The Sword of Aldones
Cover of the first edition
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| Author | Marion Zimmer Bradley |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Darkover |
| Genre | Sword and planet |
| Publisher | Ace Books |
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Publication date
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1962 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 164 |
| OCLC | 17399915 |
| Preceded by | The Heritage of Hastur |
| Followed by | The Hastur Lord |
The Sword of Aldones is a sword and planet novel by Marion Zimmer Bradley in her Darkover series. It was first published by Ace Books in 1962, dos-à-dos with Bradley's novel The Planet Savers. Bradley revised and rewrote the novel publishing it as Sharra's Exile in 1981.
In his 1977 review of the re-release of The Sword of Aldones, Lester del Rey wrote, "It presents a somewhat different Darkover than we find in later novels. But even the early stories have the wonderful allure of this strange world.
Lew Alton returns to Darkover after a long absence. He muses about the Sharra Rebellion, which events six years earlier, led to his wife's death. In the spaceport, he meets a woman he mistakes for Linnell Aillard, her near duplicate, but she does not recognize him.
Lew arrives at the Comyn Council, with deliberations already in progress. The council is considering accepting the Domain of Aldaran in the Comyn Council, an unpopular move since Aldaran was the seat of the Sharra Rebellion. The council is deeply divided, and Lew sides with the anti-Aldaran faction. Lew reveals that the Sharra Matrix is still active, embedded in the hilt of a sword.
During a riding party, several council members discuss the Sharra Matrix. The riding party is attacked by Robert Kadarin. Lew's brother, Marius, is killed, and the Sharra Matrix stolen. There are strong hints that Dyan Ardais is behind this attack and a series of attacks that follow.
Lew and Callina Aillard meet with the fantastically old keeper, Ashara Alton. She explains the paradox of the rhu fead. Only a comyn may enter the rhu fead, she says, but only a non-comyn may touch the artifacts stored there. Ashara proposes that an individual of Terran lineage, but acclimated to Darkover, might survive the test. Using the powerful matrix screens, Ashara teleports Kathie Marshall into the tower. She is the woman who is a near duplicate of Linnell Aillard. Ashara also reveals to Lew that he has a daughter, Marguerhia, by the sister of his deceased wife.
At the annual Festival Night ball, Lew encounters Dio Ridenow. She tries to warn him that Callina has been taken over telepathically by Ashara. Lew and Regis realize that the Sharra Matrix is present at the ball. Moments later, the ball is attacked by Robert Kadarin and Dyan Ardais. Linnell Aillard is killed, along with two of Dio Ridenow's brothers. Reflecting after these events, Lew realizes that he is in love with Dio.
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