Order of Darkover Books
Darkover is a series of science fiction/fantasy novels by American author Marion Zimmer Bradley. Darkover is a planet that is habitable by humans – the only of the seven planets that orbit a red giant star known as Cottman that humans can inhabit. The humans that colonized the planet were mostly Celtic and Spanish. The colonists had as many children with as many partners as possible, and through mutations, the inhabitants developed psychic and psionic abilities.
The Darkover series began in 1962 with the novel The Planet Savers. Although Zimmer Bradley passed away several years ago, the series continues through other authors. She did state that she recommends that new readers first read the series in publication order, rather than in chronological order. Below is a list of both the publication order and chronological order of Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Darkover books:
Publication Order of Darkover Books
| The Planet Savers | (1962) |    |
| The Sword of Aldones | (1962) | |
| The Bloody Sun | (1964) | |
| Star of Danger | (1965) | |
| The Winds of Darkover | (1970) | |
| The World Wreckers | (1971) | |
| Darkover Landfall | (1972) | |
| The Spell Sword | (1974) | |
| The Heritage of Hastur | (1975) | |
| The Shattered Chain | (1976) | |
| The Forbidden Tower | (1977) | |
| Stormqueen! | (1978) | |
| Two to Conquer | (1980) | |
| Sharra's Exile | (1981) | |
| Hawkmistress! | (1982) | |
| Thendara House | (1983) | |
| City of Sorcery | (1984) | |
| The Heirs of Hammerfell | (1989) | |
| Rediscovery | (1993) | |
| Exile's Song | (1996) | |
| The Shadow Matrix | (1997) | |
| Traitor's Sun | (1999) | |
| Zandru's Forge | (2003) | |
| A Flame in Hali | (2004) | |
| Hastur Lord | (2010) | |
| The Children of Kings | (2013) | |
| Thunderlord | (2016) | |
| Ski the Hellers | (2020) | |
Chronological Order of Darkover Books
| Darkover Landfall | (1972) | |
| Stormqueen! | (1978) | |
| Thunderlord | (2016) | |
| Traitor's Sun | (1999) | |
| Hawkmistress! | (1982) | |
| The Heirs of Hammerfell | (1989) | |
| Rediscovery | (1993) | |
| The Shattered Chain | (1976) | |
| The Spell Sword | (1974) | |
| The Forbidden Tower | (1977) | |
| Thendara House | (1983) | |
| City of Sorcery | (1984) | |
| Star of Danger | (1965) | |
| The Winds of Darkover | (1970) | |
| The Bloody Sun | (1964) | |
| The Heritage of Hastur | (1975) | |
| The Planet Savers | (1962) | |
| Sharra's Exile | (1981) | |
| The Sword of Aldones | (1962) | |
| The World Wreckers | (1971) | |
| Exile's Song | (1996) | |
| The Shadow Matrix | (1997) | |
| Two to Conquer | (1980) | |
| Zandru's Forge | (2003) | |
| A Flame in Hali | (2004) | |
| Hastur Lord | (2010) | |
| The Children of Kings | (2013) | |
Publication Order of Darkover Anthologies
| The Keeper's Price | (1980) | |
| Sword of Chaos | (1982) | |
| Free Amazons of Darkover | (1985) | |
| The Other Side of the Mirror | (1987) | |
| Red Sun of Darkover | (1987) | |
| Four Moons of Darkover | (1988) | |
| Domains of Darkover | (1990) | |
| Renunciates of Darkover | (1991) | |
| Leroni of Darkover | (1991) | |
| Towers of Darkover | (1993) | |
| Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover | (1993) | |
| Snows of Darkover | (1994) | |
| Music of Darkover | (2013) | |
Publication Order of Clingfire Books
(By: Deborah J. Ross, Marion Zimmer Bradley)
| The Fall of Neskaya | (1998) | |
| Zandru's Forge | (2003) | |
| A Flame in Hali | (2004) | |
Publication Order of Children of Kings Books
(By: Deborah J. Ross, Marion Zimmer Bradley)
| The Alton Gift | (2007) | |
| Hastur Lord | (2010) | |
| The Children of Kings | (2013) | |
Notes: Stormqueen! was written with Paul Edwin Zimmer. Rediscovery was written with Mercedes Lackey. Hastur Lord and Thunderlord along with the Clingfire and Children of Kings series were co-authored by Deborah J. Ross. Exile’s Song, The Shadow Matrix and Traitor’s Sun were written alongside Adrienne Martine-Barnes. Firetrap was written with Elisabeth Waters.
If You Like Darkover Books, You’ll Love…
Darkover Synopses: The Ballad of Hastur and Cassilda is a short story that was written by Marion Zimmer Bradley before the series had been completely conceived of the Darkover series.
Originally published in the anthology Four Moons of Darkover in November 1988, A Man of Impulse is an 18-page short story that involves Dyan Ardais and a meeting with his friend Merryl’s twin sister, Marilla.
Snows of Darkover is a Darkover anthology edited by Marion Zimmer Bradley, which contains contributions by Mercedes Lackey, Diana Paxson and of course, MZB herself.
The Keeper’s Price is an anthology that spans across Darkover history, starting with the original landfall, to the Ages of Chaso, Pact of the Comyn and the Terrans.
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What was the Darkovan phrase that is uttered at a funeral after someone share a memory of the deceased?
I echo Mongooaw218’s sentiments, I was turned on to these books in 1983 by someone at work who eventually made my life a living hell by his “cristoforo” attitudes about my homosexual orientation. It was however the best thing that he ever did for me. I have had so much enjoyment out of this series. I have been glad that Deborah Ross and others have kept their universe going after MBZ’s demise. Thank you!.
One of my favorite series, I’ve got them all and occasionally just go back and read some; a well constructed, believable “world” with it’s own logic and rules…..and earthlings who have come and are trying to change things…..