The Gate of the Cat
by Andre Norton
7th Novel in Estcarp
Edition Used for Analysis:
(1988) Published by ACE, PB, 0-441-27380-7, $3.50, 219pg ~ cover by Rick Lovell
Synopsis:
An American woman inherits an estate in Scotland, and goes over there to claim it. What she finds infuriates her "tree-hugger" mentality, and she intends to rescue a wildcat from the farmer hunting it down. Instead she gets into a brawl with the guy and receives a knock on the head that rolls her into a stone archway, which turns out to be a Gate to Witch World. She lands in Escore just in time to see a Witch of Estcarp foully killed by evil beings, and is given the witch's Jewel. It carries with it a geas to search out what the Witches hope will be a new source of Power to revitalize their sisterhood after so many had died during the Turning. ~ SL
Timeline Points:
- p1. Chapter 1:
- p4. Kelsie McBlair and a wild cat falls through a gate from Ben Blair, Scotland into the Witch World.
- p15. Chapter 2:
- p18. Kelsie tries to help the dying Witch Roylane (aka Makeease) who gives her jewel to the wild cat Swiftfoot.
- p24. Kelsie meets Dahaun.
- p27. Chapter 3:
- p31. Kelsie is introduced to Crytha, Yonan, Kemoc, Kyllan and “Urik” (Uruk).
- p33. Kelsie meets Simon Tregarth and the Witch Wittle.
- p38. Dahaun mind touches Kelsie and says “You are—summoned one. Foretold—”
- p39. Chapter 4:
- p49. Yonan tells of the Turning. (see: Three Against the Witch World)
- p53. Chapter 5:
- p53. Kelsie meets Tsali.
- p55. Swiftfoot passes the witch jewel on to Kelsie.
- p64. Dahaun says “Kaththea sent us word three tens of days ago that there was to come one who would be a balance for us in new struggles to come”. A prophecy about Kelsie’s arrival. She also mentions that Kaththea is “Lady to Hilarion”. (see: Sorceress of the Witch World)
- p67. Chapter 6:
- p74. Kelsie encounters the Thas.
- p81 Chapter 7:
- p87. Yonan joins Kelsie on her quest.
- p92. Kelsie and Yonan are captured by the Thas.
- p93. Chapter 8:
- p101. Yonan and Kelsie encounter Lord Rhain, a "Traitor, Betrayer, Dark One" from the ancient past when Yonan was Tolar. (see: Trey of Swords)
- p107. Chapter 9:
- p118. Yonan tells Kelsie "A year agone Urik [sic] found such a path when the gray ones had him at their mercy, or so they thought." after he uses his quan iron hilted sword to activate a "star of white stone" that transports them away from the Thas burrow.
- p119. Chapter 10:
- p133. Chapter 11:
- p147. Chapter 12:
- p159. Chapter 13:
- p171. Chapter 14:
- p183. Chapter 15:
- p195. Chapter 16:
- p195. Kelsie, Yonan and Wittle discover the magic topographical map of Escore & Estcarp.
- p207. Chapter 17:
Sorcerer's Notes:
This takes place after Sorceress of the Witch World, Trey of Swords and Ware Hawk.
The Sorcerer’s recommend that you read next: Duke's Ballad, The
