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The Magic Books #1-3
The Magic Books: Fur Magic; Steel Magic; Octagon Magic
Contents
• Fur Magic • juvenile • [Magic # 3] • (1968)
♞Cory Adler learns the magic of ancient gods in a land ruled by animals.
• Steel Magic • juvenile • [Magic # 1] • (1965)
⚔Three children travel to an Avalon threatened by evil.
• Octagon Magic • juvenile • [Magic # 2] • (1967)
⚿An old house contains the key to ancient secrets.
A trio of fantasy adventures❗
• Fur Magic • juvenile • [Magic # 3] • (1968)
♞Cory Adler learns the magic of ancient gods in a land ruled by animals.
• Steel Magic • juvenile • [Magic # 1] • (1965)
⚔Three children travel to an Avalon threatened by evil.
• Octagon Magic • juvenile • [Magic # 2] • (1967)
⚿An old house contains the key to ancient secrets.
A trio of fantasy adventures❗
383 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
51 people are currently reading
174 people want to read
About the author
Andre Norton
698 books1,390 followersAndre 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.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 20, 2021
Three novels written for a somewhat younger audience. A young boy disturbs an Native American relic and is sent on a quest to repair the damage. Siblings looking for a lake on their uncle's property find themselves transported to Arthur's Avalon and a lonely young girl gets help from the witchs of the Octagon House. Each child must overcome their fear and in doing so take another step towards adulthood. A good read for young people not quite ready for modern YA novels.
July 16, 2017
The Magic Books composes 3 short novels by Andre Norton: Fur Magic, Steel Magic. Each book, which are about 120-150 pages a piece, focuses on young adults (10-13 years old) who find themselves entangled in magic.
In Fur Magic, Cory is staying with his foster uncle, a Native American, and is transported into the world of The People, a land of anthropomorphic animals where the Changer is committing treachery. Cory is trapped at Yellow Shell, a beaver, and must quest to discover how to return to his world and stop the Changer's plans. Plot wise, it's the hero's journey, nothing too crazy in regards to twists and turns. I thought it did a good job fleshing out the world of The People, how the various animals communicate with one another without a shared spoken language, and the incorporation of the Native American mythos. For a short work, it does a good job with Cory's character ark, defining him as lacking courage and forcing him to slowly become brave over the course of the novel.
In Steel Magic, three siblings, while exploring, are transported to Avalon, where they must quest to recover three mythic artifacts to save Avalon in order to get back home. Again, this novel is very straight forward, with each sibling having several chapters dedicated to their journey and the overcoming of their individual weaknesses. The jumping between characters though detracts from really exploring any of them in great depth, and the conclusion of their three stories I felt could have benefited from a joint conclusion of the defeat of the evils besetting Avalon.
The two stories described above are portal fantasies, and the third work, Octagon Magic, departs from this. Lorrie, having moved from Canada to the US, struggles to adjust and live without her grandmother. She befriends an old lady in a mysterious octagonal house, a lady the local children refer to as a witch. Slowly, through the friendship of the old lady and the mysteries of the house, begins to open up and make friends. The magic in this novel is the most novel, as the house transports her to times in history to learn about the other occupants of the octagonal house. I think this book of the three probably had the best character development and use of magic, where magic is subtle and open to the reader's interpretation.
Overall, I enjoyed these three novels, and the straightforward plot and small size makes these books excellent for young teenagers.
In Fur Magic, Cory is staying with his foster uncle, a Native American, and is transported into the world of The People, a land of anthropomorphic animals where the Changer is committing treachery. Cory is trapped at Yellow Shell, a beaver, and must quest to discover how to return to his world and stop the Changer's plans. Plot wise, it's the hero's journey, nothing too crazy in regards to twists and turns. I thought it did a good job fleshing out the world of The People, how the various animals communicate with one another without a shared spoken language, and the incorporation of the Native American mythos. For a short work, it does a good job with Cory's character ark, defining him as lacking courage and forcing him to slowly become brave over the course of the novel.
In Steel Magic, three siblings, while exploring, are transported to Avalon, where they must quest to recover three mythic artifacts to save Avalon in order to get back home. Again, this novel is very straight forward, with each sibling having several chapters dedicated to their journey and the overcoming of their individual weaknesses. The jumping between characters though detracts from really exploring any of them in great depth, and the conclusion of their three stories I felt could have benefited from a joint conclusion of the defeat of the evils besetting Avalon.
The two stories described above are portal fantasies, and the third work, Octagon Magic, departs from this. Lorrie, having moved from Canada to the US, struggles to adjust and live without her grandmother. She befriends an old lady in a mysterious octagonal house, a lady the local children refer to as a witch. Slowly, through the friendship of the old lady and the mysteries of the house, begins to open up and make friends. The magic in this novel is the most novel, as the house transports her to times in history to learn about the other occupants of the octagonal house. I think this book of the three probably had the best character development and use of magic, where magic is subtle and open to the reader's interpretation.
Overall, I enjoyed these three novels, and the straightforward plot and small size makes these books excellent for young teenagers.
August 22, 2022
Well, I loved Steel Magic when I was a kid, and I at least still think it's the best of the three...
However, these books really came off better when I was much younger. Which is not a criticism since that's who they were intended for.
As a writer of sorts myself, I think she over-used "I don't know how I knew to do that; I just did" as an explanation.
I didn't really care for Fur Magic since I really don't connect well with Native American mythology, at leas as presented.
The third book has a black character speaking in dialect and being a maid, so it probably wouldn't pass muster these days even though there is a strong anti-slave motif to the story.
Also, the third book is mainly for girls, focusing on doll houses, tea parties, fancy stitch work and details of dresses as it does.
Steel Magic is innovative even though it shares a few characteristics with The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.
However, these books really came off better when I was much younger. Which is not a criticism since that's who they were intended for.
As a writer of sorts myself, I think she over-used "I don't know how I knew to do that; I just did" as an explanation.
I didn't really care for Fur Magic since I really don't connect well with Native American mythology, at leas as presented.
The third book has a black character speaking in dialect and being a maid, so it probably wouldn't pass muster these days even though there is a strong anti-slave motif to the story.
Also, the third book is mainly for girls, focusing on doll houses, tea parties, fancy stitch work and details of dresses as it does.
Steel Magic is innovative even though it shares a few characteristics with The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.
April 3, 2009
Three books in one. Not badly written. Books for teens.
One features a boy and Native American myth.
One features three kids and King Arthur/fairy tale.
One features a girl and is Civil War related.
One features a boy and Native American myth.
One features three kids and King Arthur/fairy tale.
One features a girl and is Civil War related.
January 12, 2009
I read these (the first two anyway) many, many years ago. This particular volume has the first 3 books included. I'm going to read them again at some point, but I recall they were geared towards young adults and very well written.
April 18, 2010
Andre Norton is the best!
March 5, 2010
Read at least Steel Magic DECADES ago, and remember that I really liked it. I want to get this so I can re-read and read the one I know I didn't read (Octagon Magic).
July 6, 2012
I read both Octagon Magic and Steel Magic many times as a kid.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews