Darkover and Kraith (essay)

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Title:	Darkover and Kraith
Creator:	Amy Falkowitz
Date(s):	October 1975
Medium:	print
Fandom:	Star Trek: TOS, Darkover
Topic:
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Darkover and Kraith is a 1975 essay by Amy Falkowitz.

It was printed in Mind-Meld v.2 n.7.

The topic was how Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover and Jacqueline Lichtenberg's Kraith are similar and dissimilar.

Context: The Kraith Focus in Early Issues of "Mind-Meld"

The topic of Kraith was the focus during the first year's Mind-Meld issues, and that universe's creator, Jacqueline Lichtenberg, was a member and frequent contributor.

That is, until a flurry of fan responses likely deflated her enthusiasm, and Lichtenberg encouraged fans to move on from emulating Kraith, at least in this fan club and its publication. From her last contribution to "Mind-Meld": "SEV should adopt some NEW ideals, not Kraith Vulcan ideals," thus withdrawing her attention and support.

Some of Lichtenberg's contributions and fan comments in early issues of "Mind-Meld":

• Lichtenberg's comments in v.2 n.1, March 1975 which was a response to the editor's comments in v.1 n.2, October 1974
• Why a Human Should Not Desire to Become Vulcan by Lichtenberg (dated August 1974, printed April 1975)
• I have been unable to determine whether or not the Council wishes to adopt Lichtenberg's philosophy as pertains to Vulcans as it is. by Carmen Dexter (v.2 n.5, August 1975). Dexter's letter also addressed Lichtenberg's controversial author's preface to Kraith Collected #1
• I think that it is important for Jacqueline Lichtenberg, as the creator of the series, to hear from those who are KRAITH fans, who enjoy the works, but can still see their faults. by Amy Falkowitz (v.2 n.7, October 1975)
• Darkover and Kraith by Amy Falkowitz (v.2 n.7, October 1975)
• I WISH I could figure out some way to make people understand that I do not hold Kraith to be some sort of ultimate truth. by Licthenberg (her final comment) (v.2 n.8, December 1975)

Lichtenberg's last contribution to this newsletter was in December 1975. She, however, remained on the membership roster until at least March 1979.

Some Topics Discussed in the Essay

• Lew Alton in Darkover and Spock in Kraith are similar as they are both "caught between two worlds, almost being torn apart by it, and of being obligated to both. Lew Alton is an Alton, the Alton heir, and the Altons are an important Comyn family. Yet he is also a Terran, and neither world truly accepts him."
• Lew Alton and Spock are also "aware of what is happening within their societies, of what the societies are doing to each other, even though their respective societies may not be aware of it."
• Lichtenberg and Bradley both have questioned fans' observations about these two characters
• parts of the Ballad of Dokamral'nor (in Kraith Collected IV) may have been inspired by certain things in Darkover, specifically the mention of the Ballad of Cassilda
• "... there are the various aspects of the Vulcan Science of the Kind — those things we see in the form of the idlomnutt, the Flame Spheres, and, of course, the Kraith chalice itself— all of these compare in various ways to that science that seems -- magic which is called matrix mechanics in the Darkover series."

From the Essay

The major comparison between these two series is the idea of societies/cultures in conflict. In both series we have a galaxy-spanning culture in conflict with a rather static culture. The galaxy-spanner is very human centered and generally non-telepathic, while the smaller culture is decidedly telepathic and contains non-human elements, (Of course, in Kraith, part of the point of the series is that the Vulcans are very non-human -— they are truly alien and cannot be understood from a strictly human viewpoint.) Also, in both series, a large part of the conflict is within the small static culture itself, and its fight against (the recognition of) the need for change.

That is one of the things I like about the Kraith Spock. He is quite aware of all that he does, and that he takes in all considerations, and knows that there will be loss. But he goes on, and suffers, and succeeds, and does his best by both worlds. He is Kaytaytikh, but he is also First Officer aboard the USS ENTERPRISE, and a close friend of one James T. Kirk. He attempts as best he may to fulfill both the demanding obligations of a Kaytaytikh of the line of the original "xtmprsqzntwlfb", and those he has as a Starfleet officer, and, perhaps, more importantly (to himself as a person, a Vulcan, and to the way the Kraith series seems to be going) those he feels he has to his friend, Jim Kirk. (Which obligations have come about thru his friendship and his being Vulcan and Kaytaytikh.)

Another odd comparison, the chieri, and perhaps all of the telepaths on Darkover, are slowly but surly dying out, the Cornyn are failing. (this is partially the subject of THE WORLDECK­ERS.) This compares with the Kraith Vulcans who are at a borderline of species viability.

So, there you have some comparisons between the two series. I would, however, like to make a few personal comments. The two series, however much we may compare them, are two different series. I have liked Marion Zimmer Bradley's series for many years. I recommend it to any sf/f fan, not just KRAITHfen. KRAITH is enriched by having DARKOVER as a comparison/background and DARKOVER is even enriched by having KRAITH as a reflection. But remember, DARKOVER came first and stands on its own merits.