The Sorcerer's Conspectus:
A comprehensive view of Andre Norton's Witch World
by Lotsawatts
Lore of the Witch World
A Collection of Short Stories by Andre Norton within the [Witch World Saga]
See Also: [Martinez ~ Glossary] [Martinez ~ Races] [Schlobin ~ Survey] [Coulson's Index - See: Individual titles]
[Expanded Reading Order] [Bibliography Page] [Read it Here] [Return to Contents]
Edition Used for Analysis:
(1980) Published by DAW, PB, 0-879-97560-1, 978-0-879-97560-9, No.400 #UJ1560, $1.95 US $2.25 Canadian, 223pg ~ cover by Michael Whelan
Synopsis:
The Witch World…Far away in space and time, the Witch World has become the legendary home of all who dream and wonder of unknown worlds.
C.J. Cherryh, in the introduction to this latest Witch World book, writes:
“The Witch World is never explored: the smallest valley holds strange happenings and a past which reaches into things stranger still. The traveler finds the unexpected, the ancient, the bizarre at every turn. Nature is powerful here and those who open their hearts to it and to living things find themselves capable of marvels and involved in an old, old warfare. One meets old friends here, and hears of them; finds remnants of eldritch powers and visitants; finds – if one looks – ancient truths about courage and honesty and duty that involve the highborn and the ordinary, the young and the old, humans and the four-footed kind all in one fabric of magic and mystery.”
“Lore of the Witch World” brings in one volume all the novelettes and tales which have not previously been collected, including the never previously published novelette “Changeling”.
Contents:
- 07~ Introduction (in) by C. J. Cherryh
- 11~ Spider Silk (1976) (na) Flashing Swords! # 3, Edited by Lin Carter, Published by Dell, PB, 0-440-02579-0, $1.25, 272pg ~ cover by Don Malt
- 49~ Sand Sister (1979) (na) Heroic Fantasy, Edited by Gerald W. Page & Hank Reinhardt, Published by DAW, PB, 0-879-97455-9, $1.95, 320pg ~ cover by Jad
- 95~ Falcon Blood (1979) (ss) Amazons!, Edited by Jessica Amanda Salmonson, Published by DAW, PB, 0-879-97503-2, $2.25, 206pg ~ cover by Michael Whelan
- 111~ Legacy from Sorn Fen (1973) (ss) Garan the Eternal, Published by Fantasy, HC, 0-686-02511-3, LCCN 73160575, $4.95, 199pg ~ cover by Morris Scott Dollens
- 121~ Sword of Unbelief (1977) (nv) Swords Against Darkness # 2, Edited by Andrew J. Offutt, Published by Zebra, PB, 0-890-83293-5, $1.95, 284pg ~ cover by unknown
- 150~ The Toads of Grimmerdale (1973) (na) Flashing Swords! # 2, Edited by Lin Carter, Published by Nelson Doubleday/SFBC, HC, # 5859, $1.49, 200pg ~ cover by Frank Frazetta
- 196~ Changeling (nv) by Andre Norton
Sorcerer's Notes:
Sword of Unbelief features Elys and Jervon sometime after Dragon Scale Silver. It was originally published (in 1977) before Gryphon in Glory (1981) but it mentions the Hounds have finally been driven from High Hallack, which places it after their appearance there, when Kerovan asks the Were-Riders to join the war (in the Year of the Gryphon).
Now, in Dragon Scale Silver, Jervon tells Elys when they first meet, "In the spring of this Year of the Gryphon they met with the Were-Riders of The Waste and those will fight hereafter with us." which is in direct conflict with their appearance in Gryphon in Glory where they're actually present when Kerovan invites the Were-Riders to join the war.
Here is my theory on how to reconcile this paradox: how was it possible for them to be present in 2 different locations at the same time? This story may be the key. After saving Elyn from Ingaret's Curse at the end of Dragon Scale Silver, they begin their travels which ended them up in The Waste, where Jervon is kidnapped by the bandits here. When they defeat the evil "god", as it's last curse, it may have flung them back in time from when they were (after the Hounds were defeated, in the Year of the Hornet according to Year of the Unicorn & The Toads of Grimmerdale to the spring of the Year of the Gryphon when they meet Joisan who is following Kerovan, shortly before meeting the Were-Riders in Gryphon in Glory.
There is precedence for such time travel. The same year Sword of Unbelief was published, Trey of Swords came out. In that story, Yonan travels back in time with Uruk of the Axe to re-fight a lost battle against the Dark. (Judging by the title of this short story, one wonders if Sword of Unbelief wasn't intended to be published in Trey of Swords considering the three "Treys" are titled: "Sword of Ice", "Sword of Lost Battles" and "Sword of Shadow", but got nixed at the last moment?) That means, for Elys & Jervon their adventures could have happened like this:
Dragon Scale Silver - Elys meets Jervon and he tells her the Were-Riders have joined the war (spring of the Year of the Gryphon). Elys & Jervon save Elyn from Ingaret's Curse (autumn of the Year of the Gryphon).
Throughout the Years of the Fire Drake and Hornet, they travel and have adventures until:
Sword of Unbelief - In the autumn of the Year of the Hornet after the Hounds have been defeated, Jervon is kidnapped by bandits from The Waste and Elys, with his help, must battle an ancient, evil "god" to free him. When they return from the spirit dimension they worry they may have to fight the bandits to escape.
When they leave the evil temple, they discover that they have been flung back in time to the Year of the Gryphon in:
Gryphon in Glory - Elys & Jervon meet Joisan who has entered The Waste to follow Kerovan. When Joisan is kidnapped by the Thas, they meet Kerovan and the Were-Riders Herrel. They travel with Kerovan until they must part ways.
After that, they travel The Waste until they discover, Jervon tells us in:
Gryphon's Eyrie - The Road of Exile, which they travel until they reach the cliff with the Gryphon Gate in it. Elys opens the Gate and they enter, only for Elys to get swept up by "That Which Runs the Ridges" leaving Jervon trapped in the Gate until he's retrieved from it by Kerovan & Joisan.
Their time-bending adventures continue in:
Songsmith - Elys is kidnapped and for nine years is held in suspended animation while pregnant with her son Trevon.
The Warding of Witch World - It mentions that in a matter of weeks after his birth, Trevon rapidly aged the 9 years he'd been held in suspended animation.
See Individual stories for suggested reading order.
Formatted and Edited by Jay Watts ~ May, 2022
Copyright ~ Andre-Norton.com
Duplication of this collection (in whole or in part) for profit of any kind NOT permitted.
