Arilinn (2024) is the final Darkover novel, set in the tumultuous times leading to the Ages of Chaos and chronicling the founding of that Tower.
The Laran Gambit was released in 2022 and is available in ebook, hardcover , and trade paperback editions.
Jewels of Darkover (2023) is the last Darkover anthology. I previously edited Stars of Darkover (2014) and one anthology each following year: Realms of Darkover, Masques of Darkover, Crossroads of Darkover, Citadels of Darkover. These are scheduled to cease publication at the end of 2025.
My collection of my Darkover short fiction, A Heat Wave in the Hellers and Other Tales of Darkover will remain in print.
Thunderlord came out in 2016. Marion had intended to write a book by that title, set a generation after
Stormqueen, and I'm delighted to have completed it.
The Children of Kings, picks up the "modern" storyline after
The Alton Gift, bringing the Terrans and Darkover once more into contact--an uneasy one at that. It also focuses more on Gareth Elhalyn, grandson of Regis Hastur, and on the Dry Towns culture.
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Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Darkover is one of the longest-running and best-loved series, one that straddles the border between science fiction and fantasy, and one that has touched the hearts and fired the imaginations of generations of fans. The earliest published stories date back over half a century (
The Planet Savers, 1958;
The Sword of Aldones, 1962).
I began working with Marion in the final year of her life, thinking we would collaborate on one or more novels. Although we had worked out a general plot arc for three books when she died, I went on to write them myself under the supervision of her Literary Trustee. Those three books,
The Fall of Neskaya, Zandru’s Forge, and
A Flame in Hali, were followed by three more. At first, I worked to maintain Bradley’s literary voice and creative vision. By the end of the sixth book (
The Children of Kings), I realized how much of my own imagination colored the story and its landscape. I found myself drawn away from the characters and situations that Marion had envisioned, and toward those I had invented.
I believe it’s a healthy thing to simultaneously allow for the introduction of new characters, themes, and resonances, at the same time staying true to the spirit of the world, a wondrous place of telepaths and swordsmen, nonhumans and ancient mysteries, the clash of cultures between a star-faring, technologically advanced civilization and one that has pursued psychic gifts and has turned away from weapons of mass destruction. It’s an engraved invitation to gritty, romantic, action-adventure, gender-bending, inclusive, poignant, uplifting stories!
How the collaboration came about:
Immensely generous with "her special world"
of Darkover, Marion Zimmer Bradley loved encouraging new writers. We
were already friends when she began editing the Darkover and
Sword & Sorceress
Anthologies. The match between my natural literary "voice" and what
she was looking for was extraordinary. She loved to read what I loved
to write, and she often cited "The Death of Brendan Ensolare" (
Four Moons of Darkover, DAW, 1988) as one of her favorites.
As Marion's health declined, I was invited to work with
her on one or more Darkover novels. We decided that rather than extend
the story of "modern" Darkover, we would return to the Ages of Chaos.
Marion envisioned a trilogy beginning with the Hastur Rebellion and the
fall of Neskaya, the enduring friendship between Varzil the Good and
Carolin Hastur, and extending to the fire-bombing of Hali and the
signing of the Compact. While I scribbled notes as fast as I could, she
would sit back, eyes alight, and begin a story with, "Now, the Hasturs
tried to control the worst excesses of laran weapons, but there were
always others under development . . ." or "Of course, Varzil and Carolin
had been brought up on tales of star-crossed lovers who perished in the
destruction of Neskaya . . ."
Marion passed away in September 1999, and I was
asked to speak at her funeral. In completing this project and continuing the series beyond it, I
hope to honor her memory and the enduring vision she has left to us
all.
