Described as "Bradley's best novel" by Locus, THE HERITAGE OF HASTUR, longest and most intricate of the Darkover books, is a brilliant epic of the pivotal event in the strange love-hate relationship between the Terran worlds and the semi-alien offspring of forgotten peoples. This is the novel of the Hastur tradition and of the showdown between those who would bargain away their world for the glories of star-borne science and those who would preserve the special "matrix" power that was at once the prize and the burden of ruddy-sunned Darkover.
The Book[]
What makes this novel unique[]
- While in the process of writing The Heritage of Hastur Marion Zimmer Bradley chose to sacrifice consistency with The Sword of Aldones, and "retained only the bare outlines of the story".[1] Indeed, The Sword of Aldones became the only Darkover novel to be not merely re-written, but replaced when Sharra's Exile was published in 1981, so badly had the much earlier Aldones become out of sync.
- In her 1980 article A Darkover Retrospective Marion Zimmer Bradley refers to The Heritage of Hastur as "my favorite of my own books."[2]
Major Characters[]
- Regis Hastur: hero of the novel. He is involved in more than half of the novel scenes.
- Lew Alton: second hero of the novel, perhaps the most important. He is the narrator of one chapter out of two.
Important Characters[]
- Danilo Syrtis: Regis Hastur's closest friend (they are sworn brothers). He appears nearly as frequently as Regis, but he isn't described as precisely as him. We don't know his private thoughts precisely for instance.
- Marjorie Scott: Lewis Alton's wife, Kermiac's ward.
- Robert Raimon Kadarin: main instigator of Sharra's awakening. A very important character in the whole Darkover "recent" history.
- Thyra Darriell: Kadarin's "wife". Nearly as important as him. Marjorie Scott's half-sister.
- Beltran Aldaran: Lew Alton's "cousin". Main instigator of Sharra's awakening with Kadarin.
- Kennard Alton: Lewis Alton's father. He is not really important in this novel but he is central character in other Darkover novels.
- Dyan Ardais: heir of Ardais domain. He is not really important in this novel, except as a "deus ex machina": in fact many events find their logical explanations thanks to Dyan actions.
- Kermiac Aldaran: Aldaran Lord, Lewis Alton's great-uncle and Beltran's father.
Other characters:[]
- Rafe Scott: Marjorie Scott's brother, member of the Sharra's circle.
- Danvan Hastur: Regis Hastur's grandfather. Regent of the Comyn.
- Javanne Hastur-Lanart: Regis Hastur's sister.
- Gabriel Lanart: Javanne's husband, officer in the Comyn's Guard.
- Dom Felix Syrtis: Danilo Syrtis's father.
- Dan Lawton: half-terran, half-darkovan, related to Ardais domain, Terran Legate assistant.
- Marius Montray-Lanart: Lewis Alton's brother.
- Andres: terran, Alton domain intendant (Armida).
- Julian MacAran et Damon MacAnndra: Comyn Guard cadets, sworn brothers.
- Domenic di Asturien: old and very respected fencing master. Cadet master during a few hours at the beginning of the novel.
- Edric Ridenow: Serrais Lord.
- Lerrys Ridenow: Edric Ridenow's youngest brother.
- Callina Lindir-Aillard: Neskaya Leronis (Arilinn Keeper at the end of the novel).
- Donnell Ramsay: Terran Legate (assistants: Lauren Meredith and Reade Andrusson).
- Linnell Aillard: Lewis Alton's foster-sister and Camilla Lindir-Aillard's sister.
- Linnea Storn-Lanart: Javanne Hastur's cousin. Kennard Alton tries to arrange a marriage between her and his oldest son, Lewis.
- Desideria Storn: old Leronis in Storn Castle (situated in the mountains near Aldaran). One of the most important characters in The Winds of Darkover.