Lore of the Witch World

This is a collection of Andre Norton stories that I had not read before, and I thoroughly enjoyed them. There is a common theme in many of Norton's stories - a young outcast sets out either to prove himself/herself or find a home. Along the way, they discover that what makes them different from those around them also makes them stronger.

"Spider Silk" - Dairine is rescued from a slave ship when she is a young child and raised by Ingvarna, the Wise Woman of Rannock, a fishing village. Dairine is blind, though it is suspected that this is due to emotional trauma, rather than physical in nature. Dairine is a superb weaver from an early age. When she is grown, she is kidnapped by Vidruth, who has taken control of a ship, and intends to use Dairine to bargain with some mysterious weavers, who create the "spider silk" of the title.

"Sand Sister" - Tursla is born to the Tor-folk, a small, isolated, inbred group that is slowly dying out. There are no families, no married couples, no parents raising their children. The children are all raised in common. Named after the "moth-maid," a character in a legend, Tursla is different from the start. She is never at home in Tormarsh and finally leaves - upon the orders of Mafra, the Clan Mother - to follow her dreams.

"Falcon Blood" - Tanree, a young Sulcar woman, rescues a young man, the Falconer for most of the story, until his real name is revealed at the end. The Falconer's people are notorious for their hatred and distrust of women, which has made the Falconers outcasts among other races. However, Tanree learns that the Falconers actually have a pretty good reason for their distrust of women in general.

"Legacy from Sorn Fen" - a strong story, more like a fairy tale than a fantasy story. It concerns Higbold, an evil tyrant, who comes into the possession of a magical ring - only to learn that he is not the master of it after all.

"Sword of Unbelief - Elys is searching for her lover Jervon, who has been imprisoned in the Waste. To call the Waste "No Man's Land" is an understatement. The attacks that Elys endures are more mental and emotional than physical. The story is told in first person and you do not learn her name until the end. The use of first person - the only time in this volume - causes one to identify with Elys more than if the story had been told in third person like the others.

"The Toads of Grimmerdale" - Hertha, like Tursla and Dairine, is an outcast. Unlike them, she is highborn, but that does not give her any special protection in the end. She is blamed for something that she had no control over, and cast out because she defies her brother. Hertha is strong-willed and independent - and determined to get revenge against the one who wronged her. I don't want to say too much more because it will ruin the story.

"Changeling" - Hertha gives birth to a daughter, Elfanor, who appears to be cursed. Hertha knows this is because of the bargain she made in the previous story. She has to go on a quest to save her daughter. I was a little confused as to whether Elfanor was cursed or a changeling. However, Andre Norton did an excellent job of depicting Hertha's very fierce mother love.

On a side note, I loved C J Cherryh's forward. She comes across as a real Andre Norton fangirl.