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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
Lots of people don't like this one, and it's not my favorite but after a re-read I still think it's fun.
Marion Zimmer Bradley is one of the few fantasy authors of the old school that I truly enjoy. I must have read The Fall of Atlantis dozens of times. I love the way she creates relationships between her characters: at their worst, characterized by horrific co-dependency and, at times, abuse, at their best, filling personal needs and creating communities of mutual love and respect. She was also writing early enough in the 20th century to make some of her topics fairly racy for the times (a book including an obvious four-way sexual encounter between 2 women and 2 men? In 1977? You have to tip your hat). Her prose is dense, but somehow not overwritten; the world that she has created is fascinating to walk through. I will definitely read more in the Darkover series.
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
So far this is my favorite in the series. Dense, detailed, engaging characters, great story line. Many touch points to other stories and the historical time line, groundwork laid for future stories. I hated to come to the end. I got no work done as I could not put the book down.
The Forbidden Tower (pub. 1977) is the story of the creation of the "heretical" circle of telepaths who, choosing to work outside of the Towers of Darkover, challenge the two most strongly held beliefs that underlie the Tower system - that a Keeper must be essentially asexual, and that only the members of the ruling Comyn caste have enough laran to work in the Towers.
The novel begins where The Spell Sword left off - with the clearing of the catmen and the planned union of Damon Ridenow to Ellemir Alton, and of Terran Andrew Carr to Callista Alton, formerly a Keeper of Arilinn under Leonie Hastur. Much of the main plot of the novel deals with the fusion of these two couples into a fourway bond, linked telepathically, emotionally and sexually. There are two main obstacles to this, and MZB deals with both in great detail. First, the realisation that not only has Callista been conditioned to have no sexual awareness or response, but that early in the training, Leonie performed a kind of psychic neutering on her, so that it would be impossible for her conditioning to ever be undone. Second, the painful misunderstandings and problems of culture shock brought about by the differences between Terran sexual mores and those found in a society of telepaths. In order to overcome the first, Damon must engage in the dangerous discipline of timesearch to find clues to a centuries-old tradition that could restore Callista's frozen sexuality. And only endless love and patience can overcome the second.
At the end of the novel, the four of them, fully bonded, are faced with a telepathic duel to prove Damon's right to namr himself Keeper and to direct the way his Tower will operate according to his own conscience and not the laws of Arilinn
The novel begins where The Spell Sword left off - with the clearing of the catmen and the planned union of Damon Ridenow to Ellemir Alton, and of Terran Andrew Carr to Callista Alton, formerly a Keeper of Arilinn under Leonie Hastur. Much of the main plot of the novel deals with the fusion of these two couples into a fourway bond, linked telepathically, emotionally and sexually. There are two main obstacles to this, and MZB deals with both in great detail. First, the realisation that not only has Callista been conditioned to have no sexual awareness or response, but that early in the training, Leonie performed a kind of psychic neutering on her, so that it would be impossible for her conditioning to ever be undone. Second, the painful misunderstandings and problems of culture shock brought about by the differences between Terran sexual mores and those found in a society of telepaths. In order to overcome the first, Damon must engage in the dangerous discipline of timesearch to find clues to a centuries-old tradition that could restore Callista's frozen sexuality. And only endless love and patience can overcome the second.
At the end of the novel, the four of them, fully bonded, are faced with a telepathic duel to prove Damon's right to namr himself Keeper and to direct the way his Tower will operate according to his own conscience and not the laws of Arilinn
This is the happily ever after sequel to [b:The Spell Sword|1106633|The Spell Sword (Darkover, #11)|Marion Zimmer Bradley|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1226463075s/1106633.jpg|1650605] and while Bradley claimed you can read the Darkover series in any order, read The Spell Sword first.
After rescuing Callista, can Andrew, an uptight, monogamous, cis male handle a marrying into a telepathic, polyamorous family and also cure Callista of her psionically induced frigidity? Can Damon, his new brother in law protect them from external threats from and those from within using his powerful PSI powers? Included for free in this family melodrama is plenty of star crossed and culturally blinded lovers.
Not a normal action adventure and a thoughtful, fun read.
After rescuing Callista, can Andrew, an uptight, monogamous, cis male handle a marrying into a telepathic, polyamorous family and also cure Callista of her psionically induced frigidity? Can Damon, his new brother in law protect them from external threats from and those from within using his powerful PSI powers? Included for free in this family melodrama is plenty of star crossed and culturally blinded lovers.
Not a normal action adventure and a thoughtful, fun read.