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Summary: Darkover lives on!!!!
Review: Any lover of Marion Zimmer Bradley and Darkover will rejoice at the release of this new book. With Deborah Ross on board, Darkover will live on in its grand tradition. I have read many of Ms. Ross's short stories in Marion's Sword & Sorceress anthologies, and was delighted to see she has picked up the Darkover "torch." I cannot wait to see where she takes us in the next book.
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Summary: A refreshing and exciting addition to the Darkover Universe
Review: Fans of the Darkover stories will find Fall Of Neskaya to be a new, refreshing and exciting addition to the Darkover Universe of Marion Zimmer Bradley. A teen nobleman's son with strong psychic powers leaves home and political struggles to embark on a new life - only to find both his upbringing and his powers conflict with his future path. Book One of the 'Clingfire' trilogy: be forewarned, Fall Of Neskaya will prove hard to put down.
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Summary: DARKOVER LIVES ON!
Review: For lovers of Marion Zimmer Bradley and Darkover, this book is pure delight. Written by Marion and her friend, Deborah Ross, this book proves that both Marion and Darkover will live on. I have enjoyed Ms. Ross short stories in Marion's Sword & Sorceress anthologies and will be interested to see where she takes the next chapter of this story.
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Summary: Excellent!
Review: Great reading. Fast paced and keeps you wanting more. I can't wait for the second book to be released!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: Great reading. Fast paced and keeps you wanting more. I can't wait for the second book to be released!
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Summary: Wonderful continuation of Darkover...
Review: I couldn't put this book down. It's one of the best of the series "pre-Federation" era books. I hope that the series will continue as it's one of the most rewarding of any I've read. This one in particular is outstanding.
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Summary: Before the Compact
Review: I have enjoyed Marion's Darkover series for many years, and this book is a good addition to the set. Set during the Hundred Kingdom period, before the Compact of Varzil the Good, this nicely fills in some of the details about this heretofore only briefly sketched period. Here the Towers are under compulsion to produce laran weapons for the comyn Lords they are allied with, from clingfire to bone-dust, weapons of such great destructive potential they frighten all sane persons. Strong parallels are drawn between these weapons and our own nuclear arsenal, and the policy of MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) gets some critical looks. The story line itself is centered around four individuals: Coryn, a Keeper in Training, Taniel, Queen of one of the smaller holdings, Damian, a comyn lord with visions of uniting all of Darkover under his rule, and Rumiel, Damian's brother, a trained laranzu who is obsessed with being able to control his own tower circle. Coryn and Taniel are very well drawn, believable, and emotionally engaging. Damian and Rumiel are less so, with little real depth and apparently live just to be convenient enemies. Though the general feeling of this book is highly reminiscent of Bradley's methods and style, there are places where Ross' own style shows, most obviously in her descriptive work, especially when describing things like halls and meals, as she has a tendency to paint these items in much greater detail than Bradley. This is not necessarily a negative, as it can provide a better 'picture' of the world of Darkover, but long-time Bradley readers may be a little surprised. But disappointing to me was the actual Hundred Kingdom world that is portrayed. From many of the other works in this series, I had the distinct impression that this period had a much higher technological level than what is shown. Indeed, the society here is still feudal, mainly middle age technology, with the only obvious difference being the willingness to use some of the most dangerous products of laran gifts, and only a short glimpse into the world of actually building and using high level matrixes. Although this work approaches an important theme with high resonance to our world of today, in the end I was left with the feeling that this was a very good adventure story in the classic mode of other Darkover books, but has little more to offer. Still, an enjoyable read, and there are still a couple more books to come in this cycle.
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Summary: Glad to see the Darkover tradition continue!
Review: I really enjoyed reading this book, and look forward to more Darkover books from Deborah J Ross! Thanks for continuing in MZBs world. I've been reading Darkover novels since I was a little girl, when I first read Spellsword. Reading this story transported me right back in! Can't wait for the next book!
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Summary: A minority report
Review: I was delighted to return to Darkover, but I have some reservations about its new chronicler. There's no way Ross can satisfactorily imitate Bradley, so all Darkover fans have to accept that there has been a change. Perhaps some constructive criticism can be offered to help with the awesome challenge Ross faces as Bradley's successor. For example, more care with diction would be a good thing. I believe that Bradley was careful not to use words or expressions inconsistent with Darkover's own history. "Neskaya" has quite a few that I think Bradley would have avoided as too redolent of Earth: topiary, "trust a fox to guard a coop of chickens" (are there foxes on Darkover now?), flat-fell seams, war-room, various herbs from earth in food for the first time, and dragons (there weren't any before). Finally, I think this book is too long by about 20% and that Ross flirts with sentimentality in both plotting and writing. Bradley was pretty tough-minded, and Darkover is a tough place. In spite of these reservations, I enjoyed the book and look forward to the next from Ross, even while I ask if this is really going to sustain a trilogy.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I was very disappointed in this novel, particularly after MZB's other excellent Darkover books, particularly the wonderful and complex 3 books featuring Marguerida Alton and Mikhail. The characters The Fall of Neskaya were unlikeable and unbelievable. I realize that MZB has died and the series, if it is to continue, must be continued by a successor. But frankly I would prefer the series to end than to deteriorate to this extent.
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