The Gate of the Cat

Witch World Series 1: The Estcarp Cycle #8

by Andre Norton

American Kelsie McBlair falls through a gate in an ancient stone ring in the Scottish Highlands while rescuing a wounded wild cat. She and the cat and newborn kittens are besieged on the other side of the Gate by a Dark Rider and a pack of skeletal hounds. When a dying Witch bequeaths her true name and her jewel of power, Kelsie finds herself compelled to take up her sorcerous mission into the heart of Escore, the Green Valley, where magic lies in "trembling balance between the forces of Light and those of the Dark."

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Cats, Witches, Magic

219 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1987

About the author

Andre Norton, born Alice Mary Norton, was a pioneering American author of science fiction and fantasy, widely regarded as the Grande Dame of those genres. She also wrote historical and contemporary fiction, publishing under the pen names Andre Alice Norton, Andrew North, and Allen Weston. She launched her career in 1934 with The Prince Commands, adopting the name “Andre” to appeal to a male readership. After working for the Cleveland Library System and the Library of Congress, she began publishing science fiction under “Andrew North” and fantasy under her own name. She became a full-time writer in 1958 and was known for her prolific output, including Star Man’s Son, 2250 A.D. and Witch World, the latter spawning a long-running series and shared universe. Norton was a founding member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America and authored Quag Keep, the first novel based on the Dungeons & Dragons game. She influenced generations of writers, including Lois McMaster Bujold and Mercedes Lackey. Among her many honors were being the first woman named Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and SFWA Grand Master. In her later years, she established the High Hallack Library to support research in genre fiction. Her legacy continues with the Andre Norton Award for young adult science fiction and fantasy.

Reviews

[Deb Omnivorous Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an awesome book written by one of the greats (though not as well known as she deserves) of early Science - Fiction. By todays standards this would be thoroughly in on the Fantasy shelves, but in the late 80's when this came out, mainstream literature had not yet figured out that sci-fi and fantasy were different.

Our leading lady, Kelsie McBlair is an American veterinarian (or vet nurse?) living in Scotland where she has inherited a house and land. One night she follows a poacher who she suspects will try and shoot a wild cat on her land, and in her attempt to defend the feline, both fall through an interdimensional gate into a strange land where nothing is like Earth and strange forces battle for supremacy. It is very much a quest, personal growth type story and it is immensely fun to read, Kelsie is a relatable character, the plot is tight and exciting, the enemies are suitably terrible and Norton's fondness for cats comes through.

Set it the Estcarp world it is a #8 in a series but this in no way prevents you from enjoying it if you have not read the others. There are token appearances from Simon Tregath and others from the earlier books, but really you don't need foreknowledge to enjoy this great, classic story.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

A later foray into the Witch World, this had the feel of a short story padded out to novel length. Enjoyable maybe for completists and fans of Norton, but otherwise this isn't the best introduction to Norton's world.

Kelsie stumbles through the remaining archway of a stone circle in the Scottish highlands whilst attempting to save a wild cat from being shot, and finds herself grappling with the age old battle against evil in the Witch World. Aided by a magical gem gifted to her by a dying witch through the aid of the cat she grapples with dark forces and eventually combats it with the aid of Yonan and the miserable old witch Wittle.

Enjoyable, but lacks the complexity, verve and fast pace of earlier novels.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the final book in the Estcarp Cycle this one likely the one I enjoyed the most. The passive voice was almost gone from the writing.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best of the Estcarp cycle of books. As usual, Andre Norton creates a remarkably rich fantasy world and an excellent main character. Kelsie McBlair finds herself plunged from the Scottish Highlands into a world for which she is entirely unprepared and then becoming the possessor of a jewel about whose power and function she knows nothing.
In addition she finds that when empowered, the jewel creates an identity conflict.

The story is expertly told with interesting conflicts both those the characters face in this incredibly complex world and those they face within themselves.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andre Norton's way of wording and writing is delicious.

This was a fun little adventure, albeit at times, suspenseful.

Kelsie falls into some sort of portal/ falls through a "gate" as they call it and ends up in a place she's never bean.

is she a witch? is she the chosen one? will these people of the village trust her? and WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON NOW!?

Love the characters and the character development.

Would absolutely read and will absolutely read more of Andre Norton.

Special Thank yous to thrift store I scored this at in Cleveland, OH !!! <3

[Deborah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was painful to try & read, so disjointed & full of typos it needs some serious editing.
The author can't even decide from one paragraph to the next if the main character will be described as Kelsy or The Girl.

Forced myself to read through to the end & it was an interesting concept but still so poorly described that I kept falling asleep & just felt relieved when the book came to a boring end.

Will not be attempting to read this author again.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book years ago and always meant to read it even though it is not in order of the book series it is from. I recognise Andre Norton to be a well known author of science fiction books and even though, it's not my normal cup of tea, I found myself appreciating this book more than I expected.

I guess I appreciate it because it makes me have a different outlook on things in my day-to-day life as a result of reading way this author writes.😊👓📖

[Marsha Valance · Rating 3 out of 5]

After retreating into a stone circle on her farm in the Scottish highlands to evade a trespassing neighbor determined to kill a trapped wildcat, veterinary assistant Kelsey finds herself--and the cat & kittens--in an alternate universe where magic works. Unable to return home, she is caught up in a geas which propels her into a quest. Accompanied by the warrior Yonan & the witch Whittle, Kelsey sets off in search of an age-old lost stronghold. I wish I could rate this higher, but Norton appears to presume a greater knowledge of Estcarp & the rest of the Witch World than is covered in this volume.

[Patricia Litz · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is typical of Andre Norton. You either like her work or not. It always makes you think of your surroundings. Good and evil wrestle with each other daily as it does with our lives. Our paths cross one another all the time. Witchcraft is a favorite of mine as is time travel.

[Karen Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrew Norton

What an amazing woman and author. I have read many of her stories, reread some maybe all. I think that authors like Norton are very few ani I'm so glad I found her books

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a good read

Reading Andre Norton as a child helped me to overcome the challenge s of dyslexia. Her book were filled with so much adventure they always left me wanting more.

[Lexi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars. Took a little while to catch my interest, but I liked it in the end.

[Ribbon · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had a cat, but beyond that it was kinda meh

[Nora Rudolph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still working her magic!

The grand dame of fantasy and science fiction continues on into the new melenium completely undaunted. We are so very fortunate.

[Warren Dunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
I was intrigued by the magical journey into this land, and the way that the main character was treated, as an enemy, then an outsider, then as a reluctant ally. The magical jewel could have been a terrific talisman, as it healed, warned and guided. Unfortunately, it also put the main character under a spell, giving her a compulsion to go to a specific location at a specific time, with no explanation. To me, that’s not magic- it’s a cheat, though that might have been more common back when this book was written. It detracted from the story, as did the way the final battle was fought beyond mortal vision.

[Warren · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible. Even the cat couldn't save it. DNF.

[Magill · Rating 2 out of 5]

At some point in the past, reducing my library included getting rid of a number of Witch World books - this was the last one I kept of the Estcarp/Escore series... and upon re-reading I can see that keeping this one must have been a close call. Overall weak even with some great descriptions.

The formal narrative voice that created the other world structure is gone. An outlander is brought in to function in a role that a Witch World denizen could easily have done. And the outlander POV really weakened the entire role and significance and conflict of Wittle simply by her ignorance (although she learned the language amazingly quickly). Except for Yonan, other characters, more interesting than the POV, were glancingly introduced and then abandoned. Lord Rhain (presumably the Lord Rain from 'Ware Hawk?) appears and the Thas once again have a poisonous bite.

Overall unsatisfying. It seems the only reason I kept this was because it did provide a resolution of sorts to the battle between the dark and light.

Not going to go looking for the last Estcarp/Escore books to finish the series. I seem to recall that I preferred the High Hallack books and will test that theory in the new year.

[Valerie]

Haven't finished this book yet, but it seems a bit extraneous. Characters from other stories are scattered about, but even some characters in the story seem to be added and (inexplicably) dropped. Maybe they come in after p 131, which is as far as I've gotten so far.


Ok, having finished it, there's a bit of reintroduction, but there're still loose ends.

NB: Norton herself sometimes forgot what she'd named things. In other Witch World books the spritelike/avian creatures are called 'Flannan'. In this book they're called 'flamen', like the glowing flowers from The Home in Zenna Henderson's People books.

One loose end--the cat which discovers the worldgate and flees to the Witch World to save herself and her kittens is encouraged to adopt a snow cat kit--which never which never reappears in this book--or any other, to my recollection. Perhaps there was intended to be a sequel?

[Catsalive · Rating 3 out of 5]

A stone ring in the Scottish Highlands becomes the gateway through which Kelsie McBlair enters a new world and becomes embroiled in a struggle beween Light and Dark for power over the Green Valley.

Started well with the cat but floundered for the rest of the book. It was good to see Yonan earning some hero points but Kelsie was too bland to offer much to the story. At least Wittle had some personality, even if it was bitchy. If I had been one of the people waiting years for a new Witch World book I would have been disappointed in this effort.

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Witch World tale begins in the Scottish Highlands, where American Kelsie McBlair has come to claim her heritage... while tracking someone hunting illegally, she falls through a gate in an ancient stone ring which places her in the land of Estcarp/Escore. She brings with her the wounded wild cat she was trying to rescue, and they, along with the cat's kits, are plunged into a rescue of another sort. There, she is given a Jewel of Power, and has to use her gift to resolve a fell issue that will determine the balance... one of the best of Norton's books about Escore.

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book but not as detailed as some of her other books. It just does not draw you into the world like some of the others do. The main character Kelsie just does not seem to get her feet under her and it leaves you looking from the outside in and not seemingly as much a part of the story.

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

c1987: A perfectly pleasant read - old school fantasy. If there had been such a genre as NA back then - this is what this would have been marketed as. " The time for secrets is long past. When the Dark arises, then the Light must stand united and all knowledge be shared from one to another."

[Aphie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book improves with age - what I remembered as an abrupt, sometimes dull "old school" fantasy novel is now a short, sweet and nuanced story.

[Sim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book and typical Andre Norton... blend of fantasy and reality and female heroine with noble tributes and human frailties... and cats, of course (magic ones).

[Jennifer Heise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Repetitive and formulaic; I didn't really feel it added anything to the Witch World. On the other hand, I did like the tiny mini-world.

[Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing is old-fashioned, making one actually read as opposed to skimming, but the pace of the action whipped me on. -- now looking for more of Andre Norton!