Andre Norton’s Witch World

[Gardenman]

I am getting someone started reading Andre Norton’s Witch World series. Which one should they read first? I have read them but never in any order

[Martinoptic]

I've not read them but secondsale.com recommend the following order:

Spoiler:

1. Witch World Book
2. Web Of The Witch World Book
3. Witch Wld 04/3 Agn Ww Book
4. Year Of The Unicorn Book
5. Warlock Of The Witch World Book
7. The Crystal Gryphon Book
8. Spell Of Witchworld Book
9. The Jargoon Pard Book
10. Trey Of Swords Book
11. Zarsthors Bane Book
12. Lore Of The Witch World Book
13. Gryphon In Glory Book
14. Horn Crown Book
15. Ware Hawk Book
16. Gryphons Eyrie Book
18. Tales Of The Witch World Book
19. Tales Of The Witch World 2 Book
21. Four From The Witch World Book
22. Tales Of Witch World 3 Book
23. Storms of Victory Book
24. Songsmith Book
25. Flight Of Vengeance: Witch World: The Turning Book
26. On Wings Of Magic Book
27. The Key Of The Keplian: Secrets Of The Witch World Book
28. The Magestone Book
29. The Warding Of Witch World Book
30. Ciara's Song Book
31. The Duke's Ballad Book
32. Silver May Tarnish Book

Hope this helps.

[rkomar]

Does that list depend on what they have available to sell? They seem to have just removed numbers 6, 17 and 20.

I think some of the missing ones are:
6) Sorceress of the Witch World
17) Gate of the Cat
20) ???

[Rbneader]

There are several different starting points. It's a huge setting with multiple semi-connected series, like Terry Pratchett's Discworld. I'd suggest either Year of the Unicorn or the Witch World / Web of the Witchworld duo.

Short descriptions, see if either of these sparks their interest:
Year of the Unicorn is great. It has a college-age female protagonist who get shipped off for a treaty marriage, unravels a mystery, has an adventure thwarting evil, makes a cross-country escape, and marries her love interest at the end.

Witch World/Web of the Witch World duo has one adult male protagonist who flees through a magic portal, fights in a war, marries his forbidden love interest, and then has to fight another, weirder, war while they figure out how they can both still have careers and a family. Plus a teenage female protagonist who escapes from an arranged marriage, fights in both wars, and then marries her love interest, who is disabled. There's a lot more action and adventure than in Year of the Unicorn, although action/adventure is pretty significant in all the Witch World books.

That list is mising Key of the Keplian, which is definitely not the best Witch World novel, but I have a soft spot for telepathic horses, prickly women trying to be good mothers, and it will always be my favorite Witch World book for having a telepathic horse as the prickly woman trying to be good mother. Also, the female protagonist being the hardworking ranch owner who has to launch an rescue mission to save the love interest from the evil sorcerer is pretty great.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Rbneader

There are several different starting points. It's a huge setting with multiple semi-connected series, like Terry Pratchett's Discworld. I'd suggest either Year of the Unicorn or the Witch World / Web of the Witchworld duo.

Short descriptions, see if either of these sparks their interest:
Year of the Unicorn is great. It has a college-age female protagonist who get shipped off for a treaty marriage, unravels a mystery, has an adventure thwarting evil, makes a cross-country escape, and marries her love interest at the end.

Witch World/Web of the Witch World duo has one adult male protagonist who flees through a magic portal, fights in a war, marries his forbidden love interest, and then has to fight another, weirder, war while they figure out how they can both still have careers and a family. Plus a teenage female protagonist who escapes from an arranged marriage, fights in both wars, and then marries her love interest, who is disabled. There's a lot more action and adventure than in Year of the Unicorn, although action/adventure is pretty significant in all the Witch World books.

That list is mising Key of the Keplian, which is definitely not the best Witch World novel, but I have a soft spot for telepathic horses, prickly women trying to be good mothers, and it will always be my favorite Witch World book for having a telepathic horse as the prickly woman trying to be good mother. Also, the female protagonist being the hardworking ranch owner who has to launch an rescue mission to save the love interest from the evil sorcerer is pretty great.

Discworld is SIMPLE! You read in published order the first time you read the series. Then you can read in any order you want.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Gardenman

I am getting someone started reading Andre Norton’s Witch World series. Which one should they read first? I have read them but never in any order

This list is from the Andre Norton website. So I would take it for accurate. I would go for expanded if you want all stories.

https://www.andre-norton.com/works-o...ing-order#ro-3

[Gardenman]

Thanks everyone. I will do as the website says

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by Gardenman

Thanks everyone. I will do as the website says

Yes! You had better do that, or I will be forced to put a period at the end of your sentence!

[hildea]

Originally Posted by Rbneader

Short descriptions, see if either of these sparks their interest ...

Thanks for these! I bounced off Norton once before (Time traders), but these descriptions made me want to give her another try!

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by hildea

I bounced off Norton once before (Time traders), but these descriptions made me want to give her another try!

I read my first Norton book, The Sioux Spaceman. It was definitely sci-fi that shows its age and maybe her reach exceeded her grasp in what she was trying to do. But I really enjoyed the book overall.