A good read about Darkover in the Ages of Chaos. Unlike the other Darkover novels, which deal with the conflict between Darkoverans and Terrans, the conflict is between the characters and the duties imposed on them by their families, laran, and the breeding programs. ( )

This one is excellent, truly. I think it was probably the first Darkover book I read, and a gripping introduction to the world.

It nicely showed a lot of the culture, breeding programmes, extreme laran powers and the like, and the warfare using laran weapons too in a wild and extravagent style, wrapped around a love story or two. ( )