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heliopteryx's review
4.0
This is the first book by Andre Norton that I've read. I always see about a billion of her books in secondhand bookstores, and was at a loss for where to start, so I kept an eye out for any sort of collections such as this one.
Each novella is a delightful little tale of heroism in a recently war-torn land where the old social order is in shambles and a new one has not yet coalesced. Femininity and its many forms and strengths are major themes in most of these stories.
Each novella is a delightful little tale of heroism in a recently war-torn land where the old social order is in shambles and a new one has not yet coalesced. Femininity and its many forms and strengths are major themes in most of these stories.
wazbar's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
fast-paced
3.75
Spider Silk (1976)
- This feels like a high hallack story, despite being solidly eastern continent in setting, if that makes sense? The spiders are appropriately horrible, but the intrigue with the mutiny on the ship is a strange inclusion here that doesn't quite gel. I think this'd be a stronger story if it didn't have the male lead in it. (3/5)
Sand Sister (1979)
- Although Tor marsh is a cool, weird place to revisit from a different perspective and the titular sand sister is a fascinatingly strange presence, iI unfortunately found this piece, kind of structureless. It is extremely strange that this story is the closest thing that exists to a direct sequel to the original Witch World/Web of the Witch World duology. (3/5)
Falcon Blood (1979)
- This was a re-read, and I now recognize that it's an inversion on the archetypical witch world story; here the female lead is the man of action (so to speak) and the male lead is the witchy one. Their dynamic is interesting and I like the fact that they win one another's respect rather than affection, but the actual story here is very spare. (3/5)
Legacy of Sorn Fen (1972)
- This is a neat little science-fantasy folktale. (5/5)
Sword of Unbelief (1977)
- An unexpected reprisal of Elys and Jervon from "Dragon Scale Silver." Despite its short length, there's good foreshadowing and establishment in this story, and the conclusion is surprisingly satisfying for what works out to a pure contest of wills. (4/5)
The Toads of Grimmerdale (1973)
- "The Toads of Grimmerdale" slaps my whole bod. Everything that makes me love High Hallack is on display here: its provincial pride, its pervasive melancholy, its ancient mysteries. This plot has a surprising number of zigs and zags in it for its length, and I found I really liked the not it ended on. (5/5, cw for rape, though not described in detail)
Changeling (1980)
- Eh. It's a direct sequel to "The Toads of Grimmerdale," a story that I think would be stronger not having a sequel. On its own terms, I think this story is ill-served by having the influence on the baby physically marked; I think it would have been a better story if there had instead been some ominous sign at the birth and then a sense of dread and unease surrounding an infant who is apparently perfect, because this is really a story about Hertha's guilt and need to make amends, even if that is made fantastically literal. (3/5)
- This feels like a high hallack story, despite being solidly eastern continent in setting, if that makes sense? The spiders are appropriately horrible, but the intrigue with the mutiny on the ship is a strange inclusion here that doesn't quite gel. I think this'd be a stronger story if it didn't have the male lead in it. (3/5)
Sand Sister (1979)
- Although Tor marsh is a cool, weird place to revisit from a different perspective and the titular sand sister is a fascinatingly strange presence, iI unfortunately found this piece, kind of structureless. It is extremely strange that this story is the closest thing that exists to a direct sequel to the original Witch World/Web of the Witch World duology. (3/5)
Falcon Blood (1979)
- This was a re-read, and I now recognize that it's an inversion on the archetypical witch world story; here the female lead is the man of action (so to speak) and the male lead is the witchy one. Their dynamic is interesting and I like the fact that they win one another's respect rather than affection, but the actual story here is very spare. (3/5)
Legacy of Sorn Fen (1972)
- This is a neat little science-fantasy folktale. (5/5)
Sword of Unbelief (1977)
- An unexpected reprisal of Elys and Jervon from "Dragon Scale Silver." Despite its short length, there's good foreshadowing and establishment in this story, and the conclusion is surprisingly satisfying for what works out to a pure contest of wills. (4/5)
The Toads of Grimmerdale (1973)
- "The Toads of Grimmerdale" slaps my whole bod. Everything that makes me love High Hallack is on display here: its provincial pride, its pervasive melancholy, its ancient mysteries. This plot has a surprising number of zigs and zags in it for its length, and I found I really liked the not it ended on. (5/5, cw for rape, though not described in detail)
Changeling (1980)
- Eh. It's a direct sequel to "The Toads of Grimmerdale," a story that I think would be stronger not having a sequel. On its own terms, I think this story is ill-served by having the influence on the baby physically marked; I think it would have been a better story if there had instead been some ominous sign at the birth and then a sense of dread and unease surrounding an infant who is apparently perfect, because this is really a story about Hertha's guilt and need to make amends, even if that is made fantastically literal. (3/5)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Pregnancy, and War
Minor: Ableism
serena_dawn's review against another edition
4.0
I find that when I want to start a very long series, a good "taste test" is to see if there are any anthologies out - and if I like what a few short stories say, I will more than likely begin tracking down the "real" beginning of a series. These are all lovely little stories, and I am now eager and ready to begin my first Witch World book.
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