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Author Review: Andre Norton (1912 – Present)
Review Written By: Diane

Biography

Andre Norton began life as Alice Mary Norton on February 17, 1912 in Cleveland, Ohio. Born 17 years after her older sister, Norton was especially close to her mother. Books played an important part in her family’s life and weekly trips to the library were a normal occurrence. Norton’s affinity for books and writing was established early. By the time she reached high school she was editor for the school paper’s literary page. In fact, her first book, Ralestone Luck, was written while she was still in school, although this was not her first published novel. Norton briefly attended Flora Stone Mather College of Western Reserve University (now known as Case Western Reserve), but her educational career was cut short in 1932 by the Great Depression.

Norton held several jobs before her writing career began in earnest. For over 20 years she was the children’s librarian at the Cleveland Public Library. She made a short-lived, unsuccessful attempt at owning and managing a bookstore/lending library, and also worked briefly for the Library of Congress. Norton spent eight years as a reader for Gnome Press before leaving to pursue writing full time.

Norton’s first book, The Prince Commands, was published in 1934. It was also at this time that she legally changed her name to Andre Alice Norton. As a female author in a predominantly male field (for both authors and readers), her publishers believed her books would attract a greater following through the use of a male pseudonym. Norton has been a prolific writer, with well over 200 novels, short stories, and anthologies to her credit and more scheduled. Known as the "Grand Dame of Science Fiction and Fantasy," Norton has won a number of literary awards, although recognition was slow to come. Her novel The Witch World was nominated for a Hugo in 1964, but did not win. Norton became the first woman to ever receive the Grand Master of Fantasy (Gandalf) Award (1977) and the Nebula Grand Master Award (1984). In 1997 she was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame and in 1998 she received the World Fantasy Convention Life Achievement Award. Because of these notable achievements and her continued success, Norton is frequently cited as a role model by many current female authors.

After spending several years in Florida, Norton moved to Tennessee in 1996, where she established a writers retreat specifically for the preservation and promotion of popular fiction. In Norton’s estimation, popular fiction includes the fields of science fiction, fantasy, horror, gothic, mystery, romance, and western. The High Hallack Genre Writers' Research and Reference Library was officially opened on February 28, 1999.

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Writing Style

Norton is probably best known for the Witch World series, consisting of over 35 books. Although her works are often marketed toward young adults, their appeal is much broader than that. Norton freely admits that she writes for a teen audience, but she does not write down to them. Her heroes and heroines are frequently young, but the trials they face are universal. Norton especially enjoys writing sword and sorcery tales. Many of her novels are set in worlds with ancient histories and religions, and magic is frequently a force to be dealt with. However, her writing has not been limited to the science fiction/fantasy genre. Norton has published works in various fields including the occult, gothic novels, mystery, adventure, etc.

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Body of Work

Since Andre Norton is 87 years old, she has generated an extensive body of work.  Here, in order of publication, is what we believe to be a complete body of her work.  (series) [ co-author]

1934  Prince Commands, the
1938  Ralestone Luck
1942  Follow the Drum
1944  Sword is Drawn, the (Lorens van Norreys)
1947  Rogue Reynard
1947  People of the Crater
1948  Scarface
1948  Gifts of Asti, The
1949  Sword in Sheath (Lorens van Norreys)
1951  Huon of the Horn
1951  Bullard of the Space Patrol [stories by Malcom Jameson]
1952  Star Man's Son 2250 A.D.
1952  Living in 1980 Plus - NGF
1953  Star Rangers (Central Control)
1953  Space Service
1953  All Cats Are Gray
1954  At Swords' Point (Lorens van Norreys)
1954  Murders For Sale [Grace Allen Hogarth]
1954  Stars are Ours!, the (Pax/Astra)
1954  Space Pioneers
1954  Mousetrap
1955  Sargasso of Space (Solar Queen)
1955  Star Guard (Central Control)
1955  Yankee Privateer
1956  Crossroads of Time, the (Crosstime)
1956  Plague Ship (Solar Queen)
1956  Stand to Horse
1956  Space Police
1957  Sea Siege
1957  Star Born (Pax/Astra)
1958  Star Gate
1958  Time Traders, the (Ross Murdock/Time War)
1958  By a Hair
1959  Beast Master, the (Hosteen Storm)
1959  Galactic Derelict (Ross Murdock/Time War)
1959  Secret of the Lost Race
1959  Voodoo Planet (Solar Queen)
1960  Shadow Hawk
1960  Sioux Spacemen, the
1960  Storm Over Warlock (Forerunner/Shan Lantee)
1961  Catseye (Dipple)
1961  Ride Proud Rebel! (Draw Rennie)
1961  Star Hunter
1962  Defiant Agents, the (Ross Murdock/Time War)
1962  Eye of the Monster
1962  Lord of Thunder (Hosteen Storm)
1962  Rebel Spurs (Draw Rennie)
1963  Judgment on Janus (Janus and Dipple)
1963  Key Out of Time (Ross Murdock/Time War)
1963  Witch World, the (Witch World - Estcarp Cycle)
1964  Night of Masks (Dipple)
1964  Ordeal in Otherwhere (Forerunner/Shan Lantee)
1964  Web of the Witch World, the (Witch World - Estcarp Cycle)
1965  Quest Crosstime (Crosstime)
1965  Steel Magic (The Magic Sequence -YA)
1965  Three Against the Witch World (Witch World - Estcarp Cycle)
1965  X Factor, the
1965  Year of the Unicorn (Witch World - High Hallack Cycle)
1966  Moon of Three Rings (Free Traders)
1966  Victory on Janus (Janus)
1966  Boy and the Ogre, The
1966  Toymaker's Snuffbox
1967  Octagon Magic (The Magic Sequence - YA)
1967  Operation Time Search
1967  Warlock of the Witch World (Witch World - Estcarp Cycle)
1967  Wizard's World
1968  Dark Piper
1968  Fur Magic (The Magic Sequence - YA)
1968  Sorceress of the Witch World (Witch World - Estcarp Cycle)
1968  Star Hunter & Voodoo Planet
1968  Zero Stone, the (Jern Murdock)
1969  Bertie and May [Bertha Stemm Norton]
1969  Postmarked the Stars (Solar Queen)
1969  Uncharted Stars (Jern Murdock)
1969  Toys of Tamisan
1970  Dread Companion
1970  Ice Crown
1970  Long Live Lord Kor!
1970  Through the Needle’s Eye
1970  Ully the Piper
1971  Android at Arms
1971  Exiles of the Stars (Free Traders)
1971  Ghost Tour
1971  On Writing Fantasy
1972  Breed to Come
1972  Crystal Gryphon, the (Witch World - High Hallack Cycle)
1972  Dragon Magic (The Magic Sequence - YA)
1972  Amber out of Quayth (Witch World)
1972  Artos, Son of Marius
1972  Dragon Scale Silver (Witch World)
1972  Dream Smith (Witch World)
1972  Garan of Yu-Lac
1972  Legacy from Sorn Fen
1972  One Spell Wizard
1973  Desirable Lakeside Residence
1973  Forerunner Foray (Dipple and Forerunner/Shan Lantee)
1973  Here Abide Monsters
1973  Gates of Tomorrow [Ernestine Donaldy]
1973  London Bridge
1973  Teddi
1973  Toads of Grimmerdale, the (Witch World)
1974  Iron Cage
1974  Jargoon Pard (Witch World - High Hallack Cycle)
1974  Lavender-Green Magic (The Magic Sequence - YA)
1974  Small Shadows Creep
1974  Long Night of Waiting, the
1974  Outside
1975  Day of the Ness, the [Michael Gilbert]
1975  Knave of Dreams
1975  Merlin’s Mirror
1975  No Night Without Stars
1975  White Jade Fox, the
1976  Red Hart Magic (The Magic Sequence - YA)
1976  Wraiths of Time
1976  Baleful Beasts and Eerie Creatures
1976  Star Ka’at [Dorothy Madler]
1976  Get Out of My Dream!
1976  Nightmare
1976  Ship of Mist
1976  Spider Silk (Witch World)
1977  Opal-Eyed Fan, the
1977  Trey of Swords (Witch World - Estcarp Cycle)
1977  Velvet Shadows
1977  Sword of Unbelief (Witch World)
1978  Quag Keep
1978  Yurth Burden
1978  Zarsthor’s Bane (Witch World - High Hallack Cycle)
1978  Star Ka’at World [Dorothy Madler]
1979  Seven Spells to Sunday [Phyllis Miller]
1979  Snow Shadow
1979  Star Ka’at and the Plant People [Dorothy Madler]
1979  Falcon Blood (Witch World)
1979  Sand Sisters (Witch World)
1980  Iron Butterflies
1980  Voorloper
1980  Changeling (Witch World)
1981  Forerunner (Forerunner/Shan Lantee)
1981  Gryphon in Glory (Witch World - High Hallack Cycle)
1981  Horn Crown (Witch World - High Hallack Cycle)
1981  Maid at Arms [Enid Cushing]
1981  Ten Mile Treasure
1981  Star Ka’at and the Winged Warriors [Dorothy Madler]
1982  Caroline [Enid Cushing]
1982  Moon Called
1982  Moon Mirror
1983  ‘Ware Hawk (Witch World - Estcarp Cycle)
1983  Wheel of Stars
1984  Gryphon’s Eyrie [A.C. Crispin] (Witch World - High Hallack Cycle)
1984  House of Shadows [Phyllis Miller]
1984  Stand & Deliver
1984  Were Wrath
1985  Forerunner: The Second Venture (Forerunner/Shan Lantee)
1985  Ride the Green Dragon [Phyllis Miller]
1985  Magic in Ithkar [Robert Adams]
1985  Magic in Ithkar 2 [Robert Adams]
1986  Flight in Yiktor (Free Traders)
1986  Magic in Ithkar 3 [Robert Adams]
1987  Gate of the Cat (Witch World - Estcarp Cycle)
1987  Rider On The Mountain
1987  Serpent’s Tooth
1987  Magic in Ithkar 4 [Robert Adams]
1987  Tales of the Witch World (Witch World)
1987  Of the Shaping of Ulm’s Heir (Witch World)
1988  Tales of the Witch World 2 (Witch World)
1988  How Many Miles to Babylon?
1989  Imperial Lady [Susan Schwartz]
1989  Catfantastic [Martin Greenberg]
1989  Grand Master’s Choice [Ingrid Zierhut]
1989  Noble Warrior
1990  Black Trillium [Marion Zimmer Bradley & Julian May] (Trillium)
1990  Dare to Go A-Hunting (Free Traders)
1990  Jekyll Legacy, the [Robert Bloch]
1990  Tales of the Witch World 3 (Witch World)
1991  Elvenbane, the [Mercedes Lackey] (The Halfblood Chronicles)
1991  Port of Dead Ships [P. M. Griffin] (Witch World)
1991  Seakeep [P. M. Griffin] (Witch World)
1991  Catfantastic II [Martin Greenberg]
1991  Hob’s Pot
1992  Exile [Mary Schaub] (Witch World)
1992  Falcon Hope [P. M. Griffin] (Witch World)
1992  Mark of the Cat, the
1992  Songsmith, the [A. C. Crispin] (Witch World - High Hallack Cycle)
1992  A Very Dickensy Christmas
1992  Nabob’s Gift, The
1993  Brother to Shadows
1993  Empire of the Eagle [Susan Schwartz]
1993  Golden Trillium (Trillium)
1993  Redline the Stars [P. M. Griffin] (Solar Queen)
1994  Falcon Magic [Sasha Miller] (Witch World)
1994  Firehand [P. M. Griffin] (Ross Murdock/Time War)
1994  Hands of Lyr, the 
1994  We, the Women [Patricia Mathews] (Witch World)
1994  Catfantastic III [Martin Greenberg]
1994  Noble Warrior Meets with a Ghost
1994  That Which Overfloweth
1995  Elvenblood [Mercedes Lackey] (The Halfblood Chronicles)
1995  Key of the Keplian, the [Lyn McConchie] (Witch World)
1995  Mirror of Destiny 
1995  Tiger Burning Bright [Marion Zimmer Bradley & Mercedes Lackey]
1995  Last Spell, the
1995  Way Wind, The (Witch World)
1996  Mage Stone, the [Mary Schaub] (Witch World)
1996  Catfantastic IV [Martin Greenberg]
1996  Dowry of the Rag Picker’s Daughter, the
1996  No Folded Hands
1996  Noble Warrior, Teller of Fortunes
1997  Derelict for Trade [Sherwood Smith] (Solar Queen)
1997  Mind for Trade [Sherwood Smith] (Solar Queen)
1997  Warding of the Witch World, the (Witch World)
1997  Auour the Deepminded
1997  Bard’s Crown
1997  Frog Magic
1997  Nine Threads of Gold
1998  Ciara’s Song [Lyn McConchie] (Witch World)
1998  The Stonish Men
1998  Scent of Magic 
1999  Catfantastic V [Martin Greenberg]
1999  Wind in the Stone
1999  The Shadow of Albion [Rosemary Edgehill]
1999  Echoes in Time [Sherwood Smith] (Ross Murdock/Time War)

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