Customer Reviews

The Gates to Witch World

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1 star:		(2)

 

 

The first Witch World novel was published in 1963 so this book almost marks the 40th anniversary.

In her Introduction, C. J. Cherryh refers to Norton's Witch World novels as "the good stuff". She is right. I am so pleased to have this omnibus collection of the three seminal Witch World novels although it can never replace my tattered old Ace paperbacks with the Jack Gaughin covers. It even felt a little odd to be reading clear text (minus some of the typos that Ace was notorious for) on a white page instead of the yellowing pages of the acidic paper of these old books.

However, I found myself just as caught up in the story of Simon Tregarth, the tarnished war hero who stepped through a gate ahead of an assassin into the world of Jaelithe, the Witch of Escarp, as I have ever been. The story of these two who fight, along with Koris of Gorm and Loyse of Verlaine, to try to preserve the ancient world of Escarp from the advance of the Kolder, is played out against a vivid background of cultures such as the Falconers, who value their hawks far more than their women; the Sulcar, valient seagoers; and last but not least the matriachal Witches who rule the land of Escarp through the power of the jewels and their minds.

The third book is Year of the Unicorn. It is set in High Hallack, a land of dales and small holdings. High Hallack has been torn by war with Alizon from overseas. This story is set after the war has been won when the Dalesmen are faced with meeting a bargain they made during their most desperate hours with a people they feared, the Were riders.

The premise is the barter of 13 brides for the services of the Were Riders against the hounds of Alizon. The heoine is Gillian, who also came from overseas on an Alizon ship as a child, but not of Alizon. The hero is Herrel who does not fit into the mould of his kinsmen and thus has suffered all his life as an outsider in a very close knit group.

Published in the 60's these books have not aged a bit and are as fresh as the first time I picked them up.

"The Gates to Witch World" combines the first three published Witch World novels of Andre Norton. The first two concern the adventures of Simon Tregarth, and the third, "Year of the Unicorn" is a stand-alone fantasy set in the Dales of High Hallack.

As the first fantasy, "Witch World" (1963) begins, Simon Tregarth, who worked his way up to Lieutenant-Colonel on the battlefields of World War II, is a hunted man, unjustly cashiered from the U.S. Army for dealing in the post-war blackmarket. Since Simon had been labeled as a crook, he figured he might as well play the game.

After seven years in the underworld, surrounded by his enemies and a gunshot away from death, Simon treats himself to a decent last meal (Andre Norton heroes and heroines NEVER whine. They assess the odds, then keep on slogging). Enter the mysterious Doctor Petronius who persuades Simon that he has nothing to lose by vanishing from his enemies' gunsights through the Siege Perilous, a Cornish megalith that is rumored to be a gate to other worlds. Simon leaves the restaurant with Petronius, almost positive that he is walking into a trap. Instead of the bullet he is expecting, our hero is transported to the foggy moors of a new world.

The action doesn't let up. The first thing Simon does is rescue a witch from a nasty bunch of snake-headed dogs and hunters (we don't learn the witch's name until the very end of the book). The next thing he knows, he's embroiled in a war where the good guys appear to be losing.

Simon allies himself with "a tall, proud-walking race with...the carriage of rulers and an odd weight of years upon them." His new home, medieval Estcarp is a matriarchate, ruled by witches, whose powers depend on their continuing virginity.

Nevertheless, Simon falls in love with the witch he rescued.

The enemies that he and Estcarp must confront have invaded Witch World via a gate similar to the Siege Perilous. The alien Kolder are technically advanced, with submarines and mind-control devices that they use to command their zombie soldiers.

Estcarp's only allies are the Sulcarmen, seafaring warriors and traders who lose their main port of Gorm to the Kolder. Simon, his friend Koris of Gorm, the witch he rescued from the Hounds of Alizon, and a youthful soldier called 'Briant' tread the mysterious byways of Estcarp and its warring neighbors, in an attempt to track down and destroy the technically superior aliens.

"Web of the Witch World" (WWW - 1964) is the sequel to "Witch World" (WW- 1963) and continues the story of Simon Tregarth and the witch, Jaelithe. Thematically, both WW and WWW will seem very familiar to fans of the late, great Andre Norton: a conflict between technically advanced, but soulless aliens, and courageous, sword-wielding men and women, who are attempting to make one last stand against the Powers of Evil.

Simon Tregarth and his witch-wife, Jaelithe once again find themselves in combat with the alien Kolder, who invaded Witch World through a gateway from their own dying planet. The Kolder were temporarily stymied in WW, but Simon and his fellow warriors know that they must somehow close the gate between worlds before there will truly be an end to the alien evil.

Witch-ruled Estcarp must do battle with her own neighbors as well as the aliens. Yvian of Karsten declares open war against the witches, and they in turn believe that he has somehow been tainted by the Kolder. The Hounds of Alizon, seething with hatred against all things magical must also be tamed.

The third fantasy, "Year of the Unicorn" (1965) is a grand adventure, a love story, a coming-of-age novel set like a jewel amidst the fantastical Dark and Light of Norton's Witch World. `Unicorn' veers away from the `mainstream' Witch World adventures of the Tregarth family, but it is perfect in its own setting: the Wastes and Dales of High Hallack.

Each setting, each character is illuminated with clear description and color, like scenes from a medieval Book of Hours. Even though I first read this book in 1965, I can still close my eyes and see Gillan and the ancient Dame Alousan gathering herbs in the high-walled garden of Norstead Abbey. I can see the twelve and one high-born maids riding forth from the Abbey - the twelve and one maids who were promised as brides to the Were-riders of the Waste.

The heroine, Gillan realizes that she is not meant for the quiet life of her vowed companions. She possesses a magic that is forbidden to the goodly Dames, and a restless curiosity that is stifled behind the stone walls of the Abbey. And so she rides forth, disguised as the bride who had threatened to kill herself rather than marry a Were-rider. In order to survive, Gillan must rely on her unschooled magic to separate illusion from reality, and true love from the snarling masks of the Were Pack.

Lifetime Grand Master of Fantasy, Andre Norton built well. There are 35 Witch World (WW) fantasies, and the count is probably still rising even though this author passed away on March 17, 2005. Many of the later WW novels were collaborations, and it wouldn't surprise me if her co-authors attempt to live on in the world that the Grand Master created. I wish them well, but so far they have not managed to penetrate the brilliantly weird landscapes of Andre Norton's imagination.

If you like fantasy and are not acquainted with the works of Andre Norton, then this is an excellent starting point. Believable, heroic characters and a well thought-out "Witch World" combine to make for an enjoyable read. Simon Tregarth is transported through a mysterious gate into a world populated by people and other things not people. A struggle goes on between good and evil, and it's not clear who is winning. (But, we know who wins in the end - "good", of course.) The style of writing - more of a story that unfolds as it is read - is one strength that characterizes her writings. That, and the fascinating settings, imaginative perils faced, and strong likable characters make this a "must read". This is a refreshing hard-to-put-down story. It does not suffer from the typical overinflated, overwordy, overcomplicated, and overcharacterized (and lifeless) features of the usual fantasy megathon offered today.

"Witch World". Of Cornish descent, court-martialed former US Army Colonel Simon Tregarth seems on a path to certain death due to his recent activities when he meets Dr. Petronius. The odd doctor introduces the desperate American to the world of his Cornish ancestors, which enable Simon to escape his earthly fate through the gate to Witch World. However, Simon quickly lands in a war against the powerful Kolder, who makes the Nazis look like pre-school children.

"Web of the Witch World". The Kolder continues to menace Simon and the witches he has vowed to keep safe, but the coven he wants to protect seems reluctant to accept him. To save his brave new world, Simon and a witch must journey to their enemy's stronghold and accomplish the impossible by defeating the Kolder in their home turf.

"Year of the Unicorn". In far removed from the war Norsdale, a bored Gillan obtains what she always desired, but soon learns that wishes that come true might not be what one really wants in life. Now she is embroiled in an adventure of a lifetime that probably means certain death for her unless she can enable the power within her to come alive.

THE GATES TO WITCH WORLD is a compilation of three of the best science fiction novels of the twentieth century. These books deservedly made Andre Norton a household name in the early sixties and yet the tales retain the freshness that enthralled readers then and will fascinate a new audience with its exciting plots and engaging characters.

Harriet Klausner

If you are a Norton fan planning to buy this book in the Kindle edition, be aware that when it was put into Kindle format, it was very hastily done, with no proofreading. I have read through Witch World (the first volume in the collection), and the ending and beginning of each chapter was scrambled. That is, you read to the end of Chapter 4, and the last few paragraphs are actually the first few paragraphs of Chapter 5. Then, the first few paragraphs of Chapter 5 are the last few paragraphs of Chapter 4. I think this happens with every chapter. I haven't tried reading the other volumes yet, so I don't know if the situation is the same with them. It works, more ore less, for me, since I have already ready the books, and can sort out what is happening, but it would be very confusing if you are reading it for the first time (and it is irritating in any case). I complained about this to Amazon, but they just told me to contact the publisher. I hope this hasn't happened with very many other Kindle books. The three star rating, by the way, is for the Kindle edition only; it is a classic fantasy story, and I would give the hardcover 5 stars.

A series of poorly-detailed cliche characters, awkward sentence construction, terrible plot flow and weak endings characterize the first two novels in this omnibus, and it doesn't get better. The world is crude and never properly explained, the antagonists are cartoon villains with (yet again) unexplained motivations to do evil, and the writing often repeats itself in an attempt to keep the narrative straight. This is clearly low-brow "young adult" fantasy, with none of the wit of a Fritz Leiber or the brooding passion of a Robert Howard, and is to be avoided.

I have loved these stories for years, and have read and reread them.... Every time I discover something new. One of Andre Norton's gifts was to be able to endow her characters with hope; rarely do they give in to despair, and they never stay there long.
My concern with this electronic edition is that there seems to have been less attention to copyediting than usual. Whole paragraphs are misplaced at the beginnings and ends of chapters. If I didn't already know the stories well, it would be Very Confusing.
I hope this review will prompt some editing, and a revised (corrected) version!

The Gates to Witch World (2001) is an omnibus edition containing the first three Witch World novels, including Witch World, Web of the Witch World, and Year of the Unicorn. It depicts a world of magic and menace.

Witch World (1963) is the first fantasy novel in this series. Simon Tregarth -- once a Colonel in the US Army within Occupied Europe -- had unknowingly been caught up in a black market deal. On the basis of perjured testimony, he was courtmartialed, stripped of rank, and imprisoned. When released, he became that of which he was falsely accused, a dealer in illegal merchandise.

Then his path crossed that of Hansen and now the Organization is after him. He has been on the run for some time and has left a few dead pursuers on his back trail, but is tired and sleepy. Now he faces Sammy, who is more dangerous than the others.

Tregarth stops in a restaurant to eat a pleasant last meal and is accosted therein by Doctor Jorge Petronius, who is well know in some circles as the man who can make you disappear. Petronius offers his services in exchange for whatever remains of the $20,000 brought from San Pedro.

Tregarth accompanies Petronius to an ancient little house and is told the legend of the Siege Perilous. "One takes his seat upon the Siege and before him opens that existence in which his spirit, his mind -- his soul if you wish to call it that -- is at home." At dawn, Tregarth sits on the stone and disappears from this world.

Tregarth is spilled out to sprawl face down of the thick wiry turf of a gray-green moor. Behind him are two rough pillars of reddish rock. He walks directly away from them across the soggy turf. As the sun rises, he hears a horn calling and cautiously moves in that direction.

He sees a woman pursued by thin, white hounds and then the masters riding on horses. The animals and men corner the woman and one of the men takes a weapon from a holster on his belt and raises it toward the woman. Tregarth shoots him out of the saddle.

Thus Simon Tregarth meets the Lady Jaelithe -- although he was not to learn her name for some time yet -- and is introduced to the Witches of Estcarp. He soon meets Koris, Captain of Estcarp's fighting men and Prince of lost Gorm. Together, these three battle an invasion of evil from another worldline: the Kolder.

Web of Witch World (1964) is the second fantasy novel in this series. Simon awakes with a sense of unease. He reaches for Jaelithe. Then she cries "Loyse" and they both dress to ride.

Loyse has been enspelled by some power of the Kolder. When Simon and Jaelithe reach the shore, they find a dead woman and a foreign ship far from shore. Loyse has been taken into Karsten for Duke Yvian.

Jaelithe goes to the Council of Guardians to demand the restoral of her gem. They refuse, claiming that her current powers are only a shadow of her former might. Jaelithe goes into retreat to study her new powers.

Koris rages at Loyse's captivity, but Simon counsels something other than a foredoomed raid into Karsten. He suggests an oblique approach through Verlaine. They infiltrate the hills, decoy the Verlaine forces to the shore, and enter the tower through a hidden entrance.

Then Simon finds that Fulk has something of Kolder within his mental processes. Fulk is not possessed like the Kolder dead-alive slaves, but has a Kolder presence in his mind. When cornered, he commits suicide rather than allow Simon and Koris to take him alive.

Simon, Koris and eight others from Estcarp shapechange to resemble Fulk and his people. They sail to Kars and are invited into the citadel. Other Estcarp troops infiltrate around the city.

Then the blank shields of Yvian turn against each other, seemingly upon the orders of the duke. In the fighting, Simon and Koris discover the duke dying in his chambers. And both Loyse and Yvian's mistress Aldis have left the city.

Year of the Unicorn (1965) is the third fantasy novel in this series. The Great Compact with the Were Riders -- sorcerers and shapechanges -- calls for twelve and one brides in exchange for their services. Now the war with the Alizon Hounds is over and twelve brides are selected. The brides are brought to Norstead Abbey on their way to the Were Riders.

Gillan is approached by Lady Sussia and told about the fears of Lady Marimme. When Lord Imgry informs Marimme that she will be the last bride, she has hysterics. Gillan administers a herbal infusion that will calm her and put her to sleep.

When the brides leave the Abbey, Gillan goes with them as Lady Marimme. Later, Imgry discovers the imposture and threatens her. Yet she counters with the need for the party to meet the Were Riders in the Throat of the Hawk at the agreed time.

When Imgry turns the brides over to the Were Riders, Gillan finds herself seeing double. Sometimes the camp ground seems rich and luxurious, but other times she sees it as a wasteland in winter. Then the brides are sent out to select their husbands.

The cloaks spread on the ground seem elegant, but Gillan also sees them as rather plain and marked with runes. She is attracted to one tucked away in a corner and takes it. Thus she chooses Herrel as her husband.

Herrel comes to meet her and asks what she sees. When she describes the real appearance of the cloak and himself, he tells her to try to see the illusion instead. The Riders would be angry if they discover that she is witch born.

Although the Witch World series is now considered fantasy, the first novel does not differ significantly from much of the author's science fiction. The "magic" powers of the Estcarp witches may just as well be psionic talents such as in the Warlock, Janus, and Forerunner series.

Moreover, the "magic" exists side-by-side with technology, both native to Estcarp and imported from Earth and wherever the Kolder come from. It is difficult to find anything in the first novel that isn't just as much SF as the Pern series.

This omnibus covers two parts of the Witch World: Estcarp -- and its neighbors -- and High Hallack. The next omnibus volume -- Lost Lands of Witch World -- introduces Escore and the children of Simon and Jaelithe. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Norton fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magical talents, armed conflict, and true romance.

Having the first three books in this series rolled into one was great to have. This was a great purchase and a real page turner!

Now when I spotted this book, I thought it would actually be worth reading. Yeah, right. I hate Simon. I hate him with a passion. He was a lackluster character made by a ghetto character designer trying to sell the character for a rock. I did like 'Albino Chick' as I affectionately dubbed her who was a really good character unlike some people. Mainly because she acted like a real person. This author doesn't write in an interesting fashion and it's really really sad when you skip through all the parts just to find parts with 'Albino Chick.' The plot idea was okay but you'll probably fall asleep before you finish reading it.