“Heritage and Exile”, and what to Do with Them

CW: heavy topics discussed, spoilers I think a brief (or not-so-brief) clarification is needed here. I haven't purchased the "The Heritage of Hastur" and "Sharra's Exile" omnibus, "Heritage and Exile". After all we've learned about Bradley's crimes, I'm not going to fund her trust. I read the books for free. You may ask, though, why … Continue reading “Heritage and Exile”, and what to Do with Them →

Darkover Revisited: The City of Sorcery

What can you say about a book full of well-known and likeable characters, a book which is the last installment of a trilogy? You may try to sum it up somehow, to see how it fits into the previous ones. In The City of Sorcery, though, I can see only a good science fantasy novel … Continue reading Darkover Revisited: The City of Sorcery →

Darkover Revisited: Thendara House

My review of The Shattered Chain, the first book in The Saga of the Renunciates, was actually more like a sporking in two parts. This time, my reflections of Thendara House are going to be closer to a review. However, still BEWARE HEAVY SPOILERS, please. Have you ever had an impression that some fantasy/sci-fi books … Continue reading Darkover Revisited: Thendara House →

Darkover Revisited: The Shattered Chain, Part Two

Today, we'll delve into the second part of The Shattered Chain by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Twelve years have passed since the first time and now Magda Lorne, a Terran agent raised on Darkover, begins a journey in a disguise of a Renunciate, on Lady Rohana Ardais' orders: she thinks that Kyril, the Lady's son kidnapped … Continue reading Darkover Revisited: The Shattered Chain, Part Two →

Darkover Revisited: The Shattered Chain, Part One: Orientalism

The world of Darkover created by Marion Zimmer Bradley is an universe I'd always return to. When I was a teen, books about Darkover were like a symbol to me. A symbol meaning that I knew English well enough to read novels written in it, and that I could buy books from the US at … Continue reading Darkover Revisited: The Shattered Chain, Part One: Orientalism →

Darkover Series by Marion Zimmer Bradley is Problematic

So, maybe you know or maybe you don't, but a famous sci-fi and fantasy writer, Marion Zimmer Bradley, was a paedophile hurting her own children. And this crime is the most important problem we should have with her works. However, there are others. And in this post, I'm not going to judge myself or other … Continue reading Darkover Series by Marion Zimmer Bradley is Problematic →

The Case of Marion Zimmer Bradley

Marion Zimmer Bradley was a paedophile abusing her own kids. She should have been put into a prison. The readers don't need to boycott her books necessarily, assuming that the incomes are to be given to NGOs fightning paedophilia. The sad and alarming thing is that some friends of her claim that they didn't observe … Continue reading The Case of Marion Zimmer Bradley →

My Numerous Problems with Darkover Series – Part One

Imagine a planet with cold giant sun and mysterious native species. Imagine people of Celtic and Spaniard origin colonizing it and establishing a feudal society. Imagine nobility and social prestige based on psi powers. Welcome to Darkover. My Adventure with Darkover Having read Mists of Avalon I wanted something else, something new by Marion Zimmer … Continue reading My Numerous Problems with Darkover Series – Part One →

My Numerous Problems with Darkover Series – Part Five

NOTE: In the previous parts, I examined the questions important for particular worldview and set of values. I tried to prove (but this was by no means my main goal) that Darkover series is not as progressive as some people would think. That it is not feminist by the modern standards, that it has many … Continue reading My Numerous Problems with Darkover Series – Part Five →

My Numerous Problems with Darkover Series – Part Four

Illusion of Full Understanding towards LGBT People At first it seems to be that Darkover series is very progressive about LGBT people. Even in the books from the seventies - like The World Wreckers and The Forbidden Tower - you have homosexual and bisexual positive characters. You have Regis and Danilo, you have Andrew and … Continue reading My Numerous Problems with Darkover Series – Part Four →