The Ruins of Isis

"A young, married pair of scientists go to the Matriarchal world of Isis, to openly study its mysterious ruins and secretly examine its closed culture. Bradley confronts sexism in an unusual way - be exploring a world where men are oppressed - in order to get past our cultural expectations. While the technique is effective, it tends to overwhelm the plot of the book. She raises more questions than she answers and highlights how complicated feminist issues are."

Two anthropologists, Cendri and her husband Dal, come to study ruins on the planet Isis. Dal is actually the senior scholar, but since Isis is a matriarchy, he poses as Cendri's assistant. I'm a fan of Marion Zimmer Bradley, not of her well-known Mists of Avalon, which I didn't care for, but her science fiction Darkover series. I have 36 of her books on my bookshelves, and though I can't remember reading one I didn't enjoy--she's a strong storyteller--this standalone isn't one of her best. The reviews bear out my memory of the feminist theme being rather overbearing in a way that feels rather dated. (This was published in 1978.) Not the book I'd pick as an introduction to Marion Zimmer Bradley, or even top twenty on my list of her best.

A young, married pair of scientists go to the Matriarchal world of Isis, to openly study its mysterious ruins and secretly examine its closed culture. Bradley confronts sexism in an unusual way - be exploring a world where men are oppressed - in order to get past our cultural expectations. While the technique is effective, it tends to overwhelm the plot of the book. She raises more questions than she answers and highlights how complicated feminist issues are.