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Author Review: Marion Zimmer Bradley (1930 – 1999)
Review Written By: Diane

On June 3, 1930, Marion Zimmer was born in Albany, NY. The daughter of a farmer, she grew up poor in the heart of the Depression. In 1949 she married Robert Alden Bradley, whom she later divorced. A second marriage, to Walter Breen, in the late 60’s also ended poorly; they separated in 1979. Initially unable to afford college, Bradley eventually attained her B.A. degree from Hardin Simmons University in Texas in 1964. She then went on to the University of California, Berkley, where she continued her graduate studies from 1965-1967. Bradley’s formal education may have been late, but her writing began while she was still in her mid-teens. By 1953 her first published short stories, "Keyhole" and "Women Only," had appeared in Vortex Science Fiction.

Bradley is probably best known among science fiction fans for her Darkover novels, the first of which, The Planet Savers, was published in 1958. In 1975 another Darkover novel, The Heritage of Hastur, was nominated for the Nebula Award but did not win. Bradley wrote in many different genres and was also well known as the editor for both Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Fantasy Magazine and the annual anthology entitled Sword and Sorceress. In later years, Bradley began writing more fantasy-oriented novels. Perhaps her most popular and commercially successful novel was The Mists of Avalon. This revisionist approach to the Arthurian myths spent four months on the NY Times best seller list, eventually going platinum and earning her the Locus Poll award in the Fantasy Novel category in 1984.

Bradley wrote well over 80 books and edited nearly a dozen anthologies in her lifetime. During the past few years she had been troubled by ill health and suffered several strokes, although she continued writing whenever she was able. Bradley passed away on September 25, 1999, several days after suffering a major heart attack.

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Writing Style

Unfortunately, I have not had an opportunity to read many of Bradley’s Darkover novels. However, I have read quite a few of her other works, including The Mists of Avalon, Firebrand and several of the novels from the "Light" series (Ghostlight, Gravelight, etc.). In all cases, Bradley tends to have very strong female characters — independent, fierce, wise, self-sufficient, often almost radically feminist, especially when taken in context with their surroundings and cultures. This does not mean that her male characters are neglected or disparaged, but they do not always take center stage either.

I believe that Bradley felt very strongly about the role of women in society. She seemed to find it important to show that women are individuals, capable of the same thoughts and actions as men, no matter what their role in society is. However, it would be wrong to assume that Bradley’s books are one long diatribe about the injustices men have inflicted on women. Rather, her books are often thought provoking and challenging, encouraging the reader to view commonly held beliefs from a different perspective. Bradley frequently dealt with controversial issues including witchcraft, homosexuality, and women’s rights. At times she was quite open in her discussions of these issues, while other times they appear as insinuations and are not always readily apparent. Although some of her longer works tend to wander, I’ve enjoyed most of Bradley’s efforts. I would definitely recommend her to thoughtful, open-minded readers.

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Body of Work

Darkover Series (In Order of Publication)

* Not Yet In Print

Darkover Chronology

* Not Yet In Print

Darkover Mini-Series Or Direct Sequels

Darkover Anthologies

Avalon Series

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