Diadem from the Stars

This book, which starts the Diadem series, develops really slowly (think classic novel as opposed to an action packed sci-fi film). There are also several scenes at the start that seem to come from nowhere (some do make sense later in the book). However, Jo Clayton did do a good job of getting the reader involved with the character (it doesn't hurt that she's a really sexy fem with lots of power). Clayton also did a nice blend of futuristic space themes with primitive ideas of elemental magic (this becomes even more apparent in the later parts of the series). Finally, the Diadem is just really cool (I'd like to have one of my own someday).

"Diadem from the Stars" kicks off Clayton's mammoth nine-book (with a follow-up trilogy which picks up where the original series, or what's left of it, leaves off) Diadem series. This book, which (to be quite honest) is mainly exposition, introduces us to the herione of the saga, Aleytys, who was orphaned by her spacefaring mother on a barbarian world. The book concerns her discovering her past and her powers, and her escape from the tribe who fears and resents her. In the course of her travels to find a way offworld to her home planet, she comes across the diadem, an alien artefact which, when she dons it, implants itself permamently into her skull and endows her with mysterious and fearful powers. The story unfolds in a manner similar to Tanith Lee's classic "The Birthgrave", but not as moody and bombastic. I quite enjoyed Clayton's writing style, and look forward to reading more of her work.