Storm Over Warlock

~ 1st Novel in the Warlock Series by Andre Norton

storm.over.warlock

NOTE: This title has entered the “Public Domain” and is therefore open to any publisher that wants to print it. Many “Print on Demand” publishers have started to release this title. This site has chosen to ignore these published versions and only concentrate on estate sanctioned materials.

 

Synopsis ~

Write-up from the front flap of the 1960 HC dustjacket ~

Normally, Shann Lantee, most menial of the Terrans attached to the survey camp on the planet Warlock, and Ragnar Thorvald, an officer in the elite First-In Scouts, would never have been friends, or even speaking acquaintances. Now, as sole survivors of the invasion of the planet by Bettle-like Throgs, their only hope for survival lay in staying together and, if possible, finding the unknown people whom, Ragnar believed, existed somewhere on the planet. So, relentlessly pursued by the Throgs and their vicious Hound and imperiled by mysterious "urges" relayed to them through an odd round amulet picked up by Ragnar, the two Terrans plunge into a weird, menacing half-world whose delicate female leaders govern by thought control.
Andre Norton, one of the best science-fiction writers at work today, is "a superb storyteller whose skill draws the reader completely into a fantastic other-world". (Chicago Tribune) This swiftly paced, wholly believable adventure in which an untried youth pits his intelligence and strength against invisible foes is a worthy successor to the author’s most recent book, Galactic Derelict.

 

Write-up from the back of the 1960s ACE paperback edition ~

Storm Over Warlock
“A satisfying and mature novel which readers will seize upon if they want to enjoy a good adventure story.
“A survey base on a remote planet is wiped out by a raid of Earth’s enemies, the Throgs; the only survivor must face the perils of an unexplored planet while trying somehow to strike back at the enemy…
“As always Norton creates both human and alien beings well and tells a story that you can’t stop reading.” – New York Herald Tribune

 

Write-up from the back of the 1970s ACE paperback edition ~

The Throg task force struck Terran survey camp without warning a few minutes after dawn, in a fully reconnoitered and deadly precise attack. Only a single cowering man, flattened on a ledge in the heights above, was witness to the eye searing lances of energy lashing back and forth across the base with methodical accuracy. And he knew that when the last of those yellow-red bolts fell, nothing would be left alive.
So Shann Lantee was the only Terran left, alone and weaponless, on the strange and hostile world of Warlock, prey to both the aliens of Warlock and the aliens from space.

 

Write-up from the front flap of the 1980 Gregg Press edition ~

Shann Lantee, a boy from the slums of the planet Tyr who has managed to get himself a place in the survey team that is planting a Terran post on the planet Warlock, and Ragnar Thorvald, a Terran officer of the elite First-in Scouts, are the sole survivors of an invasion of Warlock by the beetlelike Throgs, a hostile race of galactic imperialists. Relentlessly pursued by the Throgs, Shann and Thorvald, though unlikely companions, must strive together for survival, they struggle to evade the enemy and find the mysterious, menacing native race, which turns out to be governed by delicate females using thought control.
It is indeed a great achievement for Andre Norton to have made this tale, in which an untried youth's strength and intelligence are tested against invisible foes, altogether believable. This superb blend of science fiction and witchcraft draws the reader into the fascinating other world so skillfully created by one of the best science fiction writers at work today.

 

Write-up from the back of the 1980s ACE paperback edition ~

The Throgs were predators, living on the loot they garnered by laying waste to defenseless worlds. The destruction of their native planet centuries before had left them a race of pirates with no home but their ships, no livelihood but thievery and violence.
When the Throg task force struck the Terran survey camp on Warlock, only Shann Lantee survived to find himself alone and weaponless on the strange and hostile planet – prey to both aliens of Warlock and the Aliens from space.
“A superb storyteller.” – The New York Times
“Outstanding among science fiction authors.” – The Washington Star
“An author who has tantalized and enthralled readers for years.” – The Saturday Review

 

Write-ups from fans ~

Another protagonist from a slum area --Shann Lantee from the "Dumps" on Tyr (an early version of The Dipple on Kowar.) He is a menial laborer assigned to a survey team on Warlock (another of Andre's 3-planet systems) to prepare for an incoming colony ship. He takes care of the mutated animals that serve the group.
One day, as a prank one of the other team members lets loose the pair of Wolverines and Shann has to go and catch them before the expedition leader knows that they are gone. Ironically, this mean-spirited trick saved his life as the camp is attacked by the Throgs (Andre's nastiest aliens so far) A savage race that resemble large ferocious Beetles. Their thought patterns are too alien to have any meeting of the minds with humans. They also need the same type planets as the Earth colonists do and a war has been going on for twenty-five years.
Alone, with no supplies and a pair of wolverines, he must play a deadly game of hide-and-seek with the Throgs.
After a while he is joined by an experienced scout who crash lands his ship. Together, they go on a quest to find aid from a rumored native race. After many harrowing adventures they are captured by the Wyverns, a matriarchal society of witches who are flummoxed by concept of males who can think for themselves. A jam-packed wild adventure. ~ PG

 

Reviews ~

Kirkus Reviews ~ Issue: April 1st, 1960
Fleeing from Throg invaders, Shann Lantree and Ragnar Thorwald enter the world of beautiful women. Immensely powerful as they are lovely, these witches control men by thought domination. Shann's victory over the beetle-like Throg and his civilized alliance with the women is told here with that sweep of imagination and brilliance of detail which render Andre Norton a primary talent among writers of science fiction. A boy's story, packed with adventure and fancy.

 

Various reviews ~ For more info and other listings see Articles Over the Years

1960 by P. Schuyler Miller in Astounding/Analog Science Fact & Fiction, September, reprinted in: (UK) Astounding Analog Science Fact -> Fiction, January 1961
1960 by Floyd C. Gale in Galaxy Science Fiction, October, reprinted in: (UK) Galaxy Magazine #82
1980 by Spider Robinson in Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact, December
1981 by Roger Schlobin in Science Fiction Studies, July
2015 by James Nicoll
2017 by Judith Tarr

 

Bibliography of English Editions ~

  • (1960) Published by World, HC, WP260, LCCN 60007204, $3.00, 251pg ~ cover by Ed Emshwiller {Yellow Cloth Boards}
  • (1961) Published by ACE, PB, #F-109, $0.40, 192pg - #F-329 1965 $0.40 192pg 2nd print - #78741 1969 $0.60 192pg 3rd print - covers by Edward Emshwiller ~ #78742 1973 $0.95 201pg 4th print - #78743 1976 $1.25 201pg 5th print - covers by Josh Kirby ~ #78744 1981 $1.95 201pg 6th print - #78745 1982 $2.25 201pg 7th print - #78746 1983 $2.50 201pg 8th print - #78747 1985 $2.50 201 pg 9th print - covers by Gino D'Archille
  • (1980) Published by Gregg Press, HC, 0-839-82635-4, LCCN 79024953, $9.95, 251pg ~ Gregg Press Science Fiction Series of Andre Norton ~ Dust Jacket by Fred Knecht Jr, Frontmatter by Barbara Anderson {Binding: 5.625 x 8.25 - Black Cloth Boards (Publisher states the color is Dark Green) & Spine with Silver Lettering, Blue End Papers}
  • Warlock (2003) Published by BAEN, HC, 0-671-31849-7, LCCN 2001049949, $25.00, 534pg ~ cover by Larry Elmore ~ Omnibus containing Storm Over Warlock (1960), Ordeal In Otherwhere (1964) & Forerunner Foray (1973)
  • (2009) Created by Jimcin Recordings, Audible, length 6hrs & 42mins, $14.95 ~ narrated by Jim Roberts
  • (2017) Created by Audioliterature, Audible, length 7hrs & 08mins, $10.14 ~ narrated by Arthur Vincet

 

Non-English Editions ~

  • (1962) Part 1 ~ Published in Munich, Germany; by Moewig, OCLC: 73741569, Terra SF 241, DM0.70, 64pg ~ translation by Walter Ernsting ~ cover by Karl Stephan ~ German title Die Hexen von Warlock Teil 1 [The Warlock Witches Part 1]
  • (1962) Part 2 ~ Published in Munich, Germany; by Moewig, OCLC: 73741570, Terra SF 242, DM0.70, 64pg ~ translation by Walter Ernsting ~ cover by Karl Stephan ~ German title Die Hexen von Warlock Teil 2 [The Warlock Witches Part 2]
  • (1974) Published in Frankfurt, Germany; by Ullstein, 35-480-3097-1, Ullstein-Bücher 3097, DM3.80, 125pg ~ translation by Walter Ernsting ~ cover by Harry Borgman ~ German title Sturm über Warlock [Storm over Warlock]
  • (1985) Published in Rastatt, Germany; by Moewig, 38-118-3805-9, TB 5, DM5.80, 160pg ~ translation by Walter Ernsting ~ cover by Nikolai Lutohin ~ German title Die Hexen von Warlock [The Warlock Witches]
  • (2005) Published in Moscow, by Eskmo, 5-699-10007-5, PB, 320pg ~ cover by D. Mattingly ~ translation by  S. Sergeev ~ Russian title Буря над планетой Колдун [Storm over the planet Sorcerer]

 

Russian Omnibus Editions ~

  • (1995) Published in Moscow, by Sigma Press and Zelenograd, by Zelenogradskaya Books, 5-863-14043-7, HC, 544pg ~ cover by D. Avvakumov ~ Russian title Испытание в Иноземье [Test in the Alien Teritory]

Contains:

    • "Storm over Warlock" as "The Storm over the Sorcerer" ~ translation by M. Shamray, pp. 3-164
    • "Ordeal in Otherwhere" as "Testing in a foreign land" ~ translation by D. Saveliev & J. Saveliev, pp. 165-342
    • "Forerunner Foray" as "The Mining of the Forerunner" ~ translation by D. Saveliev & J. Saveliev, pp. 343-542

 

  • (2003) Published in Moscow, by Eksmo, 5-699-01839-5, HC, 448pg ~ cover by David Mattingly ~ Russian title Буря над планетой Колдун [Storm over the planet Sorcerer]

Contains:

    • "Storm Over Warlock" as "Storm over the planet Sorcerer" ~ translation S. Sergeev, p. 5-162
    • "Ordeal in Otherwhere" as "Tests in Other-Where" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, p. 163-284
    • "Forerunner Foray" as "The invasion of distant ancestors" ~ translation by O. Kolesnikov, p. 285-443

 

  • (2015) Published in Moscow by Eksmo, 978-5-699-76086-2, HC, 800pgs ~ cover art by A. Dubovik ~ Russian title Колдовской мир [Victory on Janus] ~ Limited to 3000 copies ~ in fact, released in December 2014

Contains:

    • "Storm Over Warlock" as "Storm over the planet Sorcerer" ~ translation S. Sergeev, pp. 5-200
    • "Ordeal in Otherwhere" as "Trials in the Other-Where" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 201-352
    • "Catseye" as "Cat's gaze" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 353-486
    • "Judgment on Janus" as "Court on Janus" ~ translation by O. Kolesnikov, pp. 487-636
    • "Victory on Janus" ~ translation by O. Kolesnikov, pp. 637-797

View the 2004 Russian contract

See Also: Timeline 1 - Andre's Universe entry for this title.

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://andre-norton.com/works-of-a-master/series-of-a-master/the-warlock-series/334-storm-over-warlock#sigProId64823baab6

 

 

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