Tales from High Hallack: The Collected Short Stories of Andre Norton

Tales from High Hallack #1

by Andre Norton

For the first time, the Grand Dame of science fiction—Andre Norton—has her short stories gathered for her fans’ reading pleasure. Tales reach back to the 1930s, as fresh and relevant today as they were when she wrote them . . . such was Andre’s skill. High fantasy, fables, science fiction, coming of age stories, and more fill three volumes. This impressive, must-have collection includes stories of Witch World. There are cats sprinkled here and there, as Andre treasured them so. And there is magic in the writing, unequaled prose to delight readers of all ages.

High Hallack was a place in Andre’s fiction, and was also the name of her genre writer’s library she opened in Tennessee. It is a wondrous keep that she called home, and now High Hallack opens its gates and allows these amazing stories to tumble out.

Lose yourself in her enchanted words, and read them again and again.

Genres: Fantasy, Short Stories, Science Fiction, Anthologies, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Magic

222 pages, Paperback

First published September 26, 2013

About the author

Andre Norton, born Alice Mary Norton, was a pioneering American author of science fiction and fantasy, widely regarded as the Grande Dame of those genres. She also wrote historical and contemporary fiction, publishing under the pen names Andre Alice Norton, Andrew North, and Allen Weston. She launched her career in 1934 with The Prince Commands, adopting the name “Andre” to appeal to a male readership. After working for the Cleveland Library System and the Library of Congress, she began publishing science fiction under “Andrew North” and fantasy under her own name. She became a full-time writer in 1958 and was known for her prolific output, including Star Man’s Son, 2250 A.D. and Witch World, the latter spawning a long-running series and shared universe. Norton was a founding member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America and authored Quag Keep, the first novel based on the Dungeons & Dragons game. She influenced generations of writers, including Lois McMaster Bujold and Mercedes Lackey. Among her many honors were being the first woman named Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and SFWA Grand Master. In her later years, she established the High Hallack Library to support research in genre fiction. Her legacy continues with the Andre Norton Award for young adult science fiction and fantasy.

Reviews

[Zain · Rating 5 out of 5]

All Cats Are Gray! 🐈‍⬛

A nice collection of short stories from Andre Alice Norton. Science fiction and science fantasy (is that a word?), blending into a beef stew of colorful pages of yumminess.

Each story is easily, individually, a piece of art. This is the first collection I’ve read by Norton, but it definitely won’t be my last.

And before I leave, I just want to mention, there is a superb introduction by Jody Lyn Nye.

Ms. Nye writes about her discovering science fiction, and the joy she experiences at age fourteen, when she discovers the world of Andre Norton.

Such a lucky lady. Wish I discovered her work at fourteen…🤨

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of wonderful short stories – mostly relatively unknown ones – by Grandmaster Andre Norton. The anthology contains both science fiction and fantasy entries. Some are set in established worlds, others are standalones.

I’ve been a Norton fan since the age of 8 when I picked up my first book [and yes, that was AGES ago] and I thought I’d tracked down all of her stories. I was wrong, several of these were new and delightful reads – and it contains some of my favorites as well. You’ll find a listing of the stories in this anthology below.

The Last Spell . . .
Merlin and Nimue – like you never heard it before.

Sword of Unbelief . . .
A story of Elys and Jervon – who first appeared in Dragon Scale Silver and appear in several of the Crystal Gryphon related books.

Earthborn: A Witch World Story . . .
Set in Lormt, the ancient center of learning, after the Turning. The heroine is the elderly Lady Mereth, mentioned in several of the Witch World books.

That Which Overfloweth . . .
A fantasy implementation of the Grail legend.

By A Hair . . .
Set somewhere in the Eastern Bloc after the USSR replaced the Nazis. Suppression of the Church and the oppression of the people bring back beliefs in the old Powers.

The Gifts of Asti . . .
Another standalone story which brings an SF twist to a fantasy story.

Falcon Blood . . .
The heroine is a Sulcar and the hero is a Falconer – both of them shipwrecked on a far southern shore. It provides an explanation of the Falconers peculiar relationship with women…

The Dowry of the Rag Picker’s Daughter . . .
An Arabian Nights story complete with a vain Caliph’s daughter, the virtuous daughter of a rag-picker, and a powerful wizard with a goal…

All Cats Are Gray . . .
An SF story about a colorblind woman, a cat, and a ‘cursed’ spaceship worthy of the ‘Flying Dutchman’.

The Way Wind . . .
A fantasy story about a trader who blows the wind of change into a city of exiles.

Black Irish . . .
A story about boys becoming men in an English public school environment.

The Boy and the Ogre . . .
A clever boy outwits an ogre in the best fairytale fashion.

Through the Needle’s Eye . . .
One of my favorite stories comes with a supernatural twist – this tale proves yet again that it is not wise to cross clever women.

The Toymaker’s Snuffbox . . .
Sometimes having a good heart, skilled hands, and an honest assessment of your own desires is enough to find the way to your own betterment and that of others.

Ully the Piper . . .
A man with a broken body whose music finds favor with creatures of power and is given a gift in return.

Dream Smith . . .
Two people trapped by circumstance into broken bodies and a Wise Woman willing to appeal to great powers to give them their dream…

One Spell Wizard . . .
A marginally incompetent wizard and a somewhat bumbling wizard’s servant who manages to learn just one of his master’s spells which he then uses to protect the Lady Juluya from his master.

London Bridge . . .
A post-apocalyptic story [without zombies] about family love, loyalty and finding new hope.

Copy received from Netgalley and publisher for an honest review.

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first of three collections of Andre Norton's short stories, it was my mother who recommended this author's work, and I have never regretted picking up her books and reading them. Andre Norton published hundreds of books, so I expect to be reading them for years to come and it is highly helpful to now have her short stories all gathered together.

Included in this collection are the following. I've read a few of these before and some I have not.

The Last Spell, the story of Merlin teaching to Nimue the last spell, as he lays dying. It is Nimue, who becomes Lady of the Lake who tells it and uses the last spell to lay Merlin to sleep timelessly.

Sword of Unbelief, a Elyn's twin sister Elys from Spell of the Witch World searches for Jervon, a search that takes her from the Waste into elsewhere and elsewhen, to face a Thing that Aufrica’s teachings of her Talent may not have prepared her for, but which she must win against or lose herself and Jevron both.

Earthborn : a Witch World Story, Mereth from The Magestone, mute, sees the approach of a shepherdess in distress...by the end of the short story the Latter Battle of Lormt, is fought and won against Ufora.

That Which Overfloweth, the secrets of the shrine of She Who Spoke, the Voice, are hinted at in a raid while Cassia and Lana hide and hear and see their shrine ransacked, all but a clay cup with a long forgotten history.

By A Hair, the story of justice and old gods entwined in the lives of four people - Ivor and Dagmar Kark, Andrei Varoff and the Countess Ana.

The Gifts of Asti, when Memphir burns by the Klem barbarians, Varta, last of the virgin Maidens of Asti, sings her farewells at His shrine while she and Lur flee from them. Gathering treasures and using forgotten tunnels to get to a place of promised refuge, a place with a strange lake into which the things that fall are preserved alive and frozen in timeless fashion, where they find a ship and seek what is within it.

Falcon Blood, Tanree -one of the Sulcar, and a Falconer survive the sinking of the ship Kast-Boar, but find themselves on Salzarat...which they may not survive as they are.

The Dowry of the Rag Picker's Daughter, Muledowa's daughter Zoradeh is cursed with the face of the ugly djinn or ifrit, but is beautiful within. Caliph Ras el Fada's daughter Jalnar has the heart of a djinn warrior woman, ugly and vain, but is a beauty.

Kamar, a wizard seeks a bride and when his gift of a gown falls into Zoradeh's hands, all might get what they deserve.

All Cats Are Grey, Steena and Cliff Moran and Bat (her grey cat) seek the spaceway treasure ship, Empress of Mars, which was mysteriously abandoned for a reason they soon face.

The Way Wind, l’Estal, is the first and last place after the Way Pass, one way which ends for those of eastern Klem may begin for the Way Went which seems to blow travelers in the west to eastern l’Estal and the wayfarer this time is the mysterious girl child Meg, her cat Kaska and pony Mors.

Black Irish, Neil Mohun and Charteris's academy rivalry may become something out-of-hand and dangerous if they do not attempt to mend things.

The Boy and the Orge, a bold poor boy dares wager with a rich orge three times.

Through the Needle's Eye, while visiting her Cousin Althea and Ruth in Cramwell, Ernestine Williams a partly lame girl meets Miss Ruthevan a "old witch" with a tragic past and skills in embroidery stitching, and a mysterious tale of needles golden like slivers of the sun.

The Toymaker's Snuffbox, Master Franz gives to a bald elf a wig, and gets wondrous snuffbox which may serve him more than three times.

Ully the Piper, in High Hallack is Coomb Brackett, Ully is cart-bound, unable to mend his legs although he mends a pipe which he plays to the enjoyement of his peers - but Matt takes back what he thinks is his and pushes Ully away - Ully finds himself a strange pipe and peace and the favor of the old ones of the pillars who heal him, but when Matt tries his piping for the pillars to turn his way of ill luck, it does not go his way.

Dream Smith Collard, a smiths son who has his face and body ruined by fire and a mysterious metal dreams of magnification beings, Lady Jacinda a maid with a crippled body shares these dreams, and when Lady Jacinda is to be married off, together with the help of Sharvana and Jacinda's nurse they escape into those dreams.

One Spell Wizard, Saystrap is a wizard whose spells do not last more than a day, makes a deal with Ladizwell a farmer for the use of his son Joachim for a year and a day as a apprentice, which is eagerly done. The boy learns to shape change from the wizard, not with words - but by his own wish - turned into a falcon and catching the eye of Lady Juluya, he wishes himself to other shapes to linger near her. Saystrap isn't one to give up his plan to take her for his own, so slow tongued Joachim is pitted against the wizard.

London Bridge, into a plague city the Rhyming Man comes, into a sealed city where children immune have survived, he takes children like Marsie away, maybe to the Outside, but only if they believe and are builders...

[Anonymouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andre Norton was not the first science fiction author I ever read but, the first book of hers I read – Star Man's Son 2250 AD (1952) – was her first published SF novel, although some years passed between publication and my discovery. "Star Man's Son" is considered by some to be the first modern post apocalyptic novel, and it is my go-to book when trashing McCormac's "The Road."

I discovered SF on the bookshelf of my 4th grade classroom. The title of that glorious space opera is long lost but I remember the brown cloth cover with a little rocket ship on the bottom of the spine, a device used by Doubleday around then. I remember scouring the shelves of our tiny school for that little rocket, and having a surely confusing conversation with my teacher about the difference between "fiction" and "novels." I had the notion that "fiction" was the catchall for non-fact writing and "novels" were top-drawer literature.

There were two sources of SF in my early life – the public library and our neighbor Mr. Meyers. The library had a few shelves (which in retrospect seems quite a lot for a small town) and the Meyers house had piles. I was allowed to read all there was, because pre-1967 there was no sex in SF. One of my life regrets is not begging for Mr. Meyers' collection when he died.

In any case, Mr. Meyers was an Andre Norton fan and of the books I read, it is hers I remember. (well, and Gully Foyle.) And it is the space opera Star Man's Son 2250 AD, that I remember first and best, and in this remembering, I say to you that Tales of High Halleck is not the place to start reading Andre Norton.

Take a moment to look at Andre Norton bibliography pages online. They are a mess. The woman published for 70 years and her titles were repacked, renamed, reissued, reanthologized and otherwise remarketed to the point that scholars are mostly content to clump series together (if a short book with a single follow-on can be called a series) and choose a publication date, sprinkling the stand-alones in like nonpareils. The less scholarly take the clumps and put almost any old date on them. ACE doubles have a lot to answer for.

The dates are important though because like any writer of pulp fiction (much as I love her, Andre Norton was no Pulitzer candidate), Ms Norton's books reflected the literary trends of the time. Her work is also self-reflexive in that while her style evolved over time, it also curls around itself when something clicked with readers. She was not immune to the siren call of fashion either, as when she sidetracked into Authurian legend following Monty Python and Marian Zimmer Bradley.

The early works, their themes and their language are pulp. Space ships, time travel, ESP and the reworked themes of the classic western (ref Firefly). The shift to magic and a more convoluted voice is most easily seen, I think, in the Moon of Three Rings (1966) in which the star man meets the shapechanger. Norton used idiom brilliantly as a cultural shortcut. (We may never know if Elmore Leonard read Ms Norton in his youth.)

In about 1982 I did a quick tally of my Norton paperbacks and decided that the average length was 187 pages. That's 187 old style paperback, not these tall things with wide margins we have today, so these tales are well under 100,000 words. Compact and exciting. But, and this is a big thing, by 1967 and Dangerous Visions, her audience moved on to more exotic reading, but fortunately for her, unlike some others writing around then, a new audience was waiting.

I, like other readers my age, was thrilled by Moon of Three Rings, Catseye (1961) and the tales of ESP and animals, and by Witchworld (1963) where ESP was transformed into witchcraft, with a tiny bit of sexual tension thrown in (perfect for a teen reader, right?). Witchworld is written from the POV of Simon Tregarth, a modern man who meets and loves Jaelithe, a witch of Estcarp who sacrifices herself, she thinks, for him. Witchworld became a series and then a franchise and then took over and the convoluted idiom of Maelen and later Jaelithe became the Norton norm. Even the later space operas, few as they are, are tainted (now that's a strong word that will raise ire) by Maelen's voice.

So be it. Andre Norton became a legend with a huge modern following and I do not begrudge it, but I straddled the transition and I like space opera better.

Which brings us the long way round to why Tales of High Halleck should not be your Andre Norton introduction or if it must be (you are stranded on an island or something) you should approach it carefully. Read the stories in chronological order, not the order presented.

The first story in this collection is called The Last Enchantment (1995), a retelling of Nimuë's story. If you don't already know Arthurian legend and its modern permutations you will be completely mystified. It is a terrible first story for a collection, especially when the second is Sword of Unbelief a lateish Witchworld tale originally published in 1977. By then, Witchworld idiom had become so peculiar that it only qualifies as English because each word is an English word. You have to know the language to be able to read the story. It's a pretty good story but even I, with the deepest affection, groan at the tortuous phrasing.

"It was contagious magic which I used to track Jervon, for about my throat I wore the amulet of a strange stone shaped not unlike an eye, which he had found and carried for a luck piece since he was a boy, and then had put into my keeping upon our handfasting, having in those years of war no other bride-jewel to offer."

"Colors rippled here that had no name I knew, sensations wrenched at the inner core of my determination and Talent as if they would pull me apart while I yet lived."

"Now the stones of the forgotten ruins drew together, formed tumbled walls, with here or there some uprise of worked rock which might have once been a statue. But these were now so worn away by erosion that such shapes remained only vaguely unpleasant ones, hinting of ancient monstrous beings. Gods or guardians? What man now living could say?"

If you are new to Andre Norton and have the tenacity to read these pieces in chronological order you will enjoy yourself much more.

I received review copies of "Tales from High Hallack: The collected short stories of Andre Norton , Volume 1, 2 and 3" by Andre Norton (Premier Digital Publishing) through NetGalley.com. I received and read these books in 2014 and thought I had uploaded this review then. I am sorry for being negligent.

[Jenny Schwartzberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as an eARC from NetGalley. As a reader since childhood of all of Andre Norton's books and short stories, I was curious if there were some I didn't know. To my surprise there were two folk tales from children's magazines from the 1960s that I had never read. They are lovely stories, as are the other stories which are here collected from various long out-of-print anthologies. I happen to have those anthologies but suspect many readers will find more new-to-them stories. This is volume 1 so additional volumes are to be published. I do note that "Sword of Unbelief" is presented here without its prequel, "Dragon Scale Silver". I think that's a big mistake. They belong together. Also, though the title refers specifically to Norton's Witch World series, many of the tales are not set there, so the title is rather misleading. Apart from these gripes, I'm very happy to see these stories back in print and will look forward to volume 2 and presumably 3 and 4. Norton wrote a lot of wonderful stories that will please readers old and new. Definitely recommended for any lover of fantasy and science fiction.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can remember being introduced to Andre Norton's fantasy stories when looking for a book amidst the classroom's collection that wasn't a romance, a western or soldier drama. I can't even remember which one it was but I was definitely hooked. And read many of her books especially the science fiction - which was far lighter than Anderson, Clarke and Bradbury - and the fantasy of Norton's Witch World.

Well, High Hallack is one of the main locations (continents?) on the Witch World planet and Norton has several series that focus on people as well as locations across that planet. As for this collection - they are not all Witch World - nor are they all fantasy. There is a dystopic tale in "London Bridge". Science Fiction in "All Cats are Gray". "Ully the Piper" plays music for his town's dancers as well as for some rather interesting forest dwellers.

Admittedly some of the endings may seem contrived and certainly may be 'dated' but they are all enjoyable to some extent and certainly an excellent compilation of stories that may have been published in a collection from 40 or more years ago and likely near impossible to find a copy of.

The collection - and the two additional volumes - are pieces that are likely to be treasured as a welcome re-visit to my youthful reading choices. Yes, over the years, my tastes have changed but it seems that reading Andre Norton will continue to be a pleasure.

2021-130

[S.B. (Beauty in Ruins) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Make no mistake, this is a stellar collection of tales by an amazing author. I mean, there's a good reason Andre Norton is known as the Grand Dame of science fiction. My issue with the text was simply one of familiarity. I can't count how many stories I began, only to get halfway through and suddenly realize I'd read them before. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I'm simply not one to reread books or stories, no matter how much I enjoyed them the first time around.

It was nice to visit with friends, and there were a few excellent stories that were new to me - By A Hair was an interesting bit of urban fantasy, set in the Soviet era; The Dowry of the Rag Picker’s Daughter was an exciting bit of Arabian Nights style storytelling; and The Boy and the Ogre was a great old-fashioned fairy tale - but most I'd read before, and the frustration of abandoning one story after another began to wear a bit thin. A great collection, however, if you're new to her legacy.

[Mark Lucas-Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tales from High Hallack Volume One

A diverse collection of short stories from the imagination of Andre Norton.
Andre Norton is a fantasist of unbridled and unrivalled renown and the tales are amongst her finest work. A collection that it a wonder and a pleasure to read. They are all set in times and places that are set just off or away from now filling them with a sense of mystery. Anyone who enjoys a dose of escapism will relish these tales.

[Tina Gunther · Rating 4 out of 5]

A blast from the past

Andre Norton introduced me to science fiction almost 50 years ago. I owe her memory a lot for that. These short stories take me back to the wonder she introduced me to. Mostly, these are good times from my past. Some I still don't "get". I'm looking forward to the next volume of Tales from High Hallack.

[Linda Johns · Rating 4 out of 5]

All I need to say is Andre Norton!

Andre Norton is and always has been in a class by herself. I have been reading her books since I was a little girl, her books never get old to me.

[Sctechsorceress · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have lived Andre Norton's work for a long time. This is a pretty broad selection of her shorter works. Very good, and very much her work. She had a unique voice as a writer. The stories actually set in her High Hallack might be better reads, had I recently read her Witch World and related novels.

[Sandy Shin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read all of her novels. And a few short stories, I am so glad I found this anthology

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had forgotten what a great storyteller Andre Norton was. Excellent. Looking for the next two collections.

[Foxglow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had forgotten how much I love her writing style. It was like visiting an old friend.

[Edward Laufer · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are some of the early works from Ms. Norton. I was fortunate enough to have read several of them in their original issues.

[Mario Toulon · Rating 4 out of 5]

great read

Great read. Nice collection of short stories and very imaginative. Not a bad way to pass the time on a weekend.

[Jim Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andre Norton quickly became a favorite of mine when i first discovered science fiction and fantasy. Many of her books were available in our school library. Her novels were fascinating glimpses into what it would be like to live "out there". At the same time I was reading the Heinlein juveniles and her work was every bit as good as those classics. Over time, her science fiction seemed to fade into obscurity but in recent years it seems like many bloggers have started talking about them. Unfortunately, I never seemed to read her short fiction. I believe the only one I read appeared in "The DAW SF Reader" edited by Donald A. Wollheim. The announcement of this series of collections was good news for me. It gives me the chance to go back and experience many new adventures with this author.

Of the many good stories in this book, I found that "The Last Spell" captured my imagination. It is a different look at Merlin and Nimue. Any stories I read with these characters will be impacted by Norton's interpretation. She makes you think about events from Nimue's point of view.

"Eastborn: A Witch World Story" was a fun trip back to the Witch World series. It is similar to meeting someone who grew up in your home town but that you never knew.

For fans of the Crystal Gryphon books, "Sword of Unbelief" is a pleasant surprise.

The rest of the stories range from science fiction to reworkings of legends.

Overall, I would rate this as a very good collection and a good introduction to the writing of Andre Norton. I know that I will be looking forward to the next two volumes in this series.

[eyes.2c · Rating 4 out of 5]

...no words necessary, Andre Norton writings, say it all!

A treasure trove of Norton's short stories.
Stories of powers unleashed, of battles from within and without.
Dark forces bent on persuasion, of stealing life force and so much more, of people turned towards matters beyond the normal ken. Of hero's of the light standing against the shadows, to the death if need be, for the benefit of those now and to come. Of gods made and unmade, of wise women in their element, of the not-so-wise, and of ordinary men and women touched by powers both big and little, light and dark.
In the story, 'Sword of Unbelief,' Jevron has been taken by evil men. We follow his trail through the grey Waste with his lady and companion, Elys. She has some small Talent, but to bring it forth in the place she eventually finds herself, would be to entice her own destruction. Her very soul could be riven from her. She must find another way out of this confrontation with a dark power to win free both herself and Jevron. Jevron and Elys have always been amongst my favourite Norton characters.
Facing the Dark and its rapacious greed is a constant theme. The Light reflects life, care and the power of love.
Having been a Norton fan for many years it is a treat to be able to reread many of her short stories gathered together in this first collection.
Some I've always loved and some I'm reading for the first time but the enjoyment factor, the promise of exciting windows into different worlds, is always present.

A NetGalley ARC

[Anna Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd heard so much about Andre Norton that I was so excited to get a copy of this to read through Edelweiss. I know, it was released like eons ago, but hey, if they're still offering review copies, I should take it, right?

And then I realised that to actually understand a full half of these stories as they should be properly understood, you should already be familiar with all of Norton's other writings. Because when you jump into a collection of stories from High Hallack without any idea what High Hallack actually is all you get is extremely confused. I liked better the folktale retellings than the actual spec fic I was expecting, probably because I didn't have to think so hard about what she was trying to say.

Overall, a couple of general notes before I get to the specifics of the stories -
1) You'd probably like it better if you like older-style writing. Sorry, but I gave up reading classics for a reason, most of all because I'm a lazy modern reader. It's like wading through Tolkien again after you've been reading Hobb for a while. (The story is still good, but UGH you have to think so much)
2) This was an unproofed ARC uploaded to Edelweiss way back, so there were like a gazillion typos; hopefully this was fixed in the actual release.

Briefly, the ones I really liked were:
- The Gifts of Asti
- The Dowry of the Rag Picker's Daughter
- All Cats Are Gray
- Black Irish
- Through the Needle's Eye
- The Toymaker's Snuffbox
- Dream Smith

[Michelle Hauck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from Net Galley in exchange for a review.

It's been some time since I read a book, or in this case, short stories with such a rich language to them. Maybe like a wine, literature gets better with time. I found these tales by Andre Norton, mostly written in the 1970's and earlier, a spark to the imagination and a feast for the soul.

Reading these stories makes so many modern day tales seem flat and lifeless. Without heart.

While I did struggle to follow some of the first stories based on her novels, the folktale adaptations in the second half of this book were a treat. The last one, especially, was my favorite. Readers more familiar with Norton novels will find this collection of stories a treasure.

[William Bentrim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tales from High Hallack by Andre Norton


This is a volume of short stories from the master, Andre Norton. As a boy, I made the assumption that Andre was a guy. In the early 1950's sexism was rampant. She was one of those figures that helped me realize that women can do everything men can and (gasp) sometimes more. This is a collection of her short stories put out by her estate. (RIP)

These stories touch upon much of my childhood reading that transported me to locales far from my steel town roots. They still do! The stories abound with courage and hope.

I am pleased that they are being re-released and hope that another generation can be inspired.

web site: http://www.andre-norton-books.com/

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been an Andre Norton fan since 5th grade when I read Catseye for the first time. It took me a while to realize who was writing these wonderful tales, but I kept searching and buying. Now some of my searching is over with the publishing of Tales From High Hallack. Of the 18 stories collected in Volume 1, I had not read 5, so having those to enjoy was great. It is also great that I can acquire all the short stories in a few volumes. If you enjoy Andre Norton, buy and read and thank the estate of Andre Norton for authorizing this collection. I, for one, cannot wait until the next volume comes out.

[Bobbi]

I had put off reading this, and I wish I hadn't. Ms Norton's posthumously published collection of short stories was magnificent, sublime even. From prose that is almost poetic in nature, to a story about cats in space (and no, its NOT corny at all!) this collections shines. It includes some long lost stories that were published in children's magazines in the 60's as well, and they were just as well written and enjoyable as the others. I was sad to see it finish. Every page I turned led me to another enchanting tale.

[Kasey Cocoa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting collection of short stories, some rather old but still enjoyable to read. There's bound to be several that appeal to readers who like all manner of genres. This is definitely one for the collector. I enjoyed reading all of the stories. A free copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest unbiased review. Read more reviews, author interviews and enter giveaways on my blog.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd never read anything before by Andre Norton when I saw this collection of stories for sell for the kindle. I thought I'd give it a try. I can see why the author has a large fan base. However, I'm not sure that I'll be one of them. The stories tended to be more fantasy than sci-fi, and I'm just not as big on the genre. However, if you like fantasy, this is a great collection of hers to start worth.

[Patricia Moren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rarely read short stories as I like a book I can get me teeth into but this was a really good selection of short stories. All had magical or fantasy bases and seemed entirely complete and I didn't feel that something was missing. Some really fascinating and surprising storylines.

[H (trying to keep up with GR friends) Balikov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bits and pieces. Many culled from longer efforts. If you like Norton's mix of mysticism and magic, you will find it interesting, if not fulfilling. Too many of the selections lacked the fine, complete storytelling that she is known for.

[Arjen Schwarz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good mixed bag of stories. Well-written, and generally entertaining. I didn't enjoy all stories, but most of them were interesting.

[Little Red Readinghood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short stories from the Queen. What else can you say.

[Lynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andre was a wonderful author who has left a legacy of wonderful stories in her wake. This is a fine start on collecting them in one place.