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Tales from High Hallack #3
Tales from High Hallack Volume Three
Twenty-one stories of fantasy, space, myth, and magic from the New York Times –bestselling author, “one of the pioneer women in science fiction” (Anne McCaffrey).
In the third and final volume of Andre Norton’s High Hallack anthologies, tales of high fantasy, science fiction, and coming of age reach back as far as 1943, yet are as fresh and relevant today as when they were written.
High Hallack was a place featured in Norton’s fiction as well as the name of the genre writer’s library she opened in Tennessee. It is a wondrous keep that she called home, and now High Hallack opens its gates and allows these amazing stories to unfold . . .
In the third and final volume of Andre Norton’s High Hallack anthologies, tales of high fantasy, science fiction, and coming of age reach back as far as 1943, yet are as fresh and relevant today as when they were written.
High Hallack was a place featured in Norton’s fiction as well as the name of the genre writer’s library she opened in Tennessee. It is a wondrous keep that she called home, and now High Hallack opens its gates and allows these amazing stories to unfold . . .
340 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
About the author
Andre Norton
711 books1,428 followersAndre 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.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 23, 2014
I was a big fan of Andre Norton when I was a kid... but I hadn't previously read any of these stories. This is the third in an (I presume) chronologically-arranged series of Norton collections, the majority of the stories here were written in the '90s - after my big Norton-reading phase. Regardless of the title, there aren't any 'Witch World' stories in this collection (no actual mentions of High Hallack).
I was definitely curious to get a sense of her later work, and to revisit an author from a new perspective. The result? Well, I'm not actually sure Norton's writing, if it came out for the first time today, would gain the popularity it enjoyed. The literary bar for genre writing has moved over time. However, I definitely saw what I always loved about her writing. She had a talent for creating appealing characters (both human and feline), and her stories show a pro-woman, pro-tolerance and understanding attitude that was far from ubiquitous at the time.
Auôur the Deepminded
Relates the tale of a Scandinavian woman who leads her people to settle Iceland. I'm not sure if the character is fictional, legendary, or possibly historical, but this is a fine tale.
No Folded Hands
A response to "With Folded Hands ...", a 1947 science fiction novelette by Jack Williamson, in which humanity comes to accept alien overlords. I haven't read Williamson's story, but Norton imagines a brave resistance to the deceptively benign-seeming antlike aliens by Native American shamans.
Bard’s Crown
A Scottish woman must deal with her dissolute brother, and his quest for treasure that should better be left to lie...
Frog Magic
Usually, it's the wizard turning people into frogs. But now, the tables have been turned, and a wizard finds himself unexpectedly in the middle of a stream, catching flies with his long, sticky tongue...
Herne’s Lady
At the advanced age of twenty-six, an heiress finds herself the lady of the manor, and unattached. The neighboring lord is a threat - but an elderly woman will help her find her true destiny in the surrounding wood.
The Outling
Outside her village, a midwife finds a mother in the midst of a difficult birth. Despite her best efforts the mother - clearly not human - dies, and the midwife takes the normal-appearing baby to foster. But eventually, ancient heritage will out... I particularly liked this one, with its fairy tale setting, and exploration of ethics, loyalty and identity.
Stonish Men
A Knight Templar, blown far off course while fleeing enemies, eventually finds himself alone and lost in a strange and unknown land. He has no option but to hide the casket containing his order's greatest treasure. Centuries later, the relic will be found...
Churchyard Yew
A story of malevolent ghosts and exorcism at a historic bed and breakfast. This reminded me a lot, in feel, of Marion Zimmer Bradley's 'Witchlight' series.
Root and Branch Shall Change
An Arthurian musing, from the perspective of Nimue, about Merlin. This one didn't really capture my attention.
White Violets
Traditional-feeling, old-fashioned story of a curse, a broken engagement - and an evil that may visit itself in yet another cycle, affecting two families.
Needle and Dream
Celebrating 'women's work,' in this story, a homely craft becomes a potent force against evil, in a small town where villagers are occasionally gifted with true dreaming.
Procession to Var
This kind of story is what I think of when I think "classic Andre Norton." Sci-fi, interesting aliens, a focus on cultural differences/understanding, and some golden-age-style action. A group of spacefaring archaeologists discover an interesting mural on an alien planet - realize that the alien culture is not at all dead - and then deal with the nefarious raiders that secretly followed them to their remote location...
Set in Stone
Another classic sci-fi tale... An enslaved young man, forced into dangerous space exploration as a 'scout' by his overlords, hopes to find escape on an alien planet - even if it's through death.
Ravenmere
On a working retreat at a friend's ancient manor, a young artist is overtaken by pagan magic filtered through Arthurian lore. Can she escape the power of her spiritual heritage?
Three-Inch Trouble
A spaceship has unintentionally got itself infested with angry alien gremlins. It's the ship's cat to the rescue: he knows and understands far more than his clumsy human crewmates guess!
The End is the Beginning
The themes here will be familiar to those who've read the 'Star Ka'at' books. Through endless years on a generation ship, the humans who built the infrastructure and planned the voyage have died out - but 'their' cats have mutated or evolved into increasingly intelligent beings...
The Familiar
When raiders strike, a young girl's favorite toy reveals itself as a sentient being with - possibly - the power to save her.
Red Cross, White Cross
Two brothers, forced into Holy Orders - one a Knight Templar, one a Knight Hospitaller. Years later, when the Templars are discredited and disenfranchised, both meet and find their oaths and loyalties tested.
Sow’s Ear—Silk Purse
On the eve of an unwanted marriage, a young woman seeks out a witch to ask her to curse her with ugliness. Surely her betrothed will reject her if she is truly hideous! But things don't work out as expected...
The Cobwebbed Princess
Sleeping Beauty's rescue depends upon her loyal cat, in this retelling of the classic fairy tale.
Faire Likeness
Trouble comes to the Renaissance Faire, in the form of a black magician and his malevolently-created voodoo dolls. A woman and a cat team up to use heretofore-untapped powers to defeat the evil...
Copy provide to me by NetGalley - many thanks for the opportunity to read this volume. As always, my opinions are my own.
I was definitely curious to get a sense of her later work, and to revisit an author from a new perspective. The result? Well, I'm not actually sure Norton's writing, if it came out for the first time today, would gain the popularity it enjoyed. The literary bar for genre writing has moved over time. However, I definitely saw what I always loved about her writing. She had a talent for creating appealing characters (both human and feline), and her stories show a pro-woman, pro-tolerance and understanding attitude that was far from ubiquitous at the time.
Auôur the Deepminded
Relates the tale of a Scandinavian woman who leads her people to settle Iceland. I'm not sure if the character is fictional, legendary, or possibly historical, but this is a fine tale.
No Folded Hands
A response to "With Folded Hands ...", a 1947 science fiction novelette by Jack Williamson, in which humanity comes to accept alien overlords. I haven't read Williamson's story, but Norton imagines a brave resistance to the deceptively benign-seeming antlike aliens by Native American shamans.
Bard’s Crown
A Scottish woman must deal with her dissolute brother, and his quest for treasure that should better be left to lie...
Frog Magic
Usually, it's the wizard turning people into frogs. But now, the tables have been turned, and a wizard finds himself unexpectedly in the middle of a stream, catching flies with his long, sticky tongue...
Herne’s Lady
At the advanced age of twenty-six, an heiress finds herself the lady of the manor, and unattached. The neighboring lord is a threat - but an elderly woman will help her find her true destiny in the surrounding wood.
The Outling
Outside her village, a midwife finds a mother in the midst of a difficult birth. Despite her best efforts the mother - clearly not human - dies, and the midwife takes the normal-appearing baby to foster. But eventually, ancient heritage will out... I particularly liked this one, with its fairy tale setting, and exploration of ethics, loyalty and identity.
Stonish Men
A Knight Templar, blown far off course while fleeing enemies, eventually finds himself alone and lost in a strange and unknown land. He has no option but to hide the casket containing his order's greatest treasure. Centuries later, the relic will be found...
Churchyard Yew
A story of malevolent ghosts and exorcism at a historic bed and breakfast. This reminded me a lot, in feel, of Marion Zimmer Bradley's 'Witchlight' series.
Root and Branch Shall Change
An Arthurian musing, from the perspective of Nimue, about Merlin. This one didn't really capture my attention.
White Violets
Traditional-feeling, old-fashioned story of a curse, a broken engagement - and an evil that may visit itself in yet another cycle, affecting two families.
Needle and Dream
Celebrating 'women's work,' in this story, a homely craft becomes a potent force against evil, in a small town where villagers are occasionally gifted with true dreaming.
Procession to Var
This kind of story is what I think of when I think "classic Andre Norton." Sci-fi, interesting aliens, a focus on cultural differences/understanding, and some golden-age-style action. A group of spacefaring archaeologists discover an interesting mural on an alien planet - realize that the alien culture is not at all dead - and then deal with the nefarious raiders that secretly followed them to their remote location...
Set in Stone
Another classic sci-fi tale... An enslaved young man, forced into dangerous space exploration as a 'scout' by his overlords, hopes to find escape on an alien planet - even if it's through death.
Ravenmere
On a working retreat at a friend's ancient manor, a young artist is overtaken by pagan magic filtered through Arthurian lore. Can she escape the power of her spiritual heritage?
Three-Inch Trouble
A spaceship has unintentionally got itself infested with angry alien gremlins. It's the ship's cat to the rescue: he knows and understands far more than his clumsy human crewmates guess!
The End is the Beginning
The themes here will be familiar to those who've read the 'Star Ka'at' books. Through endless years on a generation ship, the humans who built the infrastructure and planned the voyage have died out - but 'their' cats have mutated or evolved into increasingly intelligent beings...
The Familiar
When raiders strike, a young girl's favorite toy reveals itself as a sentient being with - possibly - the power to save her.
Red Cross, White Cross
Two brothers, forced into Holy Orders - one a Knight Templar, one a Knight Hospitaller. Years later, when the Templars are discredited and disenfranchised, both meet and find their oaths and loyalties tested.
Sow’s Ear—Silk Purse
On the eve of an unwanted marriage, a young woman seeks out a witch to ask her to curse her with ugliness. Surely her betrothed will reject her if she is truly hideous! But things don't work out as expected...
The Cobwebbed Princess
Sleeping Beauty's rescue depends upon her loyal cat, in this retelling of the classic fairy tale.
Faire Likeness
Trouble comes to the Renaissance Faire, in the form of a black magician and his malevolently-created voodoo dolls. A woman and a cat team up to use heretofore-untapped powers to defeat the evil...
Copy provide to me by NetGalley - many thanks for the opportunity to read this volume. As always, my opinions are my own.
October 21, 2014
Twenty-one short stories of fantasy, and for the most part, I did not enjoy them. There are a few in here I did like, primarily because I could understand what the story was about. I didn't have to work hard to figure it out. And that's sad. I suspect I got so focused on the struggle to understand that those I enjoyed suffered by comparison.
This ARC was provided by NetGalley and Open Road Integrated Media in exchange for an honest review.
The Stories
“Auôur the Deepminded” is a convoluted tale of a warlord’s surviving family about to be routed by his enemies. Seeing ahead to the future, Auôur has commanded a ship to be built to take them to safety. I think they’ve gone to Iceland.
“No Folded Hands” is one of those stories where I felt dropped in and scrambled, trying to figure out what was going on. I think it’s a philosophical difference between free natives and the white man’s preference for regimentation and rote thought. Difficult to read and understand. Norton has a brief bit at the end where she discusses her beliefs, and she’d have done better to not be so obtuse.
“Bard’s Crown” is a quick drop into the life of an Irish village and the damage a ruling idiot can have on his people. It was an interesting if frustrating tale with lots of lovely words telling of a horrible situation but not much information.
“Frog Magic” is cute enough and does a twist on the frog prince being kissed by his princess. In this case it’s warring wizards. Only Norton has some holes in this that left me spending more time wondering about those than on the tale itself.
“Herne’s Lady” was cute with an interesting twist on Herne and inheritance when the Honorable Olivia Farrington inherits Oaksleigh Manor from her Great-aunt Lettice. It’s the villain of the neighborhood who helps her learn the underlying secret of Oaksleigh. It’s a touch of Little Red Riding Hood visiting her granny and the wolf who comes to visit. The best story I’ve read so far, although whoever proofread this knows nothing about Regency slang.
“The Outling” is, wow, it’s a wonderful story. I suspect because I can understand it on a first reading, lol! A rescue of a newborn baby followed by humanity’s fear and need to blame someone. It’s a nice try at pointing the finger at our need to make a world to fit our own preferences and throwing out what we don’t understand or hate. Certainly a story to make you think.
“Stonish Men” made me think of Clive Cussler stories with its myths of stone men who could not be injured. In truth it’s a small group of Knights Templar who have escaped the massacre set by King Philip and the pope. They find a tiny refuge and build a stone fort to protect the treasure. I do wish Norton had provided a sign of some sort that we were switching from one time to another in this. A tiny blip in several ages of lives with an ending you must imagine for yourself. Rather unsatisfying.
“Churchyard Yew” finds that something evil lingers in Hex House, and it’s Dr. Ilse Harveling who is determined to root it out. Sad and slightly scary.
“Root and Branch Shall Change” is another confusing story. It starts out with confrontation and accusations, an interesting beginning with her memories of past lives. It is, however, all entangled in a bunch of words that left me confused as I struggled to figure out what it’s about, as if each paragraph were its own piece. It finally begins to make a form of sense, and my curiosity rose as she moves further into this collapsed mountain hold. I’d be curious to read if Norton wrote any more of Merlin and Nimue’s adventures, but not if it’s as convoluted as this was. Jesus, Norton can really twist the words around and make them archaic sounding.
“White Violets” is just nasty. The story is nicely written, it’s the content of it. The start of it provides the fear that will follow you into the next part of the story. Thank god at least Mackie had good sense!
“Needle and Dream” is very different with its isolated village of dreamers. Thankfully, it was easy to read.
“Procession to Var” was a switch-up. All the stories so far have had a medieval feel to them. This one is very sci-fi with a little Lara Croft/Indiana Jones thrown in for that archeological artifact excitement. Norton is very careful to keep us in suspense as to who the interesting parties are.
“Set in Stone” is a science fiction horror story of a young man enslaved by cruel people and the very strange way in which he “escaped”. Norton does leave you wondering at the end.
“Ravenmere” is about an artist who creates images using beads. It sounds absolutely beautiful, and I got the itch to try it myself. Only, this is a different sort of a fantasy horror story as the artist is forced to work without stopping. A fascinating interpretation of the Ladies of the Lake, Merlin, and their magics. And, as usual in this collection, Norton leaves me wanting.
“Three-Inch Trouble” is an interesting combination of sailor and space ship with a sense of the 18th century in it with a fun story. It has its own horrors and it takes a cat to fix it.
“The End is the Beginning” is another odd one, almost a Red Dwarf of a story with cats who have evolved. Norton keeps us in the dark until the end, at which point we’re in a different kind of dark with all sorts of questions unanswered.
“The Familiar” is another fantasy involving a cat and I think the familiar is his. It’s a short blip of a day in the life when invaders are storming the city, and suddenly, the cat is regretting all the days he let slip away without training his familiar.
“Red Cross, White Cross” is another Knights Templar story of so many betrayals and the honor of one horribly injured knight desperately trying to fulfill his duty. Easy to understand.
“Sow’s Ear — Silk Purse” is an odd story of a maiden who would rather be ugly than be forced to marry. Definitely different with a twist and a most unexpected ending.
“The Cobwebbed Princess” is a twist on the Sleeping Beauty fairytale with a cat as her waking prince. Somehow it twines in with the goddess Bast, and she’ll have another task for her kitty. Cute enough, but why? What was the purpose of this sleep spell?
“Faire Likeness” was fun and scary, combining a huge family property with the Renaissance Faire and witchery. It’s a friend come to help out who is given no information and yet left in peril. Norton pulled me in to this contemporary tale — I suspect because of its shards of normalcy. Intriguing and terrifying, and it will leave you wondering about the Faire folk.
The Cover
The cover is purple and white conveying a sense of fantasy and doom. A tiny castle perched atop a high hill, cliffs and trees encroaching on all sides.
The title is somewhat generic with its Tales of High Hallack, Volume 3. It’s at least easy to keep track of.
This ARC was provided by NetGalley and Open Road Integrated Media in exchange for an honest review.
The Stories
“Auôur the Deepminded” is a convoluted tale of a warlord’s surviving family about to be routed by his enemies. Seeing ahead to the future, Auôur has commanded a ship to be built to take them to safety. I think they’ve gone to Iceland.
“No Folded Hands” is one of those stories where I felt dropped in and scrambled, trying to figure out what was going on. I think it’s a philosophical difference between free natives and the white man’s preference for regimentation and rote thought. Difficult to read and understand. Norton has a brief bit at the end where she discusses her beliefs, and she’d have done better to not be so obtuse.
“Bard’s Crown” is a quick drop into the life of an Irish village and the damage a ruling idiot can have on his people. It was an interesting if frustrating tale with lots of lovely words telling of a horrible situation but not much information.
“Frog Magic” is cute enough and does a twist on the frog prince being kissed by his princess. In this case it’s warring wizards. Only Norton has some holes in this that left me spending more time wondering about those than on the tale itself.
“Herne’s Lady” was cute with an interesting twist on Herne and inheritance when the Honorable Olivia Farrington inherits Oaksleigh Manor from her Great-aunt Lettice. It’s the villain of the neighborhood who helps her learn the underlying secret of Oaksleigh. It’s a touch of Little Red Riding Hood visiting her granny and the wolf who comes to visit. The best story I’ve read so far, although whoever proofread this knows nothing about Regency slang.
“The Outling” is, wow, it’s a wonderful story. I suspect because I can understand it on a first reading, lol! A rescue of a newborn baby followed by humanity’s fear and need to blame someone. It’s a nice try at pointing the finger at our need to make a world to fit our own preferences and throwing out what we don’t understand or hate. Certainly a story to make you think.
“Stonish Men” made me think of Clive Cussler stories with its myths of stone men who could not be injured. In truth it’s a small group of Knights Templar who have escaped the massacre set by King Philip and the pope. They find a tiny refuge and build a stone fort to protect the treasure. I do wish Norton had provided a sign of some sort that we were switching from one time to another in this. A tiny blip in several ages of lives with an ending you must imagine for yourself. Rather unsatisfying.
“Churchyard Yew” finds that something evil lingers in Hex House, and it’s Dr. Ilse Harveling who is determined to root it out. Sad and slightly scary.
“Root and Branch Shall Change” is another confusing story. It starts out with confrontation and accusations, an interesting beginning with her memories of past lives. It is, however, all entangled in a bunch of words that left me confused as I struggled to figure out what it’s about, as if each paragraph were its own piece. It finally begins to make a form of sense, and my curiosity rose as she moves further into this collapsed mountain hold. I’d be curious to read if Norton wrote any more of Merlin and Nimue’s adventures, but not if it’s as convoluted as this was. Jesus, Norton can really twist the words around and make them archaic sounding.
“White Violets” is just nasty. The story is nicely written, it’s the content of it. The start of it provides the fear that will follow you into the next part of the story. Thank god at least Mackie had good sense!
“Needle and Dream” is very different with its isolated village of dreamers. Thankfully, it was easy to read.
“Procession to Var” was a switch-up. All the stories so far have had a medieval feel to them. This one is very sci-fi with a little Lara Croft/Indiana Jones thrown in for that archeological artifact excitement. Norton is very careful to keep us in suspense as to who the interesting parties are.
“Set in Stone” is a science fiction horror story of a young man enslaved by cruel people and the very strange way in which he “escaped”. Norton does leave you wondering at the end.
“Ravenmere” is about an artist who creates images using beads. It sounds absolutely beautiful, and I got the itch to try it myself. Only, this is a different sort of a fantasy horror story as the artist is forced to work without stopping. A fascinating interpretation of the Ladies of the Lake, Merlin, and their magics. And, as usual in this collection, Norton leaves me wanting.
“Three-Inch Trouble” is an interesting combination of sailor and space ship with a sense of the 18th century in it with a fun story. It has its own horrors and it takes a cat to fix it.
“The End is the Beginning” is another odd one, almost a Red Dwarf of a story with cats who have evolved. Norton keeps us in the dark until the end, at which point we’re in a different kind of dark with all sorts of questions unanswered.
“The Familiar” is another fantasy involving a cat and I think the familiar is his. It’s a short blip of a day in the life when invaders are storming the city, and suddenly, the cat is regretting all the days he let slip away without training his familiar.
“Red Cross, White Cross” is another Knights Templar story of so many betrayals and the honor of one horribly injured knight desperately trying to fulfill his duty. Easy to understand.
“Sow’s Ear — Silk Purse” is an odd story of a maiden who would rather be ugly than be forced to marry. Definitely different with a twist and a most unexpected ending.
“The Cobwebbed Princess” is a twist on the Sleeping Beauty fairytale with a cat as her waking prince. Somehow it twines in with the goddess Bast, and she’ll have another task for her kitty. Cute enough, but why? What was the purpose of this sleep spell?
“Faire Likeness” was fun and scary, combining a huge family property with the Renaissance Faire and witchery. It’s a friend come to help out who is given no information and yet left in peril. Norton pulled me in to this contemporary tale — I suspect because of its shards of normalcy. Intriguing and terrifying, and it will leave you wondering about the Faire folk.
The Cover
The cover is purple and white conveying a sense of fantasy and doom. A tiny castle perched atop a high hill, cliffs and trees encroaching on all sides.
The title is somewhat generic with its Tales of High Hallack, Volume 3. It’s at least easy to keep track of.
September 18, 2014
I first encountered Andre Norton's work when I was in middle school. A friend read one of her books and then passed it on to me. I have been a fan ever since. This collection of short stories covers a wide range of material. You may find Guinevere and Nimue in twentieth century England, explorers searching on alien planets for signs of the Forerunners and other ancient races, traders crossing space to find and deliver cargo, and even Herne the Hunter. Whatever the topic, each story is told in Norton's classic style. No swearing. No lewd behavior. Danger is faced and often overcome with strength of will rather than weapons. The lowly or seemingly helpless are given aid and evil is defeated by good; darkness falls to the light. There is something comforting about each story even though the characters may have been threatened or suffered a loss.
For readers who enjoy classic science fiction and fantasy, this is a wonderful anthology to relax with in your favorite chair.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
For readers who enjoy classic science fiction and fantasy, this is a wonderful anthology to relax with in your favorite chair.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
August 18, 2021
Andre Norton was not the first science fiction author I ever read but, the first book of hers I read – Star Man's Son 2250 AD (1952) – was her first published SF novel, although some years passed between publication and my discovery. "Star Man's Son" is considered by some to be the first modern post apocalyptic novel, and it is my go-to book when trashing McCormac's "The Road."
I discovered SF on the bookshelf of my 4th grade classroom. The title of that glorious space opera is long lost but I remember the brown cloth cover with a little rocket ship on the bottom of the spine, a device used by Doubleday around then. I remember scouring the shelves of our tiny school for that little rocket, and having a surely confusing conversation with my teacher about the difference between "fiction" and "novels." I had the notion that "fiction" was the catchall for non-fact writing and "novels" were top-drawer literature.
There were two sources of SF in my early life – the public library and our neighbor Mr. Meyers. The library had a few shelves (which in retrospect seems quite a lot for a small town) and the Meyers house had piles. I was allowed to read all there was, because pre-1967 there was no sex in SF. One of my life regrets is not begging for Mr. Meyers' collection when he died.
In any case, Mr. Meyers was an Andre Norton fan and of the books I read, it is hers I remember. (well, and Gully Foyle.) And it is the space opera Star Man's Son 2250 AD, that I remember first and best, and in this remembering, I say to you that Tales of High Halleck is not the place to start reading Andre Norton.
Take a moment to look at Andre Norton bibliography pages online. They are a mess. The woman published for 70 years and her titles were repacked, renamed, reissued, reanthologized and otherwise remarketed to the point that scholars are mostly content to clump series together (if a short book with a single follow-on can be called a series) and choose a publication date, sprinkling the stand-alones in like nonpareils. The less scholarly take the clumps and put almost any old date on them. ACE doubles have a lot to answer for.
The dates are important though because like any writer of pulp fiction (much as I love her, Andre Norton was no Pulitzer candidate), Ms Norton's books reflected the literary trends of the time. Her work is also self-reflexive in that while her style evolved over time, it also curls around itself when something clicked with readers. She was not immune to the siren call of fashion either, as when she sidetracked into Authurian legend following Monty Python and Marian Zimmer Bradley.
The early works, their themes and their language are pulp. Space ships, time travel, ESP and the reworked themes of the classic western (ref Firefly). The shift to magic and a more convoluted voice is most easily seen, I think, in the Moon of Three Rings (1966) in which the star man meets the shapechanger. Norton used idiom brilliantly as a cultural shortcut. (We may never know if Elmore Leonard read Ms Norton in his youth.)
In about 1982 I did a quick tally of my Norton paperbacks and decided that the average length was 187 pages. That's 187 old style paperback, not these tall things with wide margins we have today, so these tales are well under 100,000 words. Compact and exciting. But, and this is a big thing, by 1967 and Dangerous Visions, her audience moved on to more exotic reading, but fortunately for her, unlike some others writing around then, a new audience was waiting.
I, like other readers my age, was thrilled by Moon of Three Rings, Catseye (1961) and the tales of ESP and animals, and by Witchworld (1963) where ESP was transformed into witchcraft, with a tiny bit of sexual tension thrown in (perfect for a teen reader, right?). Witchworld is written from the POV of Simon Tregarth, a modern man who meets and loves Jaelithe, a witch of Estcarp who sacrifices herself, she thinks, for him. Witchworld became a series and then a franchise and then took over and the convoluted idiom of Maelen and later Jaelithe became the Norton norm. Even the later space operas, few as they are, are tainted (now that's a strong word that will raise ire) by Maelen's voice.
So be it. Andre Norton became a legend with a huge modern following and I do not begrudge it, but I straddled the transition and I like space opera better.
Which brings us the long way round to why Tales of High Halleck should not be your Andre Norton introduction or if it must be (you are stranded on an island or something) you should approach it carefully. Read the stories in chronological order, not the order presented.
The first story in this collection is called The Last Enchantment (1995), a retelling of Nimuë's story. If you don't already know Arthurian legend and its modern permutations you will be completely mystified. It is a terrible first story for a collection, especially when the second is Sword of Unbelief a lateish Witchworld tale originally published in 1977. By then, Witchworld idiom had become so peculiar that it only qualifies as English because each word is an English word. You have to know the language to be able to read the story. It's a pretty good story but even I, with the deepest affection, groan at the tortuous phrasing.
"It was contagious magic which I used to track Jervon, for about my throat I wore the amulet of a strange stone shaped not unlike an eye, which he had found and carried for a luck piece since he was a boy, and then had put into my keeping upon our handfasting, having in those years of war no other bride-jewel to offer."
"Colors rippled here that had no name I knew, sensations wrenched at the inner core of my determination and Talent as if they would pull me apart while I yet lived."
"Now the stones of the forgotten ruins drew together, formed tumbled walls, with here or there some uprise of worked rock which might have once been a statue. But these were now so worn away by erosion that such shapes remained only vaguely unpleasant ones, hinting of ancient monstrous beings. Gods or guardians? What man now living could say?"
If you are new to Andre Norton and have the tenacity to read these pieces in chronological order you will enjoy yourself much more.
I received review copies of "Tales from High Hallack: The collected short stories of Andre Norton , Volume 1, 2 and 3" by Andre Norton (Premier Digital Publishing) through NetGalley.com. I received and read these books in 2014 and thought I had uploaded this review then. I am sorry for being negligent.
I discovered SF on the bookshelf of my 4th grade classroom. The title of that glorious space opera is long lost but I remember the brown cloth cover with a little rocket ship on the bottom of the spine, a device used by Doubleday around then. I remember scouring the shelves of our tiny school for that little rocket, and having a surely confusing conversation with my teacher about the difference between "fiction" and "novels." I had the notion that "fiction" was the catchall for non-fact writing and "novels" were top-drawer literature.
There were two sources of SF in my early life – the public library and our neighbor Mr. Meyers. The library had a few shelves (which in retrospect seems quite a lot for a small town) and the Meyers house had piles. I was allowed to read all there was, because pre-1967 there was no sex in SF. One of my life regrets is not begging for Mr. Meyers' collection when he died.
In any case, Mr. Meyers was an Andre Norton fan and of the books I read, it is hers I remember. (well, and Gully Foyle.) And it is the space opera Star Man's Son 2250 AD, that I remember first and best, and in this remembering, I say to you that Tales of High Halleck is not the place to start reading Andre Norton.
Take a moment to look at Andre Norton bibliography pages online. They are a mess. The woman published for 70 years and her titles were repacked, renamed, reissued, reanthologized and otherwise remarketed to the point that scholars are mostly content to clump series together (if a short book with a single follow-on can be called a series) and choose a publication date, sprinkling the stand-alones in like nonpareils. The less scholarly take the clumps and put almost any old date on them. ACE doubles have a lot to answer for.
The dates are important though because like any writer of pulp fiction (much as I love her, Andre Norton was no Pulitzer candidate), Ms Norton's books reflected the literary trends of the time. Her work is also self-reflexive in that while her style evolved over time, it also curls around itself when something clicked with readers. She was not immune to the siren call of fashion either, as when she sidetracked into Authurian legend following Monty Python and Marian Zimmer Bradley.
The early works, their themes and their language are pulp. Space ships, time travel, ESP and the reworked themes of the classic western (ref Firefly). The shift to magic and a more convoluted voice is most easily seen, I think, in the Moon of Three Rings (1966) in which the star man meets the shapechanger. Norton used idiom brilliantly as a cultural shortcut. (We may never know if Elmore Leonard read Ms Norton in his youth.)
In about 1982 I did a quick tally of my Norton paperbacks and decided that the average length was 187 pages. That's 187 old style paperback, not these tall things with wide margins we have today, so these tales are well under 100,000 words. Compact and exciting. But, and this is a big thing, by 1967 and Dangerous Visions, her audience moved on to more exotic reading, but fortunately for her, unlike some others writing around then, a new audience was waiting.
I, like other readers my age, was thrilled by Moon of Three Rings, Catseye (1961) and the tales of ESP and animals, and by Witchworld (1963) where ESP was transformed into witchcraft, with a tiny bit of sexual tension thrown in (perfect for a teen reader, right?). Witchworld is written from the POV of Simon Tregarth, a modern man who meets and loves Jaelithe, a witch of Estcarp who sacrifices herself, she thinks, for him. Witchworld became a series and then a franchise and then took over and the convoluted idiom of Maelen and later Jaelithe became the Norton norm. Even the later space operas, few as they are, are tainted (now that's a strong word that will raise ire) by Maelen's voice.
So be it. Andre Norton became a legend with a huge modern following and I do not begrudge it, but I straddled the transition and I like space opera better.
Which brings us the long way round to why Tales of High Halleck should not be your Andre Norton introduction or if it must be (you are stranded on an island or something) you should approach it carefully. Read the stories in chronological order, not the order presented.
The first story in this collection is called The Last Enchantment (1995), a retelling of Nimuë's story. If you don't already know Arthurian legend and its modern permutations you will be completely mystified. It is a terrible first story for a collection, especially when the second is Sword of Unbelief a lateish Witchworld tale originally published in 1977. By then, Witchworld idiom had become so peculiar that it only qualifies as English because each word is an English word. You have to know the language to be able to read the story. It's a pretty good story but even I, with the deepest affection, groan at the tortuous phrasing.
"It was contagious magic which I used to track Jervon, for about my throat I wore the amulet of a strange stone shaped not unlike an eye, which he had found and carried for a luck piece since he was a boy, and then had put into my keeping upon our handfasting, having in those years of war no other bride-jewel to offer."
"Colors rippled here that had no name I knew, sensations wrenched at the inner core of my determination and Talent as if they would pull me apart while I yet lived."
"Now the stones of the forgotten ruins drew together, formed tumbled walls, with here or there some uprise of worked rock which might have once been a statue. But these were now so worn away by erosion that such shapes remained only vaguely unpleasant ones, hinting of ancient monstrous beings. Gods or guardians? What man now living could say?"
If you are new to Andre Norton and have the tenacity to read these pieces in chronological order you will enjoy yourself much more.
I received review copies of "Tales from High Hallack: The collected short stories of Andre Norton , Volume 1, 2 and 3" by Andre Norton (Premier Digital Publishing) through NetGalley.com. I received and read these books in 2014 and thought I had uploaded this review then. I am sorry for being negligent.
September 10, 2014
I am not a big fan of fantasy but with that said, the writing flows with beautiful speech. My favorite story in the collection is The Familiar, here are two excerpts from it.
"True, I had to begin this wit-sharpening last year, bit the minds of the people of this world become less easy to work with as they grew older."
"Out of 'traps', as you would call them, have come freeings: I to my true form and strength, and you to womanhood and knowledge. Littleness and youth are only cocoons, safe places to shelter- like this chamber- till wings are grown."
That line has deep meaning if you can see it.
Frog magic is a strange little tale as well, with an odd result to a kiss. These tales are fun and I imagine the author loved her adventurous stories. You don't have to be a hardcore fantasy fiction fan to enjoy them, I liked it.
"True, I had to begin this wit-sharpening last year, bit the minds of the people of this world become less easy to work with as they grew older."
"Out of 'traps', as you would call them, have come freeings: I to my true form and strength, and you to womanhood and knowledge. Littleness and youth are only cocoons, safe places to shelter- like this chamber- till wings are grown."
That line has deep meaning if you can see it.
Frog magic is a strange little tale as well, with an odd result to a kiss. These tales are fun and I imagine the author loved her adventurous stories. You don't have to be a hardcore fantasy fiction fan to enjoy them, I liked it.
May 23, 2018
Tales from High Hallack, vol.3
Andre Norton's storytelling meets the test of time. I discovered her marvelous tales over fifty years ago. They were enchanting then and still are, weaving a net over you that won't release you until the tale is told.
Andre Norton's storytelling meets the test of time. I discovered her marvelous tales over fifty years ago. They were enchanting then and still are, weaving a net over you that won't release you until the tale is told.
April 9, 2024
Tales from High Hallack Volume Three
This is the final volume of Andre Norton’s short stories.
Once again showcasing her extraordinary talent and incidentally through several of the tales her love of the feline species.
This is the final volume of Andre Norton’s short stories.
Once again showcasing her extraordinary talent and incidentally through several of the tales her love of the feline species.
February 28, 2022
This was an eclectic collection of short stories - some great, some good, some okay. I would definitely say they were worth reading.
December 14, 2022
Go to author for escapes
November 15, 2014
Tales from High Hallack, Volume Three: The Collected Short Stories of Andre Norton (ebook)
by Andre Norton
Tales from High Hallack is a collection of stories varied in subject matter and tone... almost a twilight zone collection of stories from other worlds, other realities and another time. Each story stands as a master piece unrelated to each other. Each story begins with an insight with a different perspective on man, women, and the stories of life.
This book is a collection of stories to enhance any library.
Auour the deep minded
The tale of a lady who fallowed her husband’s quest only to be left alone to lead her people at his untimely death
No folded hands
The white would have been taken over controlled by an alien species. Native American belief systems and ability is only what spared them.
Bard's crown
The drunken quest of a young lord leads his people to ruin.
Frog magic
Turned into a frog a wizard gets his revenge
Herne’s lady
Unsure of herself she accepted her inheritance but drawn by concerns for those in her charge she earned a greater prize.
The outing
A child given in pain and loss gives freely for the love of the one who rose and cared for her...
Stonish man
The knights Templars were said to have found great treasure in the holy land. What happened to it afterwards is the mystery this story seeks to answer.
Churchyard yew
gifts or curses on the objects given to his family to protect those he loved awakes generations later to take the revenge they were rot for
Root and branch shall change
Looking into the stories of Merlin and his ending... what if it wasn't the end but a change in state and reason that could be undone when his captor learns her need for balance and purpose.
White violets
A gift from a woman who longs not for the men in her family to find comfort else wise gives a curse to bring discord between the match.
Needle and dream
This story shows a world without dreamer’s places importance and providence in what little dreams are given.
Procession to var
They had found a lost world... no records stood but learned the price of knowledge
Set in stone
They had crossed the stars, in search of knowledge and power. But one who they subjugated will find what they missed.
Ravenmere
A change to her art work shows the artist the link to her greatest power
Three inch trouble
Trouble can come in small packages...
The end is the beginning
They traveled into space to save their civilization. .. Only to leave the people genetically changed pets who are the only ones to return to earth...
The familiar
She found a mysterious doll one inherited along her line... it protects her and saves her.
Red Cross white cross
The story is about the assault on the knights Templar was destroyed because of greed. Not all of knights were killed in the first battle.
Sow’s ear silk purse
A young girl wishes to never marry, but when she is betrothed she is desperate.
The cobwebbed princess
This story is a version of sleeping beauty with a twist that makes it more magical and sweet.
Faire likeness
The renaissance faire has a darker side.
by Andre Norton
Tales from High Hallack is a collection of stories varied in subject matter and tone... almost a twilight zone collection of stories from other worlds, other realities and another time. Each story stands as a master piece unrelated to each other. Each story begins with an insight with a different perspective on man, women, and the stories of life.
This book is a collection of stories to enhance any library.
Auour the deep minded
The tale of a lady who fallowed her husband’s quest only to be left alone to lead her people at his untimely death
No folded hands
The white would have been taken over controlled by an alien species. Native American belief systems and ability is only what spared them.
Bard's crown
The drunken quest of a young lord leads his people to ruin.
Frog magic
Turned into a frog a wizard gets his revenge
Herne’s lady
Unsure of herself she accepted her inheritance but drawn by concerns for those in her charge she earned a greater prize.
The outing
A child given in pain and loss gives freely for the love of the one who rose and cared for her...
Stonish man
The knights Templars were said to have found great treasure in the holy land. What happened to it afterwards is the mystery this story seeks to answer.
Churchyard yew
gifts or curses on the objects given to his family to protect those he loved awakes generations later to take the revenge they were rot for
Root and branch shall change
Looking into the stories of Merlin and his ending... what if it wasn't the end but a change in state and reason that could be undone when his captor learns her need for balance and purpose.
White violets
A gift from a woman who longs not for the men in her family to find comfort else wise gives a curse to bring discord between the match.
Needle and dream
This story shows a world without dreamer’s places importance and providence in what little dreams are given.
Procession to var
They had found a lost world... no records stood but learned the price of knowledge
Set in stone
They had crossed the stars, in search of knowledge and power. But one who they subjugated will find what they missed.
Ravenmere
A change to her art work shows the artist the link to her greatest power
Three inch trouble
Trouble can come in small packages...
The end is the beginning
They traveled into space to save their civilization. .. Only to leave the people genetically changed pets who are the only ones to return to earth...
The familiar
She found a mysterious doll one inherited along her line... it protects her and saves her.
Red Cross white cross
The story is about the assault on the knights Templar was destroyed because of greed. Not all of knights were killed in the first battle.
Sow’s ear silk purse
A young girl wishes to never marry, but when she is betrothed she is desperate.
The cobwebbed princess
This story is a version of sleeping beauty with a twist that makes it more magical and sweet.
Faire likeness
The renaissance faire has a darker side.
October 29, 2014
This is the third and final volume of the collected short stories of Andre Norton. It's a mix of science fiction and fantasy stories, and of stories from her established fictional universes and free-standing stories, ranging from 1943 until her death in 2005.
Norton was one of the most treasured writers of my youth, a huge influence on subsequent generations of, especially, women writers, and a SFWA Grand Master. Those familiar with her Witch World stories will recognize the name High Hallack, but the title of this collection doesn't refer to those novels, or not directly. It's the name she gave her magnificent private library, which she used to support younger writers starting out on their careers.
Andre Norton and her stories were both treasures. She's gone now but her stories are still here for us to enjoy.
Recommended.
I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
Norton was one of the most treasured writers of my youth, a huge influence on subsequent generations of, especially, women writers, and a SFWA Grand Master. Those familiar with her Witch World stories will recognize the name High Hallack, but the title of this collection doesn't refer to those novels, or not directly. It's the name she gave her magnificent private library, which she used to support younger writers starting out on their careers.
Andre Norton and her stories were both treasures. She's gone now but her stories are still here for us to enjoy.
Recommended.
I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
March 3, 2015
I have always been a fan of Andre Norton's work from the moment I picked up Tales of the Witch World. So, I was excited when getting the chance to read the advance copy of Tales from High Hallack, Volume 3. Andre Norton has always found a knack for being able to create stories with multiple layers told in a simple language that discussed the themes of feminism, racism, class and the fallacies of society. In addition, she has been the master of the hybrid novel combining elements of science fiction/ fantasy, historical fiction/fantasy and more. However, while many of her stories where strong such as the Bard's Crown, Herne's Lady, White Violets, Ravensmere and Cobwebbed Princess were strong reads the examined not only fantasy but in an engaging view from the female perspective; others lacked cohesiveness and clarity. I would still recommend this novel for the simple fact that it will always be a bonus to have the works of SciFi Grandmaster Andre Norton on your bookshelf.
January 12, 2015
(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)
This is a collection of various fantasy and science fiction stories by Andre Norton, either stand-alone stories or tales from universes she had created in more than 60 years of her work.
Unfortunately, these short stories didn't really work for me. It must be said that I do find short stories have to be absolutely excellent for me to even remember tham and sadly, after reading these, I couldn't place any of the stories by name alone.
That's not to say they were bad - not at all. They are well written, have some amazing characters and world-building - but just as you start to get into a piece, it ends and I was left feeling like I had missed out on something along the way.
But that's just me.
Paul
ARH
This is a collection of various fantasy and science fiction stories by Andre Norton, either stand-alone stories or tales from universes she had created in more than 60 years of her work.
Unfortunately, these short stories didn't really work for me. It must be said that I do find short stories have to be absolutely excellent for me to even remember tham and sadly, after reading these, I couldn't place any of the stories by name alone.
That's not to say they were bad - not at all. They are well written, have some amazing characters and world-building - but just as you start to get into a piece, it ends and I was left feeling like I had missed out on something along the way.
But that's just me.
Paul
ARH
October 7, 2014
I have been enthralled by Andre Norton's style and imagination since I was 11 years old. This new anthology showcases the best of her unique voice in science fiction writing. This compilation of short stories runs the gamut of locations such as a planet far far away, and Earth of the here and now, and characters as diverse as Amer-Indians fighting a race of Ants who have taken over the Earth, to the reincarnation of Merlin's Nimué who is creating a beaded tapestry that may end all life as we know it. There is no writer living or dead to compare to the prolific and inventive Andre Norton.
I was given the e-book by Netgalley and am very happy to have been able to read this collection pre-release. Andre Norton has ever been one of my favorite writers.
I was given the e-book by Netgalley and am very happy to have been able to read this collection pre-release. Andre Norton has ever been one of my favorite writers.
October 6, 2014
I have been enthralled by Andre Norton's style and imagination since I was 11 years old. This new anthology showcases the best of her unique voice in science fiction writing. This compilation of short stories runs the gamut of locations such as a planet far far away, and Earth of the here and now, and characters as diverse as Amer-Indians fighting a race of Ants who have taken over the Earth, to the reincarnation of Merlin's Nimué who is creating a beaded tapestry that may end all life as we know it. There is no writer living or dead to compare to the prolific and inventive Andre Norton.
I was given the e-book by Netgalley and am very happy to have been able to read this collection pre-release. Andre Norton has ever been one of my favorite writers.
I was given the e-book by Netgalley and am very happy to have been able to read this collection pre-release. Andre Norton has ever been one of my favorite writers.
November 24, 2014
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
I've been reading the individual stories a day or so at a time, so as to really enjoy them without the next one interfering with it. So far I am about half way through and each story has been really good and exactly as I expected the standard to be after reading the previous High Hallack books. Unless my opinion changes on reading the second half of the book I think this one will stay as a 5* read.
24/11/2014
ETA: I didn't change my mind This book was worth the 5* I gave it on the 14th Oct. and I highly recommend it to any Andre Norton or Anthology fans.
24/11/2014
ETA: I didn't change my mind This book was worth the 5* I gave it on the 14th Oct. and I highly recommend it to any Andre Norton or Anthology fans.
October 20, 2014
This is the third and final collection of Andre Norton short stories. Of the 21 stories in this collection, I do not think I had read any which makes me wonder how many other good stories I may find in the anthologies where these stories first appeared. Andre Norton continued to write in a number of genres. This collection has some interesting historical fiction dealing with Templars, Regency historical tinged with magic, haunted houses, twists on witch tales, and an abundance of good tales. If you want to read all of Andre Norton's short stories, be sure to read this book and the first two volumes as well. If you just like well written tales, this volume is for you!
October 25, 2014
This collection of fantasy short stories cover ancient Britain, science fiction, dystopian futures and horror situations and are mostly enjoyable. Of course tastes vary but there should be something for everyone’s taste.
Unfortunately the digital edition that I read was not particularly well transposed and there were printing errors but that did not detract from the enjoyment. Occasionally the style jars but most of the time the stories are well-written and engaging.
This is fantasy pulp fiction in the style of Edgar Rice Burroughs, HP Lovecraft and all the greats.
Highly recommended to lovers of fantasy stories, sometimes with a twist.
Unfortunately the digital edition that I read was not particularly well transposed and there were printing errors but that did not detract from the enjoyment. Occasionally the style jars but most of the time the stories are well-written and engaging.
This is fantasy pulp fiction in the style of Edgar Rice Burroughs, HP Lovecraft and all the greats.
Highly recommended to lovers of fantasy stories, sometimes with a twist.
January 4, 2015
I enjoyed this collection of fantasy and SF shorts. I was struck by how many different cultures are represented. We see Regency England, Viking, Celt, Four Corners Natives, European and more.
The SF tales are fewer in number and as Norton loved cats, one of her nicest is here: a ship's cat of the future has to rid his spaceship of pests, even alien ones.
Plenty of imagination and excellent language use are presented as well as wide-ranging characterisation. This is a great introduction to the works of an American Grand Master of F and SF, who died in 2005, with a note at the start from her publisher Tom Doherty.
The SF tales are fewer in number and as Norton loved cats, one of her nicest is here: a ship's cat of the future has to rid his spaceship of pests, even alien ones.
Plenty of imagination and excellent language use are presented as well as wide-ranging characterisation. This is a great introduction to the works of an American Grand Master of F and SF, who died in 2005, with a note at the start from her publisher Tom Doherty.
November 17, 2014
I won a copy of this book on goodreads.
Having been a scifi and fantasy fan for almost 40 years, I've never read any of Norton's work before now. The writing is superb and she covers many genres in this book of short stories. I lean more towards fantasy myself so I enjoyed those the most. A few of these stories felt unfinished or as if they were a chapter in a larger story; otherwise I wiuld have given a higher rating. Still, it did give me an appreciation for the author's work and I will likely delve into some of her many novels.
Having been a scifi and fantasy fan for almost 40 years, I've never read any of Norton's work before now. The writing is superb and she covers many genres in this book of short stories. I lean more towards fantasy myself so I enjoyed those the most. A few of these stories felt unfinished or as if they were a chapter in a larger story; otherwise I wiuld have given a higher rating. Still, it did give me an appreciation for the author's work and I will likely delve into some of her many novels.
December 16, 2014
There is no style that can compare to Andre Norton. This is the final installment in this series and as always her beautiful, eloquent style is on display. I have been a fan of Andre Norton for years and this just proves why!
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.
May 20, 2015
I loved every bit of this collection; my only regret is the shortness of the book. I could have read a hundred more stories.
December 30, 2016
Some wonderful stories from a master writer.
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