Andre Norton Forum

The Andre Norton Influence

Many of the authors who have contributed to the CATFANTASTIC, TALES OF THE WITCH WORLD, MAGIC IN ITHKAR and especially MOONSINGER'S FRIENDS (edited by Susan Schwartz) have admitted their indebtedness to Andre Norton. The anthologies also continue to be a forum for new writers.

I actually feel that a really important thing that most of these writers take away and use in their own books is the story telling and world creation. A world doesn't have to mimic the Witch World, Ithkar, Yiktor, Janus or any place to echo the FEEL of that world. In Andre Norton's worlds there is a feeling that just outside of the pages there is a complete world. The pages describe one part of the world, one adventure as one (or two) people see that world. No need to minutely describe what is at the north pole of the world - unless the people are going there. No need to provide a detailed map of places that won't be visited. The map is in your head, and your mind.

[If you want to read a humorous view of the "Tour" through fantasy land, look for Diana Wynn Jones TOUGH GUIDE TO FANTASY LAND. I found that a bit, hmmm slow, like reading any travel book. Read the authors DARK LORD OF DERKHOLM which uses the same idea in a novel format.]

Another thing that Andre Norton, and her adherents do very well is to take technology for granted. If someone in an Andre Norton book picks up a weapon, there is no need to describe exactly how it works, unless the character made that weapon. If someone uses a communication device, there is no long drawn out techno-babble description of how it works. This is an acceptance of how things are. Few in the real world really know how a telepone works. We use tools - and unless we are crazy enough, or desperate enough to fiddle with the guts of the thing, most of us replace broken tools.

I occasionally catch authors using a specific scientific term, when the general term would do: Giving someone a "needle" injection when just "injection" might imply any form of future device. There is also the tempation to inject into the book technical stuff. Never mind that the author is a good author, and a bad scientist, the temptation is there. "Turn this Ship Three-Hundred-and-Sixty-Degrees around and head for home."

One of the closest worlds that I have found, in species mix and "Feel", is Rosemary Edghill's (AKA Eluki bes Shahar) THE SWORD OF MAIDEN'S TEARS, THE CUP OF MORNING SHADOWS, and THE CLOAK OF NIGHT AND DAGGERS. OKay the first book takes place in New York city - but it does have an Elf getting mugged. The CLOAK takes place partly at a Science Fiction convention; A world in itself, before moving on. I am not saying that Eluki steals her world, or bases her world on one of Andre's, I AM saying that there is a complete world there, with beings of different species, interacting in a way that is consistant. [After that cheap plug: Eluki - I'd love to learn more about the couple that were in the Market. The ones who were the 'fictional' characters in the author's books. Since I've forgotten their names, that means it is time to go back and read the books.]