Web of the Witch World
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Average rating3.3
Simon Tregarth, whose own Earthly prowess had won him a throne and a witch-wife on an alien world, knew that both triumphs were precarious as long as the super-science of Kolder held a foothold on that planet. And his premonitions were right when those invaders from another dimension made their final diabolical strike for total conquest.
Series
Series
10 primary booksWitch World Series 1: The Estcarp Cycle
Witch World Series 1: The Estcarp Cycle is a 10-book series with 10 primary works first released in 1963 with contributions by Andre Norton and Lyn McConchie.
Series
26 primary books28 released booksWitch World
Witch World is a 28-book series with 26 primary works first released in 1963 with contributions by Andre Norton, norton-andre, and A.C. Crispin.
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ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.
Web of the Witch World continues the story of Simon Tregarth, the modern man who escaped assassination by coming through a gate into the Witch World, and Jaelithe, a witch of Estcarp, as they fight the strange enemy who are invading their land. At the end of the previous novel, the Kolder, who are from a technologically advanced planet, had been defeated by the witchery of Jaelithe and her sisters (and it seems that Simon has some powers, too). Jaelithe gave Simon her name, thus showing her trust in (and love for) him, and Loyse and Koris declared love for each other.
But in Web of the Witch World the sappy stuff abruptly ends when Duke Yvian, formally betrothed to Loyse, kidnaps her because he needs to marry her to seal his claim to power in Karsten. This sets off another fast-paced science fantasy adventure in which everything is not as it seems, for once again our heroes discover that alien Kolder is influencing Estcarp???s enemies. Simon, Jaelithe, Loyse, and Koris must find and destroy the root of this evil while dealing with their own personal issues.
If you???ve read Witch World, you???ll definitely want to read Web of the Witch World since it is part two of the story ??? a direct continuation. Expect the same quick-moving plot filled with battles, captures, escapes, shapechanging, mind control, illusions, ships, and flying machines. Andre Norton created likable heroes and an interesting world, and the writing is pleasant, too. I listened to Brilliance Audio???s version read by Nick Podehl. He does a fine job ??? his narration isn???t particularly inspiring, but there???s nothing wrong with it either.
Where Witch World falls short of more excellent work is in the magic system, which is based mostly on telepathy and mind power. Thus, our heroes are able to do things by willing them strongly enough or by just ???knowing??? things, or sometimes through really good hunches. That works, I guess, but it???s not nearly as fun and exciting as the kind of stuff that, say, Brandon Sanderson dreams up. However, these novels were written in the 1960s ??? long before fantasy fans were demanding something ???new.??? Reading Andre Norton is valuable then, not just for a quick fun read, but also for an SFF history lesson.
