Marion Zimmer Bradley

Born in Albany, New York, in 1930, Marion Zimmer Bradley became one of the most recognizable names in fantasy and science fiction. She wrote novels, short fiction, and anthologies, and built a wide readership through long-running series such as Darkover and Avalon.

Her fiction often mixed myth, history, psychic powers, and social conflict, giving familiar genre ideas a distinctive emotional and cultural depth. The Mists of Avalon became especially influential, introducing many readers to Arthurian legend through a different point of view.

Bradley died in Berkeley, California, in 1999. Her books remain widely discussed for their imaginative scope and their impact on late twentieth-century fantasy and science fiction.