The Crystal Gryphon (Mass Market Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

Full dress Andre Norton adventure, set in the kingdom of Ulm where the hooved hero Kerovan - cursed at once by his mother's evil magic and his father's uncertain ancestry - fights to defend his land from the attacks of metal monsters (tanks?) and secure his place on the throne despite the scheming of his mother's relatives. In alternate chapters, his as yet unclaimed bride Joisan tells of her escape from the invaders with the help of Kerovan's gift - a radiant (radioactive?) crystal gryphon - and of her eventual acceptance of Kerovan, whom she at first mistakes for one of the Old Ones. All this adds up to more intrigue and spells and pseudo-medieval dialogue than such expressionless protagonists can support. One would like to know more about the past/ present world of Ulm, but a little less plot and some evidence that the author possesses a sense of humor would have made Kerovan more fully human. (Kirkus Reviews) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

For well over a half century, Andre Norton has been one of the most popular science fiction and fantasy authors in the world. Since her first SF novels were published in the 1940s, her adventure SF has enthralled readers young and old. With series such as Time Traders, Solar Queen, Forerunner, Beast Master, Crosstime, and Janus, as well as many stand-alone novels, her tales of action and adventure throughout the galaxy have drawn countless readers to science fiction.

Her fantasy, including the best-selling Witch World series, her "Magic" series, and many other unrelated novels, has been popular with readers for decades. Lauded as a Grand Master by the Science Fiction Writers of America, she is the recipient of a Life Achievement Award from the World Fantasy Convention. Not only have her books been enormously popular; she also has inspired several generations of SF and fantasy writers, especially many talented women writers who have followed in her footsteps. In the past two decades she has worked with other writers on a number of novels. Most notable among these are collaborations with Mercedes Lackey, the Halfblood Chronicles, as well as collaborations with A.C. Crispin (in the Witch World series) and Sherwood Smith (in the Time Traders and Solar Queen series). An Ohio native, Ms. Norton lived for a number of years in Winter Park, Florida, and now makes her home in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where she continues to write, and presides over High Hallack, a writers' resource and retreat.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books (July 15, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812547381
• ISBN-13: 978-0812547382
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #396,423 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great addition to the High Hallack cycle of Witch World, November 10, 2002

By	E. A. Lovitt "starmoth" (Gladwin, MI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Crystal Gryphon (Library Binding)

"The Crystal Gryphon" is one of my favorite Witch World novels among the many five-star fantasies in this series by Lifetime Grand Master of Fantasy, Andre Norton (Alice Mary North). Like "Year of the Unicorn," 'Gryphon' takes place in the Dales and wastelands of High Hallack, as opposed to Norton's original Witch World settings of Estcarp and Escore, where Simon Tregarth and his family did battle with out-worlders and evil magic.

The story alternates between Kerovan, lord-heir in Ulmsdale of High Hallack, and Joisan, high-born maid of Ithkrypt in Ithdale of High Hallack, who is wedded to Kerovan by proxy when she is only eight. At first, there are few changes to her life as she will remain with her own kin until of suitable age:

....

It is so easy to get caught up in Norton's fantasy world. She puts her reader right into the midst of the feasting, mayhem, and magic. It's almost like being set down into the midst of a medieval Book of Hours.

Speaking of magic, when Kerovan's mother was about to give birth to him, she was forced to take shelter in a ruin of the mysterious Old Ones. She was rumored to be of the Old Race herself, and Kerovan was born with hooves instead of normal, human feet. His eyes were the color of butter amber.

Kerovan and Joisan grow up separately, having never met although they are married, and then their world is torn asunder by a strange invasion from the sea (see the original Witch World cycle for more detail about these invaders and their crawling, flame-shooting machines). In the Year of the Moss Wife, when Joisan should have gone to Ulmsdale to take up her wifely duties, she instead learns how to wear mail and wield a light sword. She wears a tiny gryphon in a crystal globe under her mail--a gift from her unknown fiancé.

Meanwhile Kerovan has problems of his own. The keep at Ulmsdale is betrayed to the invaders and he must make his way across the war-torn Dales to Joisan, whose own home has been destroyed. When he finally finds her, she mistakes him for one of the mysterious Old Ones because of his physical peculiarities.

How Kerovan and Joisan gradually come to regard each other, and how they attempt to defeat the dark magic that is arrayed against them forms the main story-line of this wonderful, but incomplete fantasy.

There are two sequels to "The Crystal Gryphon" (1972): "Gryphon in Glory" (1981); and "Gryphon's Eyrie" (1984, written with A. C. Crispin). None of Norton's co-authored books are as good as the ones she wrote by herself, but this is a series that is well worth following to the end.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the finest from one of the finest, September 14, 2005

By	David C. Hill "*** Dave" (Centennial, CO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

One of Norton's finest fantasy novels, from her Witch World/High Hallack series. Having read this when it was new and I was young, I may have "impressed" on it like a baby chick, but this tale of the war- and magic-crossed protagonists, one a noble maiden who seeks her independence, the other the magically mutated scion of another duchy, still resonates with me. How they face prejudice, betrayal, war, and other Shakespearean-class plot complications continues to appeal.

I recently purchased a second-hand hardcover edition of this, to make up for my worn-to-falling-apart paperback. It's a pity it's out of print.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best three books of the Witch World series, December 17, 1998

By A Customer

This book, along with the other two 'Gryphon' books, rank as my favorite fantasy books of all time. The worst thing about this whole series is the name 'Witch World'. If you can get by that, you are in for a great time.