Marion Zimmer Bradley

Darkover. A planet accidentally colonized by Terrans. A planet with some fairly unique characteristics. There are a number of Darkover books, and I plan to read them all, eventually. I have enjoyed the ones I have read so far. The (chronologically, at least) first book in the series, Darkover Landfall, was pretty good, but I only gave it because of a few foibles (such as constantly acting like women are weak and can't do much physical labor). It was also too short (only 160 pages). But I did enjoy reading it, despite only giving it . And it's a good place to start with the series.

Books I've Read by Marion Zimmer Bradley

(with Mercedes Lackey and Andre Norton)
A priestess grandmother, a reigning queen mother, and a warrior princess daughter must use all their skill and strength in both open and secret battle to defeat an evil emperor and his truly odious, not to mention potent, sorcerous henchman. (from an Amazon review)

Darkover

The Founding

• Darkover Landfall
  This book explores the first landfall on Darkover and its initial colonization. It offers a great view into Darkover's past.

Against the Terrans -- The First Age (Recontact)

• Rediscovery (with Mercedes Lackey) (publisher out of stock)
  Darkover, settled by a ship from Earth, but unable to sustain high technology after losing contact with the parent civilization; now, after centuries of isolation, a second wave of exploration from Earth arrives. The two cultures could hardly be more different: Darkover is a low-tech feudal society, male- dominated, in which telepathic powers have developed to extraordinary degrees, while the Terran ship carries a crew of scientists, equipped with the latest computer technology, representatives of a rationalistic and egalitarian interstellar empire. As a result, the first contacts between the two are filled with mistaken assumptions and false steps. Much of the story, meanwhile, is told from the points of view of two women: Leonie Hastur, an extraordinarily gifted young telepath, descended from perhaps the most powerful clan on Darkover; and Ysaye Barnett, the expedition's computer specialist, who has (by Terran standards) unusual telepathic powers of her own. The plot moves very slowly at first, full of small conflicts and misunderstandings; most of the real action is concentrated in the last hundred pages, where the foundations are laid for the acrimonious relationship between Earth and Darkover that will prevail in the double handful of novels Bradley has already set on this world. (from an Amazon review)