Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful visit to Darkover!
Review: When I read a Darkover book, I want to forget I'm reading and just GO there. I have been reading in this series for over 20 years, and I, like all her fans, was sure that with Bradley's death, we'd be left without any more visits to the planet of the bloody sun. Although I enjoyed the story line of the Margaret Alton books, I hated them with a passion. They were too long, rambling, and committed the ultimate sin: They TOLD you instead of SHOWED you. I know that Bradley often commented on this problem in the stories sent to her for her Darkover anthologies, and it grates on my nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard. So I had some trepidation about this book, even though its co-author was different from the other trilogy. I read it and loved it, but my expectations were low at the time. Now I have re-read it, and I saw even more in the book this time than I did the first. And I "went to Darkover" just the way I wanted to, something I was never able to do with the Exile's Song trilogy. I was stunned to see one negative review here, comparing this book UNFAVORABLY to those. I'm an editor and I positively itched to take a red pencil to the Margaret Alton books... one more redundant "psychic dialogue" between characters and I would have screamed. I'm sure as some have pointed out there were inconsistencies in The Fall of Neskaya from other Darkover books... hell, Bradley made a few of those herself. But it was a great read, with great characters, and anyone who wants a return trip to Darkover will not be at all disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: Bradley and Darkover fans have a reason to celebrate!
Review: When MZB died a couple of years ago, I truly expected that there would be no more Darkover novels and that her literary estate would have sense enough not to farm her creations out to lesser writers. Gladly, that is not the case. Ms. Ross is an absolutely excellent heir to the entire Darkover milieu. While she superbly echoes Bradley in much of the content and even style, she aptly adds to the mythos in important details and concepts. Her extrapolatory gifts appear great. The book is truly a page-turning delight with memorable characters, as heart-achingly real as MZB's own. I greatly anticipate much more from DJR, especially the promised final two volumes of this Clingfire Trilogy.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed
Review: When the next ship leaves for Darkover, I plan to be on it. I'm so glad Ms. Ross has taken over for whoever was ghost-writing the last few books! Great story, interesting characters. We're back to the true flavor of the series. For those new to Darkover: Hawkmistress!, Two to Conquer, and Stormqueen! are all wonderful stories from the Ages of Chaos, and can help pass the time till the next volume of the Clingfire Trilogy appears! And BTW, there were certainly horses on Darkover since before Terran re-contact.
Rating:
Summary: thoroughly enjoyable
Review: When the next ship leaves for Darkover, I plan to be on it. I'm so glad Ms. Ross has taken over for whoever was ghost-writing the last few books! Great story, interesting characters. We're back to the true flavor of the series. For those new to Darkover: Hawkmistress!, Two to Conquer, and Stormqueen! are all wonderful stories from the Ages of Chaos, and can help pass the time till the next volume of the Clingfire Trilogy appears! And BTW, there were certainly horses on Darkover since before Terran re-contact.
Rating: 
Summary: good, but you can tell..
Review: where bradley's input stopped, and Ross' started.. the characters are excellent, and I look forward to the rest of this trilogy, I only wish that bradley had been able to finish it herself.
| 
