A Flame in Hali

I am glad that Deborah Ross is continuing to write in the world of Darkover, and I think that overall she is doing a fine job. I am excited to see that she is going to release a new trilogy continuing the story of "modern" Darkover, which should tie up the many loose ends from "Traitor's Sun" (the last Darkover novel Marion Zimmer Bradley wrote before her death). If you are a fan of Darkover/MZB, "A Flame in Hali" is a must-read, and a solid effort from Ross. However, it is certainly not the place to begin the series, and does not rank among the best Darkover tales.

This novel mostly suffers from an unlikeable protagonist, Eduin Deslucido. Yes, we pity him because of the compulsion to kill that his father placed upon him. However, he is a self-serving character who goes through life manipulating others as he chooses, completely violating the moral code of Darkover. It is impossible to like him or want him to succeed in his goal of killing King Carolin and Varzil Ridenow, who we grew to love in the second volume of this trilogy. Unfortunately, they only have cameo roles in this book.

More interesting than Eduin is the heroine of the book, Dyannis, Varzil's sister. While she has a tendency to blame herself for everything, she at least has a strong personality and strong values, and we are rooting for her the whole time. Varzil is a wonderful character whenever we see him.

The story progressed slowly, but it never quite dragged. Not as good as the first two books of the trilogy, or Marion Zimmer Bradley's last Darkovers novels, but "A Flame in Hali" was an entertaining read, and the ending was heartbreaking.

The cover was "A Flame in Hali" the third book in the Clingfire Trilogy but the content was the first book of the Clingfire Trilogy.

Seller sent item in a timely fashion, item is as described. Enjoying the story very much. Some pages were printed with less ink, and are difficult to read.

Was as described and came in a timely fashion

I'm a collector of books and have over 2600 in my collection. I DO NOT appreciate barcode labels stuck across the face of the book instead of on the back where they belong. Otherwise the book was just what I ordered.

Was everything I had hoped for from this author.

"A Flame in Hali" is the last book of the Clingfire Trilogy and, like the first two stories "The Fall of Neskaya" and "Zandru's Forge", is a story conceived by Marion Zimmer Bradley and written by Deborah J. Ross. All three books are set in the final generations prior to the signing of the Compact on Darkover that lead to the "modern" era of the Bloody Sun prior to recontact with their Terran ancestors. Like all stories set in the pre-recontact and pre-Compact era it focuses on the science of matrix technology and its benefits and dangers to Darkovans and its societal distortions. In general, these stories play more to the fantasy side of her work while retaining a well-defined basis for a laran-based civilization.

What it, of course, lacks is the clash of cultures that so dominants and enlivens the work of Bradley. It is unclear if the creator of the Darkovan universe simply did not trust anyone to handle that dynamic or if she felt that Ms. Ross should be limited to more well-bounded subject matter. Bradley had nurtured Ross' career so clearly she had a feel for both Ross' limits and her capabilities. Overall the works are a fun read and a good continuation for fans looking for entertainment and a good tale, however, there is nothing groundbreaking here for non-fans.

Ms Ross initially was one of Bradley's strongest defenders against revelations of Bradley's sexual abuse of her daughter and other children. However, after a series of responses she had the following to say:

"I was wrong about the story, and I was wrong to say what I did. I am deeply sorry for the pain I caused," wrote Ross. "I was shocked and appalled by the story as related by Marion's daughter. I had no prior knowledge of any misdeeds by Marion, and it was completely inappropriate for me to comment. Nothing I have said should be taken as a justification or defence of child abuse. As for Walter Breen, like many others, I was misled into believing that he had not acted on his proclivities. When I found out the truth, I was horrified, and I assisted the police in the investigation of the second set of charges that resulted in his incarceration. I ask for your understanding and patience with me for the time it has taken me to respond. I offer the victims my wholehearted support and prayers for healing."

I collected these Darkover books over thirty years ago - my first and only venture in to Si-fi and fantasy. Over the years, one-by-one I lost them, so as a birthday gift to myself, I began buying them again.

Well this is the book that brings it all together, and the tragedy that involves Varzil the good's life, and the result of the adoption of the Compact.

Unlike reality, wherein we can continue to create and utilize tragedies to create even more heinous tragedies.

In the concluding volume of the Clingfire Trilogy, the focus is on Varzil Ridenow, his sister Dyannis, and Eduin Deslucido, the gifted laranzu who has been molded by his embittered father into a dagger aimed at their hearts. With a psychic compulsion battening on his mind and conflicting with the emotions of genuine love he once felt for the Ridenows and King Carolin Hastur, Eduin has become a nameless alcoholic living on the streets of Thendara when he encounters Saravio, a partially-trained laranzu with an unusual gift who has become convinced that he is the tool and prophet of the mortal-turned-goddess Naotalba. The possibility that he can use Saravio's abilities to discharge the obligation his father has laid on him gives Eduin hope, yet he remains tormented by his own past attachments. Meanwhile, Carolin and Varzil campaign to persuade the Towers and scores of small kingdoms to agree to their "Compact" outlawing all distance weapons, whether psychic or physical, while Varzil nurses the possibility of other reforms (such as training women to be Keepers) and Dyannis stoutly refuses to believe that Eduin, whom she once loved, could be evil. This complex story with its tragic yet redemptive ending sets the stage for the development of the Darkover that will be rediscovered by the Terran Empire several centuries hence. Its best aspect is the character of Eduin, who desperately wants to live his life on his own terms but is trapped by his father's compulsion; he plots and plans most effectively, yet is haunted by his memory of Dyannis's love (which ultimately proves to be the deciding factor in his actions) and Carolin's early friendship. Like most of the later Darkover books, the plot is a complicated braid of several storylines, but Ross manages to keep everything straight and bring it all to a well-crafted ending.