Warlock of the Witch World

Many of Andre Norton's most haunting stories are set in water and/or the underworld. This dark, water-bound environment is often a river of rebirth for Norton's heroes. In "Warlock of the Witch World" the hero, Kemoc is guided through a watery underworld by the amphibious, amorphous Orsya who defies her own people to aid him in his quest. Kemoc Tregarth was born one of three triplets. His birth-sister Kaththea was gifted with witchery. His brother, Kyllan became a warrior. Kemoc himself was gifted with wisdom, but as he states it, "...my wisdom consists in knowing that I know very little, though the thirst for learning has ever been in me." At the very least, you probably need to read "Three Against the Witch World" (1965) as a precursor to 'Warlock' (1967), in order to learn about the hidden land of Escore, the magical sister-state of witch-ruled Estcarp that lies to the forbidden East in "trembling balance between the forces of Light and those of the Dark." When Kaththea, Kemoc, and Kyllan flee to Escore, they accidentally destroy the false peace that had long abode there between the great powers of Light and Dark. "Things awoke and gathered, and the land was troubled..." and the three learn that they must fight with the forces of Light, or be utterly annihilated by the Dark. Kemoc sets out to win allies among the Krogan, who made their homes in the lakes, rivers, and waterways of Escore. When he returns from this failed mission, there are many other battles to be fought in the now-troubled land. During one such engagement, Kemoc is wounded and is almost captured by minions of the Dark, but is saved by the Krogan maid, Orsya. When Kemoc finally reaches the safety of the Valley of Green Silences, he discovers that his birth-sister Kaththea has ridden off to the stronghold of an apparent ally, Dinzil. However, Kemoc suspects that the fair-seeming man who wooed his sister is actually a creature of the Great Dark Ones. Off he goes on another quest into the magic-troubled land, where he meets with the gnarled Moss Wives, and Loskeetha of the Garden of Stones, Reader of Sands. Loskeetha shows Kemoc three separate futures--all which end in the death of his birth-sister, Kaththea, twice by his own hand! A greatly troubled Kemoc continues his search for Kaththea, with the help of his web-fingered, silver-haired friend, Orsya. This is an eerie, compelling fantasy with many allusions (intended or not) to Wagner's "Rheingold." It doesn't have a happy, fairytale ending and you must certainly read the sequel, "Sorceress of the Witch World" (1968) in order to experience a good, satisfying thumping of the Great Dark Ones. The late Andre Norton was a powerful mythmaker and world-builder, and her fantasies concerning the triplets Kemoc, Kaththea, and Kyllan ("Three Against the Witch World," "Warlock of the Witch World," and "Sorceress of the Witch World") do not suffer in comparison with Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea books. In fact, my own

Many of Andre Norton's most haunting stories are set in water and/or the underworld. This dark, water-bound environment is often a river of rebirth for Norton's heroes. In "Warlock of the Witch World" the hero, Kemoc is guided through a watery underworld by the amphibious, amorphous Orsya who defies her own people to aid him in his quest. Kemoc Tregarth was born one of three triplets. His birth-sister Kaththea was gifted with witchery. His brother, Kyllan became a warrior. Kemoc himself was gifted with wisdom, but as he states it, "...my wisdom consists in knowing that I know very little, though the thirst for learning has ever been in me." At the very least, you probably need to read "Three Against the Witch World" (1965) as a precursor to 'Warlock' (1967), in order to learn about the hidden land of Escore, the magical sister-state of witch-ruled Estcarp that lies to the forbidden East in "trembling balance between the forces of Light and those of the Dark." When Kaththea, Kemoc, and Kyllan flee to Escore, they accidentally destroy the false peace that had long abode there between the great powers of Light and Dark. "Things awoke and gathered, and the land was troubled..." and the three learn that they must fight with the forces of Light, or be utterly annihilated by the Dark. Kemoc sets out to win allies among the Krogan, who made their homes in the lakes, rivers, and waterways of Escore. When he returns from this failed mission, there are many other battles to be fought in the now-troubled land. During one such engagement, Kemoc is wounded and is almost captured by minions of the Dark, but is saved by the Krogan maid, Orsya. When Kemoc finally reaches the safety of the Valley of Green Silences, he discovers that his birth-sister Kaththea has ridden off to the stronghold of an apparent ally, Dinzil. However, Kemoc suspects that the fair-seeming man who wooed his sister is actually a creature of the Great Dark Ones. Off he goes on another quest into the magic-troubled land, where he meets with the gnarled Moss Wives, and Loskeetha of the Garden of Stones, Reader of Sands. Loskeetha shows Kemoc three separate futures--all which end in the death of his birth-sister, Kaththea, twice by his own hand! A greatly troubled Kemoc continues his search for Kaththea, with the help of his web-fingered, silver-haired friend, Orsya. This is an eerie, compelling fantasy with many allusions (intended or not) to Wagner's "Rheingold." It doesn't have a happy, fairytale ending and you must certainly read the sequel, "Sorceress of the Witch World" (1968) in order to experience a good, satisfying thumping of the Great Dark Ones. Andre Norton is a powerful mythmaker and world-builder, and her fantasies concerning the triplets Kemoc, Kaththea, and Kyllan ("Three Against the Witch World," "Warlock of the Witch World," and "Sorceress of the Witch World") do not suffer in comparison with Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea books. In fact, my own personal p

Many of Andre Norton's most haunting stories are set in water and/or the underworld. This dark, water-bound environment is often a river of rebirth for Norton's heroes. In "Warlock of the Witch World (Witch World #5)" the hero, Kemoc is guided through a watery underworld by the amphibious, amorphous Orsya who defies her own people to aid him in his quest. Kemoc Tregarth was born one of three triplets. His birth-sister Kaththea was gifted with witchery. His brother, Kyllan became a warrior. Kemoc himself was gifted with wisdom, but as he states it, "...my wisdom consists in knowing that I know very little, though the thirst for learning has ever been in me." At the very least, you probably need to read "Three Against the Witch World" (1965) as a precursor to 'Warlock' (1967), in order to learn about the hidden land of Escore, the magical sister-state of witch-ruled Estcarp that lies to the forbidden East in "trembling balance between the forces of Light and those of the Dark." When Kaththea, Kemoc, and Kyllan flee to Escore, they accidentally destroy the false peace that had long abode there between the great powers of Light and Dark. "Things awoke and gathered, and the land was troubled..." and the three learn that they must fight with the forces of Light, or be utterly annihilated by the Dark.Kemoc sets out to win allies among the Krogan, who made their homes in the lakes, rivers, and waterways of Escore. When he returns from this failed mission, there are many other battles to be fought in the now-troubled land. During one such engagement, Kemoc is wounded and is almost captured by minions of the Dark, but is saved by the Krogan maid, Orsya. When Kemoc finally reaches the safety of the Valley of Green Silences, he discovers that his birth-sister Kaththea has ridden off to the stronghold of an apparent ally, Dinzil. However, Kemoc suspects that the fair-seeming man who wooed his sister is actually a creature of the Great Dark Ones.Off he goes on another quest into the magic-troubled land, where he meets with the gnarled Moss Wives, and Loskeetha of the Garden of Stones, Reader of Sands. Loskeetha shows Kemoc three separate futures--all which end in the death of his birth-sister, Kaththea, twice by his own hand!A greatly troubled Kemoc continues his search for Kaththea, with the help of his web-fingered, silver-haired friend, Orsya.This is an eerie, compelling fantasy with many allusions (intended or not) to Wagner's "Rheingold." It doesn't have a happy, fairytale ending and you must certainly read the sequel, "Sorceress of the Witch World" (1968) in order to experience a good, satisfying thumping of the Great Dark Ones.Andre Norton is a powerful mythmaker and world-builder, and her fantasies concerning the triplets Kemoc, Kaththea, and Kyllan ("Three Against the Witch World," "Warlock of the Witch World," and "Sorceress of the Witch World") do not suffer in comparison with Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea books. In fact, my own persona

Many of Andre Norton's most haunting stories are set in water and/or the underworld. This dark, water-bound environment is often a river of rebirth for Norton's heroes. In "Warlock of the Witch World" the hero, Kemoc is guided through a watery underworld by the amphibious, amorphous Orsya who defies her own people to aid him in his quest. Kemoc Tregarth was born one of three triplets. His birth-sister Kaththea was gifted with witchery. His brother, Kyllan became a warrior. Kemoc himself was gifted with wisdom, but as he states it, "...my wisdom consists in knowing that I know very little, though the thirst for learning has ever been in me." At the very least, you probably need to read "Three Against the Witch World" (1965) as a precursor to 'Warlock' (1967), in order to learn about the hidden land of Escore, the magical sister-state of witch-ruled Estcarp that lies to the forbidden East in "trembling balance between the forces of Light and those of the Dark." When Kaththea, Kemoc, and Kyllan flee to Escore, they accidentally destroy the false peace that had long abode there between the great powers of Light and Dark. "Things awoke and gathered, and the land was troubled..." and the three learn that they must fight with the forces of Light, or be utterly annihilated by the Dark.Kemoc sets out to win allies among the Krogan, who made their homes in the lakes, rivers, and waterways of Escore. When he returns from this failed mission, there are many other battles to be fought in the now-troubled land. During one such engagement, Kemoc is wounded and is almost captured by minions of the Dark, but is saved by the Krogan maid, Orsya. When Kemoc finally reaches the safety of the Valley of Green Silences, he discovers that his birth-sister Kaththea has ridden off to the stronghold of a apparent ally, Dinzil. However, Kemoc suspects that the fair-seeming man who wooed his sister is actually a creature of the Great Dark Ones.Off he goes on another quest into the magic-troubled land, where he meets with the gnarled Moss Wives, and Loskeetha of the Garden of Stones, Reader of Sands. Loskeetha shows Kemoc three separate futures--all which end in the death of his birth-sister, Kaththea, and twice by his own hand!A greatly troubled Kemoc continues his search for Kaththea, with the help of his web-fingered, silver-haired friend, Orsya.This is an eerie, compelling fantasy with many allusions (intended or not) to Wagner's "Rheingold." It doesn't have a happy, fairytale ending, and you must certainly read the sequel, "Sorceress of the Witch World" (1968) in order to experience a good, satisfying thumping of the Great Dark Ones.Andre Norton is a powerful mythmaker and world-builder, and her three fantasies concerning the triplets Kemoc, Kaththea, and Kyllan ("Three Against the Witch World," "Warlock of the Witch World," and "Sorceress of the Witch World") do not suffer in comparison with Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea books. In fact, my own personal prefe