The Bloody Sun

"The Bloody Sun" is the first of the Darkover novels set in "The Second Age" of the Terran/Darkovan contact. The Terran Empire has rediscovered its lost colony and has set up a spaceport on Darkover. But contact between Terra and Darkover is still tenuous at best. The "Comyn" rulers of Darkover are keeping Darkover out of the Empire and are keeping the Terrans restricted to "Terran Zones". In the decades since making contact, nothing has changed. With individuals, there has been communication and interaction between natives of Darkover and Terrans, but this has always been on a person by person basis and not any sort of policy. Some on Darkover, however, are pressing their lords to allow more interaction from the Terrans and to join the Empire so Darkover can move out of the "Dark Ages". Jeff Kerwin was raised on Darkover in the Spaceport Orphanage. All that he knew was that his father was Jeff Kerwin, Sr, a Terran citizen. Working in the Terran service he finally gets an opportunity to transfer to a world of his choosing and Jeff chooses Darkover. He had been dreaming of Darkover his entire like and he felt as if something was missing from his life. On Darkover, Jeff tries to learn of his heritage and finds that, officially, he has none. The Orphanage which he so deeply remembers has no record of him ever being there. His bright red hair marks him as a member of the Comyn (telepathic ruling class of Darkover), though he believes himself to be Terran, and this sets him apart from any Darkovan citizen he meets. Because of his actions outside of the Terran Zone, the Terran authorities intend on deporting Jeff offworld. Instead Jeff follows a voice inside his head and joins up with the Tower of Arilinn. A Tower is where the major telepathic work on Darkover is done. He finds a sense of home at Arilinn and also learns that he will play a major role in shaping the future of Darkover. This is the first time that the reader has had the opportunity to see the inner workings of a Tower on Darkover. Finally we get to see what it is that the Tower Technicians do and what matrix work is. The inner workings of a Tower have been hinted and spoken of by characters, but never before has it been seen in action ("The Forbidden Tower" was outside of a Tower structure). While Bradley deals with the same main theme that she does in every other Darkover novel (a Terran finds himself having to adapt to Darkovan culture and the conflicts of two different cultures meeting and trying to understand each other), she tells a rather good story in "The Bloody Sun" and shows aspects of Darkover which have been previously left hidden. Bradley uses her main theme to explore how the Terran Empire is starting to change the lives of the Darkovans and how it is going to change the culture of the planet, which affects the Comyn ruling class. Bradley uses her main theme to show the changes in the Tower culture and how the telepathy can survive on Darkover.

Not only is The Bloody Sun a fantastic read on its own merits, it is also a pivotal book in Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover series, marking the transition of the planet Darkover from its zealous self-isolation from the Terran presence toward the growing spirit of cooperation that marks the Second Age. For generations, Darkover has consisted of seven domains loosely ruled by the Comyn, the aristocratic families of those domains. By this time, however, the influence of the Terran presence in the land has led some Darkovans to express a desire to abandon the old ways and form a close and mutually beneficial relationship with the Terrans. The true power of the Comyn has long been found inside the mysterious Towers of the land, but now only the mighty Tower in Arillin can boast of a full-fledged Keeper, and even this primary Tower's circle is incomplete at the time this novel opens. Some of the people believe that the old ways are out-dated and needlessly burdensome, but few in authority have the desire, let alone the courage, to pursue progress of any sort. Thirty years earlier, Cleindori, former Keeper at Arillin, had courageously sought to change the laws (as was her right as Keeper) and free herself and her successors from a life lived under the most severe, isolated of conditions; her ultimate reward had been death and denial as a declared traitor and renegade. Raised in the Spacemen's Orphanage on Darkover until he was twelve, Jeff Kerwin spent his next several years on Earth with his Terran father's parents; an outcaste on a world not truly his own, he pined for the time he could return to Darkover and learn the truth of his heritage. All he has is the name his Terran father gave him and a matrix jewel of unknown origin. He also has bright red hair, and on his first night back on Darkover he gets into several altercations with Darkovans who mistake him for someone else - a Comyn. When he begins to search for the history of his earliest years, he is surprised and increasingly frustrated to learn that no such records seem to exist anywhere of him or his Terran father. Even the Spacemen's Orphanage has no record of him. Kerwin knows he is being lied to and manipulated, but he has no idea why. Seeking information on the nature of his matrix jewel among Darkovan matrix technicians, Kerwin finds himself pulled in a new direction while the Terran authorities seemingly push him out. On the brink of deportation from the planet of his birth, a voice beckons him through the jewel he wears, and by following this voice Kerwin finds a new home on Darkover - a home within the very Tower of Arillin.Thus we get an inside look at the work of the Comyn and their sheltered Keepers inside their mysterious Towers. It is a brand new life for Kerwin, accepted into a telepathic circle of power and authority. He finds new friendships, experiences beautiful yet tragically painful romantic relationships, and tries to work alongside a personal enemy dete

Jeff Kerwin Jr. thinks he is full-blooded Terran. But a few of his Terran friends tell him about the matrix he has around his neck. A few of the Comyn have mistaked him for one of their own and more than a few people that don't belong to the Comyn! He wonders about it and does't know what in the world is going on. But he searches for his past. What he discovers is truly amazing!!! Jeff had barriers built in his mind, so powerful that it killed one woman. Later he gets accepted by a group of Comyn and is 100% accepted but for only one problem. A member is being hostile and isn't trying to hide it, either. Jeff falls in love with the Keeper of their circle and they both run away. They find out what has been troubling his mind and that if they don't warn their circle then there is a major cost involved, with the risk of their lives. But they are afraid because when they rushed off Jeff was blamed for some problems and after they left the rest of the broken circle hunted them down. They asked for the girl to come back but she refused. When Jeff and his beloved returned they were met with hostile and wary greetings. It turns out Jeff wan't his actual name and that a man was betraying the Comyn all along, right under their noses!!!!!!! This is one of the best books ever written, I think!!! Read it and weep!

This is one no Darkover fan should be without. I found it well written, the story excellent, and impossible to put down. I've read it again and again.

Several years ago I was looking for a science fiction author whose continuing works I could follow. I had followed Robert Heinlein for years and loved his style of writing. I picked up a book called "The Bloody Sun" by Marion Zimmer Bradley while browsing at the local bookstore. Normally I would not have purchased a book by an author I was unfamiliar with but something in the brief on the back cover piqued my interest and I purchased "The Bloody Sun". I am so glad that I did. This book opened the door to an entire world, the world of Darkover. I can honestly say that I have never been disappointed with a Marion Zimmer Bradley book and this book in particular is one of my favorite Darkover novels. The world of Darkover and the characters the author has created there are believable and enchanting. You'll have trouble putting this novel down, I did