Forbidden Circle: The Spell Sword & The Forbidden Tower

I'm happy to see this novel still available in this 2-in-1 edition. I read it 25 years ago, it was a symbol of my teenage rebellion. The culture of the early Darkover novels was absorbing and great in that it made you suspend belief, so much so, the culture came alive. This novel in the series brings a Human from Earth into the culture, giving you the whole fish out-of-water fish-eye view. The character Andrew suffers culture shock due to the fact the two married couples (the wives are sisters), basically; share some intimate quarters. They are also rebels together, going against the ruling parties of Darkover. Depending where you are in the Chronology of Darkover, sometimes only women can be matrix tower keepers, other time periods, only the men are permitted. There is some interesting use of Psychic powers that some of the Darkover people have developed, it makes the resistance to Science more easily understandable, especially by the High-born, who rule this medieval like society. This novel is my favorite in the Darkover series. If you liked this novel, "Stormqueen' is another great Darkover novel. The novels before the 'Terrans' arrived were more fantastic fantasy.

Marion Zimmer Bradley's masterful "Spell Sword" and "Forbidden Tower" are grouped together in an omnbius edition linking the stories. Both stories involve Terran Andrew Carr, Darkovan Damon Ridenow,and the sisters Callista and Ellemir. In both tales,this quartet challenges the psychic power structure of Darkover. Darkover was MZB's amazing,heady blend of science fiction, fantasy, and social commentary. Other than Philip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy, few writers have been able to blend science fiction with fantasy successfully. In "Forbidden Tower",Andrew enters a common law marriage with Callista,who saved his life from the evil "cat people" using her laran (psychic powers). There is one major problem- how can they consummate their marriage, when Callista has been psychically trained to remain a virginal Keeper? The sexually frustrated Andrew is shocked when Damon, Callista, and Ellemir permit him to sleep with Ellemir. He is also shocked on Darkover when he sees their society has no problems with group sex/polyamory,homosexuality,and bisexuality. At the same time,the quartet defies the psychic establishment,embodied in Leonie Hastur. In MZB's books,the unleashing of laran (psychic power) is connected with sexuality. In "Heritage of Hastur", Regis Hastur is finally free to use his psychic gifts when he comes out of the closet in his love for Danilo Syrtis. In "Forbidden Tower",a magical flower enables Callista to unblock herself & consummate her marriage with Andrew. There's also a foursome of Andrew/Damon/Callista/Ellemir. Ironically,it's their psychic,not sexual,connections that challenge Darkover society. "Forbidden Tower" is a fascinating,heady blend of science fiction and fantasy.

If you are, like me, trying to fill out your Darkover series, then these Omnibus editions are for you. I am SO glad that I picked up the three I needed (Forbidden Circle, Heritage and Exile, and A World Divided). I am sure that the other Omnibus editions are just as wonderful. Make sure that you note which books are included in the omnibus, as it may not be evident from the title. Now that MZB has passed on, getting her books has been difficult.The stories are well-written, the characters and world well-developed, and the books are hard to put down. You can start with any book in the series, really. But once you've read one, you'll want more! Now if they will come out with an omnibus with the Hundred Kingdoms novels (Two to Conquer, and Heirs of Hammerfell), my series will be complete! :)

Putting together -The Spell Sword- and -The Forbidden Tower- was a great idea, & this edition fills the bill. This classic entry in the saga of Darkover -- a lost [in time as well as space] colony of Humans who interbred with the alien cheryi, evolved into a feudal society with the addition of "magic" as laran psi-powers, then were rediscovered by humans from Earth [Terrans] -- is an especially good 'textbook' for people learning to use their own inner strengths.Watching the almost-typical fairytale romance of Keeper Callista Lanart and Terran spacer Andrew Carr bloom into something else is magical in the best sense of the word. Damon Ridenow -- outcast from his beloved Arilinn Tower because he's actually more than just a Matrix technician -- and his love Ellemir [sister to Callista] are not just pretty people filling a need for extra faces in -The Spell Sword-. The four craft a friendship that becomes more than just friendship ... and will have a crucial effect on Darkovan history.The action really kicks in as the tale progresses in -The Forbidden Tower-. Callista discovers -- painfully -- that the heritage she thought she had left behind as virginal Keeper of Arilinn Tower is almost more than she can bear to shatter [the fact that it nearly kills Andrew isn't just peripheral, either]. Ellimir discovers that she actually is gifted with the power of laran, and Damon takes centre stage as he discovers that he is a Keeper himself ... Keeper of what leronis Leonie Hastur scornfully calls "the Forbidden Tower". As the four individuals become more than just two married couples, they uncover vital knowledge lost in the millenia known as the Ages of Chaos.The tragic denoument is kept away, which perhaps is just as well. If you truly want to be depressed, pick up -The Bloody Sun- to learn the fates of the four and their children. Although not quite as tragic as the hinted ending of another group of similar people, hinted at in -Sharra's Exile-, it can be a true 'downer' after the triumphant ending of -The Forbidden Tower-.At least the knowledge is kept, however. It seems that no one can truly vanquish Varzil the Good! Although even *that* might be up for re-examination with -The Fall of Neskaya-...