The Hands of Lyr

Five Senses #1

by Andre Norton

The blackened and desolate land called the Ryft was once paradise--the magnificent garden of the goddess Lyr. But that was lifetimes ago--before an old and crafty evil descended upon the world. While still a child, Alnosha came to this ruined place of dread and despair. And here, under the loving guidance of the forgotten goddess' last priestess, Alnosha first discovered and honed her extraordinary hand-talent: the ability to divine by touch.

Now another has come to the Ryft--an embittered High Born youth, outlawed and pursued by the villainous servants of a false god. Though he hates and mistrusts all mystical powers, the fugitive Kryn is inexplicably drawn to Alnosha, the Gifted One. And together they embark upon a strange and perilous odyssey that will lead them from the broken lands to the savage city...and into the malevolent heart of an all-consuming darkness. For ancient hands that once held the bounty of the sun are guiding their every step--shattered hands that Alnosha and her reluctant champion must restore at all costs...or face a hopeless and terrifying future eternally trapped in evil's thrall.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Magic, High Fantasy

388 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1994

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

[Myria Candies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Underrated. This series will always be in my heart.

[Amy Linebaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andre Norton was one of the best fantasy/science fiction writers out there. She was brilliant with world creation, anything she wrote had a detailed history to it, but she never overwhelmed with dry facts. This has been on my bookshelf for 19 years (taken down and reread often) and will continue to be one of my favorites.

[E.M. Farmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

And again Andre Norton tells a good tale.

Andre Norton writes another story of good over evil. The world is run by greedy evil men. The Hero and the Heroine go through trials and come out the other side to save the day. Love it!

[Alison Pashos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had a bit of a hard time getting through this one, at times fast paced and others pretty slow. All the intrigue resolved too easily for me and you could tell it was written ~30 years ago. But I still made it hygro ugh the whole thing so it wasn’t that bad.

[Robert Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Andre Norton at her finest

As always any book written by Andre Norton is a good read. Either science fiction or fantasy she was the true master of the art.

[Virginia Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting new world

A world new and yet familiar. Woven from common parts it still becomes a spell-binding story. Andre Norton's artistry is evident.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Of My Favorite Books

The Hands Of Lyr is one of my favorite books. I've read it many times. It is a story of mages, searchers, dreamers, dark things, a swordsman, a priestess, and above all, the brightest of light and love to conquer all.

[Myra · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is hardship, mystery, and magic. A full world that seemed interesting. A villainous wizard who creates a false god and tries to destroy the kind goddess Lyr. Certainly there is potential. But halfway through and I couldn't connect with the characters. The writing style was a bit challenging for me, I kept getting caught up in the convoluted sentences (I think it would be better as an audiobook), and after the interlude with the villain I couldn't bring myself to continue.

[Doris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story's mainline is well done, with gaps in acceptance that are believable due to the ages of the main characters - both are around 15 or 16.

However, I still wonder what happened to missing characters. This was supposed to be book one of five, so presumably those characters' fates would be revealed in the other books, but I would like to have a least a hint in that direction.

[James · Rating 2 out of 5]

The audio book is a bit better than hardcopy, it helped with some of the characterizations.

This wasn't one of Norton's best, the characters were a bit flat and the writing was a bit wooden. Though the protagonists did enjoy a passionate kiss and hug at the end, something pretty strange for compared to the average Norton novel.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hands of Lyr (Five Senses, #1)
andre Norton
this book is a good fantasy fiction story with dynamic characters.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stupid cover, which has nothing to do with the story, but a good read. Andre Norton was one of the very first SF authors I ever read, so I always have a soft spot for her work.

[Chelle Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

one of the first books I ever read by andre Norton and while it is not the best it hikds a special place in my heart