One of my favorite books in the Witch World saga. A short but good fantasy novel. The general theme of a young man who is an outsider from birth trying to find his place in his family, clan and world. The Witch World setting with its odd mix of technology and fantasy was always fascinating to me, and Norton portrays the world with just a hint of strangeness. If you are used to 1000 page fantasy epics, this isn't one, but it is good all the same. Just be prepared to not dwell on what the characters eat or wear for pages and pages. ( )

Kerovan's low self-esteem plays major parts in this book - he keeps (explicitly explained) trying to suppress himself and his feelings so that Joisan isn't "tied" down to him. Pfff. Silly boy. This book always makes me want to read the others that are referenced here - I like The Year of the Unicorn, where we see Herrel again, but I can never remember what Jervon and Elys' story is. I know I've read of them. And poor Joisan, wanting their companionship - what they have with each other, for her and Kerovan. The Thas are beautifully nasty, Galkur is mostly an idiot, Landisl is mildly interesting and I like Telpher. Neevor wants too much, though he takes Kerovan's refusal pretty well. It's a little annoying that Andre didn't bother to check the first book and get Kerovan's parents' names right - and unfortunately that annoyance shows up right near the end, just before the climactic battle, so it's always fresh in my mind as I finish the book. Said climactic battle is also a bit anti-climactic - while they say explicitly that this was a much more major battle than the end of Crystal Gryphon, it doesn't read that way. Kerovan and Joisan play minor roles - Joisan collapses early on, Kerovan spends his time picking off the minor enemies. Then suddenly it's all over. Kerovan comes out better than he's been in a while, and with something to set against that low self-esteem - but...well, not bad, but not as good as Crystal Gryphon. Though again, this would have made a decent ending if she hadn't written more. ( )

Unrest fills the Dales as Joisan sets out from her refuge to seek out her husband, Kerovan, journeying on a secret mission in the Waste where the evil powers of the Dark threaten on every hand. Companion to the earlier book, The Crystal Gryphon. ( )