The Witch World Saga

by Andre Norton

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Estcarp High Hallack The Turning Short Stories Anthologies Omnibus Editions

Coulson's Index The Sorcerer's Conspectus Witch World ~ Extras

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Andre Norton’s epic creation, Witch World is a place where magic works. From healing a small injury to tumbling a mountain range, magic is wielded by talented individuals and groups. Abilities in the magical field varies and not everyone has measurable magical power. In the past, horrendous magical wars have torn apart whole countries and ripped landscapes asunder. Wars still break out periodically and the common folk rebuild and go about farming and hunting and trading in the peaceful intervals. This world has many “Gates”, passages to other worlds. Some are fixed in time and space while others are temporary. Conquerors and evil mages (Adepts) have come and gone through gates as well as heroes and Adepts of the light. Scattered throughout the world are old ruins which may be places of great evil or great good.

The saga begins with the Earthman Simon Tregarth fleeing Earth and entering Witch World (through a temporary gate) just in time to save a witch of the country Escarp. This starts the Escarp Cycle of stories set on the eastern continent. The western continent is represented by the stories of the High Hallack Cycle.

"The Turning" combines the three books of "Witch World: The Turning" & the three books of "Secrets of the Witch World". It should be noted that with the exception of "Warding of the Witch World" they were written by co-authors of Andre's.

The story "Songsmith" of the High Hallack cycle helps explain how the two trilogies fit together.

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Witch World Reading Order

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On the Origins of the Witch World

by Andre Norton 1999

The Witch World and its sequels is one of Andre Norton's most famous creations. Although the novel itself never won any major awards (it was, however, a Hugo Nominee in the best novel category), it proved very popular with the readers. Indeed, so popular that Web of the Witch World and subsequent sequels were written.

Since that time many fans expressed their interest in the history behind the novel's creation and Ms. Norton was happy to answer their questions. Below you will find two articles in which the authoress reveals some of the mystery that shrouds the origins.

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Creation of the Witch World

by Andre Norton

Reginald, R. Science fiction and fantasy literature (1979), p. 1018

The Witch World books grew of themselves - I never intended to make a series in the beginning. Part of Witch World was taken from separate scenes I had done years ago for a novel on the Crusaders who had settled in Outremer. And the background of most of the books is based on Celtic and early English legends and folklore. Warlock of the Witch World is a retelling of Childe Roland, and Year of the Unicorn of Beauty and the Beast.

The division of the books is according to continents on that world. Estcarp corresponds roughly to Europe and High Hallack to America. The Estcarpian stories largely have the same family as characters - the High Hallack do not. The Atlas of Fantasy has a map of Witch World; however, since that was drawn quite a few more towns and important sites have been added.

As I mentioned, the Verlaine segment in Witch World was developed from a fragment I did about one of the knights of Outremer - those who settled in the Near East during the Crusades, and built up petty kingdoms there. I never wrote the historical tale, but used it as a part of fantasy. I switched to High Hallack with Year of the Unicorn, and then wrote several short stories and novelettes laid in the dales - which are founded on the Yorkshire dales of England, with their wild Viking-invader backgrounds. I then did the two novels, The Crystal Gryphon and the Jargoon Pard, taking up various dates before, during, and after the invasion.

As for what I write - well, I write the kind of tales I like to read myself. There is a great deal of research which goes into each book - I use archaeology, ancient history, history of the middle ages, folklore, legends, natural history, and occult for my backgrounds. When I use such a definite occult matter as psychometry, the tarot, etc., in a book, I have a definite demonstration by an expert in order to get a material correct.

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The Origins of the Witch World

by Andre Norton

The Norton Newsletter Issue #1 March 1979 p.2

Printed by Sonic Princess Press for the Witch World Club

Witch World really grew from another idea altogether. Years ago, before I entered the sf-fantasy field of writing (no one was interested in buying ms. that were book length then), I had an idea dealing with the Norman holdings in Outremer during the Crusading period - those small baronies (ect) which were carved out and held by landless knights who did not wish to return to Europe after their long travel to the Middle East.

The section in the first book which deals with Verlaine and its heiress was an incident I had imagined for such a book. The book was never written except as scraps at the time. Then, much later, I came across the legend that the mysterious seat at the Round Table which came to be Galahads - The Siege Perilous - in reality dropped into another time and place those rash enough to try it who were not fitted to be seated there. That gave me an opening for an adventure tale.

Witch World was never meant to be a series - it just grew. And many of the books are based on authentic folk tales long in our knowledge. Warlock of the Witch World, for example, is really a retelling of the old Saxon story of Childe Roland. Year of the Unicorn is a version of Beauty and the Beast - and so on.

I research heavily for each book or tale - not only in the field of legend and folk story, but also in history of the middle ages and early English and British material. Over the years I have acquired an extensive personal library of folklore, history and witchcraft material to which I go for reference.

I have to ration myself now with Witch World books as I do not want to start repeating myself - which is easy to do with a too familiar background. So I do not write one as often as I wish, and I do try to get an unfamiliar background as much as I can. My most recent work is one laid in the mysterious south from which the Falconers first came and gives a clue to the reason for their warped life style - it is a shorter work entitled Falcon Blood and has a Sulcar girl for a heroine.

But one does have to deal with a great many small details and I now have a special Witch World book with backgrounds for the already printed stories, ect. so that I won't make any glaring mistakes.

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Estcarp

Witch World -- Ex-colonel Simon Tregath, once blackmailed into helping black marketeers during the war is in trouble. Having turned his back on the organization, he is now on the run from its best assassins. Hiding in the back alleys of New York, he runs into Dr Jorge Petronius a man with a reputation for helping people escape pursuit. Using a seat from King Arthur’s Round Table, he sends Simon into another world where the laws of nature are different and magic works. The rulers of Escarp are the Council of Witches, women of POWER. It seems that Power can only be used by virginal women. Meanwhile a race of hostile technologically advanced aliens(the Kolder) , having entered through another gate, are at war with Escarp, trying to find a way to seize their power and conquer the Witch World. Simon joins the Escarp army and teams up with a young witch whose life he had saved. Through many skirmishes and battles with the Kolder, they discover that Simon has a Power of his own, in spite of his gender. Can the witches accept magical aid from a man, and can he add enough strength to save the world?

witch.world.map.mary.hanson roberts.1986.escore

Map by Mary Hanson-Roberts ~ 1986

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View a 1986 Orlando Sentinal (FL) newspaper article about Witch World (PDF)

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Titles: (in order written)

Witch World ~ 1963

Web of the Witch World ~ 1964

Year of the Unicorn ~ 1965 ~ High Hallack Series ~ publishers in the past have numbered it #3 in the Witch World: Estcarp Series before it became the beginning of the High Hallack Series.

Three Against the Witch World ~ 1965

Warlock of the Witch World ~ 1967

Sorceress of the Witch World ~ 1968

`Ware Hawk ~ 1983

The Gate of the Cat ~ 1987

Ciara's Song ~ 1998

The Duke's Ballad ~ 2005

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The add was for the Map shown above and appeared in the rear of

Tales of the Witch World II - paperback edition

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Five of the nicest covers I have found that represent these stories. ~ JW

(From Poland)

[Witch World, Web of the Witch World, Three Against the Witch World, Warlock of the Witch World, Sorceress of the Witch World]

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Map of the Witch World by Barbi Johnson ~ 1970 ~

Included with ACE gift box of first 6 Witch World titles.

witch.world.map.ace.gift.set.barbi.1970

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High Hallack

Year of the Unicorn -- This is the most complicated Norton story, so far. Many years ago, Gillan a member of the Old Race of Estcarp was captured as a young girl by the Alizon forces who were waging war across the sea. Rescued by the Dalesmen of High Hallack , she grew up and was schooled the by the dames of Norstead Abby. Meanwhile, to defeat the Alizonders, the lords of The Dales made a pact with the Were Riders, a group of formidable fighters from the area known as The Waste. In return for the destruction of the forces of Alizon, The Dales would send 13 maidens to the Were Pack as brides. Gillan feels compelled to take the place of one of the chosen women. She has no idea about her background, but soon learns that she has "second sight" powers to see through some illusions. The Were Riders were, in truth, from another world and were trying to get back to the gate to go home. The brides were paired with Riders through a choosing of ensorceled cloaks. Gillan chose Herell, the least respected of the Pack. There ensued dissension in the ranks and all sorts of sabotage and skuldugery aimed against the couple. All the trials and tribulations, sorcery and malignant forces that Gillan must face to fulfill her destiny make one wonder if Andre didn't like Gillan. The book starts out fairly slow, but picks up to a break-neck pace in the final chapters.

Map by Mary Hanson-Roberts ~ 1986

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Titles: (in order written)

Year of the Unicorn ~ 1965 ~ Also sometimes considered #3 in the Estcarp Series

The Crystal Gryphon ~ 1972 ~ Also considered #1 in the Gryphon Series

The Jargoon Pard ~ 1974 ~ Sequal to Year of the Unicorn

Zarsthor’s Bane ~ 1978

Gryphon in Glory ~ 1981 ~ Also considered #2 in the Gryphon Series

Horn Crown ~ 1981 ~ Also considered a prequel novel that takes place long before Witch World

Gryphon's Eyrie ~ 1984 ~ Also Considered #3 in the Gryphon Series

Songsmith ~ 1992 ~ see note below

Silver May Tarnish ~ 2005

Note; "Songsmith" takes place in both the western continent & the eastern one and is a sequal not only to the "Gryphon trilogy" but also to "Ware Hawk" so it doesn't really belong in the "High Hallck" section exclusively but takes place between "The Turning trilogy" and the "Secrets of the Witch World trilogy" and could go there.

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Set of three stationary cards created for Andre Norton Ltd. ~ by Mary Hanson-Roberts

The White one was never produced, this must be a draft for it is the only one that anyone knows of.

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Andre's walking cane.

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The Turning & Secrets of the Witch World

The three books of The Turning contain special introductions titled The Chronicler by Andre Norton.

Titles: (in order written)

The Turning

Storms of Victory ~ 1991

Port of Dead Ships by Andre Norton and Seakeep by Pauline M. Griffin

Flight of Vengeance ~ 1992

Exile by Mary H. Schaub and Falcon Hope by Pauline M. Griffin

On Wings of Magic ~ 1994

Falcon Magic by Sasha Miller and We the Women by Patricia Mathews

Secrets of the Witch World

The Key of the Keplian ~ 1995 with Lyn McConchie

The Magestone ~ 1996 with Mary H. Schaub

The Warding of Witch World ~ 1996

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Short Stories of Witch World

by Andre Norton

Note: Eartborne, Falcon Blood, Sand Sister, Spider Silk and the 3 Trey of Swords stories (Sword of Ice, Sword of Lost Battles and Sword of Shadow) take place in Estcarp (the eastern continent).

The remainder of the stories take place in High Hallack (the western continent).

NOTE: For titles within the "Witch World Saga" NOT by Andre Norton - See: The Sorcerer's Conspectus

Titles: (in Alpha. order)

Amber Out of Quayth ~ 1972 ~ Novelette

Changeling ~ 1980 ~ Novelette

Dragon Scale Silver ~ 1972 ~ Novella

Dream Smith ~ 1972

Earthborne ~ 2004

Falcon Blood ~ 1979

Legacy from Sorn Fen ~ 1972

Of the Shaping of Ulm's Heir ~ 1987

One Spell Wizard ~ 1972

Sand Sister ~ 1979 ~ Novella

Spider Silk ~ 1976 ~ Novelette

Sword of Ice ~ 1977 ~ Novella

Sword of Lost Battles ~ 1977 ~ Novella

Sword of Shadow ~ 1977 ~ Novella

Sword of Unbelief ~ 1977 ~ Novelette

The Toads of Grimmerdale ~ 1973 ~ Novella

Ully the Piper ~ 1970

The Way Wind ~ 1995 ~ Novelette

Were-Wrath ~ 1984 ~ Novelette

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Witch World Anthologies

Spell of the Witch World ~ Rodney Matthews

Titles: (in order written)

Spell of the Witch World ~ 1972 [sometimes #3 in High Hallack Series]

Trey of Swords ~ 1977 [sometimes #6 in Estcarp Series]

Lore of the Witch World ~ 1980

Tales of the Witch World 1 ~ 1987

Four from the Witch World ~ 1988

Tales of the Witch World 2 ~ 1989

Tales of the Witch World 3 ~ 1990

"Four from the Witch World" and the 3 "Tales of the Witch World" books contain stories by friends of Andre's. ~ For more on each of those short stories see The Sorcerer's Conspectus.

estcarp8

Trey of Swords ~ Rodney Matthews

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Omnibus Editions

Witch World ~ Rodney Matthews

Titles:

Annals of the Witch World (aka) The Gates to Witch World and Witch World Saga 1-3
- Contains: Witch World, Web of the Witch World and Year of the Unicorn

Chronicles of the Witch World (aka) Lost Lands of Witch World
- Contains: Three Against the Witch World, Warlock of the Witch World and Sorceress of the Witch World

Secrets of the Witch World
- Contains: The Key of the Keplain, The Magestone and The Warding of Witch World

Witch World: Swords and Spells (aka) Witch World Estcarp Cycle
- Contains: Trey of Swords, Ware Hawk and The Gate of the Cat

Witch World High Hallack Cycle
- Contains: The Crystal Gryphon, Gryphon in Glory, Horn Crown, The Jargoon Pard and Zarsthors Bane

Note: Secrets of the Witch World, Witch World Estcarp Cycle, Witch World High Hallack Cycle and Witch World Saga are Digital Media Only

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Coulson's Index

Compiled by Juanita Coulson (1996)
Commissioned by Andre Norton for the writing of
“The Warding of Witch World”

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Web of the Witch World ~ Rodney Matthews

In the Early 1990s Andre was going to write Warding of Witch World. The Witch World Saga had reached such a size that she really had a hard time keeping it all in her mind. Andre did not have the time to reread all the Witch World books because of other projects. So she commissioned Jaunita Coulson to read all the books and create this document. Jaunita called it an index. Andre used it to produce Warding of the Witch World and then stuck it away, it ended up in the archives of Texas A&M University.

It is reproduced here under permission of the Andre Norton Estate. The original document was created and archived in two parts. We have reformated and edited it some to fit this website but for the most part it is reproduced as it was created.

Coulson's Index pt. 1 - Table of Contents
Coulson's Index pt. 2 - Section I General Info
Coulson's Index pt. 3 - Section II Miscellaneous
Coulson's Index pt. 4 - Section III Title Listings
Coulson's Index pt. 5 - Titles A > F
Coulson's Index pt. 6 - Titles G > M
Coulson's Index pt. 7 - Titles N > S
Coulson's Index pt. 8 - Titles T > We
Coulson's Index pt. 9 - Titles Wh > Z