Marion Zimmer Bradley Trust Sues over 'Inferior' Book Set in Imaginary Universe

​The San Francisco-based trust of beloved fantasy and science fiction author Marion Zimmer Bradley is suing another author for publishing allegedly poor novels set on an imaginary planet that Bradley created.

At issue is the Darkover series, which chronicles the history of a world colonized by space-exploring humans who develop psychic abilities.

The Marion Zimmer Bradley Literary Works Trust asserts in a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco that Mary Battle, a Pennsylvania author, published two novels, Molly of Darkover and Women of Darkover, set on the same (imaginary) planet.

The suit alleges copyright and trademark infringement, and also claims that Battle's fiction is not up to the standard set by Bradley, who died in 1999. The complaint describes Molly of Darkover as "a literary work of inferior quality taking place within the Darkover universe."

Let's hope these angered literati don't unleash the Stormqueen.

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