This is the edition I have. I find, on checking the publication data, that this is actually the first edition.As is common with much-read books, this one is shopworn. The cover is taped on (I didn't get very far in conservation classes, so I can only use what I've got at hand). The edges of the cover are chipped, there're torn bits on the cover, and parts of the book are stained and wrinkled, where it seems to have gotten wet.A well-thumbed book, in fact, and part of the damage probably occurred before I obtained the book, since most of my books are second-hand.The problems with the chronology persist. The first part is earlier than other books in the series (by internal chronology, that is), and the second part is later.I find that there's a general misreading of the lives of some minor characters. The Melora who is (marginally successfully, on her own terms) rescued in the first 'book' of this volume is NOT the sister of Rohana Ardais. They were in the same Tower circle, and were thus very close emotionally--but genealogically they are cousins--both descendants of the Aillard clan, in which women have the laran and the Council right. If Melora had not been kidnapped, she might have become a Keeper, or have, in time, taken her seat on the Comyn Council, since her sisters and female cousins, to a woman, all either died or married into higher-ranking clans. Note that Melora's son, Valentine Aillard (children take the rank of the higher-status parent in the Domains) was named after Rohana's brother, Melora's foster-brother, who was tortured to death in an earlier unsuccessful rescue attempt.Rereading the series after it's effectively completed leaves me dissatisfied with the inadequate stories of people whose lives never are fully followed up. It's not just the fact that Melora's life really isn't fully discussed. Rohana's occasional nostalgic memories of her own early life are never more than sidelights. It's also things like the fact that Melora is Cleindori's grandmother--yet though Cleindori was well-fostered, there's no evidence that she was ever told of her maternal history--something you'd expect an Aillard to learn. Then there are other stories I wish I knew more of. There's at least one story about Kindra n'ha Mhari in one of the anthologies--but it doesn't really deal with the adventures of a woman who became a mercenary soldier, and who traveled, traded, and learned things all over Darkover. One hopes that records of her life were kept in the Guild House. But it's a shame that no ethnologist seems to have arrived from the Empire to interview people and record their life histories.Then there's Valentine Aillard. He does appear in some other books (he was Valdir Alton's bredu, for example). Apparently Valentine and Valdir met at Nevarsin, after Valentine, who was fostered by his elder cousin Rohana (first cousin once removed, technically), was sent to Nevarsin to be educated; and there met the young Valdir, the third legitimate son of Valdir's father, who was sent to Nevarsin for the same purpose. But what became of Valentine after Valdir's father died, and Valdir became Lord Alton? It's likely that Valdir, who had only two living nedestro brothers (and two brothers-in-law), took his paxman along with him to Armida--but Valentine is not mentioned in later books starring Valdir.The second 2/3 of the book, which introduce other characters (including the influential but largely forgotten later Magdalen Lorne), might as easily have been a completely separate book. There's some linkage--but very nearly as many characters are introduced in the latter chapters as are carried over. Some never do play a very big part in the story. I almost always have to look up Margali n'ha Ysabet's oath-sisters, for example, and I don't think she ever really got to know most of them.Other characters also never do get very well developed. There are said to be major differences between Kyril Ardais and Peter Haldane, in addition to the fact that while they look alike, Peter has five fingers on each hand, and Kyril has six (I always wonder, by the way, about toes). But the implied differences are not always obvious--even the emerging telepath Jaelle often doesn't realize how different, and how alike, they are.I should point out that the elderly and disabled Gabriel Ardais (he's apparently suffered from a convulsive disorder most of his life) would evidently like to be more gentle and nurturing than his society permits him to be. Part of his problem is evidently that people have indulged his whims either out of fear of bringing on a seizure or out of fear of offending Rohana, who is fairly universally loved and respected. It's evident that Rohana is the main mover in indulging Gabriel, and that she's kept his disabilities concealed even from close family members for most of her life. We'll get into Rohana's disappearance in later volumes; and those of other characters. For the present, best merely to remark that if the Darkover books are considered in the light of Earthly sagas (as founding myths on which later stories are imperfectly based), there's evidently material for quite a few more stories.
Nella sua introduzione al romanzo Marion Zimmer Bradley ricorda “moltissime donne mi hanno scritto per ringraziarmi di aver composto un libro dove le vite delle donne fossero prese sul serio, e non considerate semplicemente nell’ambito domestico e nei loro rapporti con gli uomini. Un libro su donne indipendenti, che lottano in una società ostile e realistica, per mantenere un’indipendenza conquistata a duro prezzo…”“volevo una società realistica: non una società perfetta, di sogno, dove non ci fossero uomini a sfidarle, ma un mondo di donne che lottavano, come fate voi, e come faccio io, e come fanno tutte […] per conservare indipendenza e autonomia quando tutti gli uomini nei pareggi se ne sentono minacciati."Il romanzo nato con queste premesse presenta donne forti che spesso compiono scelte dolorose perché, come dice Rohana in una delle scene più drammatiche del volume, “neppure la libertà di scegliere garantisce sempre la felicità” perché “tutto a questo mondo ha un prezzo”, anche la libertà o la serenità. Una storia che non manca di emozionarmi ogni volta che la leggo.Il testo completo: http://librolandia.wordpress.com/2011...…
What do You think about The Shattered Chain (1977)?
A feminist novel structured in a fantasy genre. Written at a time of action in the Women's movement of the 60s & 70s. It made me think about when I first read The Feminine Mystique (if I'm remembering the title correctly) in the 70's and how eye-opening that was for me at the time. This story, set on another world, brings us on a journey with Magda which is literal, academic, and self-examining in nature. The story starts out describing a culture in the Dry Towns where women are literally restricted by chains to seeing the greater world of Darkover and the women restricted by the invisible chains of society's mores, roles, class distinction etc. She realizes, although having a few more freedoms than the women of Darkover, through her experience with Free Amazons (women's advocates and not bound by the laws of the land); that there are invisible chains that restrict her ability to be fully independent. It is life changing for the character. Am eager to read a continuation of hers and others story in Thendara House.
—Chris
One of the better entries in Bradley's sprawling DARKOVER series: Jaelle, a Renunciate (Free Amazon), becomes entangled with the Terran Intelligence agent and linguist Magda Lorne when the latter unsuccessfully disguises herself as a Renunciate on a mission to ransom her ex-husband; Lorne, as consequence, is forced to take the Oath of the Renunciates. Complicating matters are the fact that Lorne, for all her Terran loyalties, was born and raised on Darkover, and is more torn between the cultures than even she realizes at first. The book is weak when it deals with the ex-husband, who isn't given enough space to have much personality, but as an exploration of colliding cultures it is compelling reading.
—Yoon
This was a really good story. Magda finds herself in an impossible situation. She is a Terra agent on Darkover to learn and study. Her ex is held for ransom, and is forced to rescue him herself by imposing as an Amazon. Naturally, she comes face to face with the true Amazons. She must take the Amazon oath in order to save her ex, without betraying her Terra roots and responsibilities. Later, she comes to find that her latent laran abilities are awakened. Marion Z. Bradley really examines what it means to be a woman on Darkover from so many points of view. I'm really looking for to reading the next book in the saga.
—Jimmy
