Key of the Keplian
by Andre Norton, Lyn McConchie
Witch World: Secrets Cycle (1), Witch World: Publication Order (1995.07), Witch World (27)
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Fantasy. Fiction. All of Witch World knows to fear the hated, fire-eyed Keplian horses who lure riders to their deaths. All that is, save for one young Native American girl new to Witch World, who rescues a Keplian mare and her foal and discovers an awesome truth—the Keplians were created to serve light, not darkness, and to ride with humans. This is the first in a new trilogy.Tags
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juniperSun same struggle of light over dark, YA focus
Member Reviews
My favorite Witch World story - well, my favorite collaboration and among my favorites set in that world. McConchie really meshes well with Norton. I like Eleeri - she as a person, her reasons for crossing into Witch World, the way she deals with things there - she's great. The situation she steps in to and the caution and questions from all sides (hers, the hold, the Green Valley, the keplians...) are all very realistic - neither instant fellowship nor unreasonable fear/rejection. I love the Keplians, too - the entire concept is wonderful. Especially the way an established race was dealt with and greatly expanded (thank you, Lyn!). The part with the mist people was kind of irrelevant (she already held the hold, they could have given it show more to her for that alone without the ancient connections), but not bad. Love it. show less
I would have loved this when I was fourteen, as I voraciously read my way through Pern and Witch World. Keplian follows the standard story of the young woman marginalized by society because of her differences. The plot hinges on her discovering those differences give her access into a new world/power. In Pern, it was Lessa and dragons, Menolly and fire-lizards; in this homage to Witch World, it's a Native-American girl and horses. But not just any horse; this is a fully cognizant animal that has been hunted for it's role in carrying off humans to their doom, kelpie-style.
Both Pern and Witch World were some of the first 'grown up' serial fantasies I remember reading, and the first written by women (a huge relief after abandoning the show more Thomas Covenant Chronicles). Stylistically, Norton was often short on the details of world-building I enjoy, but had an interesting focus on gender dynamics and sorcerous power. Norton didn't hold hands; like her characters, the reader was often thrown into Witch World and left to build impressions through experience. This book, with co-author credits given to Lyn McConchie, contains more detail than I expected, and contains a nicely succinct history of the Witch World.
Fortunately for me (but less fortunately for my enjoyment of the book), I am no longer fourteen. The beginning lacks sophistication and comes straight out of most Navajo stereotypes any not-completely-ignorant person would have about the culture. Granted, is generally admiring and attempts to show the reader the horrible way the half-Navajo girl was treated. However, it always makes me nervous when people of not a given heritage appropriate another for their own uses. I can't speak to either authors' background, but it is something I'm wary of, particularly as McConchie hails from New Zealand. Thankfully, this section was relatively brief, so the plot and characterization became less about ethnicity and more about Eleeri's personal characteristics.
Characterization was fine, if somewhat starry-eyed. Eleeri's survival skills, somewhat suspect in modern America, enable comfortable survival new world, especially when she ends up meeting a surrogate grandfather. The transition from Earth to Witch World is very easy for her, and has none of the normal disorientation, confusion and violence of Norton's world--it's Witch World for young adult, if you will. From there, it settles into learning about the world and making her way to discover her powers, and is more general enjoyable fare. Young woman and kelpian learn to challenge their assumptions about the other. The last bit is a confrontation between her many new found allies and a Great Evil. And a happily ever after, of course.
Two and a half starry-eyed stars. show less
Both Pern and Witch World were some of the first 'grown up' serial fantasies I remember reading, and the first written by women (a huge relief after abandoning the show more Thomas Covenant Chronicles). Stylistically, Norton was often short on the details of world-building I enjoy, but had an interesting focus on gender dynamics and sorcerous power. Norton didn't hold hands; like her characters, the reader was often thrown into Witch World and left to build impressions through experience. This book, with co-author credits given to Lyn McConchie, contains more detail than I expected, and contains a nicely succinct history of the Witch World.
Fortunately for me (but less fortunately for my enjoyment of the book), I am no longer fourteen. The beginning lacks sophistication and comes straight out of most Navajo stereotypes any not-completely-ignorant person would have about the culture. Granted, is generally admiring and attempts to show the reader the horrible way the half-Navajo girl was treated. However, it always makes me nervous when people of not a given heritage appropriate another for their own uses. I can't speak to either authors' background, but it is something I'm wary of, particularly as McConchie hails from New Zealand. Thankfully, this section was relatively brief, so the plot and characterization became less about ethnicity and more about Eleeri's personal characteristics.
Characterization was fine, if somewhat starry-eyed. Eleeri's survival skills, somewhat suspect in modern America, enable comfortable survival new world, especially when she ends up meeting a surrogate grandfather. The transition from Earth to Witch World is very easy for her, and has none of the normal disorientation, confusion and violence of Norton's world--it's Witch World for young adult, if you will. From there, it settles into learning about the world and making her way to discover her powers, and is more general enjoyable fare. Young woman and kelpian learn to challenge their assumptions about the other. The last bit is a confrontation between her many new found allies and a Great Evil. And a happily ever after, of course.
Two and a half starry-eyed stars. show less
Great story even (like me) you've never read other Witch World books. Eleeri is a strong character, deals with what life gives her, willing to pay fairly for what she receives, open to friendship & happiness, without being at all pious or mopey.
This is one of the very first fantasy novels that I bought years ago just after it came out. The storytelling in the book draws one into the tale and the characters seem very real with all thier flaws and strengths.
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ThingScore 75
In a way, The Key of the Keplian is a period piece, a throwback to the fantasy novels of a prior generation. Like many of Norton's earlier works, this is a coming-of-age tale rather than a wide-angle epic, focused on a protagonist drawn as large as life but no larger. And there's an aura of mist and legend around the Witch World, a sense of things unseen, that contrasts sharply with more show more modern sagas packed full of exacting detail. That makes Norton's and McConchie's novel a refreshing, low-key pleasure and a welcome surprise. show less
added by Nevov
Author Information
436+ Works 76,224 Members
Born Alice Mary Norton on February 17, 1912 in Cleveland, Ohio, she legally changed her name to Andre Alice Norton in 1934. She attended the Flora Stone Mather College of Western Reserve University (now Case Western Reserve) for a year then took evening courses in journalism and writing that were offered by Cleveland College, the adult division of show more the same university. Norton was a librarian for the Cleveland Library System then a reader at Gnome Press. After that position, she became a full-time writer. She is most noted for writing fantasy, in particular the Witch World series. Her first book The Prince of Commands was published in 1934. Other titles include Ralestone Luck, Magic in Ithkar, Voorloper, Uncharted Stars, The Gifts of Asti and All Cats are Gray. She also wrote under the pen names Andre Norton, Andrew North and Allen Weston She was the first woman to receive the Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and the Nebula Grand Master Award. She has also received a Phoenix Award for overall writing achievement, a Jules Verne Award, and a Science Fiction Book Club Book of the Year Award for her title The Elvenbane. In 1997 she was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame. She died on March 17, 2005. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
22+ Works 1,527 Members
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Key of the Keplian
- Original title
- Key of the Keplian
- Original publication date
- 1995-07
- People/Characters
- Eleeri Polworth; Tharna; Far Traveler Two-Feathers; Cynan; Jane Wind Talker Ree; John Polworth (show all 20); Gerae; Hylan; Terlor; Jerrany; Myrin; Aldrin; Romar; Pehnan; Theela; Shenn; Ternan; Kiran; Shevaun; Hapwold
- Important places
- Escore, Witch World; Karsten, Witch World; Valley of the Keplain, Escore, Witchworld; Dark Tower, Escore, Witch World
- Dedication
- To those who ensured this book in some way.
To Greg Hills, who persuaded me to begin writing as an amateur.
To Steve Pasechnick of Strange Plasma, who purchased my first professional Story.
To my agent, Susan James of Curtis Brown Ltd, whose acceptance of me as a client strengthened my belief in my work.
And to my friend and collaborator Andre Norton.
Your books were the first in the genre I ever read. They opened new Worlds and still do. May you live and write them forever - less is unacceptable! - First words
- The old man was dying.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)For when powers stir deeply, old secrets rise again.
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- English, Polish
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- ISBNs
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