The Sorcerer's Conspectus:

A comprehensive view of Andre Norton's Witch World

by Lotsawatts

The Magestone

5th Novel in the [Witch World: The Turning Series] by Andre Norton

Written with Mary H. Schaub

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:

(1996) Published by Warner Aspect, PB, 0-446-60222-1, $5.50, 276pg ~ cover by Kevin Johnson

Synopsis:

An elderly woman of High Hallack remembers the invasion of the Dales by the Hounds of Alizon.  She had to take over the family's trading business and holdings after her family was killed in the wars.  Now she sets out to retrieve a blue gemstone that her mother had always told her was her dowry.  She finds it in the hands of a young Baron of Alizon, whose father had been awarded the jewel by the "king" of Alizon for bravery during that same war.  Together they discover that it is actually the key to a Gate between Alizon and the cellars of Lormt, and that the ancestors of the Alizon people were brought to this world by that same mage in an attempt to rescue them from their own hazardous world. ~ SL

Timeline Points:

1. p1. Year of the Horned Hunter.
2. p2. Year of the Fire Troll - when invasion of the Dales began.
3. p2. Mereth has been writing to 'Doubt' for 20 years.
4. p4. Mereth - more than sixty years a trader.
5. p5. Year of the Kolbold - two years before - the Turning occurred in this year.
6. p6. Year of the Blue-horned Ram - year of Mereth's birth.
7. p10. Mereth was 19 nearly 20 when her mother died.
8. p11. Nearly 20 years later 'Doubt' asked Mereth to marry him - this was a year before the Year of the Fire Troll.
9. p16. 1052nd Year Since the Betrayal.
10. p19. Last Kolder died 7 months ago. (see: The Stillborn Heritage and Falcon Magic)
11. p21. 13 years ago Gurborian given a reward by Mallandor for helping depose Facellian.
12. p22. Kasarian was five when the Alizon alliance with the Kolder was forged - Oralian (K.'s father) killed.
13. p23. Kasarian was 12 when it was clear war was lost.
14. p23. Kasarian was 15 when Gratch/Guborian partnership began.
15. p23. Kasarian was 22 at time of the Turning.
16. p24. Last year - raid on Estcarp, killing of the last of the Kolder, fall of Mallandor, Norandor now Lord Baron. (Events of Falcon Magic)
17. p64. Three years ago the raid was proposed.
18. p103. Meredith says she is 75.

Sorcerer's Notes:

There is a fundamental problem with the timing of this novel - the fall of Mallandor cannot have happened in the Year of the Horned Hunter as Mouse hadn't even been born. The relative dates appear correct, but the internal events suggest the novel should be set 12 years later - this would also make sense of Mereth's comment on p4. of being a trader for more than sixty years. With the events of The Warding of Witch World, this seems to be the most likely solution except that Kasarian and Liara are now too young….

Footnotes:
1. This rather contradicts the Turning being two years before, but it helps a lot with the issue of Mouse

The Sorcerer’s recommend that you read next: The Warding of Witch World

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Formatted and Edited by Jay Watts ~ May, 2022

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