The Sorcerer's Conspectus:

A comprehensive view of Andre Norton's Witch World

by Lotsawatts

Gryphon's Eyrie

7th Novel in the [Witch World: High Hallack Series] by Andre Norton

Written with A. C. Crispin

Spin-off: 3rd in a secondary series called Gryphon

gryphons.eyrie 

 

See Also: [Martinez ~ Glossary] [Martinez ~ Races] [Schlobin ~ Survey] [Coulson's Index]

[Expanded Reading Order] [Bibliography Page] [Read it Here] [Return to Contents]

 

Edition Used for Analysis: 

(1985) Published by TOR, PB, 0-812-54736-5, 978-0-812-54736-8, $2.95, 248pg ~ cover by Boris Vallejo ~ illustrated by Judith Mitchell

Synopsis:

Long ago the Old Ones retreated past the misty mountains into Arvon. Yet the remnants of the forces that they controlled linger on, in the ancient Places of Power, in the strange carvings and relics of the Waste, and in the blood of humankind, some of whom have inherited a strange gift, or curse, of Power along with their mixed heritage.
Amber cats‘ eyes and cloven hooves are the marks of Kerovan's kinship with the Old Ones. His has been a bitter and painful heritage, He has ever wished to be as other men, fearing to claim that which is rightfully his, and resisting the call of his blood. And so it is even now in the spell-ridden land of Arvon.
The Lady Joisan has dared to love him and to join her destiny with his. Raised to revere the Old One Gunnora, and to practice her craft of healing, Joisan has nourished her own small Power, rejoicing as it waxed that she could better aid her lord in his struggle to shape a destiny of his own devising, free of  those who would use his Power for Dark purposes of their own.
Twice Kerovan and Joisan have stood in battle with the forces of the Dark, and twice they have vanquished their foes. but now, the irresistible call has returned to Kerovan, driving him to the mountains, to make his peace with his heritage. In the facing of this last and greatest test Joisan and Kerovan must summon all their courage, For they battle for the new life that Joisan carries within her, and for all the world as they know it.
The heritage of the gryphon chooses its own master or mistress.
The time of choice is now.

Timeline Points:

  1. p1. Prologue:
  2. p7. The Prologue which relates the events of The Crystal Gryphon and Gryphon in Glory is attributed to "Eydryth, Songsmith".1
  3. p9. Joisan:
  4. p23. Kerovan:
  5. p29. Three years ago Joisan told Kerovan he couldn't leave her behind.2
  6. p45. Joisan:
  7. p56. This winter past - Were-Wrath brides of High Hallack brought to Arvon.3
  8. p63. Kerovan:
  9. p89. Joisan:
  10. p92. Joisan is pregnant - due at Midwinter Feast.4
  11. p113. Kerovan:
  12. p135. Joisan:
  13. p156. Joisan (narration): "Now, studying him, I was struck by the remembrance that Kerovan was but one and twenty years of age."5
  14. p163. Kerovan:
  15. p185. Joisan:
  16. p195. Met Elys and Jervon three years ago.6
  17. p203. Kerovan:
  18. p231. Joisan:
  19. p237. Kerovan:
  20. p245. Joisan:

 

Sorcerer's Notes:

Year Since the Betrayal

Year Name

Event

(Year of the Gryphon2)

Meetings with Jervon & Elys and Herrel

Year of the Fire Drake

Year of the Hornet

Year of the Unicorn

Kerovan & Joisan are drawn to Car Garudwyn, meet the Kioga, free Elys, Jervon & Sylvia from That Which Runs the Ridges

Footnotes:

1. We discover in Songsmith that this is the name of Elys & Jervon's daughter. The Prologue then must take place many years after the rest of Gryphon's Eyrie.
2. See: Gryphon in Glory. This takes place in the Year of the Gryphon.
3. See: Year of the Unicorn
4. AKA Winter Solstice. (See: The Toads of Grimmerdale, Year of the Unicorn & Amber of Quayth) Which means she conceived sometime in the spring of The Year of the Unicorn shortly before this story begins.
5. This is incorrect. JOISAN is 21 years old by this point if you cross reference the years of the Invasion between The Crystal Gryphon, Dragon Scale Silver, The Toads of Grimmerdale, and Year of the Unicorn (her birthday is around "harvest time"). Since Kerovan is 2 years older than her he would be 23 at least (possibly 24 if his birthday is in the spring). Even if Year of the Unicorn and Gryphon in Glory are meant to take place months after one another Kerovan is 19 and Joisan is 17 in the Year of the Leopard and will be 20 and 18 in the Year of the Gryphon, it's only just barely possible to squeak them in as 23 and 21 at the beginning of the Year of the Unicorn (three years after the Year of the Gryphon).
6. See: Gryphon in Glory

The Sorcerer’s recommend that you read next: WW: ss - Amber of Quayth

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Formatted and Edited by Jay Watts ~ May, 2022

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