Customer Reviews

Web of the Witch World (Witch World #2)

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"Web of the Witch World" (WWW - 1964) is the sequel to "Witch World" (WW) and continues the story of Simon Tregarth, the soldier who was transported from post World War II Earth to Estcarp, and fell in love with 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.

The aliens have tanks and mind-control devices, but Estcarp has witches.

In WWW, 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 the 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.

WWW is a book of battles as well as a continuation of the love stories of Simon and Jaelithe, plus pale Loyse and the sea-faring Koris of Gorm. The plot is complicated and exceptionally bloody for one of Norton's novels, but she weaves most of the plot together in the end--leaving just enough unfinished business with Alizon, the sea-faring Sulcar, Karsten, and Estcarp to bewitch the reader through many more novels.

Originally, Norton intended to make Witch World live for only one book. But she says, "once [Witch World} was finished I was plagued by more and more questions that arose in my own mind about the past, present and future of that world."

As the Witch World books continued, they became less and less technical and more and more magical. In fact, WWW is the last of the series with a really technical theme. The trilogy that follows WW and WWW ("Three Against the Witch World" (1965), "Warlock of the Witch World" (1967) and "Sorceress of the Witch World" (1968)) is entirely fantastical, and contains some of Norton's best writing.

The late Andre Norton was a powerful mythmaker and world-builder, and her fantasies concerning the Tregarths do not suffer in comparison with Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea books. In fact, my own personal preference is for Norton's Witch World.

Web of Witch World (1964) is the second fantasy novel in the Witch World series, following Witch World. In the previous volume, the Witches played a game of power against their enemies. Then their armed forces landed on Gorm. But they only found one live Kolder within Siddar.

Afterward, Koris refused the title of Lord Defender of Gorm. Loyse of Verlaine declared her unsuitability to Koris. And the Witch Guardian presented her name to Simon.

In this novel, Simon Tregarth is a man from another world, fleeing from his enemies into the Witch World. He has married a witch of Estcarp and has some such powers of his own.

Jaelithe was a Witch and Guardian of Estcarp. Yet she is now Simon's wife. She has relinquished her gem, but still has power, particularly in partnership with Simon.

Koris is a young man from Gorm. His mother was from Tormarsh and he is misshaped by Gorm standards. He is now the Marshal of Estcar and carries the Ax of Volt, an ancient bird-god.

Loyse of Verlaine is a young woman who dresses for war. She is now betrothed to Koris.

In this story, 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.

This tale unites Simon with Loyse, but then the Kolder capture them. They are taken far from Estcarp in a Kolder submarine. Still, Jaelithe stays in contact with them as they travel.

The story breaks the Kolder influence within the Witch World. The next volume -- Year of the Unicorn -- shifts to another locale in the same world. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Norton fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of ritual magic, armed combat, and true romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

This book was a great sequal to the novel Witch World because it continues Simon Tergarth's journey and trials in the Witch World. If you read the first book then you have to continue on the journey with all of our favorite characters and find out how it will end...Do the witches accept Simon and his powers finally or do they still ignore them? Only by reading this great novel will you find out!!