I love the archaic language, Norton's particular fantasy-speak really appeals to me!

I read the Witch World series when I was 18, and I was absolutely compelled and hooked by this "modern Narnia" (the Witch World is a parallel world reached through 'portals' in other worlds - the story begins as a fugitive man from our world, facing death, finds such a portal, through which he discovers a pseudo-medieval world where witchcraft is a respected art; he falls in love with one witch, and the first 5 Witch World novels tell the story of their love, their children, and their adventures in this world, fighting such invaders as the Kolder, a cold race from another world who though technologically advanced seek to enslave other peoples.)

I then re-read the whole series years later, and was brought up short by the simply awful pseudo-Victorian-Arthurian-Age-of-Chivalry dialogue - how had I not noticed this the first time of reading? A sample (not actual, but you get the idea):

"Methinks my lady wrestles much with her conscience?"
"No! But, good Thoris, I have much on my mind, please leave me."

This grated horribly on me, and ruined my return to what was otherwise still a highly imaginative, exciting, often mysterious, always involving series.

This 6th book in the series breaks away from the dynasty of the first books, introducing a new character Gillan, a young woman who is seized and while drugged and unconscious, has her "double" wrenched from her. She is then abandoned, locked out of the land where the kidnappers have taken her double (married off to one of them), leaving her cold, empty, and fading.

The story of how she manages to find her way into the hidden world where her double now lives, and manages to track her down so she can attempt to regain her wholeness, is a superbly told odyssey. Phantom lands, ebbing and flowing before her eyes, as she fights against the creeping weariness that prefaces her inevitable death if she fails in her quest, results in a compelling tale you can't put down.

The dialogue is still clunky, but on this occasion, I can forgive that. ( )

One of the better novels set in the Witch World. ( )

A groundbreaking work of fantasy in a time the publishers disliked the term "fantasy"