The only stupid questions are the ones we don't ask. :)

Andre Norton is one of today's oldest living (and active) authors of Science Fiction and Fantasy. She started writing in the 1930s, if I recall correctly, using pseudonyms because it was so difficult for women to break into pulp fiction. Andre wrote westerns, mysteries, action/adventure, and eventually Science Fiction and Fantasy stories.

She published her first SF novel in the early 1950s, I think, and from there made a career out of writing about some of the most incredibly detailed worlds in SF I've ever come across.

Her most famous series are THE WITCH WORLD books, the SOLAR QUEEN books, TIME TRADERS, and probably the FORERUNNER stories. Many of the series are set in the same futuristic universe.

Andre's work has often been described as "children's books" but many of us who still read and enjoy her work left childhood long ago. She IS a good introduction to SF for young readers, but her stories can be intense, complex, and completely engulfing. She's written more than one cannot-put-it-down book.

Admittedly, at 85, Andre is past her prime, but she still writes and actively seeks out and encourages young authors -- especially women -- who wish to write SF.

You can find links to various Web sites that talk more about Andre's stories in many of the messages posted to this board. This has sort of become the heart of online Andre Norton fandom.

Hope that helps.

Michael

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The Witch World Page