Dyan Ardais

Dyan Ardais is a character in several of Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover books.
Ardais is a main character in Bradley's "Heritage of Hastur." The book was nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1975. The storyline explores sexual themes; one of them is that homosexuality is a normal variant of human sexuality. In that book, he is described as "a pale, tall, hawk-faced man" with a "harsh, musical voice" and "almost colorless" eyes.
According to Bradley, the character was created for a book rewrite: "I decided it had too many characters and combined three villains into one, calling the resultant triple-dyed villain by the name Dyan Ardais." from Darkover Newsletter #23 
 
While Bradley's Free Amazons was the most popular topic, Diana Paxson wrote that "Dyan of HERITAGE has turned out to be the most popular single character for amateur writers." from Darkover Newsletter #23 
A fan in 2012 commented: "Dyan Ardais, [is a character] whom I loathe, and for whom MZB has an inexplicable sympathy. (Or explicable by facts of her second husband's biography which I wish I didn't know.)" comments by Mely at Goodreads (October 24, 2012) 
==Plot Popularity and Character Popularity==
In 1980, Diana Paxson wrote: 
==Ardais: Controversy Regarding His Sexuality, Behavior, and Crimes==
 
===A 2010 Conversation===
In March 2010, Jo Walton wrote a review of "The Heritage of Hastur." 
One excerpt: 
A comment to this from a fan: 
Another fan wrote: 
Another fan wrote: 
==Ardais: Center of Another Controversy==
Dyan Ardais was also mentioned in the Marion Zimmer Bradley Fanfiction Controversy. Bradley stated in one 1992 statement that he was to feature in the planned novel Contraband.
 
==Fanworks==
===Fan Fiction===
====Online====
Ardais stories at Archive of Our Own are very, very few. This may be due to the Marion Zimmer Bradley Literary Works Trust.
There are a few stories on Wattpad and at Fanfiction.net.
====Print Zines====
The majority of fiction about Ardais is in print zines.
* Bitter Honeymoon and Other Stories: The Amorous Adventures of Dyan Ardais contains fiction by fans as well as content by Bradley herself. (1982)
* Moon Phases (various issues)
* Contes di Cottman IV (various issues)
* Jumeaux (various issues)
* Starstone (various issues)
* Kierestelli
* The Other Side of the Mirror
===Meta/Commentary===
* Dyan Ardais and the Ethical Problem by F.R. Wilkinson (1978)
* Darkover Newsletter (many letters by fans)
* No weapon that leaves the hand: Marion Zimmer Bradley’s The Heritage of Hastur by Jo Walton (Tor.com) (2010)
===Fan Art===
Image:ardais.jpg|A fancasted illo of Dyan Ardais. From the artist: "One of the most popular characters in the Darkover fan community was Lord Dyan Ardais, who was a villain dressed in black from a decadent aristocratic family known for their sneaky ways and subterfuges. He was a bad gay man who abused the hero and manipulated anyone in his path. He was part alien, too, as shown by his 6-fingered hands which you can see if you look closely. But he was interesting, unlike the rather bland, pretty, and victimized good boys. Author Marion Zimmer Bradley was well aware of the "good bad guy" character as well as the dashing villains of stage and film. This illustration of Lord Ardais, which was fan art for a Darkover magazine, is based on a publicity photo of Tom Savini, an actor, special effects and 3-D designer, and stuntman who made presentations at a Baltimore science fiction convention, where I met him and bought his photo. Some fans criticized me for copying the character's face too literally, but this was never meant for anything but fan use. Black ink on illustration board, 8" x 10 1/2", November 1998. " - Darkover Theatrical Villain by Pyracantha (March 26, 2016)
 
Image:dyanardais.jpg| From the artist: "Dyan Ardais was a villain in the Darkover stories who became one of those "so bad he's good" characters. He tortured the young male hero in Marion Zimmer Bradley's THE HERITAGE OF HASTUR and attempted both physical and mental rape. Dyan, despite (or perhaps because of) his faults, became a fan favorite and the subject of many S&M fan fictions. There was always an undercurrent of sadomasochism in Darkover and other fan worlds. I brought it into the open with this bit of fan art. Dyan Ardais appears with a "cat 'o nine tails" whip and a chain fastened to a wooden post. Dyan was slightly non-human, the result of human/alien crossbreeding on the Darkover world. He had six fingers on each hand and lots of psychic powers, which he used like the dominator/master that he was. I don't miss this part of Darkover fandom. Ink on illustration board, 5" x 9", fall 1980." -- Fan Fetish by Pyracantha (June 12, 2015) 
Image:dyanardaisillo.jpg| From the artist: "Here's more Darkover fan art, starring Dyan Ardais, the villain and sexual predator that fans loved to hate. In this full-page illustration, Dyan is shown with a partner of indeterminate sex and age. He doesn't know this yet, but she's a girl dressed as her own twin brother, in an attempt to win Dyan's affections. Goddess knows what she saw in him, but he was a sharp dresser at least. This image is adapted from the famous Greta Garbo movie, QUEEN CHRISTINA, in which Garbo as a renegade Swedish royal gallivants around her domain disguised as a young man. Once Dyan realizes that this teenager is not a boy, he loses interest in her, which was better for both of them. Black ink on illustration board, 7" x 10", August 1985. " -- Dyan Ardais and the sweet young thing (April 17, 2017)
==References==
Category:Darkover