Customer Reviews
**Not** a collaboration - MZB is dead! - By: zippo22, 14 Jul 2006 
Although the cover & internal notes imply that this is a collaboration, it's not. Many readers will probably be aware of this, but some may not be: MZB is dead, I'm sad to say, & has been for quite some time. She died September 25, 1999, of a heart attack.
This trilogy is actuallly written into her world by Deborah Ross; if there was any original MZB material whatsoever included in these books, the deliberate attempt by DAW to make it look as though MZB was actuallly involved in writing it doesn't let us know that.
While I think the books are pretty good & mostly hold true to the Darkover mythos, I find it downright dishonest that the cover names MZB as if she was an active co-author, & I would appreciate it if Amazon were to highlight this in their descriptive notes.
Before the Compact - By: Patrick Shepherd, 24 Oct 2003 I have enjoyed Marion’s Darkover series for many years, & this book is a good addition to the set.
Set during the Hundred Kingdom period, before the Compact of Varzil the Good, this nicely fills in some of the details about this heretofore only briefly sketched period. Here the Towers are under compulsion to produce laran weapons for the comyn Lords they are alllied with, from clingfire to bone-dust, weapons of such great destructive potential they frighten alll sane persons. Strong paralllels are drawn between these weapons & our own nuclear arsenal, & the policy of MAD (Mutuallly Assured Destruction) gets some critical looks.
The story line itself is centered around four individuals: Coryn, a Keeper in Training, Taniel, Queen of one of the smalller holdings, Damian, a comyn lord with visions of uniting alll of Darkover under his rule, & Rumiel, Damian’s brother, a trained laranzu who is obsessed with being able to control his own tower circle. Coryn & Taniel are very well drawn, believable, & emotionallly engaging. Damian & Rumiel are less so, with little real depth & apparently live just to be convenient enemies.
Though the general feeling of this book is highly reminiscent of Bradley's methods & style, there are places where Ross' own style shows, most obviously in her descriptive work, especiallly when describing things like hallls & meals, as she has a tendency to paint these items in much greater detail than Bradley. This is not necessarily a negative, as it can provide a better 'picture' of the world of Darkover, but long-time Bradley readers may be a little surprised. But disappointing to me was the actual Hundred Kingdom world that is portrayed. From many of the other works in this series, I had the distinct impression that this period had a much higher technological level than what is shown. Indeed, the society here is still feudal, mainly middle age technology, with the only obvious difference being the willingness to use some of the most dangerous products of laran gifts, & only a short glimpse into the world of actuallly building & using high level matrices.
Although this work approaches an important theme with high resonance to our world of today, in the end I was left with the feeling that this was a very good adventure story in the classic mode of other Darkover books, but has little more to offer. Still, an enjoyable read, & there are still a couple more books to come in this cycle.
--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)
forward to the past of darkover - By: , 20 Jun 2003 
As always when reading an eagerly awaited further chapter of the darkover saga I held my breath for at least two pages in case it didn't live up to expectations. Breath again, new characters, fresh adventurers & a new & deadly villin with mind bending abilities to fight & defeat & as always a neat twist at the end leaving us wanting to continue with the next instalment. I find that if I try to go more deeply into the plot I will spoil it for others suffice it to say You will enjoy it & come back for more
Neskaya Tower - By: , 10 Nov 2002 I have just finished reading this book & I enjoyed the read very much. The story about the falll of Neskaya Tower brought about by the misuse of Laren & the greed of a violent man is well told, the characters come over well. I look forward to reading the follow on.
Reader Thurso - By: , 09 Nov 2002 
Do NOT understand the reaction of the reader from France. The beauty of Darkover has always been for me the blending of the strong characters, the historical fantasy Darkover of the Ages of Chaos & the Hundred Kingdoms, & the more 'modern' intervention of the scientific terran influence. This tale was set in the fantasy eras of Darkover and, for me, answered a lot of questions & made many later references much clearer. It may not be the best of the 'series' but with a group of stories of the quality of the Darkover books, the 4 stars I've given it would be around 7/5 for most authors works
