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Rating: 
Summary: One of the best of the Darkover novels.
Review: Certainly exceptional at the time it was written; it is not one of the
earliest written Darkover novels, but it was written much closer to
the beginning than to the end of MZB's career, and it is at least as
good as, and perhaps better than, many of the books that were written
after she'd developed a great deal more experience and seasoning as a
writer. It is one of the best "coming of age" stories I've
ever seen, partly due to the fact that it involves the coming of age
of not one or two, but three main characters, and partly due to the
fact that it is perhaps the single most tasteful, insightful,
believeable, and moving story of the coming of age of a young man
coming to terms with his own homosexuality that I've ever seen. If this
concept truly bothers you, then perhaps this book isn't for you, but
if you're even willing to attempt open-mindedness on the subject, give
it a try.In the chronology of the Darkover series, this book falls
just before "Sharra's Exile" and "Winds of
Darkover", and just after "The Bloody Sun". It is the
story of the Sharra rebellion (often referred to in the books that
fall later in the series) and is the story of the coming of age of
Regis Hasteur, Lew Alton, and Danilo Syrtis, all characters seen in
other books as older adults. If you're looking to start reading the
series, this is as good a book to start with as any. If you've read
any other book in the series and liked it, this book is a must.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best of the Darkover novels.
Review: Certainly exceptional at the time it was written; it is not one of the
earliest written Darkover novels, but it was written much closer to
the beginning than to the end of MZB's career, and it is at least as
good as, and perhaps better than, many of the books that were written
after she'd developed a great deal more experience and seasoning as a
writer. It is one of the best "coming of age" stories I've
ever seen, partly due to the fact that it involves the coming of age
of not one or two, but three main characters, and partly due to the
fact that it is perhaps the single most tasteful, insightful,
believeable, and moving story of the coming of age of a young man
coming to terms with his own homosexuality that I've ever seen. If this
concept truly bothers you, then perhaps this book isn't for you, but
if you're even willing to attempt open-mindedness on the subject, give
it a try. In the chronology of the Darkover series, this book falls
just before "Sharra's Exile" and "Winds of
Darkover", and just after "The Bloody Sun". It is the
story of the Sharra rebellion (often referred to in the books that
fall later in the series) and is the story of the coming of age of
Regis Hasteur, Lew Alton, and Danilo Syrtis, all characters seen in
other books as older adults. If you're looking to start reading the
series, this is as good a book to start with as any. If you've read
any other book in the series and liked it, this book is a must.
Rating:
Summary: Quite possibly the best Darkover novel
Review: Everyone goes through an identity crisis as an adolescent or young adult. Compound that with political intrigue, emerging psychic powers, sexual confusion, love, hate, parental power struggles . . . . and even this is a fairly limited description of this wonderful book. I have rarely seen the internal turmoil of a character treated with such compassion - and that applies to both Regis Hastur and Lew Alton. I could not help crying at various key points in the book. This was a magnificent story, well-told and sensitively written.
Rating:
Summary: This is the one of the Greatest books I've ever read!!!!
Review: I have read this book consistently the last ten years since I first read Heritage of Hastur. I've never seen such complex characterization, nor ever felt such complete identification and sympathy with Lew Alton's and Regis Hastur's plights and their struggle for identity. Not only is the plot extremely well woven together but the way each character's relationships and feelings excellently described. Reading this and Sharra's Exile has made me an unending fan of Marion Zimmer Bradley and I hope very much that she will continue writing such excellent novels.
Rating:
Summary: Blood family or chosen family?
Review: The struggles between the two are the central theme of the novel. The conflict started years before the action of the book, when Kennard Alton made the choice to marry a half-Terran, half-Aldaran woman. His two sons, Lewis and Marius, end up as a consequence unable to fit into the Six Domains of the Comyn, the renegade "Seventh Domain" of Aldaran, or the world of the Terrans. This, in turn, leads Lew to his participation in the infamous Sharra Rebellion. Meanwhile, the orphaned Regis Hastur is caught between following his heart and going on one of the Terran starships, and doing his duty to his grandfather and his family by taking his place in the Comyn Council and marrying. Regis is embarassed by his seeming lack of laran ability, and has been told by Lew that he has the gift but it is for some reason barriered. After a long struggle, he realizes that, since laran and sexual awareness often awaken together, he had repressed his laran along with his desire for other men. He has fallen in love with his best friend in the Guardsmen, which is complicated by the presence of a sexual predator with a taste for very young men among the trainers of the Guardsman cadets. It is also complicated by Danilo's cristoforo religious beliefs, which frown upon homosexuality. Regis and Danilo's love story has a much happier ending than that of Lew and Marjorie, another member of the Sharra circle. In the end, Lew's desire to break away from family and tradition leaves him closer than ever to his father, even as he wishes he could blame his father for leading him into the tragedy of the Sharra Rebellion.
Rating:
Summary: A gripping, emotional work
Review: This was my first taste of Bradley's "Darkover"series, and you can bet I'll be back for more! Thisbook tells the tale of rebellious young Regis Hastur, young heir to a legacy he doesn't feel prepared to deal with; also troubled by having to deal with his wakening "laran" (telepathy) power. It also concerns the older boy Lew Alton, who soon discovers the power and destructive force of "laran" if not controlled. The use of telepathy is no mere gimmick. Through "laran", Bradley shows the danger pent-up emotions can cause with regard to real people. I found it impossible to put this book down. Highly recommended!
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