|
Andre (Alice) Norton, born Alice Mary Norton, is famous for her fantasy
Witch World series. She creates a place with many lands and characters and
events which interlock but can also be seen as somewhat independent.
A prolific writer first published in the 30s, Norton has, on purpose,
published at least one book
title for every letter of the alphabet. Andre Norton
got me into the science-fiction/fantasy genre when I was a younger but voracious
reader. Since then I've picked up a few used paperbacks here and there for fun
(well, okay, a lot of them),
but I haven't ever read her works with any sort of rhyme or reason.
My advice is, don't be overwhelmed. Pick a random book and evaluate it on
its own, as I did when I was younger, and if you keep reading at random you
might hit a common thread. Or, if you are picky about reading things in order,
visit the official website and find out which books go with which, pick a
series, and read from the beginning. Either way, sample the Witch World stories.
I've just read two non-sci-fi/fantasy Andre Norton books.
Iron Butterflies is the story of Amelia, an American woman who goes to
Germany to clear her grandmother's name. Her grandmother (deceased) had married
a foreign prince who had to return to his country (a principality of Germany)
and marry a princess. In America, the second marriage was not recognized; in
Germany, the first was not recognized. Now the prince is dying and sends for
Amelia.
However, Amelia discovers that there is a delicate balance of power in the
principality, and that she has become a powerless piece in a game she does not
understand. She undergoes a secret midnight visit aided by a clever, loyal
maidservant, a mock marriage, a removal to the countryside, a removal to an
ancient stone prison with secret passageways, and the ministrations of a crazed
worshipper of an old evil. Although the story is dark, it all turns out okay --
quite happily, in fact: Ameila falls in love with her protector in their escape.
Although this story is basically historical fiction, it also has elements seen
in Norton's fantasy works. The "old evil" that the protagonist encounters is
real and not real at the same time; the protagonist herself is very
practically-minded, but still fearful of her eerie surroundings.
Since I can't collect every book I've ever heard of, I've decided to draw the
line at the genre boundary. Since I'm focused on sff, I'm not going to hang on
to any Norton books that aren't. This one was okay, but I'm letting it go.
Ralestone Luck is the story of an old family struck by hard times. Rupert
and his younger siblings Richanda and Valerius have returned to the ancestral
estate in Louisiana after losing what they held of liquid family fortune. They
believe that there may be a hidden treasure on the estate that can make them
solvent. They also more or less believe that the missing ancestral sword, the
Luck, will restore their fortune -- if they can find it. When their possession
of the estate is called into question by someone claiming to be from a lost
branch of the family, they and their friendly neighbors put their heads together
to find out all they can about the secrets of the estate and the man laying
claim to it. This story is not nearly as dark as Iron Butterflies -- it's more
of a mystery story, complete with black cat, lawyers and lost papers, hidden
panels and mysterious figures in the night.
Books by Andre Norton
(O=own, R=read, E=enjoyed)
I have probably read more of these books than it looks like I have, but it was
so long ago that I do not remember which ones.
My Norton Bibliography.
JUMP TO:
|
Andre Norton's Witch World
- The Witch World (Estcarp Cycle) (O)
- The Web of the Witch World (Estcarp Cycle)
(O)
- Three Against the Witch World (Estcarp Cycle)
(O)
- Warlock of the Witch World (Estcarp Cycle)
(O)
- Sorceress of the Witch World (Estcarp Cycle)
(O)
|
 
|
- Trey of Swords (Estcarp Cycle) (O)
- 'Ware Hawk (Estcarp Cycle) (O)
- Gate of the Cat (Estcarp Cycle) (O)
|
[X] |
- Horn Crown (High Hallack Cycle) (O)
- Year of the Unicorn (High Hallack Cycle) (ORE)
- Spell of the Witch World (High Hallack Cycle)
(O)
- Jargoon Pard (High Hallack Cycle) (ORE)
- Zarsthor's Bane (High Hallack Cycle)
(O)
|
 |
- The Crystal Gryphon (High Hallack Cycle) (ORE)
- Gryphon in Glory (High Hallack Cycle)
(O)
- Gryphon's Eyrie (High Hallack Cycle)
(O)
|
|
|
|
[X] |
- Storms of Victory (ORE)
- Port of Dead Ships
- Seakeep
- Flight of Vengeance (ORE)
- On Wings of Magic (ORE)
- We, the Women
- Falcon Magic
|
 |
- The Key of the Keplian
(Secrets of the Witch World) (ORE)
- The Mage Stone
(Secrets of the Witch World) (O)
- The Warding of the Witch World
(Secrets of the Witch World) (OR)
|
[X] |
- Ciara's Song (O)
- The Duke's Ballad
- Silver May Tarnish
|
[X] |
- Tales of the Witch World 1 [a collection] (O)
- Tales of the Witch World 2 [a collection] (ORE)
- Tales of the Witch World 3 [a collection] (ORE)
- Four From the Witch World [a collection] (ORE)
- Lore of the Witch World [a collection] (O)
|
[X]
 |
|
Other Genre Fiction in Series
- To the King a Daughter (O)
(Oak, Yew, Ash, and Rowan Cycle)
- Knight or Knave
(Oak, Yew, Ash, and Rowan Cycle)
- A Crown Disowned
(Oak, Yew, Ash, and Rowan Cycle)
- Dragon Blade
(Oak, Yew, Ash, and Rowan Cycle)
|
[X] |
- The Shadow of Albion (Carolus Rex) (O)
- Leopard in Exile (Carolus Rex) (O)
|
 |
- Star Rangers = The Last Planet (Central Control) (O)
- The Last Planet = Star Rangers (Central Control) (O)
- Star Guard (Central Control) (ORE)
|
|
- The Crossroads of Time (Crosstime)
- Quest Crosstime = Crosstime Agent (Crosstime)
- Crosstime Agent = Quest Crosstime (Crosstime)
|
|
- Catseye (Dipple) (O)
- Judgment on Janus (Dipple) (O)
- Night of Masks (Dipple) (O)
- Forerunner Foray (Dipple) (ORE)
|
[X]
 |
- Storm Over Warlock (Forerunner)
- Ordeal in Otherwhere (Forerunner)
- Forerunner Foray (Forerunner) (ORE)
- Forerunner (Forerunner) (ORE)
- Forerunner: The Second Venture (Forerunner) (ORE)
|
|
- Judgment on Janus (Janus) (O)
- Victory on Janus (Janus) (O)
|
[X] |
- Moon of Three Rings (Free Traders) (ORE)
- Exiles of the Stars (Free Traders)
- Flight in Yiktor (Free Traders) (O)
- Dare to Go A-Hunting (Free Traders) (O)
|
|
- The Beast Master (Hosteen Storm)
- Lord of Thunder (Hosteen Storm) (O)
- Beast Master's Ark (Hosteen Storm)
- Beast Master's Circus (Hosteen Storm)
- Beast Master's Quest (Hosteen Storm)
|
|
- The Stars are Ours! (Pax/Astra) (O)
- Star Born (Pax/Astra) (O)
|
[X] |
- The Zero Stone (Jern Murdock) (O)
- Uncharted Stars (Jern Murdock) (O)
|
|
- The Time Traders (Ross Murdock/Time War) (ORE)
- Galactic Derelict (Ross Murdock/Time War)
- The Defiant Agents (Ross Murdock/Time War) (O)
- Key Out of Time (Ross Murdock/Time War)
- Firehand (Ross Murdock/Time War)
- Echoes in time (Ross Murdock/Time War)
- Atlantis Endgame (Ross Murdock/Time War)
|
[X] |
- Sargasso of Space (Solar Queen) (O)
- Plague Ship (Solar Queen) (O)
- Voodoo Planet (Solar Queen)
- Postmarked the Stars (Solar Queen) (O)
- Redline the Stars (Solar Queen)
- Derelict for Trade (Solar Queen) (O)
- Mind for Trade (Solar Queen) (O)
|
 |
- Quag Keep (O)
- Return to Quag Keep
|
 |
- The Elvenbane (The Halfblood Chronicles)
- Elvenblood (The Halfblood Chronicles)
- Elvenborn (The Halfblood Chronicles)
|
|
- Black Trillium (Trillium)
- Golden Trillium (Trillium)
|
|
|
Other Genre Fiction
- Android at Arms (O)
- Breed to Come
- Brother to Shadows (O)
- Dark Piper (O)
- The Day of the Ness
- Daybreak 2250 A.D. = Starman's Son 2250 AD (O)
- Desirable Lakeside Residence
- Dread Companion (O)
- Empire of the Eagle
- Eye of the Monster
- Garan the Eternal (ORE)
- The Hands of Lyr
- Here Abide Monsters (ORE)
- High Sorcery (O)
- House of Shadows
- Huon of the Horn (ORE)
- Ice Crown (O)
- Imperial Lady
- Iron Cage (O)
- Island of the Lost
- The Jekyll Legacy
- Knave of Dreams (O)
- The Mark of the Cat :Year of the Rat
- The Mark of the Cat
- Merlin's Mirror (O)
- Mirror of Destiny (O)
- Moon Called (O)
- No Night Without Stars (O)
- The Opal-Eyed Fan
- Operation Time Search (O)
- Outside
- Perilous Dreams (O)
- Rider On The Mountain
- The Scent of Magic (O)
- Sea Siege (O)
- Secret of the Lost Race = Wolfshead (ORE)
- Serpent's Tooth [a chapbook]
- Seven Spells to Sunday
- The Sioux Spacemen
- Star Gate (O)
- Star Hunter
- Star Man's Son 2250 A.D. = Daybreak 2250 AD
- Three Hands for Scorpio
- Tiger Burning Bright
- Voorloper (O)
- Wheel of Stars (ORE)
- Wind in the Stone
- Wolfshead = Secret of the Lost Race
- Wraiths of Time (O)
- The X Factor (O)
- Yurth Burden (O)
|
|
|
Young Adult Genre Fiction
- Dragon Magic (Magic Sequence) (ORE)
- Fur Magic (Magic Sequence) (OR)
- Lavender-Green Magic (Magic Sequence)
(O)
- Octagon Magic (Magic Sequence)
(O)
- Red Hart Magic (Magic Sequence) (ORE)
- Steel Magic = Gray Magic (Magic Sequence)
(O)
- Gray Magic = Steel Magic (Magic Sequence)
- Rogue Reynard
|
[X]
 [X] |
|
Other Genre Collections
- Baleful Beasts and Eerie Creatures
- The Book of Andre Norton = Many Worlds of Andre Norton [by Roger Elwood] (RE)
- Bullard of the Space Patrol
- Catfantastic (R)
- Catfantastic II
- Catfantastic III
- Catfantastic IV
- Catfantastic V
- Gates of Tomorrow
- Grand Master's Choice (NESFA)
- Magic in Ithkar
- Magic in Ithkar 2
- Magic in Ithkar 3
- Magic in Ithkar 4
- The Many Worlds of Andre Norton = The Book of Andre Norton [by Roger
Elwood]
- Moon Mirror
- Renaissance Faire
- Small Shadows Creep
- Space Pioneers
- Space Police
- Space Service
- Star Ka'at
- Star Ka'at and the Plant People
- Star Ka'at and the Winged Warriors
- Star Ka'at World
- Wizards' Worlds (RE)
|
|
|
Non-Genre Fiction
- Bertie and May
- Caroline
- Follow the Drum
- Iron Butterflies (R)
- Maid at Arms
- Murders For Sale = Sneeze on Sunday
- The Prince Commands
- Ralestone Luck (RE)
- Ride the Green Dragon
- Scarface
- Shadow Hawk (O)
- Sneeze on Sunday = Murders for Sale
- Snow Shadow
- Stand & Deliver
- Stand to Horse
- Ten Mile Treasure
- Velvet Shadows
- The White Jade Fox
- Yankee Privateer
|
|
|
Non-Genre Fiction in Series
- Rebel Spurs (Draw Rennie)
- Ride Proud Rebel! (Draw Rennie)
- At Swords' Point (Lorens van Norreys)
- Sword in Sheath = Island of the Lost (Lorens van Norreys)
- The Sword is Drawn (Lorens van Norreys)
- Island of the Lost = Sword in Sheath (Lorens van Norreys)
|
|
|
Omnibus Editions
- Annals of the Witch World aka The Gates to Witch World
- Witch World
- Web of the Witch World
- Year of the Unicorn
- Lost Lands of Witch World aka Chronicles of the Witch World
- Three Against the Witch World
- Warlock of the Witch World
- Sorceress of the Witch World
- Janus
- Judgment
- Janus and Victory on Janus
- Star Soldiers
- Time Traders
- The Time Traders
- Galactic Derelict
- Time Traders II
- The Defiant Agents
- Key Out of Time
- Warlock
- Storm over Warlock
- Ordeal in Otherwhere
- Forerunner Foray
- Darkness and Dawn
- Star Man's Son
- No Night Without Stars
- The Solar Queen
- Sargasso of Space
- Plague Ship
- Gods and Androids
- Android in Arms
- Wraiths of Time
- Dark Companion
- Dark Piper
- Dread Companion
- Masks of the Outcasts
- Moonsinger
- Moon of Three Rings
- Exiles of the Stars
- Beast Master's Planet
- Beast Master
- Lord of Thunder
- Beast Master Team
- Beast Master's Ark
- Beast Master's Circus
- Mark of the Cat / The Year of the Rat
- Mark of the Cat
- The Year of the Rat
- Star Hunter / Voodoo Planet
- Star Hunter
- Voodoo Planet
- The Magic Books
- Fur Magic
- Steel Magic
- Octagon Magic
Do these exist?
- Andre Norton Sword Series Gift Trilogy
(I think this is a set of paperbacks, ISBN 0910937257)
- At Swords' Point
- Sword in Sheath
- The Sword is Drawn
- Secrets of the Witch World
(I don't think this exists as one book)
- The Key of the Keplian
- The Mage Stone
- The Warding of the Witch World
|
Links
|
