Thendara House
Cover of the first edition
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| Author | Marion Zimmer Bradley |
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| Cover artist | Hannah M. G. Shapero |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Darkover |
| Genre | Science fantasy |
| Publisher | DAW Books |
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Publication date
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1983 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 414 pp |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 9865395 |
| Preceded by | The Shattered Chain |
| Followed by | City of Sorcery |
Thendara House is a science fantasy novel by Marion Zimmer Bradley in her Darkover series and is a sequel to The Shattered Chain. It was originally published by DAW Books (No. 544) in 1983. The book was co-written by Jacqueline Lichtenberg, without credit.
In terms of the Darkover timeline, the events of Thendera House take place three or four years after The Spell Sword and about two years after the events of The Forbidden Tower.
Magda Lorne tenders her resignation from Terran service to her supervisor, Cholayna Ares, saying that she has taken an oath to spend six months in the Guildhouse of the Reuniciates at Thendera. Cholayna tries to talk her out of resigning, and Magda agrees to detached duty.
Jaelle n’ha Melora starts her first day of working in the spaceport, but finds conforming to Terran customs a challenge. She quickly discovers that her new husband, Peter Haldane, despite being raised on Darkover, has typically Terran sexist attitudes towards women. Jaelle is asked by the legate, Russell Montray, if she can help one of his agents pass as a native.
Magda meets with Mother Lauria at the guildhouse and learns the rules under which she will be living for the next six months. An injured woman named Keitha knocks at the door and asks to take the oath. Several days later, Magda, Doria and Keitha undergo a consciousness-raising session with her future sisters regarding her motives for joining the Renunciates. She experiences a vision of the Goddess Avarra.
Jaelle meets with Kadarin, a Terran operative, to assist him in preping for a trip to the Dry Towns. She is assigned to give Alessandro Li a lesson in Darkover’s history, but comes to distrust his motives, telling her husband that he wants to reduce Darkover to a Terran colony. Peter, ever ambitious, ignores her. Jaelle realizes that Peter does not consider her an equal partner in the marriage, and that in many respects, she has broken her Renunciate oath by marrying him.
In the Guildhouse, Bryna gives birth to a boy. Camilla tells Magda the story of how she came to be a Renunciate. Keitha’s abusive husband arrives, demanding the return of his wife. When the Reunciates refuse, a fight ensues. Magda kills one of the mercenaries and comes close to killing the second, when Camilla stops her. Her failure to follow Darkovan codes of conduct get her in trouble. Magda continues to struggle with the expectations of her Renunciate sisters.
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