Witch World

The Witch World series by Andre Norton is a long series of fantasies laid in a parallel universe where magic works, and at the beginning at least, is the exclusive property of women. The series combines many traits of high fantasy and sword and sorcery. It begins with what is now called the Estcarp cycle. These describes the adventures of Simon Tregarth from Earth, his witch wife Jaelithe, and their three children Kyllan, Kemoc and Kaththea.

It expanded greatly with the High Hallack cycle, starting with Year of the Unicorn in 1965 and its sequels Jargoon Pard and Gryphon in Glory. The Dales of High Hallack are on a different continent from Estcarp and its neighboring lands.

Mostly these cycles are organized by continent. Estcarp corresponds to Europe in our world (directly: Simon Garth entered Estcarp through Europe).

The Turning sequence is about events which convinced conservative witches men could handle magic responsibly. The Secrets of the Witch World trilogy brings many of these story lines to a climax. Both deal with worldwide events. Except for the last of the Secrets of the Witch World books most of these were written in collaboration with Miss Norton’s fans.

Here is a list of Witch World stories:

Estcarp Cycle

  • Witch World (1963)
  • Web of the Witch World (1964)
  • Three Against the Witch World (1965)
  • Warlock of the Witch World (1967)v
  • Sorceress of the Witch World (1968)
  • Trey of Swords (1977)
  • ‘Ware Hawk (1983)
  • Gate of the Cat (1987)
  • Ciara’s Song (1998) with Lyn McConchie

High Hallack Cycle

  • Year of the Unicorn (1965)
  • The Jargoon Pard (1974)
  • Zarsthor’s Bane (1978)
  • Horn Crown (1981)
  • Were Wrath (1989)
  • The Songsmith (1992) with A.C. Crispin

Gryphon Trilogy (part of the High Hallack cycle)

  • The Crystal Gryphon (1972)
  • Gryphon in Glory (1981)
  • Gryphon’s Eyrie (1984) with A.C. Crispin

Secrets of the Witch World

  • The Key of the Keplian (1995) with Lyn McConchie
  • The Magestone (1996) with Mary Schaub
  • The Warding of the Witch World (1997)

The Turning

  • Port of Dead Ships (1991) with Pauline M. Griffin
  • Seakeep (1991) with Pauline M. Griffin
  • Storms of Victory (1991) with Pauline M. Griffin
  • Exile (1992) with Mary Schaub
  • Falcon Hope (1992) with Pauline M. Griffin
  • Flight of Vengeance (1992) with Pauline M. Griffin and Mary Schaub
  • On Wings of Magic (1993) with Patricia Matthews and Sasha Miller
  • Falcon Magic (1994) with Sasha Miller
  • We, the Women (1994) with Patricia Mathews

Short stories (most are set in High Halleck)

  • “Ully the Piper” (1970)
  • “Amber out of Quayth” (1972)
  • “Dragon Scale Silver” (1972)
  • “Dream Smith” (1972)
  • “Legacy from Sorn Fen” (1972)
  • “The Toads of Grimmerdale” (1973)
  • “Spider Silk” (1976)
  • “Falcon Blood” (1979)
  • “Sand Sisters” (1979)
  • “Changeling” (1980)
  • “Of the Shaping of Ulm’s Heir” (1987)
  • “The Way Wind” (1995)

Collections

  • Spell of the Witch World (1972)
  • Lore of the Witch World (1980)
  • Tales of the Witch World (1987)
  • Tales of the Witch World 2 (1988)
  • Four from the Witch World (1989)
  • Tales of the Witch World 3 (1990)

Websites