What I'm Reading: Uncommon Wonder from a Fantasy Master: Year of the Unicorn

A Grand Master of the SF/F Field 

~ Wondrous Worlds and Wondrous Stories ~

I came to Andre Norton in the mid 1970s through Warlock of the Witch World, and I found Year of the Unicorn after about 3 years of continually picking up her books.

I'm re-reading Year of the Unicorn, probably for the 7th time, and enjoying it just as much as the first time.  Maybe more.  Every time I read it, I see something that I didn't see before.

Norton is a hit-or-miss for me.  Some of her books are just meh.  Some of them I really really like.  Some of them stick in my head after one reading even years later.  Year of the Unicorn is the one that I consider her best work.  Other people name the Witch World series as her best.  Besides the Witch World series, she has many more fantasies as well as forays into science fiction (Zero Stone, even as science fiction, is my next fav.).

The Year of the Unicorn is an enjoyable read that is yet very unusual.

1)  I don't think anyone before or since has done shape-shifting were beasts in quite this way.

2) The Chosen One is definitely not chosen and is not ever going to be--with all the Chosen One books flooding the marketplace, more people should read Unicorn to see how Andre Norton broke the mold.,

3) The struggles of both protagonists are understandable and difficult.  Tricks and obstacles abound that you are not going to expect. 

One element that set this book apart was the creative plot twists with antihero protagonists. Gillian would not have been chosen without her trick; Herrel is not considered the best of the were riders. The descriptions are vivid. The storyline still charms me every time I read this book, and I re-read it about every five years while I don't pick up the Witch World books.

Likable characters. Strong imagery. Twists on the mythic tropes. Clear narrative that develops the story rather than skips through it (a problem with modern story).

Enjoy.


Here's the link.  I don't do affiliate links.  Geez, it's a good book.  Read it.

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Faeron Septs

Current Faeron Septs

The Maorketh, sometimes called “the Kiern Alaisa”.

Maorketh Alaisa Grieze de Kiern.  Called the Chief Sister.  Her ward (bonded mate) is Ivers, a wizard of Clan Letheina of the Enclave.  Her palace is at the Harrows in the North.

First Sister, the Fanault Alviss.

Maore Alviss Sigis de Fanault.  Her palace is at Dagomer, on the east by the sea.

First Brother, the Ysagrael Tiraz.

Maorn Tiraz Talenn de Ysagrael.  Scree, the rocky and forested slopes leading down from Petrosse, is the location of his palace.

Second Sister, the Ciele Vyrthandi.

Maore Vyrthandi Oran de Ciele.  Petrosse is the rocky mountains on the Faeron border.

Second Brother, the Chardyss Vidar.

Maorn Vidar Bourne de Chardyss.  The vale between the mountains is called Moutelle.

Third Sister, the Veirnt Skuld.

Maore Skuld Heim de Veirnt has her palace at Eiron, the green valley.  Her ward is Romert of Clan Letheina of the Enclave.

Third Brother, the Thettis Harte.

Maorn Harte Regnant de Thettis, whose palace is located at Bermarck, the forested area.

The Wizard Enclave

Current Wizard Clans of the Enclave

Border Wars, 591

Saldoran’s Revolt, 497-510

Enclave inception, 382.

• Brantimor. Clan Pater in 620.  Red with Gold / Fire.  Magister Amiste.  Fae comeis Tithran Oran de Ciele.  Sequence of Clan Leadership: Brantimor < Ignace (Border Wars) < Guyot, who became ArchClans in 566 < Evraud, who became ArchClans in 541 < Franchot (Saldoran’s Revolt) < Cosmée (killed in battle during Saldoran’s Revolt) < Salbourne < year 463 clan split with the clan that becomes duCian < Chamisse, who became ArchClans in 451 < Thibaut, founder.
• Bronchet. Clan Pater in 616.  Blue with Gold / Water with Fire.  Magister Beatrice.  Fae comeis Laidriv Grieze de Kiern. Sequence of Clan Leadership: Bronchet < Pierrell (Border Wars) < Gismond, who became ArchClans in 576 < Sandoire < Gauthier, who became ArchClans in 536 (Saldoran’s Revolt) < Odette (killed in battle during Saldoran’s Revolt) < year 494 clan split with the clan that becomes Rochein < Hellost < Alaric < Carrock, founder.
• Charanaise. Clan Mater in 635.  Green with Gold / Earth and Fire.  Magister Piers.  Fae comeis Tolki Regnant de Thettis.  Sequence of Clan Leadership: Charanaise < Gerrault < Teobolt (Border Wars) < Ysador < Lisandre (Saldoran’s Revolt) < Giraud, who became ArchClans in 488 (killed in battle during Saldoran’s Revolt) < de Bohune < Brielle, who became ArchClans in 463 < year 461 clan split with the clan that becomes d’Aulnois < Telfourd < Pherginda, who became ArchClans in 439 and founder.
• d’Aulnois. Clan Pater in 631.  Council of Five member.  Green with Silver / Earth and Air.  Magister Niels.  Fae comeis Silmar Heim de Veirnt. Sequence of Clan Leadership: d’Aulnois < Bourdonnée (Border Wars) < Phergenie < d’Arcy < Horchadt, became ArchClans in 497 (Saldoran’s Revolt) < Aelwine < Guimalle, became ArchClans in 467 < year 461 clan split with the clan that becomes Charanaise < Telfourd < Pherginda, became ArchClans in 439 and founder.
• Drakon. Clan Pater in 596.  Council of Five member.  Black with Gold / (unacknowledged Chaos and) Fire.  Magister Brandt.  Fae comeis Huron Talenn de Ysagrael.  Sequence of Clan Leadership: Drakon < Reivel, who became ArchClans in 578 (Border Wars) < Bronn < Tanneal, who became ArchClans in 514 (Saldoran’s Revolt) < Yvgny < Draiven < Brandt, who become ArchClans in 449 < Gerhardt, founder.
• DuCian. Clan Pater in 627.  Red with Silver / Fire and Air.  Magister Rowan.  Fae comeis Vatar Regnant de Chardyss.  Sequence of Clan Leadership:  DuCian < Valmont < Raigneur (Border Wars) < Alysse < Telfor < Sebastien (Saldoran’s Revolt) < Léonor (killed in battle during Saldoran’s Revolt) < Anselm, who became ArchClans in 474 < year 463 clan split with the clan that becomes Brantimor < Chamisse, who became ArchClans in 451 < Thibaut, founder.
• Galfrons. Clan Pater in 610.  Council of Five member.  Grey with Silver / Water and Air.  Magisters Eléonore and Talbot.  Fae comeis Dagorr Sigis de Fanault. Sequence of Clan Leadership: Galfrons < Chambaud (Border Wars) < Harailt, who became ArchClans in 555 < Rombreaux (Saldoran’s Revolt) < Ferrant < Melisande < Jacinthe, joined as second generation after Carrock’s death in 426.
• Letheina. Clan Mater in 613, became ArchClans in 624.  Blue with Silver / Water and Air.  Magister Raigeis.  Fae Ruidri comeis Talenn de Ysagrael.  Sequence of Clan Leadership:  Letheina < Saigeis, who became ArchClans in 596 (Border Wars) < Morted < Sygny (Saldoran’s Revolt) < Maltroit (killed in battle during Saldoran’s Revolt) < Romert < du Cyre, who became ArchClans in 444 < Raigeis, founder.
• Metallin. Clan Pater in 616. Council of Five member.  Black with Silver / Air.  Magister Tallost.  Fae comeis Aegethr Bourne de Chardyss.  Sequence of Clan Leadership:  Metallin < Sholeina < Garnier (Border Wars) < Nellost < Piers, who became ArchClans in 524 (Saldoran’s Revolt) < Enjoux (killed in battle during Saldoran’s Revolt) < d’Ivrons, who joined the Enclave in the 3^rd generation, 461.
• Perrault. Clan Pater in 606.  Council of Five member.  Brown with Gold / Earth and Fire.  Magisters Cosmée and Oralia and Jules.  Fae comeis Sullin Bourne de Chardyss.  Sequence of Clan Leadership:  Perrault < Griselt (Border Wars) < Aherin (Saldoran’s Revolt) < Horst (killed in battle during Saldoran’s Revolt) < Denis < Journet, joined as second generation after Carrock’s death in 426.
• Rochein. Clan Mater in 624.  Yellow with Black / Earth and Air.  Magister Seir.  Fae comeis Menos Heim de Veirnt.  Sequence of Clan Leadership:  Rochein < Giraud, who became ArchClans in 613 < Euphemie (Border Wars) < Montaigne < Harcourt < Tredennit, who became ArchClans in 520 (Saldoran’s Revolt) < Costaigne (killed in battle during Saldoran’s Revolt) < year 494 clan split with the clan that becomes Bronchet < Hellost < Alaric < Carrock, founder.

ArchClans Leadership 

Current Archclans is Letheina, 624 < Giraud, 613-624 < Saigeis, 597-624 < Reivel, 578-597 (Border Wars) < Gismond, 577-578 < Guyot, 566-577 < Harailt, 555-566 < Evraud, 541-555 < Gauthier, 536-541 < Piers, 524-536 < Tredennit, 520-524 < Tanneal, 514-520 < Horchadt, led during Saldoran’s Revolt, 497-514 < Giraud, killed during Saldoran’s Revolt, 488-497 < Anselm, 474-488 < Guimalle, 468-474 < Brielle, 463-468 < Chamisse, 451-463 < Brandt, 449-451 < du Cyre, 443-449 < Pherginda (last remaining of the original founders), 439-443 < original five founding members—Carrock, Gerhardt, Pherginda, Raigeis, and Thibaut—ruled by consensus from 382 to 439.

Current Aged Sages (61^st Iteration of the Council of Five)

1^st Sage = Perrault

2^nd = Galfrons

3^rd = Drakon

4^th = d’Aulnois

and 5^th = Metallin.

Welcome to the Fae Mark'd World

Wizard against sorcerer. 

Fae against dragon. 

Wyre against Rhoghieri.

In the recently-revived war between wizards and sorcerers, the Enclave wizards enlist the aid of Rhoghieri, wielders of the four base elements who live in Havens.

The sorcerers have enslaved wyre, animal shifters who became outcasts when the wizards declared them anathema. 

The Faeron, who withdrew when the dragons were defeated and nearly extinguished from the world, have returned to an uneasy alliance with the wizards—for the dragons did not die out centuries ago. 

Those nearly-mythic creatures are searching for a way to return so they can wreck vengeance on the Faeron and the wizards who exiled them.