An extremely short novella and initially released in 1958 in one of the pulp magazines, The Planet Savers is understood to be the first published short story / novella set on Zimmer Bradley's Darkover.
It's a fairly quick read, easy to source (available in various print editions and as a digital download) and most readers of the Darkover books probably have come across it at one point or another. It's not necessary to make it your starting point, if you wish to delve into the world of Darkover (the books do not have to be read in order of publication), but it's as good a starting point as any - or it might perhaps be an interesting add-on for readers already familiar with the setting.
It's a fairly quick read, easy to source (available in various print editions and as a digital download) and most readers of the Darkover books probably have come across it at one point or another. It's not necessary to make it your starting point, if you wish to delve into the world of Darkover (the books do not have to be read in order of publication), but it's as good a starting point as any - or it might perhaps be an interesting add-on for readers already familiar with the setting.
In The Planet Savers Darkover's population (Terrans and Darkovans alike) are threatened by the outbreak of a deadly virus for which no cure or vaccination exists. Only the tree-dwelling Trailmen living in the hostile mountain ranges of the Hellers seem to be immune to the fever.
