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jaceyWitch World #8
This has been sitting on my bookshelf for years. I'm fairly sure that I have read it before, but even part way through it wasn't doing more than ringing faint bells, and that may have been because some of Norton's other Witch World characters were mentioned or had small roles in this novel.
The central character is Yonan, adopted into the household of Lord Hervon, lately fled from Karsten to Estcarp and from there emigrated to the magically unstable Escore to forge a new life at the call of Kyllan Tregarth (one of Simon Tregarth's sons from earlier Witch World novels). Yonan, never a brilliant fighter and somewhat weak as a child, has grown up with little self-worth.
Yonan has always been in love with Crytha, the niece of his guardians, but she's destined to marry her cousin, Hervon's heir. Crytha is a witch by inclination if not by training and in Escore she attaches herself to Dahaun, Lady of Green Silences, to learn what she can about her power.
Okay, that's all background. It turns out that Yonan carries the soul of Tolar – a warrior of old who was pitted against the evil Targi and despite having little liking for war himself must take up Tolar's ancient sword, Ice Tongue and fight the old battle once more.
Divided into three sections, the first two cover Yonan's rescue of Crytha from a kidnap attempt by the evil Thas and his freeing of the ancient warrior, Uruk from a block of ice and his and Uruk's journey back in time to fight against Targi once again.
Then suddenly, having been in Yonan's head for two thirds of the story, we change to Crytha who has been called by Laiden who is trying to resurrect Targi. It's a strange break point in the story and quite dragged me out of the tale. The first part of it repeated the bits where Yonan and Crytha's story intersected, but from her point of view (though this added little, I think). I read it assuming that when Crytha's part in making sure Targi never returns is finished that Crytha and Yonan would be reunited... but no. It's like the last chapter of the book is missing completely. After the 2/3 point we never hear from Yonan again and Crytha decides that she 's going to dedicate herself to learning more about her powers. I could have taken to it more if it had been presented as a shorter novel followed by Crytha's novella rather than as part of the same book.
It's very unusual for Norton, who was one of the writers who first led me into fantasy, it's an unsatisfying ending. She sets up expectations at the beginning and then drops all the threads at the end. Very like life, but not at all like fiction.
This has been sitting on my bookshelf for years. I'm fairly sure that I have read it before, but even part way through it wasn't doing more than ringing faint bells, and that may have been because some of Norton's other Witch World characters were mentioned or had small roles in this novel.
The central character is Yonan, adopted into the household of Lord Hervon, lately fled from Karsten to Estcarp and from there emigrated to the magically unstable Escore to forge a new life at the call of Kyllan Tregarth (one of Simon Tregarth's sons from earlier Witch World novels). Yonan, never a brilliant fighter and somewhat weak as a child, has grown up with little self-worth.
Yonan has always been in love with Crytha, the niece of his guardians, but she's destined to marry her cousin, Hervon's heir. Crytha is a witch by inclination if not by training and in Escore she attaches herself to Dahaun, Lady of Green Silences, to learn what she can about her power.
Okay, that's all background. It turns out that Yonan carries the soul of Tolar – a warrior of old who was pitted against the evil Targi and despite having little liking for war himself must take up Tolar's ancient sword, Ice Tongue and fight the old battle once more.
Divided into three sections, the first two cover Yonan's rescue of Crytha from a kidnap attempt by the evil Thas and his freeing of the ancient warrior, Uruk from a block of ice and his and Uruk's journey back in time to fight against Targi once again.
Then suddenly, having been in Yonan's head for two thirds of the story, we change to Crytha who has been called by Laiden who is trying to resurrect Targi. It's a strange break point in the story and quite dragged me out of the tale. The first part of it repeated the bits where Yonan and Crytha's story intersected, but from her point of view (though this added little, I think). I read it assuming that when Crytha's part in making sure Targi never returns is finished that Crytha and Yonan would be reunited... but no. It's like the last chapter of the book is missing completely. After the 2/3 point we never hear from Yonan again and Crytha decides that she 's going to dedicate herself to learning more about her powers. I could have taken to it more if it had been presented as a shorter novel followed by Crytha's novella rather than as part of the same book.
It's very unusual for Norton, who was one of the writers who first led me into fantasy, it's an unsatisfying ending. She sets up expectations at the beginning and then drops all the threads at the end. Very like life, but not at all like fiction.
