The lady vanishes and other oddities of nature Book

This collection is split into four sections, which each have multiple tales, mostly written by fans of the series, telling stories not in the main storyline. Some were even written by the Darkover creator. Therefore, you would think some are lame. In truth, I felt that the ones written by fans were often much more enjoyable than those by Bradley in this same collection.

Also, I would be remiss in not noting that she wrote an introduction for each story with her own reactions, not all of which I agreed with. She noted one she giggled at from the beginning, and it only elicited a half smile from me. Another reminder that tastes differ!

My notes below on the individual stories often reflect my reactions, but also try to be reminders that the worldview created by Bradley also allowed for inconsistencies such as Keepers who kill, bandits who will use arrows, and Renunciates who are untrained.

Section I: The Settlement
1. Vai Dom - a story which gives us the reason for the establishment of leaders among the domains, back in the early days of settlement
2. The Forest - the first interaction with the catmen which wasn't violent battle

Section II: The Ages of Chaos
1. There is Always an Alternative - what is a woman to do when she has no man and no home?
2. The Tale of Durraman's Donkey - gives life to the often-referenced folktale of the donkey and why it means what it does
3. The Fires of Her Vengeance - the vengeance of a Keeper
4. Circle of Light - how the Tower Circles were founded
5. The Alton Gift - a sad tale of destroyed lives due to the interbreeding and forced breeding programs of the ancient Leronis
6. The Answer - the answer to why the sharing of power among psychics builds the powers for all

III. Under the Comyn
1. The Rescue - mildly amusing story of an inept girl rescued by a seasoned male, wherein she refers to herself as an Amazon, not as a Renunciate
2. The Keeper's Price - another tale of the pains built into the reproductive where the psychic powers are based, it deals with bloodlust and the price that is paid, sometimes unknowingly, for the gift of power
3. The Hawk-Master's Son - this one builds a little of the history of the senior Rafe Hasture and a young Dyan Ardais in the Cadets, while both were students
4. A Simple Dream - a tale of a man, no longer so very young, who leaves all to move towards his dream of the stars
5. Paloma Blanca - a short tale which shares that redemption and change is possible for all no matter what the past has been
6. Blood Will Tell - this is offworld, where the Darkover people are on a world built to provide pleasurable pastimes to visitors; it allows us to see less of the stern view and more of the happy side of the people, and builds the first meetings of a couple who are later instrumental in their world's history

IV. After the Fall of the Comyn
1. Ambassador to Corresanti - told from the view of the catpeople, this tale introduces their thought processes, as well as allowing us to see the Hastur Lord in action
4. A View from the Reconstruction -inconsistent with the indoctrinated view of Darkover people, where a weapon that can act beyond the hand of the wearer is blasphemy, I really don't understand how it fits in with "modern" views, since the Terrans are on Darkover, and know that distance weapons are forbidden