Zarsthor’s Bane

~ 4th Novel in the Witch World: High Hallack Series by Andre Norton

zarsthors bane 1978 95490 1

 

Synopsis ~

Write from an old Amazon.com posting ~

It bound them all in a mystic web of ancient peril: the man whose madness drove him to seek it; the boy who followed him; the girl and her cat who crossed their path in the wild and lonely reaches of High Hallack - and the host of spirits waiting in lost An-Yak for the final confrontation of magic with magic, power with power. Brixia, who was once the lady of a Hall in High Hallack now hunts and scavenges the deserted, post-invasion farmland of the Dales. Her only companion is the cat Uta. Brixia and Uta are drawn into Waste where Light and Dark Magic still exist, on a search for Zarsthor's Bane. Brixia discovers a place of Green Magic while under attack by one of the many loathsome packs of creatures that inhabit the Waste. Ultimately, she rescues her companions (a wounded lord and his squire), but not before Brixia survives combat between the forces of Light and Dark.

 

Write-up from the back of the paperback editions ~

It bound them all in a mystic web of ancient peril: the man whose madness drove him to seek it; the boy who followed him; the girl and her cat who crossed their path in the wild and lonely reaches of High Hallack - and the host of spirits waiting in lost An-Yak for the final confrontation of magic with magic, power with power…
Hauntingly illustrated by Evan TenBroeck Steadman!

 

Write-up from a fan ~

Profusely illustrated by Evan Ten-Broeck Steadman, it borders on a horror story. The wars are over in High Hallack and Brixia, last survivor of the House of Torgus when the invaders razed her dale. Wandering with only a cat for companionship and scavenging for the means to survive, she comes across a young man, Dwed and his master, the dazed and confused Lord Marbon from Eggarsdale, a man obsessed on locating Zarsthor's Bane a talisman of great power and an heirloom of his house. They travel for a while together but get split up and Brixia feels compelled to follow the other three. She suffers many hardships and encounters many nightmarish creatures on the way, but she finds great aid in an unexpected place and form. Lessons learned from her wise woman nurse maid come in handy in day-to-day survival and she learns that she is stronger than she thought when she at last catches up with the three. A fast read, the many pictures help in the flow of the story. I had forgotten how good this book is. If you want to find out exactly what the Bane is and its final fate, read the book. ~ PG

 

Reviews ~

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

1979 by Algis J. Budrys in Booklist, April 01
1979 by H. Flick Jr. in Kliatt Young Adult Paperback Book Guide, April
1979 by C. Newman in Voice of Youth Advocates, April
1979 by Don D'Ammassa in Thrust #12 (fnz), Summer
1981 by Mark Willard in Science Fiction Review #41 (fnz), Winter
2017 by Judith Tarr

 

Bibliography of English Editions ~

  • (1978) Published by ACE, PB, 0-441-95490-1, $1.95, 204pg - #95491-X 1981 $2.50 204pg - covers by Manuel Sanjulian, illustrated by Evan TenBroeck Steadman ~ #95491-X 1983 $2.50 204pg - #95492-8 1984 $2.50 204pg - #95493-6 1986 $2.75 204pg - #95493-6 1989 $3.50 204pg - covers by John Pound

#95491-X has two printings for this ACE Number series, one with the Manuel Sanjulian cover and one with the John Pound cover.

  • (2012) Published by Premier Digital Publishing, eISBN 978-1-937957-61-2, DM, $3.99, 190pg ~ cover by Kib Prestridge
  • (2014) Published by Open Road Media, eISBN 978-1-497657-11-3, DM, $3.99, 204pg ~ cover by Kib Prestridge ~ re-released in 2017 with new cover-art by Ian Kovia

 

Non-English Editions ~

  • (1981) Published in Rastatt, Germany; by Pabel, Terra Fantasy 82, DM4.80, 161pg ~ translated by Susi-Maria Rödiger ~ cover by Angelo Boog ~ German title Die Macht der Hexenwelt [The power of the witch world]
  • (1991) Published in Warsaw, Poland; by Amber, 83-854-2307-9, 176pg ~ translated by Monika Ziemkiewicz ~ cover by Boris Vallejo ~ Polsh title Klątwa Zarsthora [The Curse of the Zarsthora]

 

Russian Omnibus Editions ~

  • (1994) Published in Zelenograd, by Zelenogradskaya Books, 5-836-14024-0, HC, 382pg ~ cover by D. Avvakumov ~ Russian title Грифон торжествует [Gryphon in Glory]

Contains:

    • "Gryphon in Glory" as "Griffin triumphs" ~ translation by D. Saveliev & J. Saveliev, pp. 3-254
    • "Zarsthor's Bane" as "Treasure of Zarstor" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 255-380

 

  • (2001) Published in Moscow, by AST and St. Petersburg, by Terra Fantastica, 5-170-07078-0 and 5-792-10403-4, HC, 640pg ~ Russian title Преданья колдовского мира. Гнев оборотня. Сокровище Зарстора. [Traditions of the Witching World. Wrath of the werewolf. Zarstor's Treasure]

Contains:

    • "Lore of the Witch World" as "Traditions of the Witching World"
      • "Spider Silk" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 7-62
      • "Sand Sister" as "Sand Sisters" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 63-129
      • "Falcon Blood" as "Blood of the Falcon" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 130-152
      • "Legacy from Sorn Fen" as "The inheritance of the Sorn bog" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 153-167
      • "Sword of Unbelief" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 168-210
      • "The Toads of Grimmerdale" as "Grimmerdale Toads" ~ translation by N. Mikhailov, pp. 211-324
      • "Changerling" as " The changeling" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 285-324
    • "Were-Wrath" as "Wrath of the Werewolf" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, p. 325-372
    • "Zarsthor's Bane" as "Treasure of Zarstor" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, p. 373-538
    • History of the Witching World (reference materials), p. 539-635

 

  • (2021) Published in Moscow, by Azbuka-Atticus, HC, 978-538-91915-25; 608pg ~ cover by E. Salamashenko ~ Russian title Колдовской мир. Тайны Колдовского мира [The Witch's World. Secrets of the Witchcraft World] limited to 4000 copies

Contains:

    • "The Jargoon Pard" as "Magic belt" ~ translation by G. Solovyova, pp. 5-166
    • "Zarsthor's Bane" as "The Curse of Zarstor" ~ translation by G. Solovyova, pp. 167-290
    • "Lore of the Witch World" as "Secrets of the Witchcraft World"
      • "Spider Silk" as "Spider silk" ~ translation by by G. Solovyova, pp. 293-334
      • "Sand Sister" as "Sand Sisters" ~ translation by by G. Solovyova, pp. 335-383
      • "Falcon Blood" as "Falcon Blood" ~ translation by by G. Solovyova, pp. 384-400
      • "Legacy from Sorn Fen" as "The Legacy of the Thorn Quagmires" ~ translation by G. Solovyova, pp. 401-411
      • "Sword of Unbelief" as "Sword of Disbelief" ~ translation by by G. Solovyova, pp. 412-442
      • "The Toads of Grimmerdale" as "Grimmerdale Toads" ~ translation by by G. Solovyova, pp. 443-497
      • "Changeling" ~ translation by by G. Solovyova, pp. 498-526
    • "Ully the Piper" as "Ully-piper" ~ translation by by G. Solovyova, pp. 527-537
    • "One Spell Wizard" as "The Talentless Mage" ~ translation by G. Solovyova, pp. 538-551
    • "Were-Wrath" as "Werewolf's Wrath" ~ translation by G. Solovyova, pp. 552-584
    • "Earthborn" as "Daughter of the Earth" ~ translation by G. Solovyova, pp. 585-605

 

Ukrainian Omnibus Editions ~

  • (2010) Published in Kyiv, Ukraine by Globe, (Fanzine) ~ 784pgs. ~ cover by Rodney Matthews ~ Ukrainian title Колдовской мир-4 [Sorcerer's World -4] ~ Limited to 10 copies and not released until November 2018

Contains:

    • "The Jargoon Pard" as "A leopard belt" ~ translation by K. Prilypko, pp. 5-149
    • "Zarsthor's Bane" as "The Curse of Zarstor" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 151-247
    • "Were-Wrath" as "Wrath of the Werewolf" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 249-277
    • "One Spell Wizard" as "Mediocre magician" ~ translation by E. Drozd, pp. 279-295
    • "Lore of the Witch World" as "Traditions of the Witching World"
      • "Spider Silk" as "Spider silk" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 299-332
      • "Sand Sister" as "Sand Sisters" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 333-372
      • "Falcon Blood" as "Blood of the Falcon" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 373-386
      • "Legacy from Sorn Fen" as "The inheritance of the Sorn bog" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 387-395
      • "Sword of Unbelief" as "Sword of Disbelief" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 396-421
      • "The Toads of Grimmerdale" as "Grimmerdale Toads" ~ translation by K. Korolyov, pp. 422-465
      • "Changeling" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 466-489
    • "The Turning" as "The Consequences of the Great Shift"
      • "Port of Dead Ships" as "Port of the dead ships" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 491-636
      • "Seakeep" by Pauline Griffin as "Sea Fortress" ~ translation by D. Arseniev, pp. 637-781

View the 1986 ACE Contract

View the 2001 Russian contract

See Also: The Sorcerer's Conspectus entry for this title.

For information on editions currently available visit the Book Store

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://andre-norton.com/works-of-a-master/series-of-a-master/the-witch-world-saga/353-zarsthor-s-bane#sigProId225c79a7d4

Interior Illustrations;

View the embedded image gallery online at:
https://andre-norton.com/works-of-a-master/series-of-a-master/the-witch-world-saga/353-zarsthor-s-bane#sigProIdb9f0ce15a4

 

 

Open menu