Round 3: Three Against The Witch World
Andre Norton's Witch World series uses markedly different language than the books we've seen so far. Published in 1970 in Britain, Three Against the Witch World is, I believe, the third in the series, and fairly self-consciously puts itself in an epic mold. The blurb in the front of the books states,
Never before in all of Estcarp had there been three like them--Kyllan, Kemoc and Kaththea--not three but one, linked by strange forces. They were the forbidden offspring of a witch mother and a man of war from another world, and as such they inherited unprecedented powers from their parents--and the curse of outcasts from the Witch World.
That was, until the Witches needed Kaththea's gifts to bolser their own fading strength, and seized her for their own. But three were one, and Kyllan and Kemoc could not relinquish what wa a part of them. So they deterined to rescue their sister, and flee with her--but how? and where? Could anyone escape the terible wrath and matchless powers of the Witches? The were young, unique, untried; they were three against the Witch World.
An excerpt from chapter two for your delectation:
Then fear claimed us. For the training of a Witch was not like a warrior's daily use of sword, dart gun, or axe. She went away from all those of her blood, to a distant place of mysteries, there to abide for years. When she returned she no longer recognised kin of blood, only kinship with those of her calling. If they took Kaththea from us to become one of their grey robed ranks she might be lost forever. And what Kemoc had said was very true--with Simon and the Lady Jaelithe gone, who remained who could put a strong barrier between our sister and the desires of the Council?
Thus from that hour our life lay under a shadow. And the fear strengthened the bod between us into a tight ring. We knew each other's feelings, though I had less skill that Kemoc and Kaththea. But days passed, and life continued as it always had. Since no fear remains sharp unless it is fed by new alarms, we relaxed.
Poll Three Against the Witch WorldThe deadline for submission of first lines for this novel is Thursday, May 29, at 8PM BST (GMT+1). I go away after that for the weekend, so I'll try to put up the vote before I vanish.
Never before in all of Estcarp had there been three like them--Kyllan, Kemoc and Kaththea--not three but one, linked by strange forces. They were the forbidden offspring of a witch mother and a man of war from another world, and as such they inherited unprecedented powers from their parents--and the curse of outcasts from the Witch World.
That was, until the Witches needed Kaththea's gifts to bolser their own fading strength, and seized her for their own. But three were one, and Kyllan and Kemoc could not relinquish what wa a part of them. So they deterined to rescue their sister, and flee with her--but how? and where? Could anyone escape the terible wrath and matchless powers of the Witches? The were young, unique, untried; they were three against the Witch World.
An excerpt from chapter two for your delectation:
Then fear claimed us. For the training of a Witch was not like a warrior's daily use of sword, dart gun, or axe. She went away from all those of her blood, to a distant place of mysteries, there to abide for years. When she returned she no longer recognised kin of blood, only kinship with those of her calling. If they took Kaththea from us to become one of their grey robed ranks she might be lost forever. And what Kemoc had said was very true--with Simon and the Lady Jaelithe gone, who remained who could put a strong barrier between our sister and the desires of the Council?
Thus from that hour our life lay under a shadow. And the fear strengthened the bod between us into a tight ring. We knew each other's feelings, though I had less skill that Kemoc and Kaththea. But days passed, and life continued as it always had. Since no fear remains sharp unless it is fed by new alarms, we relaxed.
Poll Three Against the Witch WorldThe deadline for submission of first lines for this novel is Thursday, May 29, at 8PM BST (GMT+1). I go away after that for the weekend, so I'll try to put up the vote before I vanish.