Most Popular Books by Marion Zimmer Bradley

The magical saga of the women behind King Arthur''s throne. “A monumental reimagining of the Arthurian legends . . . reading it is a deeply moving and at times uncanny experience. . . . An impressive achievement.”—The New York Times Book Review In Marion Zimmer Bradley''s masterpiece, we see the tumult and adventures of Camelot''s court through the eyes of the women who bolstered the king''s rise and schemed for his fall. From their childhoods through the ultimate fulfillment of their destinies, we follow these women and the diverse cast of characters that surrounds them as the great Arthurian epic unfolds stunningly before us. As Morgaine and Gwenhwyfar struggle for control over the fate of Arthur''s kingdom, as the Knights of the Round Table take on their infamous quest, as Merlin and Viviane wield their magics for the future of Old Britain, the Isle of Avalon slips further into the impenetrable mists of memory, until the fissure between old and new worlds'' and old and new religions'' claims its most famous victim.

After spending a year riding with the Amazon tribes, Kassandra, royal princess of Troy, returns to her city to dedicate herself to being a priestess of Apollo, in this retelling of the story of the Trojan War. Reprint.

In the long-awaited return to Avalon by the beloved author of The Mists of Avalon and her collaborator, bestselling author Diana L. Paxson, Marion Zimmer Bradley fuses myth, magic and romance in a spectacular unfolding of one woman''s role in the making of history and spirit...

A prequel to Marion Zimmer Bradley''s The Forest House follows the story of the Roman conquest of Britain, a tale in which a Celtic princess becomes her people''s defender against brutal conquerors while her priestess mentor becomes a guardian of Druid traditions.

This is a classic science fiction novel by Marion Zimmer Bradley. This work tells the story of the Terran Empire and their quest to maintain a peaceful rule. However, on the planet Wolf something is afoot. They enlist the services of Race Cargill of the Terran Secret Service, and he goes undercover on Wolf to find the source of the problem. His mission doesn''t go as planned and he becomes involved in a blood feud, but this leads him to the secret of THE DOOR THROUGH SPACE. This work is part of our Vintage Sci-Fi Classics Series, a series in which we are republishing some of the best stories in the genre by some of its most acclaimed authors, such as Isaac Asimov, Harry Harrison, and Robert Sheckley. Each publication is complete with a short introduction to the history of science fiction.

The New York Times bestselling science fiction and fantasy author of the Avalon series introduces the prequel to the beloved and enduring classic The Mists of Avalon in this mesmerizing epic of one woman’s legendary role at a turning point in history. In a Britain struggling to survive Roman invasion, Eilan is the daughter of a Druidic warleader, gifted with visions and marked by fate to become a priestess of the Forest House. But fate also led Eilan to Gaius, a soldier of mixed blood, son of the Romans sent to subdue the native British. For Gaius, Eilan felt forbidden love, and her terrible secret will haunt her even as she is anointed as the new High Priestess. With mighty enemies poised to destroy the magic the Forest House shelters, Eilan must trust in the power of the great Goddess to lead her through the treacherous labyrinth of her destiny.

The planet of Darkover bathed in its blood red sun served as a convenient space port for the Terran Empire. Beyond that the Terrans knew little of the planet''s strange landscape, its vast mountain ranges, its deadly winds and its hostile inhabitants. Dan Barron, a simple space port despatcher, found himself alone and helpless in this alien world.

In the era of The Hundred Kingdoms, a time of war and unrest, King Carolin of Hastur and his friend Keeper Varzil Ridenow work selflessly to put an end to the destruction caused by the long range weapons of the magical matrix Towers. But Eduin Deslucido-who once called Carolin brother-has been consumed with a vengeful rage, and will stop at nothing to destroy the king and his plan for peace.

The long-awaited continuation to Marion Zimmer Bradley''s popular science fiction Darkover saga After generations of struggle to protect the unique native culture of Darkover from the ambitions of the ruthless Terran Federation, the Terrans have finally been forced to abandon Darkover due to interstellar civil war. As Lew Alton—returned home to the world of his birth after decades spent in exile as the Darkovan representative to the Terran Senate—wrestles with the dark shadows from his past, his daughter Marguerida’s psychic Gifts warn her of impending danger. But danger to whom? Her husband Mikhail, as powerful head of the Hastur Doman is her most obvious worry, for many would stand to gain from his demise. Meanwhile, unknown to Marguerida, her son, Domenic, searches for his place in a world of shifting loyalties, torn by love for two very different women, and troubled by his destiny as the heir to Hastur. But while Darkover’s powerful rulers face their personal demons, desperate refugees flood the streets of Thendara, Darkover’s capital city, for in the mountains an ancient menace is once again on the rise—a power against which neither sword nor the psychic sorcery of Darkover can prevail.

Bodiless, blind, I drifted and swayed and swung in the sound of the voices. The humming, like a million high-tension wires, sang around me and I felt myself cradled in the pull of a great magnet that held me suspended surely on nothingness and drew me down into the field of some force beneath. Far below me the voices faded. I swung free-fell-plunged downward in sickening motion, head over heels, into the abyss.... A Darkover Novel!

Thorne Blackburn and his followers sought truth in the ancient religion. During his big ceremony, he disappears and his wife in dead, leaving a small daughter. Thirty years later the daughter seeks to learn what happened that night.

Bestselling author of The Mists of Avalon First time in mass market! Trying to outrun the memory of a drunk-driving accident where he may have killed someone, Wycherly Musgrave sends his expensive sports car sailing off the road. . . . Amazingly, he survives the crash with no more than a few bumps and bruises, but the car is totaled and Wych is stranded in tiny Morton’s Fork. Sinah Dellon left Morton''s Fork an infant foundling. Now a world-famous movie star, her most closely-held secret is her ability to read minds. She’s come home in search of the truth about her origins. Also poking around in Morton’s Fork this fateful summer are researchers investigating centuries of reported hauntings and other phenomena. Truth Blackburn discovers a renegade Gate, a portal to another plane. But she cannot close the Gate without the help of its Keeper, who is nowhere to be found. Wycherly, Sinah, and Truth are fighters in the eternal struggle between Light and Darkness, and the small mountain town of Morton’s Fork has become a battleground.

Bard di Asturien, ambitious soldier-outlaw, and of his opponent, Varzil the Good, who struggled to establish the Compact. And it is also the story of a man from distant Terra named Paul Harrell who was the exact duplicate of Varzil''s enemy.

Leonie Hastur, headstrong and lovely daughter of the Hastur Clan, most powerful of all the telepathic families who rule Darkover, is being escorted by her twin brother Lorill to Dalreuth Tower for training in the use of her psychic powers. Although this is the even she has long dreamed of - for her laran is so strong that she has been able to use it without benefit of training or the need of a matrix crystal - and she yearns for the power which will come to her if she succeeds in becoming a keeper, she is deeply disturbed. For she is plagued by a terrifying premonition that haunts her days and disrupts her nights, the inescapable feeling that something is about to happen - something monumental and dangerous which will descend upon her world and change it utterly. And all she knows for certain is that this something will be coming from one of Darkover''s four moons...

The Fall of Neskaya, Book One of the Clingfire Trilogy, marks the legendary author''s final return to Darkover before her death. Set in the tumultuous era of The Hundred Kingdoms, a terrible time of strife and war, this unique fantasy world is divided into a mutlitude of small belligerent domains vying for power and land. One ambitious and corrupt tyrant will stop at nothing to control Darkover-even wield the terrifying weapons of the matrix.

"The Planet Savers" by Marion Zimmer Bradley invites readers into the captivating realm of Darkover, presenting a unique blend of science fiction and exploration of human nature. In the titular story, "The Planet Savers," Dr. Jason Allison grapples with dual identities as a pandemic known as the 48-year fever threatens the human population on this alien planet. The narrative delves into Dr. Allison''s struggle to harmonize his medical expertise with his childhood bond with the trailmen, Darkover''s indigenous, tree-dwelling humanoids. As he navigates the challenges of persuading the trailmen to help create a life-saving serum, the story explores themes of identity, duty, and the tension between Terran technology and Darkovan mysticism. Readers will be drawn into the perilous journey across the Hellers, where Jason must confront societal divides and his personal inner turmoil. "The Planet Savers" offers a thrilling adventure and a profound examination of cultural understanding, resonating with contemporary issues and engaging science fiction enthusiasts. Set against the backdrop of Darkover''s imaginative landscape, this anthology promises a gripping exploration of identity and the quest for knowledge, making it a must-read for those fascinated by life on other planets and the depths of human consciousness. Dive into Marion Zimmer Bradley''s masterful storytelling and discover a world where the boundaries of self and society are tested, delivering a narrative rich with intrigue and discovery.

Journey to a time before King Arthur in this prequel to The Mists of Avalon—a spellbinding story of three remarkable women who alter the fortunes of Roman Britain as they fight to reclaim the magic and traditions of a once glorious past. Caillean, the young priestess fated to become Lady of Avalon, who rescues and raises the orphaned Gawen—heir to a mystic and dangerous royal line...Dierna, who must use all her strength, wisdom, and love to guide Avalon through treacherous political waters and veil the island from a hostile world...Viviane, Lady of the Lake and keeper of the Grail, destined for true greatness as she prepares Avalon for the coming of a legendary king... Bestselling author Marion Zimmer Bradley brings the mesmerizing world of myth and magic, romance and history, brilliantly to life in this novel of epic grandeur worthy of fantasy’s finest storyteller.

Marion Zimmer Bradley is best known for her science fantasy series set in the Darkover universe and as the author of ''The Mists of Avalon.'' A World Fantasy Award winner, her fiction is both memorable and powerful. This collection includes four novels and eleven short stories that helped make Bradley''s reputation as one of the best writers the science fiction and fantasy field ever produced. 200,000 words and more than 500 pages of top notch science fiction and fantasy. Included are: ''Falcons of Narabedla,'' ''Death Between the Stars,'' ''The Dark Intruder,'' ''The Door Through Space,'' ''Black & White,'' ''Treason of the Blood,'' ''Jackie Sees a Star,'' ''The Planet Savers,'' ''The Stars Are Waiting,'' ''Exiles of Tomorrow,'' ''The Colors of Space,'' ''The Crime Therapist,'' ''Year of the Big Thaw,'' ''The Wild One,'' ''The Wind People.''

The saga of two kingdoms, divided by bitter history and present-day suspicions, one armed with devastating power and the other determined to overcome it, no matter what the price. Can love and resourcefulness overcome even the overwhelming power of a Thunderlord? A follow-up to The Ages of Chaos omnibus, Thunderlord is a brand-new novel of the genre-bending Darkover universe, expanded by Marion Zimmer Bradley''s collaborator Deborah J. Ross.

Although the natives of Darkover are the descendants of a long-lost Terran colony ship, they distrust the Terran spacers who have recently taken up residence on their planet. Many feel that these strangers from space have the power to disrupt the entire society of Darkover. Yet despite the mutual prejudice between the peoples of Earth and Darkover, Terran Larry Montray and Kennard Alton, the heir to the Alton Domain, forge a bond of friendship which flourished even in the face of their families'' disapproval. Will their personal alliance fracture the stability of both their cultures?

An exciting fantasy adventure set in Marion Zimmer Bradley''s popular world of Darkover Court life for Prince Gareth Elhalyn, grandson of the legendary Regis Hastur, has become unbearable. In a desperate attempt to escape, Gareth appeals to his powerful grandmother, Linnea, and with her blessing, disguises himself and travels to the barbarous, warlike Dry Towns where no one will recognize a prince. In the Dry Towns, Gareth overhears rumors of deadly, illegal Terran blasters and stumbles upon a terrible reality no one could have suspected. Meanwhile, Linnea has never ceased to search for her lost daughter, Kierestelli, whom she and Regis were forced to send into hiding with the native chieri. Almost by chance, Linnea reconnects along the telepathic relays with Kierestelli, now called Silvana of Nevarsin Tower. Silvana, convinced that her parents abandoned her, rejects her mother’s overture and returns to her hidden home among the chieri. But the chieri once roamed the stars themselves, and they have no forgotten the terror of warfare in space—lessons that they pass on to Silvana. Unknown to the ruling Comyn, danger now fills the skies above Darkover, and Silvana holds half the key to protecting their world. Gareth holds the other half, if he can only stay alive long enough to discover where that key is....

Marion Zimmer Bradley, one of the most beloved and praised fantasy storytellers of our time, has once again written a compelling and powerful novel with larger-than-life characters. Winter Musgrave''s past is largely blank, her memories missing or tissue-thin. She seem to be possessed--objects shatter when she passes, the corpses of animal appear on her doorstep. And she has the terrible feeling that something horrible happened in her empty past--results of which are now haunting her with unbridled fury. Seeking help, Winter turns to Truth Jourdemayne and learns that the key to unlocking her lost memories lies within herself--and in the magickal circle of friends in college. But the circle was broken long ago. Winter must reconstruct it is she is to save her life. Not just the story of a woman''s search for her missing past, Witchlight is a powerful novel of contemporary fantasy that pulls readers in and hold them until the final page. Anyone who loves good contemporary fiction will devour Witchlight.

Although Darkover was a world inhabited by humans as well as semi-humans, it was primarily forbidden ground to the Terran traders. Most of the planet''s wild terrain was unexplored, and many of its peoples seclusive and secretive. But for Andrew Carr there was an attraction he could not evade. Darkover drew him, Darkover haunted him -- and when his mapping plane crashed in unknown heights, Darkover prepared to destroy him. Until the planet''s magic asserted itself -- and his destiny began to unfold.

Xanadu. Not the Xanadu of Coleridge''s poem, but-to the half-forgotten space drifter who discovered the place thirty years ago-a reasonable facsimile. It was a cloistered nun of a city, hidden behind a wide skirt of the most impassable mountains on Mars. And the city was more impassable than the mountains. No human being had ever entered it-yet. They''d tried. Two expeditions, twelve years apart, had vanished without trace, without explanation other than the dusty notebook Andrew had unearthed, today, from the rotted shreds of a skeleton''s clothing.

A magnificent, colorful novel of the circus world of the 1940s and 1950s, rich in detail, bursting with power and emotion. Mario Santelli, a member of the famous flying Santelli family, is a great trapeze artist. Tommy Zane is his protege. As naturally and gracefully as they soar through the air, the two flyers find themselves falling in love. Mario and Tommy share sweet stolen moments of passion, but the real intensity of their relationship comes from their total devotion to one another and to their art. As public figures in a conservative era, they cannot reveal their love. But they will never renounce it. A tremendously moving tale, a rich family saga, a wise and compassionate portrait of a special love in a special world.

The heritage of Hastur, longest and most intricate of the Darkover books, is a brilliant epic of the pivotal event in the strange love-hate relationship between the Terran worlds and the semi-alien offspring of forgotten peoples. This is the novel of the Hastur tradition and of the showdown between those who would bargain away their world for the glories of star-borne science and those who would preserve the special "matrix" power that was at once the prize and the burden of ruddy-sunned Darkover.

The most dangerous matrix on all Darkover was the legendary Sharra. Embodied in the image of a chained woman, wreathed in flames, it was the last remaining weapon of the Ages of Chaos that had almost destroyed civilization on the planet of the Bloody Sun. The Sharra had been exiled off-planet among the far stars of the Terran Empire in the custody of Lew Alton ... until he found himself called back to his homeworld to contest his rights. But once the Sharra was back, the flaming image spread far and wide---and set in motion events that were to change the land, the domains, and the future of Darkover forever.

The full sweep of the rich history of Avalon -- from the fall of Atlantis to the founding of a new temple on the mist-shrouded isle of Britain -- is finally revealed in this magnificent tale.The priests and priestesses of Atlantis have known for many years that the Sea Kingdoms were doomed. But now the final destruction has arrived they find themselves less prepared than they had thought for what lies ahead.Micail and Tiriki, prince and princess of the last island to fall, as well as priest and priestess, are separated during the final escape. Micail and his cousin, Prince Tjalan, successfully arrive at their planned destination, a trading post in the Hesperides (the British isles) where Tjalan loses no time in taking charge. He dreams of continuing the traditions of Atlantis and founding a glorious new empire -- whether the local tribes like it or not. prophesy that they will build a great temple in this new land -- and set about finding a way to shift the huge blocks of granite that will become Stonehenge.Micail''s beloved wife Tiriki also arrives in the Hesperides, but, blown off-course by a storm, her ship lands on the wrong shore. She and the elderly priest Chedan lead their small group in forming a new community in harmony with the local population at the sacred Tor (Glastonbury). Once the two groups become aware of each other, conflict will become inevitable.A deeply moving and utterly convincing tale of faith in the face of adversity, filled with memorable characters and haunting landscapes.