- Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
- Publisher: DAW; Reissue edition (Sep 19 1990)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0886774519
- ISBN-13: 978-0886774516
- Product Dimensions: 17.3 x 10.7 x 2.3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 136 g
- Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #174,728 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
As the first Darkover novel to appear in hardback and the first new series entry in five years, this book carries a heavy burden of expectation, which, unfortunately, it does not fulfill. Set in the era of The Hundred Kingdoms, it tells of the twin sons of the Duke of Hammerfell, separated as children after the destruction of their home and the killing of their father by Ardrin, Lord of Storn, as a result of an ancient blood feud. Alastair, the elder, is raised by his mother, the leronis Erminie in Thendara, the lowland capital of the Hasturs, while Conn, the younger and gifted with telepathy, is saved by an old retainer and grows up with the mountain people of the Hellers. When the two are reunited as adults, Alastair, contemptuous of his brother as a country bumpkin, sets out to reclaim his heritage, while Conn, viewing his twin as a fop and a weakling, stays behind to protect his mother and fall in love with Alastair's promised wife, Floria, a monitor trained to work in the Towers. While Bradley's pleasant tale should please Darkover fans, it lacks the power, depth and darkness that has informed the best of her previous works set under the Bloody Sun.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Book Description
One of the "Darkover" novels. In the Age of A Hundred Kingdoms, Darkover - planet of the bloody sun and world of legend and mystery - is hewn apart by border conflict between two of its realms. The infant twin heirs of Hammerfell are separated, but their fates are inextricably linked.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
one of the weaker Darkover novels,
By
This review is from: Hundred Kingdoms Heirs Of Hammerfell (Mass Market Paperback)
The Heirs of Hammerfell is a Darkover novel set in the time of the Hundred Kingdoms. Like the other Darkover novels, this book can stand on its own with no need of having read the preceding books in the series. At the time this book was published, it was the first Darkover novel to have been released in Hardcover and it was the first new Darkover novel in a five year period. Unfortunately, this is not among the best of Marion Zimmer Bradley's work. This novel is the story of the duchy of Hammerfell and the result of its ancient blood feud with neighboring Storn. The novel opens with the aging (40 something) Duke of Hammerfell taking Ermine as a wife. She gives birth to twin boys. When they are perhaps a year old, there is an attack by Ardrin of Storn. Their home is destroyed, and their father murdered. Ermine escapes, but gets separated from the man carrying the younger son, Conn. Each boy is raised believing that they are the only surviving heir to Hammerfell. Alastair is raised by his mother in the Hastur capital city of Thendara. Conn is raised by Markos, a family retainer, in the mountains of Hammerfell. This is the story of twins, separated at a young age, and their attempt to regain the duchy of Hammerfell from their ancient enemy of Storn. The two are reunited eighteen years later, and what could have/should have been a major conflict in the book is shuffled to the side with minimal contention between Conn and Alastair. This book is as much of a romance as the adventure that it hinted at being. I like the Darkover series, but this is perhaps the worst of the books that I have read so far. There is very little actual conflict (even though it had such a great set-up), and what conflict there was got resolved with so little fuss that it hardly seemed worth it. I would recommend this book only if you were looking to read all of the Darkover novels. As each book stands on its own, there is no reason to read this to complete your understanding of the story, and this should certainly not be the first book you read if you are starting the series. It's just not that good.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Weak? Yes. Terrible? No. Enjoyable? I thought so.,
This review is from: Heirs Of Hammerfell (Hardcover)
The story is more simplistic than Bradley's best work, yes.It is not the best Darkover story, and not one I'd advise starting off with. However, for those familiar with the setting, it's an enjoyable tale, perhaps on par with _Star of Danger_: fun, light reading in a familiar world.
2.0 out of 5 stars
Lightweight story.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Hundred Kingdoms Heirs Of Hammerfell (Mass Market Paperback)
This books feels like the author might even have been thinking of writing a Darkover children's book. There is almost no conflict. What should have been a tense story of twin brothers separated from infancy, each of whom thinks he is the sole heir of the kingdom, works out far too neatly and with unrealistically little fuss. The main reason to get this book would be to complete a Darkover collection. I wouldn't seek it out otherwise.
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