The Warding of Witch World (Secrets of the Witch World, Vol 3) [Hardcover]

Andre Norton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1996 | Series: Secrets of the Witch World, Vol 3

When an uncontrollable burst of magic opens a gateway to Witch World, the witches of Estcarp and the scholars of Lormt struggle to seal the gateways to prevent the entrance of dark invaders.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Though Norton (Elvenblood), born in 1912, often writes with a collaborator now, she flies solo in what's billed as the final entry in her most popular and acclaimed series, which began 33 years ago with the novel Witch World. When Alizondern nobles throw open the Gates to other worlds, allowing evil free access to the four corners of the Witch World globe, it is only through the combined heroic actions of all of the planet's disparate and uneasily allied forces of Light that its inhabitants may manage to save themselves. The novel ties together stories from the lives of many previously established characters, including Simon Tregarth, Destree, Jaelithe, the Keplian Mares, the Falconers and the Lady Frost. It also introduces a host of newcomers, such as Liara of Alizondern, who strives to right the tragedy her people have set in motion; Gruck, an otherworldly guardian from beyond the Gates who becomes companion to Destree; and Audha, a talented Sulcar girl who holds the key to Witch World's continued survival. The narrative interweaves various magical battles with a passionate striving for morality and good. Though the patchwork nature of the writing makes for an uneven read, readers already invested in this fabulous world and its enchanted characters should relish this last act in one of fantasy's most enduring spectacles.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In this final "Witch World" novel, various characters from the series' books join together to use their magic to close the breaches between their world and the invading dark forces. Highly recommended for fantasy collections to complete the series.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 560 pages
• Publisher: Warner Books; 1ST edition (October 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 044651991X
• ISBN-13: 978-0446519915
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,000,484 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars All of my Favorite Witch World Characters Finally Meet, July 12, 2000

By 

E. A. Lovitt "starmoth" (Gladwin, MI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Warding of Witch World (Secrets of the Witch World) (Mass Market Paperback)

All of my favorite characters from all of Andre Norton's previous 'Witch World' volumes meet in this volume. I've read all of her previous (solo) Witch World volumes at least three times each, and my very favorites, probably nine or ten times (the first four WW novels plus 'Year of the Unicorn'). Therefore, I feel qualified to comment on Norton's use of her previously developed characters in this volume. They came across as wooden: like someone had found a set of puppets in an old trunk in the attic, dusted them off, and strutted them across a very familiar stage. I was disappointed (to say in the least). Here were all of my old friends, together at last, and acting as though they would really rather be somewhere else.

However, even if I'd known in advance that I was going to be disappointed, I still would have read the book, just to find out how Hilarion, Simon Tregarth and his family, and the Were-riders were getting along. All of you real Witch World fans will have to do the same. Buy the book. Read it. Bid Witch World 'Hail and Farewell'.

More unsolicited advice for old Norton fans: Don't buy any of the imitation Witch Worlds that were authored by collaborators, even if Norton's name appears on the cover. No matter how good the writing, it's not Norton and it's not Witch World.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Editor, please?, June 3, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Warding of Witch World (Secrets of the Witch World) (Mass Market Paperback)

I, too, had suspicions that Norton was not the sole author of this book. Or at least, she didn't reread a lot of her previous stuff when she wrote it, because discrepancies abound. There are names misspelt (Joison?), people's appearances and coloring change, changing backstories, etc. etc. Some things were just plain inaccurate. For instance, Kethan says that he and Aylinn are not related by blood, when in fact they are cousins, according to "The Jargoon Pard". And in that book, his nature gifts were read as "Magician" where here he is Warrior. And so forth. We don't get much backstory on Firdun and Uta, either. It feels rushed, and repetitive. There are still some good things, though, and it is a must-read, I guess, for fans. But doesn't she have an editor? A lot of the mistakes could have been caught at the editing stage, and the carelessness looks like indifference to the fans of the books.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb! traditionmal Andre Norton quqlity, July 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Warding of Witch World (Secrets of the Witch World) (Mass Market Paperback)

To critique an Andre Norton book, one must critique Ms. Norton. She is a most remarkable and compassionate woman, the very finast of story tellers ( every sentence and page are action-filled with no "apologetic"explanmatory paragraphs that insult the reader's intelligence and delay the plot; every page continues the plot with no meandering and, Ms. Norton knows how to end a story. It crescendos to the end; it does not dribble. She, and the 100+ books she has solo-authored aremagnificent.Ward of the Witch World continues this tradition. Most all the characters and locations from other epics are brought together, and there are at least three separate tales combined; a feast for the Witch-World lover. The characters are well vexposed, internally and externally. Thwew is perhaps more "spirituality" accorded to them but it does not slow the plot pace. Each sentence is so packed with the explanmatory verbs, adjectives and gerunds. New is the flavor of romanmce between several of her characters; not awkwardly as some of her co-authors have attempted, but "neatly". Also, there are still threads left untied, hopefully allowing for further Witch Word stories.