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Occult Tales #2
L'erede
Leslie Barnes possiede per la prima volta una casa tutta sua a San Francisco: ha una bella vista sul Golden Gate ed è perfetta per lei e la sorella. Ma appena vi si trasferiscono comincia un'oscura serie di eventi inspiegabili, in seguito ai quali Leslie comprende di trovarsi al centro di un vortice di potere magico.
398 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
16 people are currently reading
505 people want to read
About the author
Marion Zimmer Bradley
799 books4,863 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 78 reviews
December 17, 2016
The Inheritor is one of those books that is so bad, it’s good. This was not my first Marion Zimmer Bradley book, but if it had, it probably would have been my last. Unlike Mists of Avalon, Bradley's King Arthur epic, The Inheritor is full of extremely flat characters that lack understandable motivations and any sense. If Bradley intended to create characters straight out of soap opera, then she definitely achieved her goal.
When we first meet main character psychologist Leslie Barnes, she is out on a date with her long-term boyfriend. To her horror, he suggests that she close her psychology practice and that they settle down and get married. She throws her drink in his face. This is the last time readers will see Leslie as a strong willed and independent woman.
Days later, Leslie and her younger sister Emily move into a new house. She gets a great price for this home, as multiple owners died, fled, or committed suicide. This would make anyone a little leery of the place, but when Leslie sees a strange man lurking around her house, but quickly puts this to the back of her mind. One would assume that Leslie would feel apprehensive when Emily, a music student, coincidentally introduces her to this very same man, but she does not. Instead, Leslie learns that he is Simon Antsey, an acclaimed musician who is actually the former protégé of one of the past owners of her mysterious new house. Simon, who is unable to perform to his former level due to car accident years ago, just happens to be looking for a new student. The sisters, failing to see just how convenient this all is, are delighted when he offers to take Emily under his wing.
His influence over the two quickly grows, and Leslie promptly dumps her long-term boyfriend, who seems like a mere afterthought at this point. It is this relationship between Leslie and Simon—not the strange occurrences in the house—that is the true haunting of the novel. It is hard to watch as career woman and fledgling psychic Leslie becomes a ghost of her former self—unable to see with her own eyes or her psychic powers the real colors of her abusive and manipulative lover.
Despite warnings from multiple people that Simon is an evil man, Leslie and Emily remain completely dedicated to him. Strangely, both women brush off the rumors of his black magic use and of his involvement in the previous house owner’s suspicious death. It doesn’t occur to Leslie and Emily that the continued supernatural occurrences in their house might be a warning that Simon wants Emily for more than just his student. Bizarrely, when Simon openly admits to Leslie that he has not only sacrificed a cat but also murdered in attempts to regain the use of his fingers through the use of black magic, Leslie accepts this as part of his personality and actually forgives and supports him.
One would hope that even though Leslie can’t see her own dangerous codependency on Simon, she would be able to recognize his growing influence over Emily. But she doesn’t even stop to consider what Simon’s constant thirst for power and his former skill might mean for her gifted sister. It is maddening and beyond frustrating to watch Leslie continue to ignore and deny such obvious clues.
All in all, I spent most of this book wanting to shake Leslie. It was astounding to watch her downward spiral from an empowered female career woman to someone who was willing to get engaged to a dangerous and charismatic man whom she barely knew. I really can’t imagine what Bradley was thinking. If she wanted to write a novel about the dangers of abusive relationship with a dash of the supernatural, she succeeded. But ultimately, it is these mind-boggling characterizations and not the paranormal smashing of musical instruments, unopened windows, and black magic that make this book supernatural.
When we first meet main character psychologist Leslie Barnes, she is out on a date with her long-term boyfriend. To her horror, he suggests that she close her psychology practice and that they settle down and get married. She throws her drink in his face. This is the last time readers will see Leslie as a strong willed and independent woman.
Days later, Leslie and her younger sister Emily move into a new house. She gets a great price for this home, as multiple owners died, fled, or committed suicide. This would make anyone a little leery of the place, but when Leslie sees a strange man lurking around her house, but quickly puts this to the back of her mind. One would assume that Leslie would feel apprehensive when Emily, a music student, coincidentally introduces her to this very same man, but she does not. Instead, Leslie learns that he is Simon Antsey, an acclaimed musician who is actually the former protégé of one of the past owners of her mysterious new house. Simon, who is unable to perform to his former level due to car accident years ago, just happens to be looking for a new student. The sisters, failing to see just how convenient this all is, are delighted when he offers to take Emily under his wing.
His influence over the two quickly grows, and Leslie promptly dumps her long-term boyfriend, who seems like a mere afterthought at this point. It is this relationship between Leslie and Simon—not the strange occurrences in the house—that is the true haunting of the novel. It is hard to watch as career woman and fledgling psychic Leslie becomes a ghost of her former self—unable to see with her own eyes or her psychic powers the real colors of her abusive and manipulative lover.
Despite warnings from multiple people that Simon is an evil man, Leslie and Emily remain completely dedicated to him. Strangely, both women brush off the rumors of his black magic use and of his involvement in the previous house owner’s suspicious death. It doesn’t occur to Leslie and Emily that the continued supernatural occurrences in their house might be a warning that Simon wants Emily for more than just his student. Bizarrely, when Simon openly admits to Leslie that he has not only sacrificed a cat but also murdered in attempts to regain the use of his fingers through the use of black magic, Leslie accepts this as part of his personality and actually forgives and supports him.
One would hope that even though Leslie can’t see her own dangerous codependency on Simon, she would be able to recognize his growing influence over Emily. But she doesn’t even stop to consider what Simon’s constant thirst for power and his former skill might mean for her gifted sister. It is maddening and beyond frustrating to watch Leslie continue to ignore and deny such obvious clues.
All in all, I spent most of this book wanting to shake Leslie. It was astounding to watch her downward spiral from an empowered female career woman to someone who was willing to get engaged to a dangerous and charismatic man whom she barely knew. I really can’t imagine what Bradley was thinking. If she wanted to write a novel about the dangers of abusive relationship with a dash of the supernatural, she succeeded. But ultimately, it is these mind-boggling characterizations and not the paranormal smashing of musical instruments, unopened windows, and black magic that make this book supernatural.
June 26, 2018
I used to love this book, and many other titles by MZB. I tore up my copies of her books after finding out that she molested her daughter and protected her husband, who also molested other children.
June 28, 2023
This is the one and only work by Marion Zimmer Bradley my local library carries. I remember being a Bradley fan in the late 1970s mostly because I liked her science fiction Darkover novels being published and sold on the drugstore racks at the time.
This particular novel happens to be a run of the mill story about a psychologist (Leslie) trying to move into a haunted house. She has a teenage daughter who is a talented musician. She meets one of her daughter's instructors, Dr. Simon Anstey, and starts an intimate relationship with him. The man had previously been injured and had a bad reputation among Leslie's hippie San Francisco circle of trying to use black magic to cure himself. Simon's use of black magic turns out to be criminal and he reveals himself to be an arrogant, morally reprehensible human being in a number of respects, though rich, respected, and classy otherwise. Leslie has to figure out if she can overlook Simon's flaws out of the loyalty she feels she owes him because of her love for him. It turns out Leslie's answer is as flawed as author Bradley's was in her in many ways parallel real-life situation in which she confronted the same issue. I am highly surprised this theme arose in this particular novel. I did not expect it to.
The novel's story was a mediocre soap opera with the curiously flawed theme already referred to. Namely, what does one owe (in terms of loyalty) an evil (to others) person who is also a spouse? I won't go into detail on Bradley's personal situation. An entire book attacking Bradley has been written on the topic long after she died, meaning she is unable to contest or in any way answer any of the assertions being made about her. It is my view that readers who dismiss an author's works entirely because they dislike that author's actions are infantile, self-censoring fools not worth taking seriously. Authors who make decisions in their lives different from the ones I'd make are ones I have an interest in reading for insight into their reasoning process, one so different from my own. While it is unfair Bradley has no option for self-defense or explanation of any sort for her decisions, if she could or would provide one, this novel offers tantalizing clues as to what they might have been, however unsatisfactory any person of conscience would find them.
For those who just want to read the novel for its own sake, the story is okay even if overly melodramatic with concerns that are more twentieth century than now. For example, we take parapsychology so much less seriously today than it was being taken in the 1970s. Therefore, this novel hasn't aged well. It's also a lot of words to read for what it is. But it's not a total waste of time.
This particular novel happens to be a run of the mill story about a psychologist (Leslie) trying to move into a haunted house. She has a teenage daughter who is a talented musician. She meets one of her daughter's instructors, Dr. Simon Anstey, and starts an intimate relationship with him. The man had previously been injured and had a bad reputation among Leslie's hippie San Francisco circle of trying to use black magic to cure himself. Simon's use of black magic turns out to be criminal and he reveals himself to be an arrogant, morally reprehensible human being in a number of respects, though rich, respected, and classy otherwise. Leslie has to figure out if she can overlook Simon's flaws out of the loyalty she feels she owes him because of her love for him. It turns out Leslie's answer is as flawed as author Bradley's was in her in many ways parallel real-life situation in which she confronted the same issue. I am highly surprised this theme arose in this particular novel. I did not expect it to.
The novel's story was a mediocre soap opera with the curiously flawed theme already referred to. Namely, what does one owe (in terms of loyalty) an evil (to others) person who is also a spouse? I won't go into detail on Bradley's personal situation. An entire book attacking Bradley has been written on the topic long after she died, meaning she is unable to contest or in any way answer any of the assertions being made about her. It is my view that readers who dismiss an author's works entirely because they dislike that author's actions are infantile, self-censoring fools not worth taking seriously. Authors who make decisions in their lives different from the ones I'd make are ones I have an interest in reading for insight into their reasoning process, one so different from my own. While it is unfair Bradley has no option for self-defense or explanation of any sort for her decisions, if she could or would provide one, this novel offers tantalizing clues as to what they might have been, however unsatisfactory any person of conscience would find them.
For those who just want to read the novel for its own sake, the story is okay even if overly melodramatic with concerns that are more twentieth century than now. For example, we take parapsychology so much less seriously today than it was being taken in the 1970s. Therefore, this novel hasn't aged well. It's also a lot of words to read for what it is. But it's not a total waste of time.
December 22, 2016
Wow, this book is a mess. As an example, there are at least two conversations between the 3 main characters where the man and the younger sister insist that autistic children should just die because they are unfit for society (they also equate being autistic to being mentally disabled, which is a whole other thing) and the only counterargument the older sister has to offer is "well I am not sure but I guess we should agree to differ". Not to mention the transphobia, homophobia and fatphobia. But after finishing the book and looking up the backstory of the author, I gained a whole other reading of this book, which is that Bradley seemed to have been working through her own gross life story - Leslie, the older sister, spends all her time rationalizing away the weird and terrible actions of her new beau because she loves him. Actions such as: murder. So while I'm kind of sad I wasted my time on this, I now know more about this corner of literary history.
July 5, 2010
This novel envelopes you like the fog that rolls in and out of its San Francisco setting. It truly creeps in on cat's feet. The gothicism in it is steady and paced, not a disjointed walk down a gloomy hallway -- there are few terrifying moments until the last pages, but there are a lot of spooky moments. And a sense of darkness and trepidation underlies all the action as the heroine, a psychiatrist, rationalizes more and more bizarre behaviour, not only from her patients, but from those close to her.
Her love affair with the musician/magician can get a little melodramatic with its bodice-ripping imagery, but other than that the stealth of the gothicism is downright creepy....very effective.
Her love affair with the musician/magician can get a little melodramatic with its bodice-ripping imagery, but other than that the stealth of the gothicism is downright creepy....very effective.
September 20, 2020
A good and readable paranormal suspense. The protagonist was a little irritating, though, not understanding even the obvious clues. It was interesting to meet Colin MacLaren and Claire Moffat again, and read a little about their magic. Although it was irritatingly so obviously "white magic" and mixed up with some Christian aspects. There were some interesting ideas about Karma, although I didn't agree with all of them.
October 19, 2023
Good grief
November 2, 2013
Something of a modern gothic horror novel, set in San Francisco in the early 1980's, it's kind of... atmospheric and weird.
Leslie is an unwilling psychic; it's nothing she wants or can control, but occasionally she has had glimpses of missing/murdered people, and has worked with the police to help them find these people. Her day job is as a psychologist, and she is also the guardian for her 17-year old sister,a musical prodigy. Weird, unexplained things are happening, even before they move into a house previously owned by another psychologist psychic.
Some modern readers may be appalled at the immorality of Leslie dumping boyfriend A and quickly falling into bed with boyfriend B; that's just "not done" in contemporary romance these days, though as a lifestyle in the 1970's and 1980's, really no big deal, and a younger reader might be even more interested in that "taste" of the period.
My problem is that Leslie seems too willing to bend over backwards to overlook the creepiness of Simon, boyfriend B; even to him having definitely killed a cat and perhaps even murdered a junkie prostitute in a dark ritual for his own gain. Oh, and he might be willing to sacrifice the little sister, too. While I appreciate that in the end, every human being is shown as redeemable, capable of being brought into the light, and Leslie and Simon are presented as having a HEA, in some ways, that's even worse. It's a spine-tingling, suitably Halloween-y story, and well-written, but the ending doesn't feel satisfying to me.
Leslie is an unwilling psychic; it's nothing she wants or can control, but occasionally she has had glimpses of missing/murdered people, and has worked with the police to help them find these people. Her day job is as a psychologist, and she is also the guardian for her 17-year old sister,a musical prodigy. Weird, unexplained things are happening, even before they move into a house previously owned by another psychologist psychic.
Some modern readers may be appalled at the immorality of Leslie dumping boyfriend A and quickly falling into bed with boyfriend B; that's just "not done" in contemporary romance these days, though as a lifestyle in the 1970's and 1980's, really no big deal, and a younger reader might be even more interested in that "taste" of the period.
My problem is that Leslie seems too willing to bend over backwards to overlook the creepiness of Simon, boyfriend B; even to him having definitely killed a cat and perhaps even murdered a junkie prostitute in a dark ritual for his own gain. Oh, and he might be willing to sacrifice the little sister, too. While I appreciate that in the end, every human being is shown as redeemable, capable of being brought into the light, and Leslie and Simon are presented as having a HEA, in some ways, that's even worse. It's a spine-tingling, suitably Halloween-y story, and well-written, but the ending doesn't feel satisfying to me.
June 9, 2010
Leslie Barnes, a psychologist, and her younger sister move into a lovely house in San Francisco. Leslie's looking forward to starting a new practice, and her sister to studying music. Soon, they both meet Simon Anstey, who seems to have a romantic interest in Leslie - and, coincidentally, is an acclaimed music teacher. But strange occurences and auras seem to surround the house, and the two women seem to be the focus of benevolent but intense interest from the local Pagan community.
I very much enjoyed reading this book as a fun haunted house/occult tale, and appreciated that between the previous book in this series (Dark Satanic) and this one, Bradley seemed to have read up on her modern paganism, and incorporated it nicely into the story. However, the ending of this book was extremely problematic, on not just an ethical but a practical level. There are things that both cannot and should not be forgiven - especially not just at the drop of a hat. Among these things I would count murder, rape, and using magical (or any other sort of) influence to induce people to do fairly dreadful things against their will. Being selfishly traumatized is not an excuse for these sort of crimes, and an "oh, sorry" does not atone for them. It's a quite befuddling ending, and I would really like to know if Bradley ever explained why she wrote it this way.
I very much enjoyed reading this book as a fun haunted house/occult tale, and appreciated that between the previous book in this series (Dark Satanic) and this one, Bradley seemed to have read up on her modern paganism, and incorporated it nicely into the story. However, the ending of this book was extremely problematic, on not just an ethical but a practical level. There are things that both cannot and should not be forgiven - especially not just at the drop of a hat. Among these things I would count murder, rape, and using magical (or any other sort of) influence to induce people to do fairly dreadful things against their will. Being selfishly traumatized is not an excuse for these sort of crimes, and an "oh, sorry" does not atone for them. It's a quite befuddling ending, and I would really like to know if Bradley ever explained why she wrote it this way.
April 29, 2009
I can't believe I tortured myself AGAIN with this. I picked it up on a recent trip to the Goodwill and about halfway through I realized I'd read it before. It was craptastic then, and it was just as craptastic the second time around. Bad, bad writing. Cheesy dialogue. Stereotypical, flat characters. Story with an ending you can see coming from 100 miles away. And typos everywhere!! So why did I torture myself by reading this a second time around? It was like eating a Twinkie - it was so bad that I kind of enjoyed how deliciously awful the chemical taste and spongy yellow cake felt in my mouth. Plus, I've been watching a lot of Venture Brothers over the past few years, and it was amusing to me that I could not see the main male character Simon as anything other than Phantom Limb with his suave, urbane evil.
January 13, 2010
Gah, it was awful. My two stars is being overly generous. Should have been 1.5.
I had such high hopes too, with this being the second MZB book read after Mists of Avalon.
While the premise of the book was interesting, it took a full 200 or so pages to actually get the plot rolling. The dialogue was bone-dry and the characters were absolutely wooden and uninteresting. On top of that, there were various discrepancies throughout the book, for example; one of the characters touts the virtues of vegetarianism, than 200 pages later attempts to eat a bacon omelet.
Ugh, just terrible.
MZB, what happened?
I had such high hopes too, with this being the second MZB book read after Mists of Avalon.
While the premise of the book was interesting, it took a full 200 or so pages to actually get the plot rolling. The dialogue was bone-dry and the characters were absolutely wooden and uninteresting. On top of that, there were various discrepancies throughout the book, for example; one of the characters touts the virtues of vegetarianism, than 200 pages later attempts to eat a bacon omelet.
Ugh, just terrible.
MZB, what happened?
May 12, 2008
Somehow I read this entire book without liking a single character in it (well, Frodo wasn't too bad). Overlong and inconsistent in places, it's a reasonably chilling mindless weekend read. The ending is abrupt, with many plot points left unresolved. After so much slow build and inner turmoil from the main character over 400 pages it would have been nice to get some sense of resolution and decision, but the book just ends right after the climax.
December 11, 2013
Two dimensional characters, especially the men. Show of hands, how many well-adjusted women would stay in a relatively new relationship after the man confessed to cold bloodily killing a stranger for personal gain? Anyone? Anyone at all?
There were moments of high creep factor and chills but all in all, I would rather have skipped it completely.
There were moments of high creep factor and chills but all in all, I would rather have skipped it completely.
June 14, 2016
personaggi piatti che fanno scelte inverosimili e un finale banale, assurdo e frettoloso. Il solito povero Crowley messo in mezzo a sproposito per farlo sembrare il re dei cattivi... ma la cosa più inquietante è che l'atteggiamento della protagonista continuava a rimandarmi a quello che so della vita dell'autrice... il che è tutto dire...
July 30, 2025
Il finale è affrettatissimo, non ricordavo lo fosse tanto
April 14, 2021
Ugh. Dated, juvenile, predictable, marrow minded, and judgmental. I thought she was better than this.
December 14, 2024
Lainasin kirjoja: Perijätär 05.01.2024.
Luetut kirjat 04/2024: Marion Zimmer Bradley:
Perijätär, Jalava 2023. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 08.01.2024.
Lukukeskissä 01/2024: Marion Zimmer Bradley: Perijätär, Jalava 2023. Kääntäjät: Mika Renvall; Jari S. Virtanen; Terhi Teittinen. Sarja J-horror. Sarjanumero 2. Thema-luokitus: Nykyaikaan sijoittuvat kauhu- ja kummitustarinat; Käännetty kaunokirjallisuus. Ilmestymispäivä 15.4.2023. Fyysinen kirja, kovakantinen, kirjastosta lainassa. Kelpais kyl kotihyllyynki.
Perijätär. Kauhuromanttinen, feministinen kirja on jännäri, psykologinen jännäri tuntuu tuoreelta, se on ilmestynyt vuonna 1984. Tiede ja taikausko risteilevät kuten genreen kuuluu. Suomalainen goottilainen kansitaide on vuodelta 2022.
Päähenkilönä on Leslie, terapeutti ja tahtomattaan selvännäkijä. Tuo lahja on taakka, eikä hän peri miljuunia töistään, eikä edes haluaisi tehdä työtään, nähdä hirveyksiä, näkyjä, joissa johdattaa poliisin hirviöiden jäljille. Hänellä on nuorempi sisar, Emily, joka on myös muusikkona muuttamassa samaan, upeaan viktoriaaniseen taloon. Emily ostaa ituja ja luomuleipää, syö delissä avokadoleipää, ja uudessa pahaenteisessä kodissa on nätti yrttitarha pikku pihalla. Taloa vaivaa kirous.
Romantiikkaa. Kirja voi tuntua alkuun erotarinalta Midsommarin tapaan. Leskiellä on (ollut) täydellinen miesystävä, joka osaa käyttäytyä ravintolassa, mutta kuitenkin alkaa puhua naimisiinmenosta, ja että Leslie jättäisi työnsä parin vuoden päästä, ja jäisi kotiin.
Onko mies tsaari vai miksi höpisee nöin.
Kauhua. San Franciscossa elää uushenkisyys, ja uushipit, ainakin nuorten osalta, nuori sukupolvi on löytänyt kasvisruuan, tofun ja solmuvärjätyt batiikkipaidat. On kirjakauppa, jota pitää enimmäkseen hyvännäköinen haltija Frodo, välillä myyjänä on viisas, vanha nainen. Myytävänä on mm okkultismia ja poltergeistiä, joka tuntuu veivaavan Leslietä useammassakin paikassa. Veivaavan? Vaivaavan siis.
Kauhun kaksijakoisuus ameriikoissa: San Francisco oli sekä hippien että sateenkaari-ihmisten tyyssija, paratiisi, turvapaikka. Silti hirveitä asioita tapahtuu kun niitä tekee hirveät ihmiset.
Mutta kuitenkin nuorissa ja nuorissa aikuisissa on toivo. He tapaavat toisiaan kirjakaupassa, ja kysyvät mitä kuuluu, myös repussa istuvilta taaperoilta, miten voi, miten syö. Ainakin lukeminen, ystävällisyys, ihmisten tapaaminen, kasvisruoka, ekologisuus, eettisyys. Kasari ei ollut pelkästään mitään typerää itsekästä kapitalismia ja juppiöyhöä. Oli myös näitä liikkeitä, elämäntapoja, merkityksiä.
Kun ajattelee kirjakaupan myyjämiestä kummallisessa tunikassaan, miestä, joka ei ole pelkästään kohtelias kanta-asiakkailleen, vaan myös oikeasti välittävä. Myös lasten hyvinvoinnista. Onko hänellä arvomaailma kohillaan. Verrattaessa juppiukkoihin ja -uroksiin, jotka haluavat vain takoa rahaa 24/7 vähät välittömättä perheestään. Ja tekevät ylipitkiä työpäiviä. Tai "työpäiviä" kun istuvat vain perseellään, puhuvat puhelimeen, kolentekevat, juoksuttavat ja nöyryyttävät ja perivät. Rahaa. Maksamatta veroja.
Toisaalta uushenkisyys ja uuspakanuus. Pakanayhteisö.
Vaikka vesimiehen aikana 60-luvun hippiliikkeessä oli osin jo mukana okkultismi, uuspakanuus, noituus, magia, niin tässä on uuden ajan versio.
Luetut kirjat 04/2024: Marion Zimmer Bradley:
Perijätär, Jalava 2023. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 08.01.2024.
Lukukeskissä 01/2024: Marion Zimmer Bradley: Perijätär, Jalava 2023. Kääntäjät: Mika Renvall; Jari S. Virtanen; Terhi Teittinen. Sarja J-horror. Sarjanumero 2. Thema-luokitus: Nykyaikaan sijoittuvat kauhu- ja kummitustarinat; Käännetty kaunokirjallisuus. Ilmestymispäivä 15.4.2023. Fyysinen kirja, kovakantinen, kirjastosta lainassa. Kelpais kyl kotihyllyynki.
Perijätär. Kauhuromanttinen, feministinen kirja on jännäri, psykologinen jännäri tuntuu tuoreelta, se on ilmestynyt vuonna 1984. Tiede ja taikausko risteilevät kuten genreen kuuluu. Suomalainen goottilainen kansitaide on vuodelta 2022.
Päähenkilönä on Leslie, terapeutti ja tahtomattaan selvännäkijä. Tuo lahja on taakka, eikä hän peri miljuunia töistään, eikä edes haluaisi tehdä työtään, nähdä hirveyksiä, näkyjä, joissa johdattaa poliisin hirviöiden jäljille. Hänellä on nuorempi sisar, Emily, joka on myös muusikkona muuttamassa samaan, upeaan viktoriaaniseen taloon. Emily ostaa ituja ja luomuleipää, syö delissä avokadoleipää, ja uudessa pahaenteisessä kodissa on nätti yrttitarha pikku pihalla. Taloa vaivaa kirous.
Romantiikkaa. Kirja voi tuntua alkuun erotarinalta Midsommarin tapaan. Leskiellä on (ollut) täydellinen miesystävä, joka osaa käyttäytyä ravintolassa, mutta kuitenkin alkaa puhua naimisiinmenosta, ja että Leslie jättäisi työnsä parin vuoden päästä, ja jäisi kotiin.
Onko mies tsaari vai miksi höpisee nöin.
Kauhua. San Franciscossa elää uushenkisyys, ja uushipit, ainakin nuorten osalta, nuori sukupolvi on löytänyt kasvisruuan, tofun ja solmuvärjätyt batiikkipaidat. On kirjakauppa, jota pitää enimmäkseen hyvännäköinen haltija Frodo, välillä myyjänä on viisas, vanha nainen. Myytävänä on mm okkultismia ja poltergeistiä, joka tuntuu veivaavan Leslietä useammassakin paikassa. Veivaavan? Vaivaavan siis.
Kauhun kaksijakoisuus ameriikoissa: San Francisco oli sekä hippien että sateenkaari-ihmisten tyyssija, paratiisi, turvapaikka. Silti hirveitä asioita tapahtuu kun niitä tekee hirveät ihmiset.
Mutta kuitenkin nuorissa ja nuorissa aikuisissa on toivo. He tapaavat toisiaan kirjakaupassa, ja kysyvät mitä kuuluu, myös repussa istuvilta taaperoilta, miten voi, miten syö. Ainakin lukeminen, ystävällisyys, ihmisten tapaaminen, kasvisruoka, ekologisuus, eettisyys. Kasari ei ollut pelkästään mitään typerää itsekästä kapitalismia ja juppiöyhöä. Oli myös näitä liikkeitä, elämäntapoja, merkityksiä.
Kun ajattelee kirjakaupan myyjämiestä kummallisessa tunikassaan, miestä, joka ei ole pelkästään kohtelias kanta-asiakkailleen, vaan myös oikeasti välittävä. Myös lasten hyvinvoinnista. Onko hänellä arvomaailma kohillaan. Verrattaessa juppiukkoihin ja -uroksiin, jotka haluavat vain takoa rahaa 24/7 vähät välittömättä perheestään. Ja tekevät ylipitkiä työpäiviä. Tai "työpäiviä" kun istuvat vain perseellään, puhuvat puhelimeen, kolentekevat, juoksuttavat ja nöyryyttävät ja perivät. Rahaa. Maksamatta veroja.
Toisaalta uushenkisyys ja uuspakanuus. Pakanayhteisö.
Vaikka vesimiehen aikana 60-luvun hippiliikkeessä oli osin jo mukana okkultismi, uuspakanuus, noituus, magia, niin tässä on uuden ajan versio.
October 8, 2022
Talk about something different than expected. My edition of this book shows a lady by a body of water on the cover with some kind of castle in the background, and the very short blurb speaks of the heroine having to accept her magical powers and that she has to become one of "the keepers of shadows' (which is the title of this book in Germany). Based on this I expected high fantasy. What I got was paranormal/parapsychological. Luckily I like those kind of stories as well so I didn't mind.
And while the book starts very slow - and the story keeps progressing only slowly - I enjoyed the (long) beginning and especially Leslie's introduction to the paranormal/occult. The main story only really starts once a guy named Simon Antsey shows up. As a former classical music prodigy the hero of Leslie's younger sister, and very quickly Leslie's lover. The latter being hard to understand but I chalked it up to her (and also her sister) being under Simon's magical influence. I waited for her to realize this and to break free. But the remaining pages kept dwindling and Leslie was rationalizing creepier and creepier views and behaviour of Simon with no sign of regaining any sense of self. The book even ends with her knowing that she'll spend the rest of her life at his side - uhm, what?
Which brings me to the big issues with this book. Leslie is in her late twenties and at one point refers to a woman around the age of her mother as old. It is mentioned that her mother is in her fifties - and so is Simon Antsey. Who Leslie never refers to as old, and is quick to shut down any kind of insecurities of his regarding their age difference. She also goes from a strong and independent woman to wishing to marry Simon and have his children while considering closing her therapy office very quickly.
Which is the next point I noticed: time inconsistency. Something happens around the end of June, than the sister has some important performance review in July - and suddenly it's nearing the end of June again, and the longest day of the year is approaching which means it is no typo. Sometimes it is summarized what happens when a little more time passes, which always makes it sound like more time passed than actually did. The whole book spans only about three months.
And there is the whole sister and Simon referring to an autistic child as not worthy to live, and that killing the girl would do everyone a favour. Leslie disagrees with no real arguments, but the book is set in 1983 so I assumed it was because not that much was known about autism at that time plus a character doesn't have to be all knowing. I assumed this whole thing was to show that Simon is not a good person and how much the sister is influenced by him, but reading the other comments here it seems that isn't the case.
Well, I knew nothing about the author as a person before and while reading this, and the beginning was rather enjoyable even though the ending is very questionable. Taking into account the above mentioned issues I give two stars.
And while the book starts very slow - and the story keeps progressing only slowly - I enjoyed the (long) beginning and especially Leslie's introduction to the paranormal/occult. The main story only really starts once a guy named Simon Antsey shows up. As a former classical music prodigy the hero of Leslie's younger sister, and very quickly Leslie's lover. The latter being hard to understand but I chalked it up to her (and also her sister) being under Simon's magical influence. I waited for her to realize this and to break free. But the remaining pages kept dwindling and Leslie was rationalizing creepier and creepier views and behaviour of Simon with no sign of regaining any sense of self. The book even ends with her knowing that she'll spend the rest of her life at his side - uhm, what?
Which brings me to the big issues with this book. Leslie is in her late twenties and at one point refers to a woman around the age of her mother as old. It is mentioned that her mother is in her fifties - and so is Simon Antsey. Who Leslie never refers to as old, and is quick to shut down any kind of insecurities of his regarding their age difference. She also goes from a strong and independent woman to wishing to marry Simon and have his children while considering closing her therapy office very quickly.
Which is the next point I noticed: time inconsistency. Something happens around the end of June, than the sister has some important performance review in July - and suddenly it's nearing the end of June again, and the longest day of the year is approaching which means it is no typo. Sometimes it is summarized what happens when a little more time passes, which always makes it sound like more time passed than actually did. The whole book spans only about three months.
And there is the whole sister and Simon referring to an autistic child as not worthy to live, and that killing the girl would do everyone a favour. Leslie disagrees with no real arguments, but the book is set in 1983 so I assumed it was because not that much was known about autism at that time plus a character doesn't have to be all knowing. I assumed this whole thing was to show that Simon is not a good person and how much the sister is influenced by him, but reading the other comments here it seems that isn't the case.
Well, I knew nothing about the author as a person before and while reading this, and the beginning was rather enjoyable even though the ending is very questionable. Taking into account the above mentioned issues I give two stars.
March 31, 2019
This was a whim book, picked up at the thrift shop (side note: there is a thrift shop in the town next to us that has a HUGE and wonderful book selection, it is basically a used book store with great prices — what a find!) because of the author and the book cover (different from the cover here on GoodReads). I mean, Marion Zimmer Bradley? A story of the occult? Set in San Francisco? A haunted white cat? Written in 1983?! How could I lose? The answer: I could not, and did not, lose. This book was a totally fantastic indulgent read, perfect for travel, which is when I read the bulk of it (on very long flights, in a hotel room, and then again on very long flights and endless delays in airports). Especially for someone familiar with the Bay Area, and familiar with the early 80s, this was a fun (somewhat haunted) trip down memory lane. The story itself was a little confusing, lots of unexplored red herrings and questions left dangling, but I felt so at home in the book that I didn’t mind. Leslie Barnes, reluctant psychic, finds her perfect home in the upper Haight. The problem is, it appears to be a little haunted... or a lot haunted. Or, is it? She falls in love with Simon, who is kind of a creep and really a bad seed, but it’s 1983 and we overlook all kinds of terrible things in the name of love and good sex and romantic gestures. BUT, surrounding Simon are all kinds of deliciously weird occult events and details. I particularly loved the occult bookstore: Ancient Mysteries. I’m pretty sure this was modeled after Ancient Ways Bookstore for the Occult, which is in Oakland, not the Haight, but was a favorite haunt (ahem!) of mine when I lived in the Bay Area. So many details in the book which are sort of cringe-worthy were fun to think about: electric-blue dresses and short flip hairstyles and ‘women’s libbers’ finding their way into business and crunchy-granola types ‘gentrifying’ the Haight (oh, if you only knew what was to come... actually it’s better that they didn’t know...). Anyway, the book wasn’t really fantastic (in fact, some people would probably find it pretty bad) I guess but I really, really enjoyed it (probably mostly just for nostalgia sake but I also am a sucker for a good bad book), and the excellent book cover and the fact that I got it on a whim for $1 at the thrift store: all bonuses. Solid 4 stars!
September 1, 2021
I really liked this book when I read it back in the 80's. I feel like there weren't so many books then that were 'urban fantasy' -- not like now when that is a whole genre in itself, so books that had that element caught my fancy even when they were weak otherwise -- and I just glossed over any other weakness. Additionaly, when I think back to the romances I read in the 70's -- there were a lot that were all about the strong, controlling man (which seemed normal then sad to say) -- and that pretty much describes the love interest in this book except he really is beyond arrogant jerk and into criminal.
It did not age well is all I can say. Reading it now, first off I think it comes across more as 60's-70's than 80's. Then it spends FAR to much time over-explaining everything 'psychic'. And far too many words 'anaylzing' what everyone does and not actually dealing with it. Plus "well, that was her/his choice" is rampant throughout the book -- and I 100% don't agree with that! The main person it's said about is her adolescent sister for goodness sake! if you can't give advice to your non-adult sister (or your lover for the other primary recipient), than who can you give advice too? And even back when I felt like the boyfriend of the beginning of the book gets short shrift, basically just disappears from the book with little to no explanation and that is still true (yes, we know why -- but.. he just disappears -- no conversation, no discussion, just GONE). And then half the book comes across as trying to push pagenism or new age thinking. This unfortunately is one that I would have done better to not re-read LOL
It did not age well is all I can say. Reading it now, first off I think it comes across more as 60's-70's than 80's. Then it spends FAR to much time over-explaining everything 'psychic'. And far too many words 'anaylzing' what everyone does and not actually dealing with it. Plus "well, that was her/his choice" is rampant throughout the book -- and I 100% don't agree with that! The main person it's said about is her adolescent sister for goodness sake! if you can't give advice to your non-adult sister (or your lover for the other primary recipient), than who can you give advice too? And even back when I felt like the boyfriend of the beginning of the book gets short shrift, basically just disappears from the book with little to no explanation and that is still true (yes, we know why -- but.. he just disappears -- no conversation, no discussion, just GONE). And then half the book comes across as trying to push pagenism or new age thinking. This unfortunately is one that I would have done better to not re-read LOL
November 1, 2022
First of all, let none forget that Marion Zimmer Bradley was a child molestor and abuser of FUCKING KIDS.
Now with that out of the way, what the actual fuck? The main character has absolutely zero will of her own and at no point does she find it during the story. She falls in love with a tortured black magician who openly confesses to murdering a prostitute, and not only is she not even a little bit dismayed by this fact, but when she catches him trying to sacrifice her sister on an altar of blood, she forgives him and takes him back. Yeah, that’s how it ends. Happily fucking ever after. Never mind that the man RITUALISTICALLY MURDERS HUMAN BEINGS.
Oh, and one of the major recurring themes in the story (which frankly, the characters fully endorse and the story does nothing to mitigate) is that disabled lives are worthless and people who are disabled, homeless, or sex workers are all better off dead and not being such a drain on society.
It was infuriating reading this kind of hateful and bigoted rhetoric while suffering Leslie’s blind devotion the entire book long. You are forced to watch the protagonist deliberately and willfully ignore every red flag of foreshadowing, and then you have to witness her surprised pikachu face when her fiance kidnaps a child for blood sacrifice. And if that wasn’t hard enough, the last two pages will make you want to punch yourself so hard that YOU cross into the afterlife.
Now with that out of the way, what the actual fuck? The main character has absolutely zero will of her own and at no point does she find it during the story. She falls in love with a tortured black magician who openly confesses to murdering a prostitute, and not only is she not even a little bit dismayed by this fact, but when she catches him trying to sacrifice her sister on an altar of blood, she forgives him and takes him back. Yeah, that’s how it ends. Happily fucking ever after. Never mind that the man RITUALISTICALLY MURDERS HUMAN BEINGS.
Oh, and one of the major recurring themes in the story (which frankly, the characters fully endorse and the story does nothing to mitigate) is that disabled lives are worthless and people who are disabled, homeless, or sex workers are all better off dead and not being such a drain on society.
It was infuriating reading this kind of hateful and bigoted rhetoric while suffering Leslie’s blind devotion the entire book long. You are forced to watch the protagonist deliberately and willfully ignore every red flag of foreshadowing, and then you have to witness her surprised pikachu face when her fiance kidnaps a child for blood sacrifice. And if that wasn’t hard enough, the last two pages will make you want to punch yourself so hard that YOU cross into the afterlife.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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October 23, 2025Leslie Barnes has just bought her first home, overlooking San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. It seems the perfect place for Leslie and her sister, a brilliant young musician...but as soon as they move in, a plague of dark events begins, unsettling both women. To her horror, Leslie realizes that she is living in a vortex of magickal power. She must become the guardian of that power and protect it from those who seek to use it for evil. Trained as a psychologist, Leslie is in over her head when dealing with the occult--until she meets Claire Moffatt, a charming medium, and Claire's mentor, Colin MacLaren, world-famous psychic investigator. Together they stand against evil and enable Leslie to claim her full inheritance.
November 3, 2021
There was a time that I would have said MZB was my favorite author. Even without the allegations of abuse and neglect, that wouldn’t be the case any more. In her fantasy work perhaps she was able to hide her prejudices better, but in a modern setting the words she puts in her characters’ mouths, from the fat shaming to comparing anorexia to being transgender to the ugly words said about people with mental and physical disabilities… I’m astounded I was able to get through this whole book. And, in hindsight, the relationship between Leslie and Simon AND Leslie’s younger sister seem almost a confession from the author herself. Truly a terrible book.
January 17, 2025
Avalon-sarjasta pidin aikoinaan. Tämä kirja oli todella häiritsevän huono.Alkoi hyvin , mutta noin puolessa välissä eroottinen lataus teki tarinasta,roäydjottavan.Kuinka muka aikuinen koulutettu ihminen hullaantuu, ei tajua mitään ja hyväksyy kaiken,varsinkin kun toinen osapuoli on selkeästi alusta alkaen häiriintynyt. Paljon kohtalaisen hyviä sivujuonialoituksia,jotka ohitetaan eikä viedä eteenpäin. Loppu myös erittäin hämärä.Ei mielestäni kauhua,vaan huonohkoa eroottista kioskikirjallisuutta yliluonnollisella twistillä
December 6, 2021
Marion Zimmer Bradley é para mim uma escritora de literatura de conforto. Reli este em particular porque reli há pouco tempo A Queda da Atlântida. Novamente duas irmãs são enredadas em relações amorosas trágicas, mas desta vez que apenas afectam as suas próprias vidas. Não acredito em reencarnação mas divirto-me com a maneira como ela cria personagens e enredos que ecoam em vários dos seus romances.
February 10, 2022
Molto coinvolgente, mi ha tenuta incollata come da un po' non mi capitava. Niente da dire sullo stile di Marion Zimmer Bradley, indubbiamente grande romanziera.
L'elemento magico mi affascina sempre, soprattutto quando è inserito nella quotidianità e non in un mondo "fantastico".
Un po' affrettato il finale, secondo me, avrebbe potuto renderlo meglio.
Per altri commenti:
bookcrossing.com/journal/5418958
L'elemento magico mi affascina sempre, soprattutto quando è inserito nella quotidianità e non in un mondo "fantastico".
Un po' affrettato il finale, secondo me, avrebbe potuto renderlo meglio.
Per altri commenti:
bookcrossing.com/journal/5418958
October 5, 2024
I just started this book, but this line from our protagonist does not bode well: “Probably more a victim than a victimizer, one of the hundreds of thousands of men so brutalized by society that no reasonable person could hold him responsible; but she wished, whoever he was, that he would take his grudge out on whoever was really to blame.”
October 5, 2018
It was decent and easy to get through but I found the situations and conversation to be quite unbelievable. To be fair, It Was Written in the 80s so who knows with those weirdos were saying and doing back then!😃
July 24, 2021
Don't waste your time with this crap. I expected a lot more from MZB after Mists of Avalon and the like. This story was predictable and full of endless dialogue. And that's all I need to say. The other reviewers have said the rest for me.
May 26, 2022
This book was just awful. I kept thinking that things like fat shaming, racist remarks, heightened gender stereotypes, etc. would lead to something. It never did. The ending was a slap in the face with no real build up.
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