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Generations of fans have fallen in love with Darkover, and many of them have gone on to notable literary careers of their own. Now editors Deborah J. Ross and Elisabeth Waters have gathered together luminaries of fantasy in this star-studded anthology of original stories that illuminate Darkover's rich history and culture. From the Ages of Chaos to re-contact with the Terrans, from the Dry Towns to the back streets of Thendara to the horse pastures of Armida, these tales offer action, courage, and humor, set in the wondrous world that is Darkover.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction (Stars of Darkover) - essay by Deborah J. Ross
• All The Branching Paths - short fiction by Janni Lee Simner
• The Cold Blue Light - short fiction by Judith Tarr
• Kira Ann - short fiction by Steven Piziks [as by Steven Harper]
• Threads - short fiction by Ann Sharp and Elisabeth Waters
• Wedding Embroidery - short fiction by Shariann Lewitt
• The Ridenow Nightmare - short fiction by Robin Wayne Bailey
• Catalyst - short fiction by Gabrielle Harbowy
• The Fountain's Choice - short fiction by Rachel Manija Brown
• House of Fifteen Widows - short fiction by Kari Sperring
• Zandru's Gift - short fiction by Vera Nazarian
• Late Rising Fire - short fiction by Leslie Fish
• Evanda's Mirror - short fiction by Diana L. Paxson
• At the Crossroads - short fiction by Barb Caffrey
• Second Contact - short fiction by Rosemary Edghill and Rebecca Fox
• A Few Words for My Successor - short fiction by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald

Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover remains one of the longest-running and best-loved series of all time, one that has touched the hearts and fired the imaginations of generations of readers. Now Darkover comes alive as never before in the hands of talented authors, many of whom found inspiration for their own careers in the world of the Bloody Sun. On a wondrous planet of telepaths and swordsmen, non-humans and ancient mysteries, a technologically advanced, star-faring civilization comes into inevitable conflict with one that has pursued psychic gifts and turned away from weapons of mass destruction.

Darkover offers many gifts, asked for and unexpected. Those who come here, ignorant of what they will find, discover gifts outside themselves and within themselves. The door to Darkover's magic swings both ways, however, and many a visitor leaves the people he encounters equally transformed.

This anthology includes stories by Robin Wayne Bailey, Jane M. H. Bigelow, Barb Caffrey, Margaret L. Carter, Rosemary Edghill & Rebecca Fox, Jeremy Erman, Leslie Fish, Shariann Lewitt, Deborah Millitello, Ty Nolan, Diana L. Paxson, and Marella Sands.

Marion Zimmer Bradley's beloved world of Darkover encompasses many realms, from glacier-shrouded mountains to arid wastelands, from ancient kingdoms to space-faring empires. Now this all-new anthology welcomes old friends and new fans to explore these landscapes of time and place, history and imagination. Darkover's psychic gifts known as laran bestow the ability to reach across the stars, meld with another's mind, and experience past and possible futures. These talents are not limited to Darkover's human inhabitants, for the planet is also home to nonhuman races, many with powerful mental abilities of their own. In these stories, a swordsman on the track of an assassin forges a telepathic bond with a great owl... a shapeshifter from Earth discovers kinship with a Darkovan catman... a boy from the desert Dry Towns displays a deadly form of weather-control... rescuers make their way across blizzard-cloaked mountains, afoot or on skis... and an intrepid young woman challenges the male establishment in her dream of becoming a judge.

Robin Wayne Bailey + Jane M. H. Bigelow + Barb Caffrey + Margaret L. Carter & Leslie Roy Carter + Rosemary Edghill & Rebecca Fox+ Leslie Fish + Shariann Lewitt + Deborah Millitello + Ty Nolan + Diana L. Paxson + Marella Sands + Michael Spence

Orbiting a distant red sun, the planet Darkover was settled long ago by human colonists and then cut off from the rest of civilization. Over millennia of isolation, it gave rise to a rich culture ruled by a telepathic aristocracy, but was also home to nonhuman races, both hostile and friendly. As kingdoms rose and fell, the enhanced psychic gifts called laran, channeled through starstone gems, transformed not only individual lives, but the entire world.

In the spirit of a masqued revel, here is a gala presentation of tales set in Marion Zimmer Bradley's beloved world of the Bloody Sun. Some of these stories are humorous, others dark, some gritty, and others whimsical or romantic, but all reflect the richness and breadth of adventures to be found on Darkover.

This volume includes stories by Robin Wayne Bailey, Jane M. H. Bigelow, Evey Brett, Leslie Roy Carter and Margaret L. Carter, India Edghill, Rosemary Edghill, Rebecca Fox, Steven Harper, Shariann Lewitt, Meg Mac Donald, Ty Nolan, and Marella Sands.

Darkover's position on the galactic arm renders it strategically important, a crossroads in space. It's also a place where cultures meet and clash, where strangers encounter one another, and where lives are forever transformed. Whether the tale features a literal branching of the road, a fateful decision, a twist of fate, or a life-changing realization, the theme of "crossroads" echoes through these pages. Here assumptions are challenged, dangers braved, and hidden truths revealed. Add a touch of Darkover's special romance, a bit of humor here and there, and the result is a thrilling journey, no matter which road you follow.

This volume includes stories by Robin Wayne Bailey, Jane M. H. Bigelow, Evey Brett, Rosemary & India Edghill, Leslie Fish, Rebecca Fox, Gabrielle Harbowy, Shariann Lewitt, Pat MacEwen, Deborah Millitello, Diana L. Paxson, Jenna Rhodes, Robin Rowland & Deborah J. Ross, and Marella Sands.

Strongholds of rock... fortresses of the spirit... a planet set apart... A castle high in snow-covered mountains beneath a ruddy sun, a place at once romantic and bleak, alien and richly nostalgic... a heart besieged and then re-awakened... secrets locked away by stone and spell... the last refuge of desperate folk... Towers where laran-Gifted circles work their magic... and Darkover itself, a world apart, yet under repeated assault by those who would exploit its natural resources, including its unique telepathic Gifts...

Table of Contents:

• Introduction (Citadels of Darkover) - essay by Deborah J. Ross
• Dancing Lessons - novelette by Traci Castleberry [as by Evey Brett]
• Sacrifice - novelette by Steven Piziks [as by Steven Harper]
• Banshee Cry - short story by Marella Sands
• The Katana Matrix - novelette by Lillian Csernica
• Siege - short story by Diana L. Paxson
• Sea-Castle - novelette by Leslie Fish
• Fire Storm - short story by Jane M. H. Bigelow
• The Dragon Hunter - short story by Robin Rowland
• Fish Nor Fowl - novelette by Rebecca Fox
• Dark As Dawn - short story by Robin Wayne Bailey
• Citadel of Fear - short story by Barb Caffrey
• The Judgment of Widows - short story by Shariann Lewitt