, however, a bit much even by the stands of that era.
Diadem from the Stars is worth reading as an example of the F/SF of its time. Just know what you're getting into if you check it out.
did-not-finish
October 22, 2022(Never did find out how this diadem series fits with Shadith's story, anyone want to share spoilers on that?)
I was a fan of Jo Clayton's books in college, back when you had to scrounge 2nd hand bookstores to piece together your favorite old-school fantasy serieses. I remembered this being one of my less-liked ones, currently 50% through it unfortunately that impression hasn't changed.
Comparing this with my vague memories of her later books (especially the Shadith and Brann ones) and other '70s/'80s fantasy I think the problems here are:
- The fantasy words are being used *instead* of proper description rather than to *support* it.
- The other characters (again 50% of the way through) feel like cutouts for advancing the plot, not real people. The lover is there to give backstory about her mom, the beloved brother is there to slow down the hunters.
- Not enough actual description of the culture or world (apart from the made-up words).
Because of #2 and #4, Aletys seems alternately really smart and really stupid, and we don't have a feel for what someone of her upbringing would know about wilderness survival. She's expert with a tinderbox even though it's her first time? She can stay in the saddle for a whole day and night, but doesn't know not to ride in skirts with her bare legs chafing against the saddle leather?
TBH that could've been turned into a good plot - smart, resourceful, but naive teenager fumbling through surviving on her own in the wild .
Ah well, I don't like to DNF but ... I think I'm gonna DNF. At least until the next time I have insomnia.
I was a fan of Jo Clayton's books in college, back when you had to scrounge 2nd hand bookstores to piece together your favorite old-school fantasy serieses. I remembered this being one of my less-liked ones, currently 50% through it unfortunately that impression hasn't changed.
Comparing this with my vague memories of her later books (especially the Shadith and Brann ones) and other '70s/'80s fantasy I think the problems here are:
- The fantasy words are being used *instead* of proper description rather than to *support* it.
- The other characters (again 50% of the way through) feel like cutouts for advancing the plot, not real people. The lover is there to give backstory about her mom, the beloved brother is there to slow down the hunters.
- Not enough actual description of the culture or world (apart from the made-up words).
Because of #2 and #4, Aletys seems alternately really smart and really stupid, and we don't have a feel for what someone of her upbringing would know about wilderness survival. She's expert with a tinderbox even though it's her first time? She can stay in the saddle for a whole day and night, but doesn't know not to ride in skirts with her bare legs chafing against the saddle leather?
TBH that could've been turned into a good plot - smart, resourceful, but naive teenager fumbling through surviving on her own in the wild .
Ah well, I don't like to DNF but ... I think I'm gonna DNF. At least until the next time I have insomnia.
November 18, 2021
We read this for The Bookstore Podcast Episode 100, the theme for this pick was Genre: Scifi/Fantasy.
Well, let's start with Aleytys. The way we're introduced to her, and the way she's described, how she interacts with other people and the world, I would've guessed her at around 12 years old. Then all of a sudden she's sleeping with an adult man with gray hair?! And added to that, he tells her a long-winded story about her mother having been enslaved to the man who's the leader of their community, and her mother is actually from a different planet and maybe has some magic powers. Out of everything in this bizarre story, Aleytys's only reaction is to get mad at the guy for admitting to thinking her mother was pretty. Like it's the most wildly juvenile reaction to the story. I have no idea how old Aleytys is supposed to be because when it comes to sex she's so overtly sexual it feels like a parody of a man writing a woman character, but with everything else she acts like a child.
The plot is barely there, mostly just Aleytys needs to get off planet and there's a lot of her riding or walking in the sun. The environment could be interesting, it's a planet where the sun is brutally hot and burning, but the descriptions are full of made-up words of things that are never explained. If you tell me a hill is covered in fake plant I need to know what that plant looks like! There's also casual rape and sexual imprisonment where the only point seems to be to put Aleytys through the same horrific situation as her mother went through.
Well, let's start with Aleytys. The way we're introduced to her, and the way she's described, how she interacts with other people and the world, I would've guessed her at around 12 years old. Then all of a sudden she's sleeping with an adult man with gray hair?! And added to that, he tells her a long-winded story about her mother having been enslaved to the man who's the leader of their community, and her mother is actually from a different planet and maybe has some magic powers. Out of everything in this bizarre story, Aleytys's only reaction is to get mad at the guy for admitting to thinking her mother was pretty. Like it's the most wildly juvenile reaction to the story. I have no idea how old Aleytys is supposed to be because when it comes to sex she's so overtly sexual it feels like a parody of a man writing a woman character, but with everything else she acts like a child.
The plot is barely there, mostly just Aleytys needs to get off planet and there's a lot of her riding or walking in the sun. The environment could be interesting, it's a planet where the sun is brutally hot and burning, but the descriptions are full of made-up words of things that are never explained. If you tell me a hill is covered in fake plant I need to know what that plant looks like! There's also casual rape and sexual imprisonment where the only point seems to be to put Aleytys through the same horrific situation as her mother went through.
June 11, 2023
I liked it right off the bat, and then it lost me the next chapter. The story started with a great hook, but then it dipped way into this coming-of-age type story. I don't necessarily dislike the coming of age stuff, but while starting with that in media res style with an exciting chase, then dropping way off for a very long stretch didn't make me feel like I really wanted to finish it. But I kept on.
It also felt at one point like the two events here were separated by a long stretch of years, but that was subverted, as well, and I dunno. Just overall, it gave me ups and downs like that. Something cool, oh no, it's not really that cool.
Same with the real main character, whose powers and abilities seem to wax and wane as the particular point in the story required. I don't know if this was a first book, but it's got a lot of first book issues. (I should know, my first book has a bunch of the same, hehHA.)
It was alright, but I don't know if I'm going to read the rest of the series.
It also felt at one point like the two events here were separated by a long stretch of years, but that was subverted, as well, and I dunno. Just overall, it gave me ups and downs like that. Something cool, oh no, it's not really that cool.
Same with the real main character, whose powers and abilities seem to wax and wane as the particular point in the story required. I don't know if this was a first book, but it's got a lot of first book issues. (I should know, my first book has a bunch of the same, hehHA.)
It was alright, but I don't know if I'm going to read the rest of the series.
March 1, 2022
This book is the beginning of a 9-book series. Each book is a complete story but each is also a step in the growth of the main character Aleytys. It's not YA and this world and others in following books are harsh with often harsh characters. Humans are the same wherever they live, mostly good in general, but easily accepting of cruelty and inequity. This particular world is a backwater without interstellar trade. Aleytys is given a letter from her mother just before she has to flee. It tells her where to go to get off this planet, and this book is about that journey and the cruelty she endures getting there. I read this over 40 years ago, and the series remains a magnum opus in my library.
May 8, 2018
I had heard really good things about this book. Unfortunately I did not care for it.
While there was some intensive world building (which I generally like) it was very hard to pick out the details of what was going on for the early part of the book. I stopped to check if there was a glossary in the back or an earlier book. You are expected to understand what is going on with the world and setting already with very little explanation.
There were also some other portions of the book that were deeply unpleasant.
Overall I am fairly disappointed.
While there was some intensive world building (which I generally like) it was very hard to pick out the details of what was going on for the early part of the book. I stopped to check if there was a glossary in the back or an earlier book. You are expected to understand what is going on with the world and setting already with very little explanation.
There were also some other portions of the book that were deeply unpleasant.
Overall I am fairly disappointed.
August 27, 2023
The book is virtually action free. When a real word will work a fake one is manufactured. The protagonist seems unable to grow up beyond a 6 year old's ability. She has staggering abilities yet she won't use them even when it would save lives. I hope the second book picks up a bit. If you are a sci-fi buff I would choose another read. The saving grace is it well thought out and makes since. I am too hard on the book, I have owned it for a very long time and finally read it. I was disappointed.
February 11, 2018
This book is more like fantasy with a bit of science fiction thrown in. It was interesting and kept my attention, but had very odd “jumps” between events. I think it was originally published in the 70s and that does show to some extent, particularly in the sexual relationships, with some strange moments. I will try the second book in the series as the first four are available as ebooks from the public library, but I am not sure how this will pan out in the long run.
January 11, 2020
This book was an interesting look at 70s science fantasy for me. I enjoyed some of the ideas here—the “magic,” the hints of technology and a universe outside of the main character’s home planet. Aletys’s rape about halfway through was a major turn off for me, as were all of the made-up words thrown around without any context or definition provided. Still, good enough that I finished and am curious as to where the rest of the series goes from here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2020
Episodic. Not sure how I felt about this one. Like an adult take on an Andre Norton novel with a lot more grit, sex, and unpleasant people not getting what they have coming to them. Author puts her heroine through a lot of grim, stressful crap that a contemporary female author most likely would not.
August 31, 2021
The main character in this book is comfortable with sex, which would be fine, but the casual rape was disconcerting.
The barrage of odd words and world building was fine for me, but the pace was also odd, and the motivation for most of the book was external, pushing the person to go. The later books didn't inspire me to keep this one.
The barrage of odd words and world building was fine for me, but the pace was also odd, and the motivation for most of the book was external, pushing the person to go. The later books didn't inspire me to keep this one.
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