Darkover Landfall
Encyclopedia
Darkover Landfall is a science fiction
novel by Marion Zimmer Bradley
in the Darkover
book series
. It was originally published in 1972 by DAW Books
. It has since been republished several times and is included as part of the Darkover: First Contact omnibus.
that is forced to crash land on Cottman IV, an inhospitable planet in orbit around a red giant
. The crew become accidental colonists when the ship loses contact with Earth and they realize rescue is impossible. The book introduces surnames, religious
and cultural themes that echo throughout the Darkover series of books. This series spans millennia, as the ship's descendants populate the world and develop unique cultures and psi abilities. Though Darkover Landfall is not the first book written in the series, in the Darkover timeline its events are the beginning for all that follows.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Marion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley was an American author of fantasy novels such as The Mists of Avalon and the Darkover series. Many critics have noted a feminist perspective in her writing. Her first child, David R...
in the Darkover
Darkover
Darkover is the focus of the Darkover series of science fiction novels and short stories by Marion Zimmer Bradley and others published since 1958. According to the novels, Darkover is the only human-habitable of seven planets orbiting a fictional red giant star called Cottman...
book series
Book series
A book series is a sequence of books having certain characteristics in common that are formally identified together as a group. Book series can be organized in different ways, such as written by the same author, or marketed as a group by their publisher....
. It was originally published in 1972 by DAW Books
DAW Books
DAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company therefore claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy." The first DAW Book published was...
. It has since been republished several times and is included as part of the Darkover: First Contact omnibus.
Plot summary
Darkover Landfall concerns the crew and colonists of a spaceshipStarship
A starship or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for traveling between the stars, as opposed to a vehicle designed for orbital spaceflight or interplanetary travel....
that is forced to crash land on Cottman IV, an inhospitable planet in orbit around a red giant
Red giant
A red giant is a luminous giant star of low or intermediate mass in a late phase of stellar evolution. The outer atmosphere is inflated and tenuous, making the radius immense and the surface temperature low, somewhere from 5,000 K and lower...
. The crew become accidental colonists when the ship loses contact with Earth and they realize rescue is impossible. The book introduces surnames, religious
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
and cultural themes that echo throughout the Darkover series of books. This series spans millennia, as the ship's descendants populate the world and develop unique cultures and psi abilities. Though Darkover Landfall is not the first book written in the series, in the Darkover timeline its events are the beginning for all that follows.
Publication history
- 1972, USA, DAW BooksDAW BooksDAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company therefore claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy." The first DAW Book published was...
, Pub date December 1972, Paperback - 1976, France, Éditions Albin MichelÉditions Albin MichelÉditions Albin Michel is a French publisher. It was founded in 1911 by Albin Michel.-External links:*...
ISBN 2226004068, Pub date 1977, in French as La planète aux vents de folie - 1978, USA, Gregg PressGregg PressGregg Press was founded about 1965 by Charles Gregg in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey to distribute in the United States the antiquarian reprints published in the UK by Gregg Press International....
ISBN 0839824041, Pub date 1978, Hardcover - 1978, Netherlands, Elmar Science Fiction ISBN 9061201330, Pub date 1978, in Dutch as Darkover - Wereld van Waanzin
- 1984, USA, Science Fiction Book Club, Pub date 1984, Hardcover
- 1985, Italy, Editrice Nord, Pub date 1985, in Italian as Naufragio sul Pianeta Darkover
- 1986, UK, Severn House ISBN 0-7278-1228-9, Pub date March 1986, Hardcover
- 1987, UK, Arrow Books ISBN 0-09-915410-2, Pub date August 1987, Paperback
- 1987, Germany, Moewig, Pub date 1987, in German as Landung auf Darkover
- 1987, Japan, Shogensha, Pub date 1987, in Japanese as Darkover Fujichaku
- 1989, Brazil, Editora Imago, Pub date 1989, in Portuguese as A Chegada em Darkover
- 2004, Croatia, Izvori, Pub date 2004, in Croatian as Brodolom na Darkoveru