Year of the Unicorn

Year of the Unicorn (1965) is the third fantasy novel in the Witch World series, following Web of the Witch World. In the previous volume, Simon and Loyse slipped through the Kolder Gate to the other side. There they discovered the remnants of the Kolder rear guard. These other Kolder crossed through the gate to the Witch World and laid siege to the outpost. Simon and Jaelithe entered the mind of a Kolder and forced him to open the defenses. The other Kolder rampaged through the outpost and then turned against the Estcarp forces. In this novel, Gillan is an orphan freed from the Alizon Hounds. Some think that she is an Estcarp witch child. She has been living in the Norstead Abbey in the Dales for over a decade. Lord Imgry is a power among the highborn of High Hallack. He is also the guardian of Lady Marimme. Herrel is a Were Rider from the Wastes. He and his Pack have fought for the Hallack forces until the Hounds were defeated. Herrel shapechanges to a great cat. Halse is also a Were Rider. He considers himself to be one of the strongest of the Pack. Halse shapechanges to a bear. Hyron is Captain of the Were Riders. He shapechanges to a stallion. In this story, the Great Compact with the Were Riders -- sorcerers and shapechanges -- calls for twelve and one brides in exchange for their services. Now the war with the Alizon Hounds is over and twelve brides are selected. The brides are brought to Norstead Abbey on their way to the Were Riders. Gillan is approached by Lady Sussia and told about the fears of Lady Marimme. When Lord Imgry informs Marimme that she will be the last bride, she has hysterics. Gillan administers a herbal infusion that will calm her and put her to sleep. When the brides leave the Abbey, Gillan goes with them as Lady Marimme. Later, Imgry discovers the imposture and threatens her. Yet she counters with the need for the party to meet the Were Riders in the Throat of the Hawk at the agreed time. When Imgry turns the brides over to the Were Riders, Gillan finds herself seeing double. Sometimes the camp ground seems rich and luxurious, but other times she sees it as a wasteland in winter. Then the brides are sent out to select their husbands. The cloaks spread on the ground seem elegant, but Gillan also sees them as rather plain and marked with runes. She is attracted to one tucked away in a corner and takes it. Thus she chooses Herrel as her husband. Herrel comes to meet her and asks what she sees. When she describes the real appearance of the cloak and himself, he tells her to try to see the illusion instead. The Riders would be angry if they discover that she is witch born. Halse is angry because his cloak was not selected, yet the weakest of the Riders -- Herrel -- was successful. He also comes to meet her and hints at his anger. Gillan decides that he will be a danger to Herrel and herself. Later, they do have trouble with Halse, but there is no evidence to present to Hyron and the o

"Year of the Unicorn" is my favorite Witch World novel among the many five-star novels in this series by Lifetime Grand Master of Fantasy, Andre Norton (Alice Mary North). Each setting, each character is illuminated with clear description and color, like scenes from a medieval Book of Hours. Even though I first read this book in 1965, I can still close my eyes and see Gillan and the ancient Dame Alousan gathering herbs in the high-walled garden of Norstead Abbey. I can see the twelve and one high-born maids riding forth from the Abbey - the twelve and one maids who were promised as brides to the Were-riders of the Waste. The heroine, Gillan realizes that she is not meant for the quiet life of her vowed companions. She possesses a magic that is forbidden to the goodly Dames, and a restless curiosity that is stifled behind the stone walls of the Abbey. And so she rides forth, disguised as the bride who had threatened to kill herself rather than marry a Were-rider. In order to survive, Gillan must rely on her unschooled magic to separate illusion from reality, and true love from the snarling masks of the Were pack. "Year of the Unicorn" is a grand adventure, a love story, a coming-of-age novel set like a jewel amidst the fantastical Dark and Light of Norton's Witch World. `Unicorn' veers away from the `mainstream' WW adventures of the Tregarth family ("Witch World", "Web of the Witch World", "Three Against the Witch World", etc.), but it is perfect in its own setting (the Wastes and Dales of High Hallack), and in its own right.

"Year of the Unicorn" is my favorite Witch World novel among the many five-star novels in this series by Lifetime Grand Master of Fantasy, Andre Norton (Alice Mary North). Each setting, each character is illuminated with clear description and color, like scenes from a medieval Book of Hours. Even though I first read this book in 1965, I can still close my eyes and see Gillan and the ancient Dame Alousan gathering herbs in the high-walled garden of Norstead Abbey. I can see the twelve and one high-born maids riding forth from the Abbey - the twelve and one maids who were promised as brides to the Were-riders of the Waste. The heroine, Gillan realizes that she is not meant for the quiet life of her vowed companions. She possesses a magic that is forbidden to the goodly Dames, and a restless curiosity that is stifled behind the stone walls of the Abbey. And so she rides forth, disguised as the bride who had threatened to kill herself rather than marry a Were-rider. In order to survive, Gillan must rely on her unschooled magic to separate illusion from reality, and true love from the snarling masks of the Were pack. "Year of the Unicorn" is a grand adventure, a love story, a coming-of-age novel set like a jewel amidst the fantastical Dark and Light of Norton's Witch World. `Unicorn' veers away from the `mainstream' WW adventures of the Tregarth family ("Witch World", "Web of the Witch World", "Three Against the Witch World", etc.), but it is perfect in its own setting (the Wastes and Dales of High Hallack), and in its own right.

"Year of the Unicorn" is my favorite Witch World novel among the many five-star novels in this series by Lifetime Grand Master of Fantasy, Andre Norton (Alice Mary North). Each setting, each character is illuminated with clear description and color, like scenes from a medieval Book of Hours. Even though I first read this book in 1965, I can still close my eyes and see Gillan and the ancient Dame Alousan gathering herbs in the high-walled garden of Norstead Abbey. I can see the twelve and one high-born maids riding forth from the Abbey - the twelve and one maids who were promised as brides to the Were-riders of the Waste.... "Year of the Unicorn" is a grand adventure, a love story, a coming-of-age novel set like a jewel amidst the fantastical Dark and Light of Norton's Witch World. 'Unicorn' veers away from the 'mainstream' WW adventures of the Tregarth family ("Witch World", "Web of the Witch World", "Three Against the Witch World", etc.), but it is perfect in its own setting (the Wastes and Dales of High Hallack), and in its own right. This is Norton at the top of her form.

The courageous Gillian changes places with a distraught bride-to-be, in order to escape from the dull, unvarying routine of the convent. Little does she know that the groom-to-be is a were-rider. When his comrades discover that Gillian is part witch, they create a fetch, a false Gillian to ride with the pack. The true, shadow Gillian must follow the were-riders through many harrowing, supernatural adventures in order to become whole. Strongly plotted, believable heroine, and one of Norton's strangest and most beautifully detailed settings