A Sword Called Chaos

Darkover (Publication Order) #17

by Marion Zimmer Bradley

Mhari Delleray prayed for help to avenge the murders of her family, but she got more help than she could possibly have wanted.

This is a short story that originally appeared in the anthology SWORD OF CHAOS.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Short Stories, Anthologies, Paranormal

20 pages, Nook

First published April 1, 1982

About the author

Marion 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fan fiction and reprinted some of it in commercial Darkover anthologies, continuing to encourage submissions from unpublished authors, but this ended after a dispute with a fan over an unpublished Darkover novel of Bradley's that had similarities to some of the fan's stories.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)

Reviews

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I miss the era when DAW books had yellow spines.

[Valerie]

Again, the table of contents is needed, particularly for those looking for a specific story, and not sure where it is.

(1) Introduction: rather sketchy, and later less interlarded commentary than in the other two collections. In this book, Bradley's comments only occur between sections, and not between every two stories.

(2) A Gift of Love: A woman who doesn't bear laran (or thinks she doesn't) helps invent the role of barragana for her co-wife, but at great cost to herself, since she feels inadequate if she can't be in an exclusive relationship, however she loves her husband and junior wife. She also invents the custom of laran-gifted fathers going through labor in rapport with the mothers.

(3) Dark Lady: A mortal girl becomes aide to Avarra in her role as angel of Death. (And who assigned AVARRA that role?). I have to say I strongly disapprove of these apologies for death. I don't WANT to be reconciled with death. I want all deaths to be meaningless and cruel. If they're not, what motive would we have to eliminate death? Even the concept of reincarnation doesn't really resolve anything. If one death is bad, what can be said for REPEATED deaths?

(4) A Legend of The Hellers: A man fears to risk death because he can't father an heir. So an (eventually identified) supernatural force intervenes to make sure he DOESN'T get one.

(5) In The Throat of The Dragon: A survivor of the Marelie Hastur incident abandons his role as Tower Worker (and warrior) to become a harper. I have to say that the question of 'outlaws' (from what law?) is rather badly handled in the series as a whole. The 'bandit' chieftains aren't substantially different from other 'lords' especially in the mountains. The argument that 'bandits' find it easier to rob passersby and households than to 'earn their keep' is belied by the fact that they're often stymied, and can be killed without remorse or blood-feud. And in many cases, it's evident that the 'bandit' communities are, in fact, the EXACT same people as the mountain lords and their followers they've 'displaced', or their lineal descendants.

(6) Wind-Music: A boy suffering threshold sickness is bullied by his household (this seems to have been standard practice in the early days, especially among the Ridenow). As an attempt to explain the experience of threshold sickness, this is a little uneven. One wonders, btw, how many of the telepaths (especially Ridenows, who are xenotelepaths, or mostly xenoempaths) became vegetarians. Might not have happened though, since at least one person from the ship went into rapport with plants, too, in a Ghost Wind.

(7) Escape and Rebirth: These stories, by different authors, are combined, because the second is a resolution of the first. A rather short-circuited version of a theory of reincarnation--and the notion that Varzil the Good was a reincarnation of a laranzu tortured to reveal the location of clingfire is...well, it's an attempt to explain, I suppose, why Varzil's attitude was so at odds with his contemporaries' understanding, at least at first. If it were true, why wouldn't Varzil just say so? But then, he's always been a character along the lines of Glinda the Good's description of the Wizard of Oz in the movie: "Oh, very good, but very mysterious."

(8) A Sword of Chaos: A really awful story. I kept reading it in horrid fascination, hoping it'd get better: but no. The victim of the revenge fetish in this story eventually realizes the price she'll have to pay--but why did she never question the concept of endless revenge and counter-revenge before? At one point she recognizes that there's probably no real distinction between her own ancestors and the 'bandits' who took over--but instead of taking that as an indication that changes have to be made, she just heads down the same eroded path at breakneck pace. Is it any wonder how often necks get broken on Darkover?

(9) Di Catenas: An explanation for the bracelets that's really no explanation at all. What kind of society lets its members be mutilated and killed to the point where they inflict these mad curses in the FIRST place?

(10) Of Two Minds: A caretaker for a 'moronic' and severely disabled prince learns that the severely alienated (probably autistic) boy is NOT stupid, and is highly gifted with laran. I'm not spoiling any surprises by revealing this, since it should have been obvious from the start. Why did nobody even suspect it? I should point out that the term 'moron' is inaccurate in this case. Morons can talk. The child in question is the most literal sort of IDIOT, because he is prevented from communicating, and so must fend for himself, which is the original meaning of the term 'idiot' (unsociable). Once given a means of communication, he is able to develop into what will always be a high-functioning autistic. He can never be 'normal', but will always be better in some ways, and worse in others. If he'd been accurately diagnosed earlier, he might've made a better adjustment--but better late than never, I suppose.

(11) Through Fire And Frost: A cristoforo priest begins to recognize that he hasn't really left the world, as he becomes the default escort for a new mother and her infant. Frankly, I think they'd all be better off changing a few diapers. Perhaps a period of retreat from the monastery before making final vows should be incorporated into the training. I mean, how could a grown man never even have seen his sisters naked?

(12) The Way of A Wolf: The Free Amazon in this story is not a good choice of viewpoint character. Frankly, the attempt to characterize the mind of an abusive 'soldier' type is difficult, even for a person who suffers from the malady. The woman's attempt to justify her own abusiveness (as a necessary protection against the abusiveness of others) has, by definition, to be defensive. She knows she's behaving badly, so she accuses those who aren't of cowardice and evasion--including the Comyn lord who's abandoned warfare to become a healer among those devastated by the war. It's her OWN suppressed 'cowardice' she's railing against, of course. I should point out two things: (1) Dogs ARE wolves. and are behaving according to the nature of wolves when they join human packs, and (2) The argument that warfare with swords and knives is less immoral than war with clingfire and bonewater dust has always been an argument of degree rather than kind. The Free Amazon in this story does begin to realize this--but it's an incomplete transformation.

(13) Cold Hall: A young (untrained) laranzu tries to damp down any sexual expression whatever. You'd think those trying to identify the cause would realize that the boy is trying to prevent others being subject to the abuse he was subject to as one 'six-fathered'. He needs therapy himself, yes. But so does the society that encourages license on feast days, then blames children for decisions they themselves had no control over.

(14) The Lesson of The Inn: Covers the beginning of Hilary Castamir's rehabilitation. I doubt it would be conclusive. You can't undo years of conditioning in one day and night, as Callista Lanart-Alton later discovered. Hilary might have made a start here in undoing her isolation and causeless guilt--but she couldn't finish it in one gulp.

(15) Confidence: If this is an example of the 'training' people underwent in Towers, it's no wonder the people came out of it so warped. Virtual torture is still verily torture.

(16) Camilla: Not only is the character of Camilla presented inaccurately in this story, the basic argument that abusive 'education' is superior to any other sort is nonsensical. That it's remarkably persistent makes it worse.

(17) Where The Heart Is: A story of Marja Alton. Not consistent with earlier or later portrayals (for example, who are the parents of Marja's 'siblings'?). If this story had been written as a
non-Darkover story, it might have been a good start for another series. As it is, the characters are just given names, and don't behave as the characters they're named after would have. Why not just create new characters out of whole cloth?

(18) Skeptic: It's not clear even to the title character why he became such a determined 'debunker'. Whether or not he suffers from a version of the Pauli Effect (practical physicists wouldn't even allow Pauli into their labs, because complex equipment would break down in his presence), why would he even care what claims others made? And as for disabusing him of his blind skepticism, why bother? When did Project Telepath become dependent on Empire funding anyway?

and finally:

(19) A Recipe for Failure: This is just a silly joke, and should be read on that level. I'd always thought that the reason the Darkover books were so grim and humorless was that Bradley herself had no sense of humor. Turns out it's not so. Apparently, she was just bad at framing jokes herself--but appreciated them from others.

[Erik the Red · Rating 1 out of 5]

Marion Zimmer Bradley, and her literary work, must be viewed through two, often competing, lenses.

First, she was writing stories with strong, relatable female protagonists battling male oppression at a time when very few other authors were prepared to do so. Many modern readers cannot conceive of a time when women were not allowed to have a credit card in their own name, which was but one of the policies Bradley was dealing with in her time. She was a feminist long before it became fashionable. She was one of a very few voices that spoke powerfully to young women about their own worth. Much of her writing, read today, can be seen as trite, obvious, or overbearing, but it must be remembered that it was none of those things at the time it was written. This was a woman who co-founded, and named, the Society for Creative Anachronism, who championed pagan rights when the mainstream saw them as satanic, and who encouraged and published unknown female authors like Mercedes Lackey. Viewed through this lens, Bradley was a progressive woman to be lauded, as she was, posthumously, when she received the World Fantasy Award for lifetime achievement in 2000.

Second, and hideously, Bradley was a pedophile, who molested her own children. She also procured and groomed children for her husband, Walter Breen, to assault. She admitted to knowing what he was doing to these children, but refused to stop helping him, much less report him or interfere with his desires. Her own daughter was her accuser, so we can be assured this is not a "he said, she said" situation. Viewed through this lens, then, her life and work become irredeemably tainted.

We are, perhaps, used to evaluating art for art's sake, commenting on Ender's Game, or Harry Potter, as though their authors' views, hateful as they are, should not condemn the output of their minds and hands. Perhaps we are right to do so; after all, these views are only beliefs and words, no matter how widespread a bully pulpit their famous speakers are able to command. However, when beliefs and words turn into actions, we must draw the line. Since 2014, when definitive proof finally came to light, I have found myself unable to recommend anything written by Marion Zimmer Bradley. I remain so appalled by her actions that I can never give more than one star to anything she has written, no matter how groundbreaking, how heartfelt, how astounding it may be. I urge everyone reading this to join me in boycotting her work forever.

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* (extremely rare) There is something very wrong with this book &/or this author; never again.
** (seldom) Has flaws, or I just couldn’t get into it; no thanks.
*** (usual) Not great, not bad; no need to return to it.
**** (often) Better than average; I’d read it again.
***** (rare) A superb example of the genre, &/or an incredible piece of art; I re-read it often.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the short stories were written by Bradley, and were good. Some of the other shorts were not as good, others fit well into the Darkover universe.

[Skyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Darkover was one of my favourite series back when. I liked its feminist overtones.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although the bones of the stories are interesting, most of them are just badly written. Stereotypes, cliches, and overused tropes abound, sadly.

[dogpossum · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second of twelve 'official' anthology of Darkovan stories, Sword Of Chaos is edited by MZB, features a couple of her stories, but is for the most part a collection of fanfic. Interestingly, many of the authors in this collection went on to become Names in SF (eg Susan Shwartz), though the writing is a bit dodgy in some of the stories.

Though they are not 'official' stories of Darkover, many of these short stories are now accepted as canon, it's worth picking up these anthologies. Many stories explore minor characters in the other books (eg the lovely story about Hilary Castimir in 'The Lesson Of The Inn' in Sword of Chaos), others introduce new characters, explore popular themes (particularly the Renunciates and Towers) or flesh out myths or references in the books.

These little stories gain importance in the Darkovan canon because the original collection of books weren't written in chronological order, and some of the main stories have even been re-written by MZB. MZB herself commented that she doesn't much care for internal consistency and chronological logic, pointing out that inconsistencies can be written up as individual characters' own misremembering or different interpretations of events. So the Darkover series itself is quite accommodating of fanfic, and these collections turn out to be more interesting and useful than expected.

The importance of fanfic in the early stages of new authors' careers is quite clear in the Darkover world, and I'm wondering if these sorts of anthologies are now a thing of the past. I can't really imagine publishers today taking such risky punts on unknown authors in collections edited and managed by the authors of successful feminist SciFant series. MZB herself eventually restricted writing in the Darkovan world to suit her publishers' requirements, and there were only twelve published collections.

NB There's an interesting article of the history of these Darkova anthologies and the Friends of Darkover fan group which discusses MZB's relationship to fan writing in the Darkover universe.

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marion Zimmer Bradley is a wonderful writer. She has a great way with words and she knows how to spin an engaging story. Darkover is one of those places where I long to go sometimes, to revisit places and characters that have taken root in my heart.

[Lisa (Harmonybites) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marion Zimmer Bradley is famous for her Avalon books, but I'm a fan of her Darkover stories, set in an original world and a blend of science fiction and fantasy. I was impressed on reread of the first Darkover short story anthology, The Keeper's Price--basically a collection of "fan fiction" by other authors based on MZB's world. Enough I ranked it just below five stars, and was tempted to give it full marks. Not that I would argue it's deathless literature, but as a Darkover fan I loved it, and was surprised how memorable the various stories were even decades after I first read it--there were some I remembered just from the title, and no story I didn't completely enjoy.

This second collection, though still enjoyable, didn't impress me as much. The first seemed mostly taken from a contest, and perhaps that pushed the quality up. So many in the contents page seem the usual suspects. Besides two stories from MZB, Diana L. Paxson, Susan M. Shwartz, Elizabeth Waters and Patricia Matthews all appeared in the first volume and Bradley's "The Lesson of the Inn" and Paxson's "A Gift of Love" were sequels to stories in the previous anthology. Elizabeth Waters' contribution "Rebirth" was a sequel to the story just before, "Escape," by Leslie Williams. Which btw I'd consider the strongest, certainly most memorable story in the collection; short and chilling. I also really loved Jane Brae-Bedell's "Dark Lady," which had a fairy tale feel. But on the whole I'd say this collection had less high points, and quite a few I'd consider rather weak--at least compared to the last volume. I'd still recommend this to a Darkover fan, but with less enthusiasm than the first anthology.

[Christopher Sutch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover novels are became so rich and densely imagined that they opened up a wide space for Bradley and others to think through various issues (feminism, sexuality, class, the role of violence and weapons in society) and, incidentally, to create some of the best and most innovative science fiction of the 1970s and early 1980s. This second collection of stories by (mostly) amateur authors continued to fulfill that potential for social dialogue about important issues, though it seems to me to be somewhat less successful than the first collection, _The Keeper's Price_. Partly this slight let down is because some of the authors merely extend stories they published in that foundational anthology (Susan Schwarz and Bradley herself); this makes for a less-than-exciting and -original reading experience. Also, though, some of the writers' inexperience in their craft shows through more than it did in the earlier book (some of the stories' pacing is erratic, and there is far too much exposition in many of the works). However, there are a lot of works in this book that are worth reading, including Bradley channeling Michael Moorcock in the title story, and in the several stories toward the end of the volume that shed new light on characters and situations Bradley first created in her novels: Camilla from _The Shattered Chain_ and Marja Alton (from _Sword of Aldones/Sharra's Exile_) in particular. It is fascinating to look back on the beginnings of a true community of like-minded individuals who took advantage of a publishing opportunity to open up a space within American science fiction for social dialogue on so many issues, thereby helping to change the genre from mere entertainment to something a bit more weighty.

[Jimmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A GIFT OF LOVE:
I love the revisit to the beginning, four generations after Darkover Landfall. With neighboring establishments warring against one another, their desire for leaders strong in laran has become a requirement. What about the faithful and dutiful wife who is brushed aside and forced to nurse the girl who may deliver the son her husband demands?
REBIRTH:
Brilliant! It is too short, but it is great. Set in one of my favorite times, The Clingfire Trilogy.
SWORD OF CHAOS:
A fantastic short story of the broken down Mhari Delleray agreeing to pay the cost to get revenge on the bandit who is responsible for the annihilation of her family at Sain Scarp, with the powerful sword which is eternally thirsting for blood.
THROUGH FIRE AND FROST:
While on the road Father Piedro travels through the deadly fires and through the equally deadly snows in Darkover, all the while learning what brother, sister, wife, and husband means to him, a cristoforo.
THE LESSON OF THE INN: (Hilary Cycle #3)
After feeling crushed at her failed attempt to be the next Keeper of Arilinn, Hilary travels home, and is thrown into situations that will break her of the intensely strict behavior she has learned over the years while in training to be a Keeper under Leonie of Arilinn.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn't tried this Darkover Anthology yet. Ever since Marion Zimmer Bradley died, I'm not sure if there have been new anthologies. This is an older edition of her short story collections. Got it through Paperbackbookswap.com. Great way to get some hard to find books.

So, this collection has some good stories of Darkover. Marion Zimmer Bradley grouped the stories by Darkover by time period or by a category relating to Darkover. If you haven't had a chance to read this book and love Darkover, I'd recommend it. Great way to enjoy some quick reads if you want a getaway into a book without being absorbed by a whole novel.

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely.

So many short stories, it's wonderful to see that once there was something like "fan-fiction" that a author like Marion Zimmer Bradley approved of and had published in many collections. Very few do that now.

You will not find more than a half dozen Darkover fan-fiction now on the internet. It's sad, and too bad.

[Emaly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now that I am a third of the way through this book, I realize why these stories seem so predictable - I've read this book already. Although I love visiting Darkover, I think I'll move onto something else...

[Jimmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fantastic short story of the broken down Mhari Delleray agreeing to pay the cost to get revenge on the bandit who is responsible for the annihilation of her family at Sain Scarp, with the powerful sword which is eternally thirsting for blood.

[Nicole Diamond · Rating 1 out of 5]

If it has one star I liked it a lot
If it has two stars I liked it a lot and would recommend it
If it has three stars I really really liked it a lot
If it has four stars I insist you read it
If it has five stars it was life changing

[Eva · Rating 2 out of 5]

I learned that while I prefer most of the older ones, it isn't an exact rule.

[Talietha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading others take on Darkover. Some real gems.

[Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides]

There is a rare (the only?) legitimately and traditionally published piece of Pern fanfiction in this anthology. And, go figure, it's a goofy Pern/Darkover fusion.

[Lana Del Slay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid short story collection about Darkover. I'll probably splurge on a few more (borrowed this one from the Darling).

[Karen-Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another anthology filled with familiar characters from the novels. Connecting the dots, filling in the cracks. A pleasure.

[Vader · Rating 3 out of 5]

5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish