Darkover and Kraith

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==
==References==
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