An Approximate Darkover Chronolgy Summaries, lists and notes by John T Burt, copyright 2000 Literature Menu SciFiOne main menu

Marion Zimmer Bradley, the author of the Darkover books, has stated the books were not written in chronological order. In addition, I did not read them in any kind of order. So figuring out where each book fits in the Darkover chronology was difficult. But I was curious because the same characters and events tended to pop up in different books. When I read the books 20 years ago, I made notes on index cards. Without a computer, I only took it far enough to make an esitmate of where each book fit in the series. I ran across the notes a while back and decided finish the process. There are errors. My notes were mimimal and there were inconsistencies in ages of some characters and event timing. But it is interesting never the less. If I ever read the books again, maybe I will be more careful - probably not.

Book Title	~Year	Characters	Summary	Notes
Door Through Summer			This book is on the planet Wolf which has many similarities to Darkover - Drytowns, Red Sun, Shainsa, Culture, Terran Empire - but no mental powers.	Forerunner to Darkover series?
Darkover Landfall	1955		The "settlers" crash on the planet and slowly discover its weather, inhabitants and psychic powers.
Storm Queen		Allart Hastur Dorylis Aldaran Alician of Rockhaven Donal Deleray - son of Alician Casillida Alliard - wife of Allart Damon Rafeal Hastur - brother of Allart (dies) Regis Hastur - Emmascu - could have been king Lord Mikhail Aldaran - King of Aldaran	The story of Allart's rise to king during the dark ages. Women are not tower locked yet. The storm queen is Dorylis.
Hawk Mistress		Romilly McArren (~15) Caroline Hastur - deposed king Caryl - a child Aleric - young Orain - Aleric's father	Animal trainer with laran Romilly runs away so her father cannot marry her off. She helps fight for deposed king Caroline Hastur. Joins swords-women for a while. Is a wild telepath. Heads for tower training in the end.	Fits between "Storm Queen" & "Two To Conquer"
Shattered Chain part 1	1992	Amazon Kindra - middle age. Lady Rohane Ardais Melora - Rohane's sister Jaelle (10) - Melora's daughter Jalak Rohan (40?). Leonine Hastur (same age as Rohana) Loril Hastur - "rules" the Comyn	Rohane hired amazons to rescue Melora (10 years captive) (both ex-leronis) and Jaelle from Jalak. Terrans moved from Aldaran to Thendara - spaceport being built. All before Leronis could have sex.
Spell Sword	2000	Andrew Carr (Terran) Callista Alton- Keeper Damon Ridenow - tower trained, "kicked" out Ellimer Alton (ages 30-40)	Andrew crashes on the planet. He hooks up with Callista, Damon and Ellimer. They kill the great cat, an illegal matrix operator, using PSI powers and form their own PSI circle. Andrew falls in love with Callista and makes Darkover his home.
Forbidden Tower	2001	Andrew Carr (Terran) Callista Alton Damon Ridenow Ellimer Alton (ages 30-40) Valdir Alton (age 12)	Continues where "Spell Sword" left off. Andrew marries Callista but has sex problems because of Keeper virginity complexes. The four form an illegal PSI tower in the "overworld." All is solved with the introduction of the use of PSI-(laran) outside the towers. Keepers do not have to be restricted by tower rules and can be married. Valdir, youngest true Alton, takes over control of the Comyn.
Shattered Chain part 2	2004	Magda Lorn (20-22) (Margali) Peter (Peidro) Haldane Russ Montray - (40s) Terran coordinator Jaelle (22) Rumal de Scarp	12 years after part 1. Magdalin (Magda), Terran raised with Darkover kids, is a Terran intelligence officer. She sets out as a phony amazon to ransom partner Peter, meets amazons, Jaelle, and becomes one. Peter was taken by Rumal de Scarp and was hostage in the hellers.
Shattered Chain part 3	2005	Magda Lorn (20-22) (Margali) Jaelle (23) Wade Montray - (young 15-20) son of Russ Elorie Ardis (Lori) (17)	Direct continuation of part 2. Jaelle and Magda at Rohanna Ardis. Jaelle, Magda to Guild. Jaelle to freemate with Peter. Amazons to work with Terrans. First cross cultural understanding. Terrans now on Darkover 50 years, in Thendara 12-14 years. Spaceport just in operation. In 15 years Wade returns to Darkover with son Lerrys (15) - year 2020. This book is year 2005.
Star Of Danger	2020	Larry (Lerrys) Montray (15) Kennard Alton (16) son of Valdir Wade Montray (30-35)	Larry, Terran/Darkovan mix, comes to Darkover after being raised on earth by his father Wade. He does not know of his Darkover mother. He meets Kennard and they have an "adventure." The result is forgiving of the first true "mixed" Terran/Darkovan friendship and the discovery by both sides that they all come from earth ancestors.
Winds Of Darkover	2030	Daniel Firth Baron "Loran" Sorn Melita Sorn Desidra Allard (16) Larrys Montray (Lerrys Alton) (21? "hardly into 20s") Cleindori Alton - young foster daughter Kennard Alton is on earth	Terran spaceship dispatcher Daniel's mind is taken over by "Loran" Sorn, amateur loran user and blind lord of Sorn Castle. Sorn needs help to regain his castle from bandits. Daniel falls in love with Melita. "Loran" Sorn falls for Desidra, Keeper from the "outlawed" Altarans. This group calls up Shara, old fire God (power). Daniel has powerful latent loran.
Bloody Sun	2060	Kennard Alton (full adult son of Valdir) Elorie Jeff Kerwin (30?) son of Cleindori	Kennard and Elorie try to determine who Jeff really is. He was raised as an orphan and turns out to be a full Comyn of Darkover. His parents were Cleindori and Arnad Ridenow who, with a friend and a Terran, were experimenting in non-tower laran use.
Planet Savers	2080	Dr Jay (Jason)Allison (34). Lerrys Ridenow Regis Hastur - "Young man" 20?	Jason was raised by trailmen from infancy to about 12. Jason returns to the trailmen to get their help curing the 48 year fever.
Sword Of Aldones	2081	Lew Alton - Terran/Darkovan Regis Hastur	Lew Alton, half Terran, half Darkovan, returns to Darkover with the "Dark" matrix sword Shara. He helps destroy the matrix but the process starts the Terran provisional government with Regis Hastur as the buffer/leader(?).
Heritage Of Hastur	2082	Kennard (88-90?) (old, stooped with age.) Desidra Alliard (very old 84?) Lew Alton (20-25) son of Kennard Regis Hastur (16-17! too young) Mikhail (Danilo) Hastur (3-4!) Danilo Syrtis (15+!)	The Comyn appear morally decadent causing Lew and Regis to reject them. The Aldaran people are trading with Terrans, including weapons. Lew goes to stop the trading but becomes involved with trying to use the Shara matrix. The matrix is uncontrollable and Care Down is destroyed. Lew and Regis "rejoin" the Comyn. The Terrans are so afraid of the compact that they agree to enforce the weapons ban.	This book is too long and unpleasant to read.
World Wreckers	2090	Desidra Alliard (92!) Regis Hastur (24!) (7 years in council) Lerrys Ridenow (42-43 - error?) Jay Allison	7-8 years later. Spaceport in operation 84 years. Darkover joins the empire by telepathy but it's old ways remain in existence! This book appears to be the climax of Darkover joining Terra.

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