A Flame in Hali

The Clingfire Wars trilogy starts with "The Fall of Neskaya", followed by "Zandru's Forge", and finishes with this book "A Flame in Hali". Rather than reviewing each book individually, this compilation will, hopefully, provide a brief overview of the story arc as a whole. Written around 2001, the stories collectively could be viewed as precognition of events transpiring on our Earth today. In "A Flame in Hali" circumstances of wars and conflict evolve into a complex pattern of politics, prejudices, and lust for power similar to those we see in today's world. This lust is not only for the material, but for the power of the mind over mankind. In this story the events that have defined Darkover during it's "dark ages" culminate in a new direction. Yet, it leaves one to wonder at the cyclical and repetitive nature of humankind perhaps too entrenched in ideologies and agendas to accept change regardless of the intent. Following years of near genocide an agreement called the "Compact" was created by King Carolin Hastur and Varzil "The Good", Keeper (top psychic) of the rebuilt Tower of Neskaya. It's purpose and function was to prevent further holocaust on Darkover, that had ruined vast amounts of land and it's population. This instrument of Law was signed by the rulers of the 100 kingdoms and heralded a new age of consciousness toward all inhabitants of the planet. The "Compact" stood as testimony for past lessons learned, and served as an "Ideal" toward which all must strive. The terms of the "Compact" were tools for self governance and a guide to all toward peaceful co-existence. It specifically prohibited harm toward one another by any means beyond the reach of a sword. Conflict resolution was up close and personal. It explicitly forbade the use of long range missiles and chemicals that had wrecked such devastation on land and man. Those forbidden elements that had been created by the mental powers of laranzu'im (psychics) in the Towers were known as "Clingfire", "Lung Rot" and "Bone water Dust". Under orders by petty warfaring kings the chemicals were manufactured, encapsulated in glass vessels and were spewed from laran (psychically) controlled aircraft. They could be seen as analogous to the bombs, ICBMs, biological warfare,etc. used in war throughout our "modern" world. The tasks of making clingfire and so forth were greatly feared and reviled by all lawful Tower inhabitants. Yet even they could not refuse to do the work since they were ruled by petty kings in the lands where their Towers existed. This conflict of mind over matter is the heart of these stories and Keepers such as Coryn, Varzil and others are faced with dire consequences if they forget that their ultimate purpose as Keepers encompass leadership, teaching, healing, and lawful service for the benefit of all. The second book "Zandru's Forge" introduced the concept of a woman as a "Keeper" in the Towers. It is a concept disputed and territorialized by the

I have fallen in Love with MZB a while ago and have enjoyed reading her books I now have the whole darkover series by her and will never give these books away! Personally I think they are the best sci fi books out there! You can read one and still know whats going on or you can read them all and get a sense of the whole Darkover World and how it all plays out! I have not felt so close to characters in a long time and feel I am right there with them as I read about their adventures, troubles, pains, and loves! Now all I have to do is buy the anthologies to give me more stories and insights on the characters and about the whole world of Darkover! Her Avalon Series is one of the best too! She has added more truth than fiction to these stories so you feel that you are a part of the past as you read them

i did not like this one as well because king carolin and varzil have very little to do with this book. it is a story on eduin and how he plans to carry out his father's revenge against the hastur line and his own personal vendetta against varzil. along the way he finds another outcast laranzu like himself who is extraordinary. his plan is to manipulate him and everyone around him to carry out his vengence. the story is actually pretty well though through, and the ending was unexpected. i still like the other 2 better and hope that there will be other books to continue the story of varzil the good.

King Carolin Hastur is revolutionizing Darkover through his compact--the agreement that every weapon be banned if it does not put its user at equal risk. The magical weapons that have dominated Darkover for generations, since the times of chaos at least, would be banned and magic would become limited to healing, to communications. Together with his friend and ally, Varzil Ridenow, he has spread the message and gotten agreement, but much of Darkover sees only what they lose by signing the compact. A generation before, the Hastur king had destroyed the Deslucido family leaving only one man--and his sons alive. Now, Eduin Deslucido, who has already done so much to destroy Carolin's dreams, has an ally--a man trained in magic but now blessed or burdened with a goddess. Using this tool, Eduin hopes to destroy Varzil and then the last of the Hasturs, finally freeing himself of the curse that his father laid upon him. Author Deborah J. Ross continues the Darkover world of Marion Zimmer Bradley in a story that feels very true to the original. In this tale of powerful magic, ancient hatreds, strong egos, and great emotion, Bradley and Ross trace out Eduin's evolving plan as well as the life-journey of the one woman Eduin has ever loved--Dyannis Ridenow, sister of Varzil. Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover series is a powerful set of tales (I found THE FORBIDDEN TOWER to be among the best fantasy books ever). Although A FLAME IN HALI isn't up there with the very best of Darkover, it's a welcome addition to the hundred kingdom era of that troubled planet's history.

The World of Darkover enhances psychic (laran) powers and wars are fought over long distances using special laran weapons created for that purpose. At the end of the age of the Hundred Kingdoms, King Carolin Hastur and keeper Varzil Ridenow pressure the various realms to sign the Compact that would ban long distance weapons of mass destruction. King Carolin doesn't know it but he has a very powerful enemy who wants him dead as his former friend Edwin Deslucido is under a compulsion spell laid upon him by his father to kill the entire Hastur Clan. The spell controls Edwin forcing him to turn one kingdom against another in the hopes that Varzil will die so he can finally destroy Hastur. The keep under attack houses Varzil's sister, a woman who Edwin once loved and realizes he still loves. Is his love stronger than his father's hate spell because Edwin feels compelled to save her yet is also obsessed with his sire's mission. Mindful of Hamlet, Edwin is one of the most tragic figures ever to grace the pages of a fantasy novel. He is not an evil man but a person driven to the point of madness because of a spell put upon him by his malevolent father. A FLAME IN HALI takes the reader into the mind of Edwin, a man who can't control his actions yet in the end, good can come out of the tragedy if the Compact Carolin and Varzil forge is signed by the kingdoms to prevent what happened in Hali from ever happening again. Marion Zimmer Bradley and Deborah J. Ross have written a brilliant finale to an exciting mini-series Harriet Klausner