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Ice Crown
Keli and Roane search for a legendary treasure that could destroy the powers-that-be on the planet Clio and free Clio's people, who have been implanted with false memories and conditioned to obey. Reprint.
220 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
6 people are currently reading
389 people want to read
About the author
Andre Norton
695 books1,384 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 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 12, 2017
A tale of the far future. The planet Clio was the subject of an experiment by the centuries ago Psychocrats, seeded with people conditioned to develop the history they wanted, and carefully sealed since its discovery, to protect its inhabitants from the trauma of realizing that. But there appear to be Forerunner artifacts on the planet, so a carefully secret mission goes to attempt to retrieve them.
Roane is dragged along by her uncle, with his son Sandar, because as a family member her uncle can use her with fewer questions. But in the course of scouting about, seeking their object, she is in a building when others arrive, and unable to escape as the men bring in the princess they had kidnapped. An appeal from Princess Ludorica has her helping her escape the kidnappers -- and then helped her escape Uncle Offlas and Sandar, who would have erased her memory and handed her over to her pursuers to hide their mission.
This leads to intrigue, adventure, and action, and includes the question of what, exactly, the Ice Crown of the title and the crowns of other kingdoms do to the people of them; the making of a wreath for an imaginary baby from wayside flowers; hiding behind the kennel of savage dire hounds; an abrupt change in Princess Ludorica as she became queen; a man who claims to have suffered hearing problems ever since another man saved him from a rock fall; and a secret passage into the royal city.
Roane is dragged along by her uncle, with his son Sandar, because as a family member her uncle can use her with fewer questions. But in the course of scouting about, seeking their object, she is in a building when others arrive, and unable to escape as the men bring in the princess they had kidnapped. An appeal from Princess Ludorica has her helping her escape the kidnappers -- and then helped her escape Uncle Offlas and Sandar, who would have erased her memory and handed her over to her pursuers to hide their mission.
This leads to intrigue, adventure, and action, and includes the question of what, exactly, the Ice Crown of the title and the crowns of other kingdoms do to the people of them; the making of a wreath for an imaginary baby from wayside flowers; hiding behind the kennel of savage dire hounds; an abrupt change in Princess Ludorica as she became queen; a man who claims to have suffered hearing problems ever since another man saved him from a rock fall; and a secret passage into the royal city.
February 17, 2019
I've been closet cleaning due to a snowstorm of spectacular portions. Closet cleaning in a bookworm's house means going into the "pantry" aka "library annex" and sorting through the paperbacks that are so beat up and so beloved that I cannot stand to part from them. Like all the Norton paperbacks I bought second or third or fourth, or probably even fifth, hand from a wonderful used bookstore in Seattle that is no more. This, and Year of the Unicorn, survived multiple reads in my teenage years. Out on the porch in the summer. Snuggled under the covers in the winter. Stuffed into bags and read when waiting for buses or ferries. A reminder of the time before the Kindle when you had to haul your paper with you if you wanted a story. And this was a humdinger of a story with spaceships, scavengers, glowing mind-control crowns, and a misunderstood young woman standing up for her rights and saving the day. Now I'm going to stop sorting and start re-reading for the umpteenth time.
July 5, 2012
This is a classic-style book for Andre Norton from 1970. Roane, a young space-faring explorer travels with her uncle and his son on exploratory trips to lesser-developed planets looking for Forerunner artifacts, or, in this case, Psychocrat artifacts. She is under-appreciated, and has not yet found her way in life. They land on a planet with a society modeled on medieval Europe, with small kingdoms, etc. Roane ends up on her own, becomes immersed in local culture, and is strangely compelled --- perhaps by the Psychocrat artifacts --- to try to right the injustices she finds.
I found this a reasonably good book, but not one of Andre Norton's best. Certainly any Andre Norton fan should read it. I would readily recommend it others to read.
I found this a reasonably good book, but not one of Andre Norton's best. Certainly any Andre Norton fan should read it. I would readily recommend it others to read.
August 21, 2025
Ice Crown is classic golden age Norton. The world is interesting, the story is gripping, and the pacing is good. Plus, I’m a sucker for this kind of medieval/space age contact story. As with most sci fi from the era, Ice Crown would have benefitted from a bit more editing. That’s less true for Norton than most authors, though. My major complaint is that Ice Crown does also fall victim to the era’s classic trope of esper/psionic powers, but it’s less annoying in this book than most.
Ice Crown remains a quick, fun, and accessible adventure story.
Ice Crown remains a quick, fun, and accessible adventure story.
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April 13, 2010The characters in this book are well-realized. Nominally, most of them are slaves to a mysterious group of mental manipulators (now deceased, but their mechanisms continue to function). In fact, while a lot of their lives are preprogrammed, they have a great deal of individuality and character---more so, indeed, than many of the observers from a spacefaring society, one of whom finds herself cast as an unwitting dea ex machina to liberate the slaves.
I have two editions of this book, and the review refers to the edition I use for everyday reading. The other edition, I'm pretty sure, doesn't differ much in substance, although pagination, etc, may vary.
I have two editions of this book, and the review refers to the edition I use for everyday reading. The other edition, I'm pretty sure, doesn't differ much in substance, although pagination, etc, may vary.
July 5, 2013
i started this book thinking that i wouldn't like it, but i was pleasantly surprised. it's been a few years since i read some real anthropological sci-fi, and i'm glad i did. i thought the story was very well-paced, with description and explanation just where it should be. i get the impression that norton has a good sense for this type of rhythm in her writing - which is great to have in the fantasy/sci-fi genre. i haven't read anything else by norton, so i'm kinda lost with the forerunner references. i hear this is her best book, so i don't know if i want to read her other stuff. i see that she wrote 'the sioux spaceman'. yeah... jk i have plenty more to read by her lulz
September 27, 2023
Before Le Guin, before T. Lee, before Lackey and Rowling and Meyer, not to forget the horde of Y-chromosome carriers of mid 20th century fantasy... there dwelled a prolific writer of excellent narrative and extraordinary worldbuilding. She is not forgotten; but has yet to be properly honored. For all the genius of her work, Andre Alice Norton receives less due attention than fantasists of the sweet & innocent second millennium who are properly stored a shelf or three below her books.
Her influence is all through fantasy, D&D and science fiction. Still, overmany of her standalones are, well, standing alone. Noble heroes at the fantasy ball ignored by the crowd fascinated with the latest lit princess.
Ice Crown is a forgotten classic; one that deserves to be announced at the ballroom door by an obsequious butler. (trumpet fanfare): Announcing: "Ice Crown".
Clio is the experimental planet of a former galactic tyranny. Its people live in a bizarre medieval role-play of pseudo-euro kingdoms. Long after the rest of the galaxy begins voting sanely, Clio is still enacting D&D scripts. An entire planet trapped in a LARP. Yes, I know that sounds cool but soon or later every game must end. Just not on Clio.
Roan is part of the science team to secretly study this strange civilization. With the usual strict Prime Directive of 'no interfering'. A rule inevitably violated, as Roan is not the kind of scientist to coldly study living victims of ancient crime. No, she's a heroine worthy of any role-play; for all that she's writing her own script.
Another writer might have milked this premise into a dozen books; leaving her heirs to turn it into a Netflix series. Norton was content to tell the tale well; and having so done, move on. Exactly as it should be. But... no. This is a book that must not be left behind in 20th century dust.
Her influence is all through fantasy, D&D and science fiction. Still, overmany of her standalones are, well, standing alone. Noble heroes at the fantasy ball ignored by the crowd fascinated with the latest lit princess.
Ice Crown is a forgotten classic; one that deserves to be announced at the ballroom door by an obsequious butler. (trumpet fanfare): Announcing: "Ice Crown".
Clio is the experimental planet of a former galactic tyranny. Its people live in a bizarre medieval role-play of pseudo-euro kingdoms. Long after the rest of the galaxy begins voting sanely, Clio is still enacting D&D scripts. An entire planet trapped in a LARP. Yes, I know that sounds cool but soon or later every game must end. Just not on Clio.
Roan is part of the science team to secretly study this strange civilization. With the usual strict Prime Directive of 'no interfering'. A rule inevitably violated, as Roan is not the kind of scientist to coldly study living victims of ancient crime. No, she's a heroine worthy of any role-play; for all that she's writing her own script.
Another writer might have milked this premise into a dozen books; leaving her heirs to turn it into a Netflix series. Norton was content to tell the tale well; and having so done, move on. Exactly as it should be. But... no. This is a book that must not be left behind in 20th century dust.
January 28, 2022
Ice Crown / Andre Norton / 1970
Young Roane Hume is a member of her Uncle's space exploration team searching for artifacts on closed planets. Centuries before, a group known as the Psychocrats began civilizations on habitable planets, controlling the humans with computer programs that dictate their societies and their actions. This particular planet is modeled after medieval Europe, with kingdoms and kings and queens. The search team is educated on the planet's inhabitants and their social hierarchy. Upon landing on the planet Clio, Roane becomes separated from her uncle and cousin and takes shelter in an abandoned building during a bad storm. She discovers a kidnapped princess and helps her to escape, thus inserting herself illegally into the plot of the planet's inhabitants. Plenty of subterfuge, intrigue, and action ensue. Roane discovers that the planet is basically enslaved by the long-dead autocrat's computer programming. She believes this to be an unjust way for the inhabitants of Clio to live so she devises a plan to free the people, break the predetermined evil roles otherwise good people are forced to carry out and at the center of it all is the much coveted "Ice Crown" of the title. One of the things i liked about the plot is that in the beginning Roane is meek and subservient, being dominated by her uncle and nasty cousin, but she becomes bold and clever, and becomes her own woman, even though she risks punishment by her own people. World building is fairly well rounded, the science is a bit vague but still believable, and the ending was a bit abrupt, but overall I give this read a 4/5 star rating.
Young Roane Hume is a member of her Uncle's space exploration team searching for artifacts on closed planets. Centuries before, a group known as the Psychocrats began civilizations on habitable planets, controlling the humans with computer programs that dictate their societies and their actions. This particular planet is modeled after medieval Europe, with kingdoms and kings and queens. The search team is educated on the planet's inhabitants and their social hierarchy. Upon landing on the planet Clio, Roane becomes separated from her uncle and cousin and takes shelter in an abandoned building during a bad storm. She discovers a kidnapped princess and helps her to escape, thus inserting herself illegally into the plot of the planet's inhabitants. Plenty of subterfuge, intrigue, and action ensue. Roane discovers that the planet is basically enslaved by the long-dead autocrat's computer programming. She believes this to be an unjust way for the inhabitants of Clio to live so she devises a plan to free the people, break the predetermined evil roles otherwise good people are forced to carry out and at the center of it all is the much coveted "Ice Crown" of the title. One of the things i liked about the plot is that in the beginning Roane is meek and subservient, being dominated by her uncle and nasty cousin, but she becomes bold and clever, and becomes her own woman, even though she risks punishment by her own people. World building is fairly well rounded, the science is a bit vague but still believable, and the ending was a bit abrupt, but overall I give this read a 4/5 star rating.
May 12, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ice Crown by Andre Norton
This is classic scifi with a strange, dreamy edge, slower paced, but full of heavy ideas that still hit hard.
The story follows Roane, a young woman caught in an archaeological mission turned mind-control mystery. The planet Clio feels medieval on the surface, but under it all is a dark history of psychological manipulation and lost autonomy. Once the “Ice Crown” starts entering the story, things get ethically messy in the best way.
Roane’s strength is her quiet resistance. She’s not a warrior, she’s thoughtful, observant, and trying to figure out the truth in a world full of people too numb or too controlled to see it. If you like themes of agency, societal control, and slow-burn rebellion, this one’s worth digging into.
Not perfect, the pacing lags in a few places, but the ideas are big, and they stay with you.
Ice Crown by Andre Norton
This is classic scifi with a strange, dreamy edge, slower paced, but full of heavy ideas that still hit hard.
The story follows Roane, a young woman caught in an archaeological mission turned mind-control mystery. The planet Clio feels medieval on the surface, but under it all is a dark history of psychological manipulation and lost autonomy. Once the “Ice Crown” starts entering the story, things get ethically messy in the best way.
Roane’s strength is her quiet resistance. She’s not a warrior, she’s thoughtful, observant, and trying to figure out the truth in a world full of people too numb or too controlled to see it. If you like themes of agency, societal control, and slow-burn rebellion, this one’s worth digging into.
Not perfect, the pacing lags in a few places, but the ideas are big, and they stay with you.
February 3, 2022
The story moves along and the heroin has to overcome many obstacles. That's the formula for a good yarn.
I sort of enjoyed this story and the ending, though somewhat predictable, was satisfying (if it didn't turn out that way, I would have given it 2 stars).
Unfortunately, I was reading this at the same time I was reading one of my favorite 5-star authors' books, so it didn't excite me as much as the first time I read it. If I'd read it alone, I probably would have enjoyed it more, so I'll compromise and give it 4 stars.
I sort of enjoyed this story and the ending, though somewhat predictable, was satisfying (if it didn't turn out that way, I would have given it 2 stars).
Unfortunately, I was reading this at the same time I was reading one of my favorite 5-star authors' books, so it didn't excite me as much as the first time I read it. If I'd read it alone, I probably would have enjoyed it more, so I'll compromise and give it 4 stars.
September 4, 2023
A bit of Enchantress from the Stars, a bit of Star Trek, a LOT of homoerotic subtext to the heroine Roane's "mysterious" feelings of fealty and affection for Princess Ludorica to the point of ditching every rule that has governed her life as a space archaeologist in order to help her. (Is it the effects of the royal-charisma-response conditioning broadcast by the long-dead Psychocrats' [sic!] computer installation designed to make the planet into medieval times fantasyland? Or is it, y'know, a lesbian awakening? The novel on the surface gives one answer, but I'm inclined to prefer the other.)
June 4, 2021
Another fantastic adventure by Andre Norton. Artfull blend of the futuristic and the historic in a believable alien world. Presents important moral questions and a journey of self discovery. The ending is rather abrupt but it's well worth the read. A read from the 70's that's still relevant today.
May 5, 2020
always nice to read Andre Norton books.
July 16, 2020
Together with her uncle, a young girl embarks on a quest for a priceless relic on an alien planet. A Science Fiction Book Club selection.
January 26, 2025
One of Norton's darker works, the orphan heroine Roane is dominated by her coldhearted uncle and sociopathic cousin. Once upon Clio, a lost world controlled by a computer for a long running experiment, she is swept up in a medieval adventure started by rescuing a princess. A bit sexist in places, she finds her love and is stranded in the delightful primitive world where folks die from simple infections and diseases.
Sadly a flaming feminist story by the standards of the time, five years before The Female Man and still a decent read. Norton has many other YA works with strong female characters which was unusual for that time.
Sadly a flaming feminist story by the standards of the time, five years before The Female Man and still a decent read. Norton has many other YA works with strong female characters which was unusual for that time.
October 29, 2015
Solid fun. Another anthropologists visit Medieval times via space travel and Other Worlds one. Quite young? In how it's written but reasonably fun adventure with complex enough themes and characterisation.
Was hoping for coded lesbians but sadly heterosexuality one the day, and our heroine got the bloke :(
Was hoping for coded lesbians but sadly heterosexuality one the day, and our heroine got the bloke :(
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September 27, 20127-SFBC, 12-p
August 7, 2015
Light reading, good distraction, needs a little polish.
November 30, 2014
Βαρετό ....
March 5, 2015
1979 grade B+
September 5, 2016
Typowa andre nortonowska książka. Powieść spokojnie mogłaby należeć do "Świata Czarownic", gdyby zmienić miejsce akcji. Napisana lekko. Bohaterka może trochę drażnić głupotą
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September 9, 2024Bad
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May 2, 2019I have the german edition: Die Eiskrone
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews