The rescue of Ranor

by Wilanne Schneider Belden

Minna, a White Witch who had learned just enough to set up on her own, was not interested in being a witch. She just wanted to be left alone. And she thought she had herself nicely situated in a place where no one would find her. But someone did. His name was Sven Pentalion, and although he was a member of a highly renowned magic family, he had no magic of his own. In fact he was a Non, which meant that he could not be affected by Magic at all. Yet only he and Minna could rescue his thoughless, selfish brother Ranor from the clutches of a Black Enchanter. Minna did not want to undertake the task, buy by the laws of witchcraft she had to. So she transformed her goblin/demon familiar, Ordure, into a horse and they all set out for Cottsob, where they would fight in a combat circle for the possession of Ranor. But first they had to get to Cottsob. It was on the way, as they took part in some very funny and very revealing adventures, that Minna began to learn some things about herself that wre so strange and so frighteneing and at the same time so amazing, she actually began to have some hope that she might live through the ordeal. It was not until the actual combat--a duel to the death--however, that all of the truth of her past came to light, and she and Sven and even Ordure realized how necesary they were to each other.

Genres: Fantasy

173 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1983

Reviews

[Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a signed copy of this book years and years ago as it was my late grandmothers. I have read it over the past 20 years about a dozen times. It is one of the most excellent and polished young adult stories about magic I’ve ever read. The writer created a convincing world where Magic and Science exists and tied up every loose knot on her way to the end. A neat package and the bow on top is a very believable friendship that develops as the story progresses. I adore it.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a YA fantasy with good and bad witches, and a good challenge. I like this one because Minna is one of the few non-crippled female heroines I can think of, like Tenar in Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea stories.