Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

Disappointing
I love Andre Norton's books, especially the witch world series, however this one is disappointing.Very little contribution by Andre.The author tries to show the hero's experiences and thoughts and then shows the heroine's side.This causes a disruption in the flow of the story and increases the drag. Andre's books are "magical"; this one isn't. Have noticed this problem whenever she would c0-write a book. I own all her books, but will be giving this one to the library.

Silver May Tarnish, an excellent addition to the Witch World.
I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the book.Written by Lyn McConchie, I should have expected it.Anything in conjunction with grand master Andre Norton should be good.I have read just about everything she ever wrote.I am still grieving that she is gone.

The alternating view points of the protagonists is not one of my favorites to read.However, Lyn pulled it off very well.My compliments.Darn good read.

Entertaining Read
Silver May Tarnish is another collaboration between Lynn McConchie and Andre Norton. From what I understand, Ms. McConchie wrote a large volume set in Andre Norton's Witch World, and when Ms. Norton read it, she recommended that it be split up into three novels and gave permission for them to be published as part of the Witch World series.

That was a good move, as both _Silver May Tarnish_ and _The Duke's Ballad_ have been good, entertaining books. While they don't plumb depths that some modern fantasy novels try to reach, they are certainly addictive. The endings in both are a bit too neat, but some of that is because the protagonists do a good job of planning ahead and the villians in either book are, while plenty evil, not as powerful or competent as one often encounters in grand fantasy. This is by no means a criticism; to the contrary, I think it lends a surprising note of realism to the books. Good, competent people who have gone through rough times but have gained experience from it are placed in a difficult spot, and find a clever way to prevail against evil but humanly flawed villians.

The magic used in both novels is not overwhelmingly powerful or menacing, but more hearth-side magic. This also helps add to the air of realism of these books, as if the characters could have come from our own family, friends, neighbors, or enemies. There is certainly a place for this kind of "everyday," approachable fantasy in a market dominated by complex, epic tales where both the heroes and villians wield earth-shattering powers.

Very Nice
I have to say, I'm becoming a major fan of Lyn McConchie.She's proven very adept at writing what I call "comfort novels", the engaging kind of fare I love to read on a snowy winter's evening, curled up under heaps of quilts and comforters while the snow falls and the wind howls across the eaves.Her latest title, "Silver May Tarnish", is such a book.

Given that Lyn has co-authored several other of my favorite Andre Norton titles, among them "Ciara's Song" and "The Duke's Ballad", she has gotten very comfortable working in Norton's world of Estcarp and Karsten."Silver May Tarnish" is Lyn's first work set across the ocean to the west, in the land of High Hallack, more commonly known as "The Dales".

Long-time Norton fans will know that she first introduced the Dales in her book "The Year of the Unicorn" over 40 years ago.Under the influence of an extraterrestrial race called the Kolder, evil men from overseas called the Hounds of Alizon introduced futuristic super-weapons to the Dales.The results was great ruin throughout the land, as Alizon laid waste to innumerable dales, smashing mighty stone keeps like fragile teacups, scorching the land, and slaughtering innocents by the thousands.Eventually the Dalefolk were able to gain the upper hand and, at great cost, expel the invaders.

It is a distressing, all-too-common feature of the evening news that lands wracked by total war can take generations to recover.Even when the enemy has gone, anarchy reigns:heartless "wolfshead" bandits wander through the lands, bereft of property, craft and kin, eager only to destroy and make everyone else suffer as well.They have no thought for the future; they care only about satisfying their lusts for food, drink and women, no matter the cost.

But some handle such adversity more nobly, such as the chief protagonists of "Silver May Tarnish".Lorcan of Erondale was only a boy when Alizon invaded, destroying everything and everyone he loved.He became a warrior and fought the enemy to the bitter end.Then he set out to find a new home, with thoughts of healing the land rather than further harming it.Of like mind is Meive, sole survivor of the massacre of Landale.She, however, does not leave her ancestral home, popularly known as "Honeycoombe", because of a special gift she has:a great rapport with honeybees, including a special giant sort of "winged warriors" with inch-long stingers who can handle invaders with frightful aplomb.

It is inevitable that at some point Lorcan and Meive will meet up.They share a special kinship, both with each other and with the chief villain of the novel, Hogeth of Paltendale.Will Lorcan and Meive achieve their dreams of bringing life once more to Honeycoombe?Or will evil ones like Hogeth tear all their hard work down, leading to yet another mass slaughter and endless woe?

As Andre Norton did in some of her own Dale novels, Lyn takes turns writing from the viewpoint of both protagonists:a few chapters at a time with Lorcan, then a few with Meive.Sometimes the storyline overlaps, as when Meive early on rescues Lorcan from bandits, and we get to read the account from both viewpoints.

One of the things I appreciate about Lyn's work is her characterizations; she writes with warmth about sympathetic, believable people whom the reader comes to view as friends.We mourn when certain ones are killed off, and rejoice when things go well for others.

An interesting side note:as "Ciara's Song" and "The Duke's Ballad" both refer to songs within the story, so too "Silver May Tarnish" refers to "a sword song" found at the start of the book, as well as a ballad printed on page 235 of the paperback edition.In all cases, the songs help to set the tone of the stories, and are a nice touch.I can even hear the music.

I don't know if Lyn plans on writing any sequels to "Silver May Tarnish", but I'll eagerly read any that come along.Andre Norton's death in 2005, after an incredibly long and productive career, left a definite void:no one will ever be able to write science fiction and fantasy like she did, over more than 70 years spanning eight decades.But Lyn McConchie has found her own voice, and the worlds Andre created live on.

A Season for War
Silver May Tarnish (2005) is the fourth Fantasy novel of the Witch World Chronicles.In this novel, the Hounds of Alizon invaded the Dales of High Hallek with their war machines, overrunning Dales and leaving behind ruins, bodies and dead vegetation.Yet the Dalesmen and their allies, the Riders of the Waste, slowly drove the invaders back until all Alizons were killed.

Lancor is the youngest son of the Lord of Erondale. His family is a cadet branch of the Lords of Palendale.The two Dales foster the sons of each other for weapon training and other education required of a lord.

Lancor was declared to be a child of sorrow by the wisewoman Aynera.Three sorrows were the death of his mother, then of his younger sister, and finally the death of his father and older brothers when the Alizon assault came to Erondale.Nor was this to be the end of his sorrow.Yet the wisewoman stated that he would find joy in flowing gold.

After the destruction of Erondale by the Alizons, young Lancor fled with his weaponmaster to Palendale.There he worked at hunting game to feed the many refugees.Yet Lord Hogar's third son, Hogeth, became his enemy and Lancor fled the household as soon as he was able after reaching his majority.

Lancor joined the Dales army fighting the invaders, becoming a scout in the troop of Lord Salden under the false name of Farris of Eldale.He becomes friends with Aran of Tildale, a man of middling honesty, but always fair to his friends.The two scouts lead the Tildale troop to many battles, including the last one at Hagar Pass.There the troop hold back the Alizons fleeing from the last battle, but only four troopers survive.

Meive is a child of Landale, which is also called Honeycombe for its superb bees.At the age of ten, Meive is chosen by the queen bees as apprentice of Ithia, the wisewoman who speaks with the bees.She is trained somewhat by Ithia for the next two years and then moves into Ithia's cottage at the age of twelve for more advanced training.Her family asks for a two day delay so that they can throw a party for the departing daughter.

Landale is blessed by its remote location and hidden entrance.None of the invaders approach anywhere near the Dale.After the war,bandits attack Merrowdale, a larger valley nearby.Then these bandits attackLandale, with a former resident as their guide.Everyone in Landale is killed except Meive, who has been sent away with the beehives to a distant cave.

With the assistance of the queen bees, Meive lures the bandits into the cave and poisons them.Neeco, the traitor, doesn't drink the deadly mead, but he is stung many times by warrior bees and slowly dies of their stings.Meive relents after a time and gives him succor.

This novel tells of the meeting of Lancor and Meive and their plans to rebuild Honeycombe.They gradually accumulate warriors and other homeless people, all approved by the bees, and settle into the keep and cots of the dale.However, Hogeth still nurses a hatred for Lancor and even believes him to be a source of countless gold pieces.They soon become aware that he is hunting for Lancor.

Although Meive is a wisewoman, her powers differ from those of most wisewomen.Her powers will not fade if she has children.She hopes that her daughters will also become Wisewomen of Bees.She is almost certain that Lancor will be their father.

This is one of the last works influenced directly by Andre Norton.While McConchie wrote a shorter version of the story, she felt that it was an awkward length.So she sent it to Norton and received a reply that her work was only part of the story.With a new beginning and an extended ending, the early story became this published version.Norton had a short, but successful career as an editor in the 1950s and has apparently never lost that guiding touch.

Highly recommended for Norton and McConchie fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of high adventure, subtle magic and unstated romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin ... Read more

Product Description
The urge within him is overwhelming, and Kerovan--he of the cloven hooves and amber eyes--is driven toward the mountains--toward the dark. With him goes the Lady Joisan, who carries within her secrets unknown to Kerovan.

By calling upon the Powers within themselves, willing the forced of Light to fight against the force of the Dark, they reach their destination...only to face That Which Runs the Ridges in the final battle. Everlasting Undeath--and horror for all the world--will take them if they fail.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Good
The book is really gripping. Interesting story and characters are also good. Definitely worth reading.

A book to get you hooked
I hadn't read much of Andre Norton before I came accross this book, I didn't know about the Dales or the Waste, I got the book because I was in love with Gryphons and wanted any book to do with them.Though this was the third book in the series it was the first I read and the one that inspired me to get the rest of the series.This is the story of Kerovan and Joisan as they search through a new land on the far side of the waste searching for a new home and fighting the demons of their mind and past.Read on as Joisan begins to learn the depths of magic and Kerovan finally comes to terms with his destiny and all that this will bring to him.
Any one who loves Andre Norton must read this book, even out of the series it can stand alone.

Kerovan and Joisan find a place in Arvon
Although other reviewers speak of a "Gryphon series" of books, this is actually just one of more than twenty books set in Andre Norton's Witch World.The characters of Kerovan and Joisan were introduced in The Crystal Gryphon and brought back for Gryphon in Glory.Gryphon's Eyrie continues the tale, which is finally resolved in The Warding of Witch World.

Kerovan is partly descended of the Dalesfolk and partly descended of the Old Ones.The Dalesfolk entered the Witch World centuries in the past, settling in the highlands along the coast of the Witch World's "western continent".They found traces of the Old Ones, an ancient and apparently indigenous group of races who had mastered the Power, what we could call "magic".

Kerovan's mother bargained with dark forces to give her a child she thought she could control for her own ends.But he proved to be other than what she expected, and these books have followed Kerovan as he has sought his true place in the world, and the right heritage.With Joisan, who gives Kerovan unconditional love and support while resolving her own conflicts, Kerovan proves to be one of the strongest fantasy characters I've ever seen.

Norton takes strong female characters and makes them appealing for wide audiences.But she succeeds with Kerovan and Joisan as with no other husband-wife team.The first book is the best in the sub-series, and Gryphon in Glory is probably better than this one.

All of Norton's collaborations leave something to be desired when compared to her own original work, but Ann Crispin was always one of the better collaborators.She seems to have a real feel for the Witch World settings and pacings Norton made legendary in the 1960s and 1970s before she started sharing her world with other writers.

Excellent completion of Kerovan's story
The first two books (Crystal Gryphon and Gryphon in Glory) introduce us to Kerovan and his axe-wedded wife, Joisan. They follow this determined pair as they discover Kerovan's true nature and ancestry. Gryphon's Eyrieconcludes the story in a deeply satisfying way as it brings kerovan to histrue inheritance, Landisl's ancient home. Be prepared for a typicallyNorton wild ride.

Andre Norton at her best in this series!
This is the 3rd book in this series.I did not see the first two listed (Gryphon in Glory and The Crystal Gryphon), but highly recommend all of them.Each can stand as an individual work as well...something a lot of writers overlook these days.This is fantasy at it's very best and I recommend it to anyone interested in other worlds/realities. ... Read more

Product Description
The Defiant Agents
The Gifts of Asti
Key Out of Time
Plague Ship
Ralestone Luck
Rebel Spurs
Ride Proud, Rebel!
Star Born
Star Hunter
Storm Over Warlock
The Time Traders
Voodoo Planet
... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The Works of Andre Norton (12 books)
America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 1: Feeling Lucky

Good price for good science fiction.

Editing would have helped
I completely enjoyed every book in this collection. Some I read years ago and others were new to me. The only reason I was unable to give this collection 5 stars was the lack of planning by the editor. Putting the various books in chronological order would have made a major difference in the readability. It is so disappointing to read a series out of order.

Can't Beat the Price!
For 99 cents what a great way to get 12 of Andre Norton's books.I won't read them all- I only like her SF but it's great reading the Time Trader books that I haven't read in the series.

Word candy for an old fan
I got this collection, started reading the first book, and finished the whole thing.At first I was annoyed with some formatting issues, and I wish they had put the books in a better order, but for 99 cents -- this was the best deal I've had in reading in a long time.I had not read any of these books before (and I've read a fair amount of her works, but I guess from a later period).They were all just delightful.This is leisure reading at its best.I cannot say I am improved by having finished them all, but God bless the good storyteller.It sure beats television.

Classic Norton - bundled
What a nice treat !! Nothing here I didn't already own from Norton. But all in one place, search-able and on my Kindle. These are stories that have real depth, real character development and plots that will engage. I recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Andre Norton, also known as the Grand Dame of Science Fiction, has enthralled millions of readers worldwide with her command of the Science Fiction genre. With a writing career that spanned more than 60 years, Andre Norton is one of the most prolific fiction writers of all time.

Collected here in this special Kindle edition are 5 classic, full-length Science Fiction novels, complete with individual linked table of contents for each novel:

Key Out of Time
Plague Ship
Star Hunter
Storm over Warlock
The Time Traders

Reviews for books by Andre Norton

STORM OVER WARLOCK
"Fleeing from Throg invaders, Shann Lantee and Ragnar Thorvald enter the world of beautiful women. Immensely powerful as they are lovely, these witches control men by thought domination. Shann's victory over the beetle-like Throg and his civilized alliance with the women is told here with that sweep of imagination and brilliance of detail which render Andre Norton a primary talent among writers of science fiction."—Virginia Kirkus (starred).

THE TIME TRADERS
"Effectively utilizing the concept of time travel, the author ... has written another imaginative, action-filled science fiction story for teenage boys. Young Ross Murdock ... is sent back into the Bronze Age, discovers a derelict galactic ship, and finds himself fighting ... to gain control of the secrets of space flight."—ALA Booklist. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

a mixed bag, covering many periods of history
Ms. Norton didn't write *any* of the stories in this volume.

Bell, Claire: "The Hunting of Lord Estalian's Daughter" Megarti, a witch-maid raped by a drunken noble, has asked to be shapechanged in her quest for revenge.

Curry, Ginger Simpson: "Sea-Serpents of Domnudale" - The Wise Woman prophesies that twins will be born, one of the Dark to conquer and rule as overlord of many Dales, and one of the light - one evil, the other the true-born son of Lady Zvetta and her lord. But which is which? The 'bad seed' idea may not appeal, and the manner of presentation may distract you at first, but a good story.

Gravel, Geary: "Old Toad" - Ander and Berry, young brother and sister, dwell in Mountain Gate on the Estcarp border - but *he's * the one with Witch power, while she has a talent for asking questions - like why the Council has transferred their resident Witch, and why the Borderers seem to be pulling out of the mountains bordering Karsten...

Lewitt, S.N.: "The Judgment of Neave" - A tale of the Fane of Neave in Arvon and its search for a new guardian.

Lichtenberg, Jaqueline: "Through the Moon Gate" - Remora, a tough youngster fed up with being laughed at for her dreams of the Old Ones, has struck out across the Waste to find Arvon. Instead, she finds a gate - and Dorian St. Just ("Good God, this isn't Denver, is it?") But he's not as out of place as one might think...

Linaweaver, Brad & Cynthia: "Dream Pirates' Jewel" - After the destruction of Sulcarkeep in the Kolder War, leaving radioactive ruins, a small expedition finds a bay in southern High Hallack (separated by mountains from the chaos of the Invaders' War) that seems eminently suitable for a new keep. So the Sulcar have a settlement again, including some flotsam from the war, such as the witch-gifted girlchild Myrna, and her strange dreams of the sea.

Major, A.R.: "La Verdad: The Magic Sword" - Gunnora sends an emissary to Abbey Halstead, furthest north of the convents of those who worship Those Who Set The Flames, asking alliance against the toads at Grimmerdale, to open a gate and bring forth a champion. (See _Lore of the Witch World_ if you're not familiar with Grimmerdale. Its chronology in the Invaders' War and that of the sword's origin don't seem to mesh at first, but the author has it covered.)

Mathews, Patricia Shaw: "Darkness Over Mirhold" - Rovagh of Mirhold became lord by being a berserker fighting man in a hold desperate to have someone take over and start running the place. Derris, the narrator, is his newly-wed lady - one of the many orphans in the care of the Duke of Karsten, in these days after the war, chosen because she seemed the only one strong enough to help rebuild a ruined hold.

Meier, Shirley: "Peacock Eyes" - Shallon, the narrator, was once human - she speaks of the days when the road through the Dales to the Gate, now crossing part of the Waste, was new, not old.

Miesel, Sandra: "The Salt Garden" Orel, last survivor of Estindale after Alizon blasted it into slag with Kolder weapons, and after his father fell to ambush days ago, has fled into the Waste, determined at least to die while exploring new things. (His father's killers have their maps, so there's really nowhere else to go). The lifeless city he comes to reminded me at first of Charn (in Lewis' _The Magician's Nephew_) - a city where only one woman, apparently an Old One, still lives, crafting flowers out of metal and gems where no water flows to give real flowers life. But is she the destroyer of the city, a victim, or neither?

Miller, Ann: "The Stones of Sharnon" - A Mineral and Energy Scout from a high-tech civilization strays into Estcarp on an innocent survey.

Paxson, Diana: "Heroes" Aelvan, only living son of a refugee from Karsten and her Borderer husband, follows the House of Dhulmat when they answer Kyllan Tregarth's call into Escore.

Schwartz, Susan: "Rite of Failure" Aurek, marked as the successor to the Pack's shaman, has undertaken his ordeal early, in these first days of their exile from Arvon. But what will happen to him now that he's failed?

Snodgrass, Melinda: "Futures Yet Unseen" Sytry, the narrator, can't be a conventional warrior, with his malformed hip; he's that rarity in Escore, a student of chemistry, who turns it to practical use.

Swallow, Lisa: "S'Olcarias's Sons" An old grandfather of the Sulcar tells a story of their origins over the evening fire.

Wind, David: "The Sentinel at the Edge of the World" - Set before the Kolder War. Vadim, the narrator, is a blank shield of Estcarp, offered service by a man seeking, not a mere mercenary, but a hero, to accompany him to the end of the world - eastward.

Wolf, Rose: "Tall Dames Go Walking" - A story of Jorge Petronius, the mysterious Guardian who opened Simon Tregarth's Gate into Estcarp, on an archaeological dig between Glastonbury and Tintagel in Britain. The references to how Petronius came into his guardianship don't seem consistent with the little we know from _Witch World_.The narration is somewhat awkward, as the author isn't content to let the reader do some of the work of understanding the story, e.g. "...her interest was at least purely (again, in a literal sense) academic", providing explicit literary allusion wherever possible rather than more subtle references. (Nothing's as dead as a pun treated this way.)

A delightful collections of shorts!
I never tire of Ms. Nortons collections of shorts.All of the authors are very talented and stick to the basic WW theme so well.Again, it is a steping stone for beginning authors as well as beginning readers and fun for both as well as a delight for long time Norton fans! ... Read more

Product Description
The Defiant Agents is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Andre Norton is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Andre Norton then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Interesting twist on clash of cultures, past and present
Travis Fox and other modern day Apaches are transported for colonization to Topaz. They are unwillingly subjected to Redax, a procedure which occurs during stasis. They are mind-linked with their ancient ancestors during transport, and upon arrival are expected to use that knowledge to help survive the early colonization. Upon arrival they crash and encounter modern day Russians, who have also been exposed to their Mongol ancestors' ways. The Russian government is able to control the Mongols' behavior remotely froma ship located on the surface. The Apaches and Mongols must unite and work together to free the colony from the Russian government. There is a nice blend of themes here, with Fox using science and tradition to help him with the problem of modern day oppression. Another winner from Norton.

SF Beginings
Excellant Andre Norton SF. Yes she is old fashioned but check publish date. A joy for the older reader who probably read this and others by author years ago. Fun for someone young just discovering the genre.

The Extrasolar Claim Jumpers
The Defiant Agents (1962) is the third SF novel in the Time Traders series, following Galactic Derelict.In the previous volume, Travis, Ross, Ashe and Renfry inadvertantly travel through space on a Baldie starship, stopping once at a refueling point where silver apes rule the night.Then they reach the center of the Baldie empire and assist a tribe of flying creatures against their enemies.

In this novel, Travis Fox is an Apache indian with post-graduate training in Archaeology.After returning from his trip in time and space, he convinces some fellow Apaches to volunteer to settle on a extrasolar planet named Topaz (for its yellow skies).Forty are selected for their skills in various areas.

Dr. James Ruthven is informed of a leak of information on Topaz to the Russians by a mole within the time agency.He insists upon pushing the training of the volunteers by using the untried Redax machine.This device raises ancestorial memories from the brain, immersing the subjects in vivid dreams of the past.The Council agrees and the Apaches are treated without their consent.

While attempting to deliver the Apaches to Topaz, the starship is attacked by Russian space mines.The pilot manages to overcome heavy g-forces to activate a new defensive system.The attacking devices are diverted for a few moments and the damaged ship crashlands under auto-pilot.

The crew members in the pilot compartment are killed in the crash, as are many of the passengers.Yet some survive and so do a pair of very intelligent coyotes in the cargo area.The coyotes are the first to escape the ship, but Travis is close behind them.

In this story, the surviving Apaches gather around a campfire to plan their activities.Their thoughts are confounded by memories of the past.Some are fully living among their ancestors, but others are less affected.

Travis is one of the few relatively free of ancient memories.He is also the most experienced with galactic planets.But he is a loner and doesn't really want to be chief.Moreover, he has been accepted by the coyotes, so the others tend to think of him as a witch and the coyotes as spirits.

Deklay is among the ones living fully in the past.Although he knows that they are not on Earth, his thoughts have turned to the ancient ways.He thoroughly distrusts anyone who is not an Apache.

Jil-Lee is less affected by the stimulated memories.So are Buck and Nolan.Several of the younger Apaches are also relatively free of the memories.

The Apaches decide to find a more inhabitable area in which to live.Travis scouts ahead and discovers a canyon with a good spring of water and numerous game trails.The Apaches move there and build a camp site.

After the Apaches are settled. Travis prepares to scout for signs of the Baldies.He is convinced to take Tsoay -- a younger Apache -- with him.On the second day, they find fresh horse dung.

This tale brings the Apaches into alliance with Mongols runaways from Russian masters.Unfortunately, the Mongols are sensitive to Russian mind control devices and turn against the Apaches on several occasions.Then Travis finds three towers constructed by the long gone Baldies.

The story pits the primitively armed Apaches and Mongols against the better armed and equipted Russians.Most of the Mongols are still trapped within their main camp.Yet the Russians must be defeated orallof them -- and maybe everyone on Earth -- will suffer.Enjoy!

Highly recommended for Norton fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of primitive warriors, advanced enemies, and ancient foes.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Apaches and Mongols on the Plains of Topaz
Andre Norton's books from the fifties and early sixties with a cold war background have not worn as well as her far future stories.I do not want to suggest though that she had a simplistic "us" versus "them" attitude.

In this near future book the US is in a race with the Russians to use alien technology scavenged from crashed spaceships to colonize planets outside our solar system.Because they feel that they are in dange of losing this race, men working for the United States government have decided to use a group of volunteers from the Apache tribe as subjects in an experiment without their knowledge.By use of the Redax, the volunteers will be made to think and act as Apaches of the 18th and 19th centuries would respond.It is hoped this would help them better adapt to life on a primative planet.

However, the spaceship they are traveling in crashes on the planet of Topaz.Travis Fox escapes with a group of the surviving volunteers.In exploring the planet he learns that they are not the only group on the planet.The Russians using their own version of the Redax have Mongol nomads as their subjects.

There is a definite feeling in this book that governments, each with their own goal would use whatever means are available to achieve that goal, no matter how it might affect the individual.This is occasionally mistaken for a paranoia about technology, but in reality it is a distrust of human altruism.

This is a good adventure story-- and the crashed alien ships yielding technology is going to be even more familiar to the X-file generation than it was to the original reader in 1963.

New look at human behavior through space/time travel
All I really wanted was to tell the shop the publisher details because they were not known in the initial search I did. The defiant agents published by Ace Books USAThe Berkley Publishing Group. 200 MadisonAvenue.New York. N.Y.10016 ,my copy was the Eighth Printing in November1984. I enjoyed the whole series, even lacking book number one The TimeTraders ... Read more

Product Description
Storm’s beast master skills and animal partners are needed to unravel the mystery behind a huge gathering of indigenous Norbies. Only Storm and Logan Quade can penetrate the Norbie’s clan secrets and discover what is behind the threat of an uprising that could destroy the tenuous peace between the colonists and the aliens who share the planet.

"Thrilling science-fiction." — Springfield Republican ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Super Reader
Hosteen Storm is still investigating the mysterious alien presence on Arzor, but he also has other problems. He is basically law enforcement for the local area, and has to do with a local uprising, a crazy killer and the other assorted crimes and political problems that go along with his position, as such. Luckily, he still has his animal friends to help.

Another Journey Into the Unknown
Lord of Thunder (1962) is the second SF novel in the Beast Master series, following The Beast Master itself.In the previous volume, Hosteen Storm rescues Brad and Logan Quade from the Nitras, defeats the Xik aper Coll Bister, and is taken to the main Quade ranch to recover from his wounds.At last he confronts Brad Quade, only to discover that his grandfather, Na-Ta-Hay, had lied to him.His mother had married Brad Quade and Logan Quade was his half-brother.Storm has found another home.

In this novel, Storm is returning to the Quade place after staking his claim within the Peaks country.It's the Big Dry season, so nobody rides during the heat of the day.He takes shelter in a cave and finds the Norbie warrior Gorgol there before him.

Gorgol is working for Storm this season.Storm expected him to be back at the Quade spread watching the horses.After explaining that he had left the horses in the Quade corral, Gorgol tells Storm that all the natives have been recalled to their clans for medicine talk.

Storm knows better than to probe too deeply into medicine talk, but he is quite puzzled by the recalls.Usually the Norbies urge warriors to hire on with the settlers during Big Dry season, if for no other reason than to reduce the number of thirsty mouths drinking scarce water.Of course, these warriors are commonly paid in horses and the clans are always short of the offworld creatures.

This recall puts a cramp in a lot of plans.Most settlers in the Peaks will be short of riders with the natives gone back to their clans.After the land cools down, Gorgol heads into the mountains and Storm rides toward the Quade ranch.

Upon returning home, Storm finds Brad Quade hosting an impromptu settler conclave on the native recall.Rig Dumaroy is busily running his mouth about native uprisings, although he is finding fewer settlers willing to listen to him after his mistaken accusations during the Xik attacks a few months ago.Brad Quade, the Lancin brothers and a few other level-headed settlers are more concerned about the shortage of riders.

During this conversation, Storm learns that the natives have moved out of their home ranges and are heading into the Blue range.No settler knows much about that section of mountains, although Logan -- Storm's half-brother -- probably knows more than anyone else.But Logan has not returned from his visit with the Shosonna clan and is probably traveling with them toward the meeting.

When The conclave ends, Brad Quade points out that Storm has a claim to file.The next day, he should take a 'copter into Galwadi to make his claim and then he can find some extra riders to hire.He could also try to meet with Kelson and learn what the Peace Officer knows about this strange native behavior.

In this story, Storm only finds one man available for hire.After failing to reach Kelson, Storm treats himself to some long awaited offworld food.While he is ordering his favorites, Kelson shows up and then introduces a central worlds gentlehomo named Widders.It seems that this man's son has probably been stranded in a lifeboat within the Blue range.This situation would give Storm a very good excuse to go poking around in those mountains, but his chances of surviving would be extremely slim.

When Widders asks him to lead an expedition to find his son, Storm refuses the request and returns tohis home.After Storm completes his report to Brad Quade, Kelson shows up with Widders in tow.Gentlehomo Widders has heard that Quade has a son who is familiar with the natives and their mountains.Pointing out that he has two sons, one of whom has already refused him, Quade tells Widders that Logan is not presently available.

Widders makes another appeal and this time mentions a few things that he will be able to furnish to make the excursion more likely to succeed.Quade, Kelson and Storm start making some detailed plans based on the additional equipment and supplies.Storm clearly states that he will go alone until he can find native guides and that only he will decide whether to go the whole route.Widders agrees to these terms.

This story involves the ever present risk of inciting the Arzor natives into an uprising.Naturally, Widders has no intentions of following Storm's instructions and his casual treatment of native sensibilities causes all kinds of troubles.At the same time, another influence is stirring up the natives.Will the Patrol have to occupy the planet to put down a native insurrection?Why should Widders care as long as he gets his son back?

Highly recommended for Norton fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of alien psychology, colonial politics, and exotic technology.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Great read
The sequel to _Beast Master_, this book is a good continuation of that storyline.Picking up several months after Storm and his team dealt with the alien presence on the planet Arzor, Storm's new home, this book starts out with a mysterious migration of the native Norbies.They are gathering in large numbers, ignoring old enmities with other tribes, and traveling to forbidden regions.Storm is engaged to search for a crashed human ship at the same time, in the forbidden regions.What follows deals less with the environment of Arzor than in _Beast Master_, focusing instead on the hidden caverns of the ancient race which once peopled this planet.There were ruins of their presence on Arzor in the previous book, but nothing like that which is found in this one.Storm endures a great deal in his attempt to locate potential survivors of the crash, including facing angry Norbies and dealing with hostile creatures and machinery.

I like this book, as with the first one, because those parts which are not understood by the characters are not described.It is really a 3rd person limited POV, and very well done by the Grand Master Norton.Given that after a 40 year separation Norton has produced some new Beast Master stories, I felt a review of the original stories were in order.On a side note, the story as presented in these two books is far superior to that of the movies and TV show.These are much more of a sf focus, with some mystical elements (primarily Amerindian and Norbie "medicine") added in very nicely.

Unusually good sequel
Beast Master was one of my favourite teen books and this is an unusual sequel inasmuch as that it is at least as good as the original.

N.B. The film "Beast Master"is very obviously based on these books, though migrated to a fantasy setting. I never saw them credited anywhere though. The film is an enjoyable romp, nice humorous touches without going over the top. The hero looks very good though he is awful with a sword. Worst moment: practicing sword on mountain. Best moment: "ferocious" feline threatening pretty girl.

An enjoyable reading.
This book is a continuation of the Beast Master.I was only able to read it 2 or 3 times and now I cannot find a copy.The book continues with the adventures of Storm and his companions. The hunt for the downed shuttle andthe journey through the caves of the Old ones was exciting.Norton has away of describing things that allow you to see with your imagination.Ialso enjoyed the conclusion with the final battle between the Nitra, Storm,and the Lord of Thunder.I hope that there are further books in theseries. ... Read more

Product Description

Moon of Three Rings: It is the time of the Moon of the Three Rings when the Free Trader ship Lydis lands on the primitive world of Yiktor, a world the Combine was seeking to control for the power the Three Rings would bring them. The life of a Free Trader was all junior crew member Krip Vorlund knew. That life ended at a beast show on Yiktor when Vorlund was strangely attracted to the owner of the show animals, a delicate and mysterious woman named Maelen. Too soon Vorlund learned the nature of Maelen's sorcery, too soon he is caught up in the struggle over the fate of a world?. But his soul would remain his own.

Exiles of the Stars: The galactic trade ship Lydis is making a run to the planet Thoth when a civil war lands her in a battle of ancient powers and nameless evil, with a Forerunner treasure at its heart. The crew seems normal—until you look closely at two of its members: Krip Vorlund, a man who walks in a body not his own, and his pet, a four-legged beast hiding the mind of Maelen the Moon Singer, a woman whose esper powers can save them all—or bring them to eternal destruction.

Publisher's Note: Moonsinger has appeared separately as Moon of Three Rings, and its sequel, Exiles of the Stars. This is the first time the complete saga has appeared in one mass market volume. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Another Good Norton Read
I first read these two in high school.It was great fun to read them again.Vintage Norton.

A wonderful blending of Sci Fi and Fantasy
If you're a trekkie and also love Lord of the Rings you need to give these stories a try.A long time ago Norton was compared to Tolkien.Norton's descriptions of ancient discoveries leave a lot to the imagination because she describes how things look without explaining what they are.There is occasionaly a bit of Indiana Jones here as well in the second book as they characters discover a lost alien outpost and must deal with what they find there.These have always been one of my favorite stories.

Andre Norton
I've been reading Andre Norton since "Daybreak 2250 AD" Always loved most of them.This one was good.

A long time Andre Norton Favorite
I have enjoyed the Moonsinger books for many many years.This latest version combines two into one - a bargain!Here you get Moon of Three Rings and its sequel Exile of the Stars.

The story is typical Andre Norton.It manages to combine many themes that Norton fans have come to love.

It is not a Witch World book but our female character is a witch of sorts.It has a Free Trader background but it is not typical of those stories.The Moonsinger is like a Beast Master so fans of that story line will enjoy the animal interactions.

Because the main characters change bodies, part of the story deals with the psychological impact of such a change - especially when you weren't expecting it!There is also a little romance.As you can see, there is alot going on in these books.

I heartily recommend this book to Andre Norton fans.

Moonsinger
A very good read for Norton fans, good plot, fast moving, well developed characters.one of Norton's better stories. ... Read more

Product Description
Ralestone Luck is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Andre Norton is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Andre Norton then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

First I should say this is not a science fiction or fantasy
Ralestone's Luck
By Andre Norton

(c 1938 r 1966)

The Ralestone luck is a sword known as the luck of Lorne., a great blade forged during the Crusades by an Arab astrologer.It's been gone for over a century.Now the Ralestones must find it or lose every thing they have.

First I should say this it is not a science fiction or fantasy that Ms. Norton is so famous for.It is her second book, an adventure story following the The Prince Commands Prince Commands, also not a science fiction or fantasy, just a good adventure story.

I recommend this book for Andre Norton completest and fans of adventure stories that do not have anygraphic sex, just great fun.

Gunner, July, 2009

I adore this book
I have read this book so many times sense I first got it in the early 80's . She was the first sci fi writer I ever read . No Night Without Stars was the book . This one is fiction with pirate lore and the Old South . Two brothers and their sister search for a lost sword they hope will return their luck . It's a fun adventure .

Andre Norton Beginnings
This was her first book.It was a little immature and dated, but I enjoyed it and it kept my interest.This is another perspective of her abilities in the beginning and how she later honed and improved her plots and ability to hold your interest. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Great end to a series
This older series of Andre Norton is as wonderful as The Elvenblood trilogy more recently published.

The Mother Dragon
Dragon Blade (2005) is the fourth novel in The Oak, Yew, Ash, and Rowan Cycle, following A Crown Disowned.In the previous volume, the Dowager Queen Ysa, Zazar and Ashen used their various magics to defeat, and maybe even to destroy, the Great Foulness.Ashen became pregnant again by Gaurin and this time she is bearing an heir for NordornLand.

In this novel, kings and ambassadors are coming to the new Castle of Fire and Ice for the coronation of Gaurin and Ashen as the King and Queen of NordornLand and the naming day of their son.They bring grand gifts for the royal pair and for the NordornPrins.Rohan has brought a gift of mystery and challenge:a solid silver Ice Dragon box with a hidden drawer.

Within the concealed compartment is a necklace of nine small teeth and a document in the archaic language of Rendel.Zazar translates the manuscript, but it raises more questions than answers.Ashen decides to travel to Galinth, the ancient city in the Bog, to present this mystery to the antiquarians there.

Ashen, Zazar and their guards take ship with Rohan, Anamara and young Obern to New Vold and then ride on to Galinth.On the way, Ashen meets Nayla, the new Wysen-Wyf of the Bog, and receives a warning of someone of indiscernible gender at the Castle of Fire and Ice and of great upset there.Ashen resolves to watch for such a person when she returns to the castle.

At Galinth, Ashen meets Master Emmorys and Tusser, an old friend who is assisting in the restoral of the city.She is shown relics retrieved from the ruins and is presented with the long lost sapphire signet ring of the House of Ash.She is also entrusted with the delivery of the signet rings for the Houses of Oak, Yew and Rowan to the appropriate persons.Although she learns little in Galinth, Master Emmorys vows to forward any future information on Ice Dragons and the Dragon Blade.

On the way back to NordornLand, Ashen delivers the signet ring of the House of Yew to the Dowager Queen Ysa.She is welcomed with every sign of pleasure and soon finds herself allowing the Dowager to accompany her to the Castle of Fire and Ice.Little does she know that Ysa has inadvertently awakened a noisome creature buried under one of the towers of Yewkeep.Now Ysa wants only to flee the monster before it consumes her.

This novel is subtitled The Book of the Rowan and is presumably the final volume in the series.While the Great Foulness is probably dead, the Mother Ice Dragon may well be dwelling within the ice and snow of the north.Ashen is determined to find the great Dragon Blade to protect the region from the dragon broods.

This novel lacks some of the zest and suspense of the first three works in this series.The Great Foulness is defeated and now the heros and heroines are cleaning up the remaining bits of corruption.The Mother Ice Dragon is only one of these remnants.

The Dowager Queen Ysa is, of course, the false friend of which the omens have warned.Ashen is still putty in her manipulating hands for most of the book.Too bad the noisome creature doesn't really have a chance to *eat* the trouble making lady.

Recommended for Norton and Miller fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magic and high adventure.

-Arthur W. Jordin

The worst Andrea Norton I ever tried to read.
I believe an Andre Norton was the first fantasy novel I ever read.As a teen-ager, I thought Witch World and books like Beast Master were wonderful.Now that I'm (much) older and wiser, I think the genre has grown past her, but most of her later books were at least amusing for quick read, even the co-authored ones.'Dragon Blade', however, seems pedestrian, pedantic and just plain boring.I haven't read the first three books in the series (fortunately for me)and I assume this one suffers from trying to explain what went before.I can't see any reason to have published this except to cash in on the attention caught by Norton's death.

Recommended
Interesting story, great characters, and strong female characters. I have enjoyed all of the books in this cycle. As the series continues, the characters are taking on more depth and complexity.

The author has a sly sense of humor, so pay attention.

fabulous fantasy
The Nordon monarchs Ashen NordornQueen and Gaurin NordornKing are looking forward to peace, spending quality time together and with their infant son having recently defeated the Great Foulness ice dragon.However, their tranqulty ends when Ashen finds a letter inside the false bottom of a box containing a gift; the note explains that only the legendary DRAGON BLADE can kill the Mother Ice Dragon.

Corageous though wary, Gaurin leaves to find the blade made from the scales of the enemy's deceased mate that will finally end this nightmare.After her sposue left, Ashen disocvers a map that shows where the DRAGON BLADE and the Mother Ice Dragon lair are located.She sets off to catch up to her husband while their land has a new foe, a rogue troll destroying anything in its path.

The fourth tale in the Oak, Yew, Ash, and Rowan saga is a fabulous fantasy especially when the exciting story line follows the escapades of the Nordorn rulers.The action is fast-paced and never slows down even when the Troll threat takes fans down a sidebar that is fun to follow by bringing in other favorites from previous books, but also weaves a thread that takes away from the grand adventure.Still fantasy fans will gain immense delight from this fine tale.

Harriet Klausner
... Read more

Product Description
Fifteen original stories of Renaissance faire magic and mayhem by fantasy's finest.

From a master jeweler who unexpectedly gains a treasure beyond prince.

A musician suddenly able to work magic with his strings.

A Thief who picks the wrong mark-or perhaps the right one.

A policeman's encounter with Merlin and murder. Here are imaginative tales of enchantment certain to captivate both Faire-goers and fantasy fans alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Faire collection of fantastical tales
I've never actually been to a RenFaire -- yet -- but I love the idea of recreating a (granted, decidedly romanticized) a capsule of medieval life in the modern day as a break from all the commotion and hustle-bustle. And it's that romanticized view of the past that lends itself easily to fantasy, since the line between reality has already been playfully erased:

"Jewels Beyond Price" -- While digging through a pile of all but worthless trinkets, a put-upon jeweler stumbles on what looks like a lamp with a genie inside, ready to grant the wishes he didn't realize he had.

"Diminished Chord" -- A down-on-his-luck musician discovers he may have a second chance for his dreams when he picks up a lute which might just have some magic in its strings.

"Splinter" -- When he tries to swipe a holy artifact from a seemingly dotty old gentleman, a pickpocket learns the hard way about the pain his thefts have caused.

"Giralomo and Mistress Willendorf" -- In a by-turns comical and thought-provoking clash of wills, a latter-day Savonarola locks wits with a mysterious woman who appears to be Mother Nature herself.

"A Time for Steel" -- A Lady Godiva impersonator wittingly or unwittingly alerts two detectives to a murder at the Faire.

"One Hot Day" -- Two young women at the Faire have a strange encounter with a crazy old woman who might be the Crone herself come to stir things up.

"Wimpin' Wady" -- It's easy for a young child to go astray at the Faire, but when Faeries get involved, the results could spell trouble...

"Brewed Fortune" -- An old family rivalry and a seemingly hokey tea-leaf reading session prove to carry more weight for one faire-goer and his seemingly stodgy friend.

"Marriage a la Modred" -- After a Faerie prince threatens his sister's honor, a bored teenager finds out the real meaning of chivalry -- and that the Faire might not be such a dumb place to spend a Saturday afternoon, after all.

"A Dance of Seven Vales" -- When developers want to bulldoze a faire-ground to make way for a bunch of McMansions, a wise bellydancer must find a way to charm them into changing their plans.

"Moses' Miracles" -- A collector of ancient manuscripts makes the discovery of a lifetime in a bookseller's stall, but he may have to take on the Sidhe to claim it.

"Grok" -- Even an Orcish being roving at the Faire has a tale to tell, and despite his grungy exterior, he just might have a poignant secret hiding under the hair and rags.

"Renaissance Feare" -- A flip comment about wishing to live in the Renaissance era triggers something a bit too real for a modern couple roving at the Faire.

"The Land of the Awful Shadow" -- On returning to find a RenFaire-ground set up in the wilderness where he roamed as a youth, a warrior reconnects with his past -- both the boyishly delightful and the shadows of adulthood brought on early.

"Faire Likeness" -- Two guildswomen suspect that a carver of eerily life-like wooden figures may have a nasty ulterior motive to his craft. Can they stop him before he makes his move?

One gem amongst a mediocre bunch of crap
The only good story in this book is the one by Roberta Gellis - all the other stories are lame, badly written, and condescending.

Less than Spectacular
I was very happy to purchase this book when I saw the title. But it is much like people who are told to write Sci-Fi who hate that sort of thing, so they write about how stupid people are for reading such.


This was exactly like this anthology, many of the writers belittled the very people who adore the genre of Faires. While that is fine and good? I don't want to waste hard earned money reading about how these authors think Renaissance Faires are silly or stupid or the people are somehow not worthy of thier respect. So I was hoping for stories of people who met and went to the time and was happy, Instead many of the stories held within were sad or terribly boring.

I would not suggest this book to read to anyone.

Some good, some not so much
This anthology gives a number of stories set at Renaissance Faires in various parts of the country.All make use of some fantastic encounters or occurrences to tell their stories.

"Jewels Beyond Price" by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough is a fine story, though it is a bit slow.Nothing like a genie to make life interesting.

"Diminished Chord" by Joe Haldeman does not actually take place at a Fair, but it does make use of fantasy.A musician has a magical encounter with a mysterious woman and acquires something that allows him to become successful later.The closest to a Fair is a musical performance among other players of antiquated instruments at a gathering at a home.

"Splinter" by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta is a nice lesson-story that brings in some historical personages and religious artifacts to educate a misguided young man.

"Girolamo and Mistress Willendorf" by John Maddox Roberts is a really nice story about an eternal conflict.It brings in classic religious items and something of the battle of the sexes.

"A Time for Steel" by Robert E. Vardeman is a nice little Arthurian story set in a modern Fair.I enjoyed this one.

"One Hot Day" by Stephen Gabriel is one of the stories in the anthology that links an attendee of a Fair to the past by some mystical means.The buildup was good, but the end was a bit sudden.The resolution itself, though, we nicely done.

"Wimpin' Wady" by Jayge Carr is something of a lesser part of this book.This one deals with faeries and changelings and parental authority and how children of any race can be precocious.

"Brewed Fortune" by Michael Stackpole is one of the really good stories in this book.Using characters from a past story, he uses a Renaissance Fair setting to tell a story about the assistant to an investigator that ties into the ancestry of that assistant's past.Really well done.

"Marriage A La Modred" by Esthner Friesner was another lesser story in the book.A young man inadvertently gets his sister into trouble with a fantastic Fair-attendee, leading him to a noble decision to save her.The ending is lame, and most of the dialogue and developments nothing to write home about.Not her best work.

"A Dance of Seven Vales" by Rose Wolf is another so-so story.This one has magical and mystical doings aiding preservation of the environment, and the many creatures that live therein.

"Moses' Miracles" by Roberta Gellis is a really nice story.A collector of rare manuscripts and his assistant make an interesting acquiantance at a Fair.Linking ancient religion and New World civilizations in a satisfying way, Gellis delivers one of the better stories in this book.

"Grok" by Donald J. Bingle is a bit sad, telling the story of a forgotten man whose only life takes place at the annual Fair.

"Renaissance Fear" by Stephen D. Sullivan is another lesson-story, and another time-travel story.While it is at least not as touchy-feely as most of the stories in this collection, the overriding lesson of being honest is not as valuable.

"The Land of the Awful Shadow" by Brian A. Hopkins is another great one in this collection.The trials and tribulations of youth are the focus here, especially as they relate to alternate realities and people able to perceive them.

"Faire Likeness" by the recently-departed Andre Norton is a typical great work from her.A wonderfully gifted artist and the magic he wields to produce his works is the focal point.The same great characterization and viewpoint that she could write is evident in this one.

Overall, the few really good stories make this collection a good buy, but there are a few in here that were certainly not to my liking. ... Read more

Product Description
An orphaned child and captive scullery maid, young Willadene possesses an uncanny ability to sense and understand the magical odors that pervade her world. It is this remarkable talent--or curse--that carries her far from the fetid kitchen into an apprenticeship with a revered herbalist and untimately to the highest circles of the Ducal court. But there is depravity lurking within the castle's walls, inspiring brazen treacheries and usurpations--and foul abduction as unthinkable as it is unexpected. Something horribly strange and forbidden struck at the dawn of a new day of corruption and terror. And an innocent girl finds the heightened sense that has been her fortune is now drawing her down into a maelstrom of evil.Amazon.com Review
Are you among the many whose first fantasy book was an Andre Nortonyoung adult novel? Scent of Magic is the latest in a long line ofgood old-fashioned Norton sword-and-sorcery tales.As always, Nortonprovides an intriguing premise: in this world, both good and evil magic aretied to plants and their scents.

The orphan Willadene has "the ability to recognize and name the most subtleof mixed scents," including the taint of evil. After she saves Hawice theHerbmistress from a magical trap, Hawice brings her to the Ducal castle.There Willadene meets the Duke's sheltered daughter Mahart, who ispreparing for a marriage that will give her father an heir.Willadene alsoworks with Nicolas, who spies for the Duke. When Mahart is abducted aftermeeting Prince Lorien, her intended fiancé, Willadene, Nicolas, and thePrince set out to find her and track down those responsible. Mahart andWilladene prove brave and resourceful, equal partners in the finalstruggle.

The writing isn't always up to Norton's standards; sentences are sometimesof baroque complexity. But fans of the Witch World series and thosenostalgic for fairy-tale fantasy should seek out Scent of Magic. --Nona Vero ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Disappointing
I really tried to enjoy this book, since I've liked other books by Andre Norton, but this one just doesn't have much of a plot. The two main characters are both strong, interesting women. The descriptions are vivid and detailed (too much so, in fact, bogging the book down). The book revolves around an interesting situation, with a scullery maid who can actually smell evil and ward it off with herbal concoctions. But the two heroines mostly just hang around the castle, attending lunches and making feeble attempts to identify the villains, until the last couple of chapters. At that point they have a bizarre and not very believable adventure that leads to a not very interesting climax. This was a boring book.

THIS WAS EXCELLENT
I first discovered Andre Norton quite by accident two years ago when I began an avid reader of fantasy quite also by mistake. This book was excellent. She is from the time when people wrote stories to take you away to far away worlds and places that only the imagination can lead you to. Scent of Magic was a great find for me. The characters were well developed and the story line was well done. I enjoyed it.

Bad.
I really wanted to like this book.The problem is ,I didn't.It was just so terrible.It didn't get anywhere,the characters were impossible to understand,and it was so filled with pointless stuff,so that by the end when they faced the bad-guyes,there was virtually no room left.
God knows why I finished this book.I suppose it was because Norton is one of my all-time favorites.But she really blew off on this one,god knows why she thought we care about Mahart;or Willadene.If you actually want Norton books that are good,read Wind in the Stone,Breed to Come,or the Elvenbane.This book is a waste.

Not Norton's best .
I've pretty much always liked Norton .After Black Trillium I was immediatley drawn into her work .But this is slow moving and pointless .Willadene is completely un -satisfying .If she just sensed evil why doesn't she tell Halwice or Vazul ?If you want a good example of Norton's work ,try Wind in the Stone or Black Trillium(which is also written b Marion Zimmer Bradley and Julian May ).Don't waste your time on this .

Poorly written and edited
This was my first encounter with Andre Norton's works, and unfortunately it was not a pleasant one. While the plot hints at a rich magical worldview, the book is hamstrung by poor writing and editing.

I started marking particularly atrocious examples about two-thirds of the way through, so these quotes are only from the last section of the book:

--------
"His body, toughened as well as he could exercize muscles most men did not even guess they might posses, served him well." (p333)

"Find the way down to the lower land he did." (p334)

"Again she felt the pressure of his fingers closing about her upper arm.
'How did you know that?'
She buried her nose in that untidy bundle her amulet had become.
'There was the scent of aspicen fern -- that and black evil!'" (p290)
---------

Characters are one-dimensional and do not develop over time, with little emotional attachment on the part of the reader. Dialogue is trite, and description mostly revolves around uses of the words "stench" and "evil".

No offense intended to people who enjoyed this book, or to Andre Norton (who is writing for a younger audience, maybe 11-14), but this book could have used a lot more time with an editor wielding a large red pen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great for Jane Austen Fans!!
This is a great mystery book but has the added appeal to Jane Austen fans of the central characters being a family with the father obsessed with collecting Jane Austen memorabilia.One family home is named Northanger Abbey after the Jane Austen novel of the same name.

A Comfort Read
Best just to get the worst (or maybe the best depending on your viewpoint) out of the way.This book by Norton is a romantic suspense first published in 1979, but it reads like it was written a decade before.If you have a low tolerance for 20ish heroines who talk and act like they are 40ish and for a plot driven by a Big Misunderstanding then this probably is not the book for you.

If, however, you feel a bit nostalgic for a sexless, serial killerless, story then you might well enjoy this foray into the Austen family dirty linen.

Not the Jane Austin family but the Austens of Maryland who have enough skeletons to populate all of the closets in their ugly mid Victorian home.

Erica Jansen, the heroine, was raised by an elderly aunt who taught her to distrust her own feelings.Erica's one attempt at freedom resulted in a humiliating incident that sent her running back to Vermont.Now, five years later, her aunt dead, Erica, a fledgling author, is again in the town where the relationship that ended in her humiliation began.She runs into a fellow author and by dint of an invitation is drawn into the tangled affairs of the Austen family and their hangers on.

Told in first person the books plays out pretty much as you might expect but it's not badly written-- and given a cold, some hot tea and a warm fire, it is a perfectly pleasant comfort read. ... Read more

Product Description
This title has fewer than 24 printed text pages. All Cats Are Gray is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Andre Norton is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Andre Norton then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Quick Read - Somewhat Different
An interesting little short story that appeared in Fantastic Universe Science Fiction Magazine.It's an unusual story about a treasure hunt, a derelict space craft that everyone who boards her runs terrified from swearing that it's haunted, a black cat, an old space seed who is down on his luck, something that might have come out of an Alien universe, and a woman who spent her off-hours in the smelly, smokey space port dives frequented by those who made their living in the space lanes. ... Read more

Product Description
To the King a Daughter begins the cycle of Oak, Yew, Ash, and Rowan: the four powers of the world who have been warring for centuries. The Clan of Ash is slowly dying, their totem tree in the sacred square withering away to nothing. There is a prophecy that a daughter of Ash will rise again, but none have survived the mass killings, thereby rendering the prophecy unfillable.

But deep in the swamps, in the care of the witch-healer all need and all fear, there is a young girl-woman who can not be the witch's daughter; a girl who, in fact, by virtue of her beauty and elegance and simmering power, can only be a Daughter of Ash, the one who will rise to fulfill the prophecy--and the destiny of her birthright.
Amazon.com Review
This novel from beloved writer Norton and coauthor Miller begins a new fantasy series: The Cycle of Oak, Yew, Ash, and Rowan. Fans of Norton's classic Witch World stories will find familiar terrain in this tale of a crumbling kingdom besieged by dark forces. Oak, Yew, Ash, and Rowan are the four legendary powers of the world, now fallen on hard times after years of warfare and mutual betrayal. Weak-willed Boroth, King of Oak, and his scheming wife, Ysa, sorcerous Queen of Yew, hold the monarchy for now. Desperate to escape the ancient prophesy that a Daughter of Ash will claim the throne, Ysa orders the death of Boroth's runaway lover, Lady Alditha of Ashe--without knowing Alditha has already given birth to Boroth's bastard daughter, Ashen. Years pass. Boroth's health fails. As Ysa grooms her unworthy son, Florian, to inherit the throne, Ashen is raised by Zazar, a wise woman living with the Bog Folk. When Zazar dies before she can warn the girl of her true heritage, Ashen must trust her instincts and the little magic she knows for protection. After she saves Obern, the dashing son of Snolli, High Chief of the Sea Rovers, who seek alliance against enemies from the north, Ashen and Obern travel to court with Lord Harous, who distrusts Ysa's intentions. Here book 1 concludes, almost as soon as the story really begins. While Norton fans will be eager to read her newest book, they're likely to be disappointed by its slow pace and minimal storyline. --Charlene Brusso ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

More of the same, not done well
I was not yet a quarter of the way into the book when I started thinking "ho-hum, now they're going to do this." And they did. Flat characters, random plot elements, unwoven story threads, I agree with all the critiques I've read.

Go read some of Andre Norton's classic works. Then you'll realize why everyone makes a fuss about her.

In a word, turgid
What an utter disappointment to read this work with the expectations of an Andre Norton work! What, I wondered, had happened to the old master, even knowing now she was nearly at the end of her life.

The answer turned out to be simple. The alien feel resulted from the dubious skills of her co-author, Sasha Miller. Read her solo work and the lugubrious tedium and stilted language will become all too familiar when reading this cycle she wrote with Norton.

It is customary for aging authors to take on a young protegy to share the writing honors and title with the "pro" and it is understood that the famous author may be pretty much a figurehead. That would certainly seem to be the case.

The plot is not bad and the potential is still there. But the writing itself is often tedious and sometimes painfully artificial. Most of all it is not Andre Norton.

My wife asked if she should read this and the second book when I finished them. I suggested a comic book or even the cereal box. A true disappointment to see Norton's name on second rate SF. I regret buying the second book at all and certainly won't bother with the rest. I also told her that "Sasha Miller" might be taken as a warning sign.

Incomplete, but understandably so
Unlike other first books of a series I read, this one seemed to be designed from the beginning to be part of a series. It certainly does not stand alone, as it ends with a huge, wide open space of story that needs to be filled in.

The book begins with a pregnant noblewoman, the last of the Ash family, on the run who reaches the edge of civilization, is taken in by an old medicine/magic woman, and dies in childbirth. This old woman lives in a village of bog-people, who are not particularly nice. The woman has to convince the others to accept that she intends to keep the new baby alive, and raise her. Recognizing the baby's features, she names the king's illegitimate daughter Ashen.

After this, the book goes in several storylines. I found one to be extremely boring and the other two to be very interesting for different reasons. One line follows the royal household, and in particular the queen Ysa, who was the one who caused the family of Ash to be killed off in order that only hers and the king's will live on. Ysa is tough for me to figure out. She seems more disturbed, worried, and hurt than evil, due partly to the king's bad treatment of her and cheating on her.

Another storyline is that of Ashen, who is now sixteen. She doesn't know who her real parents are but knows she is different from the rest of the bog-people. I found it quite fascinating to read about this girl who uses her intelligence, alert senses, and strong will to make her way through life, to survive, to prevent a group of boys from raping her, and to eventually travel from the bog and learn who she is. I wish she took more of the book's space than she did; this is only forgivable because this is only the first in a series.

The last thread regards a group of Sea-Rovers. I did not find their travels over the sea to be very interesting.

As time went on, it became obvious that Ashen, Ysa, and the Sea-people would eventually meet. Ysa would learn that the king has an heir other than her son. She would have to decide which of them should succeed the king: the older, better but illegitimate daughter, or her own spoiled, selfish, legitimate son. Indeed, I found Ysa's raising of her son to be very strange. She spoils him, and when he grows up into a brat, she thinks "so like his father" as if her son inherited his ways rather than being brought up to not care for others.

Another problem is that when Ashen enters civilization, she slips into her new lady role too easily. She is used to being outdoors, working, wearing breeches. She seemed a little too comfortable wearing dresses and being polite.

Still, I am extremely curious what will happen to Ashen after this book, and whether her strong-character features survived her transition to civilization after all. I am also curious about some loose ends, such as the implication that one character had killed another character and nothing is made of it so far.

The cover art is a very recognizable scene from the book, depicting Ashen finding a strange statue in the bog and holding a necklace in her hand. It seems only her hair (which ought to be bound) and her clothing (which should probably be a shirt and leggings) are inaccurate. She only wears a dress (and a high-necked one under a V-necked one) late in the book, and the cover seems to depict that dress as it would be after it got aged and ripped up. It's as though the artist combined different parts of the book, something I'm not too fond of.

Bittersweet Relief
I read/skimmed some of the other reviews and had to agree with what i read.The book is too sketchy and not enough focus on the main character, Ashen.But, what is most agonizing is not that it takes forever for the main characters to meet, but at the time frames of the story.In one section you are in one scene and time and the next you are back in time a few hours, even days ago.there doesn't seem to be an understandable reason for how the sections are split.there is no build up of anticipation over wanting to know what'll happen next.you know what will happen next.
this is a good start though.i was relieved knowing that this was a series.the authors of this book didn't do enough editing for the book to stand on its own.
i was intrigued by the other characters.Ysa was shown not to be a complete villian, but an actual human being.Zazar does seem interesting and i hope she'll show up again with a looser tongue.Ashen did disappoint a little.at the beginning her character seemed tougher, and toward the end she just seemed lost and weak.
I did expect more of Andre Norton having read her Elven Blood books co-written with Mercedes Lackey.I'll cut Ms. Miller some slack assuming that she has just started.
I hope the series proves to be more exciting and enchanting.

Mutable Time & Geography
This was the first Andre Norton book I had read in many years and I was very disappointed in it.I had much higher expectations.

What really annoyed me about it was the highly mutable geography and timeline.The map was nothing like the geography described in text.The Bog was north, west, or south of the kingdom depending on what paragraph was being read.A teenage girl could cautiously walk through the dangerous bog in a few hours but it took a week for sea rovers to sail around the edge.The antagonist could magically scry upon the protagonist, spend several days doing other things then scry again and only a few hours would have passed in the life of the protagonist.

There was no thought, logic, or consistency to matters of time, travel time, and geography; and I found that very aggravating. ... Read more

Product Description
This Halcyon Classics eBook contains fourteen classic science fiction and adventure stories by acclaimed writer Andre Alice Norton.Norton (1912-2005) was the first woman to receive the Gandalf Grand Master Award.

This ebook is DRM free and includes an active table of contents for easy navigation.


Contents:

The Gifts of Asti
All Cats are Gray
Key Out of Time
Plague Ship
Ralestone Luck
Star Born
Star Hunter
Storm Over Warlock
The Defiant Agents
The Time Traders
Voodoo Planet
Rebel Spurs
Ride Proud, Rebel
The People of the Crater

... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

great stories in one volume
I have been a fan of Andre Norton for many years.It was a pleasure to get several of her books in one volume.Witch World is another place that is exciting to visit. ... Read more

Product Description
After arriving in England to claim her inheritance, Hester Jekyll, niece of Dr. Henry Jekyll, discovers she gets nothing, and suddenly her friends are untrustworthy and aloof. Hester becomes entangled in her uncle's mysterious past, and a series of brutal deaths cause her to wonder if London's seen the last of Dr. Jekyll--or Mr. Hyde. HC: Tor. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Too little Jekyll, too much social work
I had high expectations of this book, as I've read a lot of Robert Bloch's work and enjoyed it. The book is very well-written, but a bit slow. Jekyll's niece, Hester, doesn't recieve her inheritance until after more than half of the book has passed. It is interesting to see what happens to the original book's surviving characters, such as Poole and Utterson. But simply too much time is taken up by Hester getting upset over slum conditions and (after getting rich) buying herself new dresses. And the ending was a big disappointment, too simple and totally unbelievable.

Not a literary classic, but two pros tell the tale well
This books suffers in comparison with the literary giant it spawns from, but Norton and Bloch manage to create an entertaining murder mystery that also happens to examine how little times have really changed sinceVictorian England and Mr. Hyde's unfortunate appearence. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Pulpy and Contrived Low Tech 1950`s Sci-Fi
This is a simple juvenile story which will only appeal to older readers for nostalgia reasons. Star Gate is a low tech alien overlords story, focused on telling, not showing.Kincar S'Rud, the brave yet reckless main character, is tossed out of Styr's Holding because he's the daughter's son.They openly give him good equipment and toss in a secret deus-ex ancient artifact called the Tie.

Kincar takes his charming pet, a floating eyeball with teeth called a 'Mord' ('most fascinating alien animal since Heinlein's Star Lummox' according to my 1958 edition cover... let me say the Star Lummox from The Star Beast (Ace SF #78000) is ten thousand times better) and sets off to find his fortune.On his way he encounters a group of Star Lords and other mixed bloods running for their lives to a gate.Kincar joins the party!

The gate takes them to parallel Gorth, where Starlords have abused their power instead of non-interference.They meet some dwarves, extinct in Gorth original, and find a conveniently abandoned castle.Now the genre resembles medieval warlords, as apparently the 'bow and arrow' is a major new invention despite the evil Star Lords (which include Kincar's father, dead in Gorth-prime) having rayguns, control collars, and spaceships.With the power of arrows, they attack the evil guys first, and Kincar features prominently in defeating them.

A 'space knight' story set on an alien world, with little in the way of intricacy or detailed descriptions, was my impression.They only gate once, and Kincar never encounters his own evil self (dramatic letdown).Characterization is brushed over, and the battles are on the contrived side.The 'parallel worlds' descriptor is a disappointment.There is only one parallel world, and it is not particularly different from the original, which is barely described in the early novel.

Another rousing tale from a master
The world of Gorth has had its natural progress damaged by an attempted benevolence of Terrans from the stars.In an effort to mitigate the damage, the Terrans go through a Star Gate to an alternate Gorth.Here, they find an even worse scenario as the Terrans in this alternate reality have been complete dictators.The Gorthians here are completely subjugated.The Terrans from the first Gorth work to free the Gorthians on the second Gorth before leaving for yet another alternate reality.

"To lay bonds upon any unwilling living thing, whether it be man or beast, is evil."


Star Gate


Kincar s'Rud was heir to Styr's Holding on the planet Gorth, but when he learned the truth of his birth, he turned his back on that part of his life. Most of the Star Lords had abandoned Gorth, but a renegade group remained. and Kincar meant to accompany them through a Star Gate in their quest for an alternate world. But beyond the gate they confronted a nightmare, and suddenly Kincar, the misfit, was crucial to the Star Lords plans!

"Star Gate may well be one of Andre Norton's best books.It's a complex tale of adventures on a remote planet in several alternative universes, so that protagonists find themselves at times battling with their own evil selves--as-they-might-have been --a concept that sounds confusing, but is crystal clear as Andre Norton sets it forth.Her inimitably, vigorous story telling and sense of high emprise are heightened here by a delicate touch of mysticism--and by the creation in the hero's pet mord, Vorken, one of the most fascinating alien animals since [[ASIN:1933322748 The Star Beast Lummox."

Highly recommended for fans of Andre Norton and multi-universe Science Fiction.

GunnerJuly, 2008

The Master
this is a juv' book in the finest tradition by one of the greatist in the field.

Crossing the Timelines
Star Gate (1958) is a standalone SF novel.Almost five centuries past, Terrans had landed their ships on Gorth.The Terrans were a long-lived breed, some having lived from before the first coming.But the Terrans produced few offsprings.Even when they bred with the Gorthians, few children were born.

Now the Terrans have determined that their presence was not good for the natives and decided to depart Gorth.The summons had gone out to all Terrans and their offspring to gather at the ships.But some did not want to venture into space, so they devised a way to cross timelines.

In this novel, Kincar s'Rud is Daughter's Son and heir by blood to Styr's Holding.Yet his uncle Jord s'Wurd opposed Kincar's inheritance of the lands.With the departure of the Terran Star Lords, Wurd conceived of another destiny for his daughter's son that would not result in kin war within the Holding.

Wurd bestows upon Kincar a scale shirt, sword and surcoat of finest make, but he also directs the boy to leave the Holding before he takes his last breath.He has Regen -- his guardsman -- dress Kincar in the finery and take him down to the courtyard where his mount is ready for travel.Kincar seats himself on Cim -- the pick of the Holding's larngs -- and whistles for his mord Vorken, then leaves for the pass to the northeast with Vorken flying overhead.

At his first stop, Kincar takes inventory of his possessions.Regen has provided all the equipment and supplies necessary for his journey.Yet he has also packed a surprise:a Tie.This gem is dedicated to the Three and holds great powers.Jord might gain the Holding, but Kincar has Wurd's full trust.

In his journey, Kincar comes upon a camp with six travelers.Three are women, which is very unusual in this wasteland.As he is observing the camp, Vorken gives a startling scream and the sound of a hand drum blares forth.A seventh traveler dashes up and the others mount their larngs.The women ride onward, with one man as guardian, and the other men wait for the returning rider.

When ragged outlaws attack the travelers, Kincar dashes down the slope with his sword ready.Vorken gets the first strike, sending one outlaw down clutching his head.Kincar takes down another outlaw and then loses himself in the battle.

After the outlaws flee, Kincar learns that the large man dressed in silver is Dillan and the other two are Jonathal s'Kinston and Vulth s'Marc.Kincar suspects that Dillan is a Star Lord, but the man is hidden behind his travel mask and encompassing clothes.Dillan asks Kincar's name and repeats "s'Rud" with a strange intonation.

In this story, Kincar follows the other seven through the wasteland to a deep valley.There they find more travelers and mounts, as well as a couple of blue pillars with a shimmering web suspended between them. He observes a Star Lord and a Gorthian lead strings of larng between the pillars and disappear in a surround of rainbow lines.Then comes his turn.

Kincar finds himself is a dead vale, with another set of blue pillars standing about a half mile ahead.After all the party pass through the first gate, the Star Lords destroy the shimmering web.Then all ride to the next set of pillars and go through to a living, but cold world.

Kincar experiences pain from the Tie when he enters the first valley and then each time he passes through a gate.He rides in a daze to a deserted fortress in the mountains.After unloading, grooming and feeding Cim, Kincar feeds Vorken, lies down by his mount and falls asleep.

This story tells of the experiences of the refugees in a new version of Gorth.Obviously this world has been inhabited by a native species, so they decide to try again for an unoccupied world.But the Terrans discover that copies of themselves have taken this Gorth by force and Have enslaved most of the population.Now none of the Terrans will leave until they free the natives from their oppressors.

This tale is an early work by the author, but includes the typical mix of action and mystery that invests her stories.This work is science fiction, but has many similarities to her later Witch World stories.Enjoy!

Highly recommended for Norton fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of far planets, alien cultures, and high adventure.

-Arthur W. Jordin ... Read more

Product Description
NOTE: This edition has a linked "Table of Contents" and has been beautifully formatted (searchable and interlinked) to work on your Amazon e-book reader, Amazon Desktop Reader, and your ipod e-book reader.

'Visions of Distant Shores' is a collection of stories written by award-winning science-fiction author, Andre Norton. In most of Norton's works, alienated outsiders undertake a journey through which they realize their full potential. Many planets in the books are Earth-like places, where humans can live without special protection, and have extensive flora and fauna which are described in considerable detail and often have substantial bearing on the plot.

On February 20, 2005, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, which had earlier honored her with its Grand Master Award in 1983, announced the creation of the Andre Norton Award, to be given each year for an outstanding work of fantasy or science fiction for the young adult literature market, beginning in 2006.

Nobody today is telling better stories of straight-forward interstellar adventure.

Included in this volume:
Book One: Storm Over Warlock - Stranded on the alien world of Warlock, Shann Lantree's expedition camp has been wiped out by the Throgs, beings so alien that humans have yet to communicate with them. Lantree must quickly learn how to survive under harsh conditions while being chased by the Throgs -- and how to distinguish the real from the dreamed when he meets the mysterious Wyverns. A satisfying and mature novel which readers will seize upon if they want to enjoy a good adventure story...

Book Two: Star Born - When the oppressive global dictatorship of Pax took over Earth they put a stop to space exploration. Still, a few rebels escaped in the sleeper ships to found free new colonies -- or perish in the attempt. Those few colonists that reached inhabitable worlds were cut off for centuries, and in that isolation and freedom they developed the mysterious mental powers that "civilization" had all but destroyed...

Book Three: Star Hunter - Somewhere on the jungle world of Jumala, there was a man in hiding--a man whose mind had been reconditioned with another's brain pattern and for whom there was a fabulous reward. Star Hunter is a thrill-packed account of that other-worldly game of hide-and-seek between a man who did not know all his own powers and an interstellar safari that sought something no man had a right to find...

Book Four: Plague Ship - A fast-moving suspense tale, full of unusual detail and unexpected turns. Several highlights make the book really shine: the sunset gorp hunt on the reefs of an oily sea; a raid on an asteroid's emergency station; and a landing in the Big Burn, resulting in an encounter with the mutant life-forms that reside there...

Book Five: Voodoo Planet - Dane Thorson of the space-trader 'Solar Queen' found himself embroiled in a desperate battle of minds between the rational science of the spaceways and the hypnotic witchcraft of the mental wizard that ruled the Voodoo Planet...

Book Six: The Gifts of Asti - Varta, the last priestess of Asti, lives alone with Lur, a telepath of the lizardfolk, in Asti's isolated mountain retreat. Decadent Memphir has long since drifted away from the austere paths of Asti, and now the barbarians of Klem are sacking the city, and the smoke of its burning drifts up to the temple...

Book Seven: The People of the Crater - "Send the Black Throne to dust; conquer the Black Ones, and bring the Daughter from the Caves of Darkness." These were the tasks Garin must perform to fulfill the prophecy of the Ancient Ones--and establish his own destiny in this hidden land!

This are the original and unabridged versions of these tales. A must-have for science fiction fans! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Andre Norton Anthology
Andre` Norton was one of my favorite authors as a child. I remember picking out Star Born at a visiting Bookmobile while I was in the sixth grade and being enthralled with the story.

Later I discovered her Solar Queen series through Voodoo Planet/Star Hunter (an Ace double book) and Sargasso of Space. These stories fired my imagination more than anything else did at the time.

In this Kindle Collection of Novels, you get two of the Solar Queen tales (Voodoo Planet and Plague Ship) as well as the excellent Star Hunter, and Star Born. There are an additional three novels that I haven't read yet, but will enjoy through this anthology.

While I am a little disappointed that I cannot get a collection of Miss Norton's entire group of Solar Queen adventures on Kindle, this is a reasonable start ... and at only a buck, it's hard to go wrong even if you decide you don't like her writing style.

Do be warned that much of the material is dated and has long been outstripped by real world science. But if you make allowances and read the books for enjoyment rather than picking them apart for inconsistencies, you'll have many enjoyable hours of touring among the stars.

Recommended

~P~

Great collection at a great price
This is an Amazon Kindle specific review: This is a very nice collection of Norton's works. It's mostly her earlier writings and I was surprised at how well thought out the stories are. Star Hunter is the best of the bunch. Formatting and links look and work great on my Kindle. ... Read more

Product Description
Two human orphans expand their relationship with a super race of cats and travel to their world where they soon feel more like prisoners than guests. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Zimmorah.
Star Ka'at World
(1979)


This is the second book in the Star Ka'at series, following Star Ka'at.

The characters in this book that you met in the first book are:

Humans:
Jim, a recent orphan,
Elly Mae, a young girl who lives with her sickly Granny

Star Ka'ats:
Tiro, the team leader and first scout,
Mer an assistant scout.

In this book you'll read about:

Jim and Elly Mae transported to Tiro and Meran's world, Zimmorah.


Jim and Elly Mae attend Pre-School


Jim and Elly Mae learn about Psionics

The His

The City of the Dead


Irecommend this book and series for Andre Norton fans and bright juveniles.

Gunner November,2009

2nd in the Star Ka'at series for children.
For practical purposes, this picks up where _Star Ka'at_ left off. Jim and Elly Mae were adopted by Tiro and Mer, respectively, and rescued from the threat of atomic war on Earth along with refugee cats (descended from Ka'ats who were stranded on Earth thousands of years ago). These two children show potential for learning the abilities of Ka'ats - Elly Mae in particular has a greater talent for mind-send than humans have shown for hundreds of generations.

After being taken to Zimmorrah, the Ka'at homeworld, in suspended animation, they are processed much like the rest of the newcomers. They're decontaminated, given their own quarters, and sent to school. Here the curriculum is centered around learning to use psychic talent, something even Ka'ats have to be taught, and important facts about dangerous animals and the like on Zimmorrah - for instance, the abandoned city of the Hsi, another intelligent species that once shared the planet. Cause of death - xenophobia, which flared up at the discovery that Ka'ats were an intelligent species. All Ka'at technology was originally derived from Hsi technology (any questions about how Ka'ats manage a spacefaring civilization without hands are covered by this volume).

As it turns out, though, the machines that the Ka'ats now operate by thought will not work for the children. They are dependent on the older Ka'ats even for the food they eat. Then Jim has the idea of running away to explore the old Hsi city...

The children's rash decision to try to enter the old city can be explained (considering that they're only about 10 years old), and they quickly discover that it was *not* a good idea. There are other points that can't be explained away quite so easily, though. The senior Ka'ats explained very carefully to Mer and Tiro in _Star Ka'at_ that they would be held responsible for the children's actions, so the conclusion of this book seems too painless, even if you accept how easily some really dangerous situations were resolved. Also (nitpicking, now) why did the ship land, let the kids out, *then* call them back inside and move to the landing facility? Why not just go through decontamination in the first place?

All in all, this is an OK sequel to _Star Ka'at_ (which is the best book in the series to date). ... Read more