Spell of the Witch World

This is a short little book with 3 self-contained stories, which all come to proper conclusions. All take places in High Hallack and in or around the Dales there. Each story is immersive and action-packed. It's difficult to put it down, but there's also very little in the way of unnecessary information. You get what you need to move the story and the narration along, to learn about the characters involved and the adventures that they're part of. Their troubles and peril feel real and important.

The writing style is different from what I'm used to, but it seems to me that it was likely done that way on purpose to match the setting of the stories. Still, it took me a bit to get used to it and slowed me down for the first several pages, so show more watch out for that but don't let it deter you!

I loved this book. The first Andre Norton book that I think I've ever read, and I can definitely see why he's so important in sci-fi/fantasy.

This book is also part of at least two series, Witch World and High Hallack Cycle, but I didn't find it difficult to follow or understand the stories and plots and events even though I haven't read the other books in either of these series. It's possible that if you have read other books in these series that you might get even more out of this book, but I don't think there's anything here to confuse or trip anyone up if this is the first book you picked up either from the author or from these series (at least nothing struck me that way).

I also really liked that, especially in the first story, you could really see that Andre Norton knows his stuff on magic. You can see where he did research into actual magical theory by people who actually consider themselves practitioners, and there is a whole lot of symbolism there as well. Don't get me wrong, he took great liberties and creative license but you can see the foundations if you know what to look for and it's pretty awesome to see that.

Just a great little book and one that I'm definitely going to keep on my shelf. Absolutely recommended for anyone who likes fantasy, especially high fantasy. The series themselves are also sci-fi but if you don't already know that then these books really do come off as straight high fantasy. So, keep that in mind but don't let it deter you! show less

Dragon Scale Silver - ah, _there's_ the beginning of Elys and Jervon. I had read it before, but a long time ago - I was thinking Toads, actually, when Elyn went to the window. A good story - long, since it starts a generation back, but it explains both of them quite thoroughly. Including why they ride together. I still want more stories of theirs - all the in-between time before they show up in the Gryphon series. Dream Smith - kinda cute, kinda depressing. She tried to make it so they really had nothing else, but it still feels a but like a copout. And I wonder if Collard was even less himself than Jacinda, or if he just couldn't recognize his own face after so long. Amber out of Quayth - um, weird. Kind of pointless, in the end. Well, show more she helped defeat him and free his captives, but then... what? She gets to stay there and be a fifth wheel? The gunpowder was interesting and ignored - he turned to magic when they got to Quayth. I don't know, it was just unsatisfying overall. So one excellent story, one depressing and one pointless. Elys and Jervon are good enough to carry the stars all by themselves... but I wonder if that story appears in any other book. show less

This is an anthology of three short stories, Dragon Scale Silver, Dream Smith, and Amber out of Quayth. I read many Andre Norton books years ago when I was in high school, so when I saw the free Kindle promotion for this one, I grabbed a copy.
These are typical sword and sorcery stories, and, quite honestly, they were just all right. I remember staying up late into the night reading Andre Norton books as a teenager, but the stories here did not tempt me to do that. I don’t think it’s the stories, though. I’m quite sure my tastes have changed.
The stories are predictable, the prose adequate, and the characters unexceptional. The Kindle version of this book appears to have been hastily assembled. I found several typos caused, I show more suspect, from relying on an optical character reader to digitize the book and inadequate proofreading.
As a freebie, this collection is a fine introduction to Andre Norton’s fantasy books, but I cannot recommend spending $2.99 for it. There are several better novels and short story collections available for Kindle in that price range from both old favorites and new authors. show less

Truth be told I'd like to give it 3 and a half.

The book was fine, I really liked the way it was written, and the stories were very interesting.
The first story (as much as I liked it) I was not pleased with the ending, the second story I admit I did not quite get it, the last story I really enjoyed.

Spell of the Witch World was published in 1972 and contains the novella "Dragon Scale Silver," divided into 7 chapters and introducing us to Elys. Her parents were rescued from a boat lost at sea, fled from Estcarp and landing in High Halleck. She was raised by the Wise Woman of the local village, along with her twin brother Elyn, after their Witch mother died giving birth to them. Both were trained as fighters by their warrior father, but Elys also trained as a wise woman and received the magical chalice created by their mother to aid in their conception. When war comes to High Halleck, Elys and Elyn are parted and Jervon enters the scene as an injured refugee. Jervon aids Elys in her quest to rescue her brother from some unknown show more magical harm.

This is followed by the short story "Dream Smith." It features Collard and Lady Jacinda, both disabled and largely hidden away from their fellows. Their young lives have been full of suffering, but they seek a happy ending that is very reminiscent of "Through the Needle's Eye" in the High Sorcery collection.

Spell of the Witch World ends with the novelette in 6 chapters, "Amber out of Quayth" In it, Ysmay seeks a new home having been displaced by her ungenerous and greedy sister-in-law too indulged by her brother, the Lord of Uppsdale. She gambles on marriage to the mysterious Hylle, a lordly merchant of amber wares from a distant northern keep. There she encounters ancient magic and unimagined perils.

The strongest story leads, and the others are okay. The charm is mostly in following Elys and Jervon from one story to the next. And I appreciate that Elys is one of the few explicit connections between Estcarp and High Halleck, besides dealing with the Hounds of Alizon. show less

I was completelt enthralled by the characters of this collection of short stories and novellas.

DAW no. 1. Third printing.