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The Cycle of Oak, Yew, Ash, and Rowan #1
To the King a Daughter
To the King a Daughter begins the cycle of Oak, Yew, Ash, and the four powers of the world who have been warring for centuries. The Clan of Ash is slowly dying, their totem tree in the sacred square withering away to nothing. There is a prophecy that a daughter of Ash will rise again, but none have survived the mass killings, thereby rendering the prophecy unfillable.
But deep in the swamps, in the care of the witch-healer all need and all fear, there is a young girl-woman who can not be the witch's daughter; a girl who, in fact, by virtue of her beauty and elegance and simmering power, can only be a Daughter of Ash, the one who will rise to fulfill the prophecy--and the destiny of her birthright.
But deep in the swamps, in the care of the witch-healer all need and all fear, there is a young girl-woman who can not be the witch's daughter; a girl who, in fact, by virtue of her beauty and elegance and simmering power, can only be a Daughter of Ash, the one who will rise to fulfill the prophecy--and the destiny of her birthright.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published September 2, 2000
About the author
Andre Norton
720 books1,458 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 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 25, 2021
Andre Norton's heroic brand of science fiction meets The Princess Diaries. I know this is only volume one of a quintet and so should be judged with caution, yet I can't control my judgmental self.
Up to chapter nineteen one has a very typical Norton SF novel. All the tropes are there: creeping through spooky tunnels, fungi and fleshy tendrils everywhere, violent monsters – in this case a giant aggressive lupper with big teeth and a beer belly even larger than mine (once again Norton has it in for the bufonidae family, she just doesn't like toads) – a telepathic familiar, a teenage orphaned heroine who thinks while running and is unspeakably brave, and a landscape that could be post-apocalyptic or an early Witch World – all that is missing is a cat with a cunning plan. I was quite won over by it. The girl, Ashen, rescues Obern, the warrior son of a Sea Rover warlord – the Sea Rovers are very similar to Vikings – and then they are both captured by Count Harous of Cragden Keep and his loyal retainers.
Alas, and yea verily, we are cast into a world of mock-medieval Camelot and Snow White. Obern is gradually transformed into a Prince Charming while the courageous Ashen – the young woman who previously would have smashed a giant lupper in the teeth with a wooden club – becomes a pretty princess in waiting who wouldn't even stab a pushy courtier with a stiletto. After receiving a variety of gifts from Harous, She was moved to protest. "Marcala [she is a potential rival in the court], this is too much!" she exclaimed as she held up a pair of golden earrings set with tiny blue stones that gleamed in the morning light. "I feel embarrassed by it all.” Oh my, where will this all lead? One is tempted to think: not in the direction of more adventures. One can visualize sweet little Ashen at the courtly dinner table gazing moon-eyed at the virile Obern while simpering through the bubbles in her third glass of Prosecco.
That is not to say that the whole world of Cragden and the court of Queen Ysa – she is not dissimilar to the Queen in Snow White – is a total let down. There are flashes of things more interesting to come. Prince Florian, Ysa's debauched son appears now and then to some effect and at one point his friend Dakin is described as the catamite's lapdog. Not a phrase familiar to chicklit readers. Marcala, who is really Marfey Queen of Spies, master of disguise, subterfuge and a quick stab between the ribs when poison will take too long, is promising and Ashen will have to wake herself up if she is to survive.
There is a juvenile part of me, a twelve year old remnant lurking in my mind, which finds lavatorial humour hilarious. It's very British and very childish. However, having the luppers living with the Bog People in the Bale Bog results in so many characters going into and coming out of the bog on a regular basis that it just set me off. And then with an additional character called Kazi on top of that, it took some time for the puerile grin to be brought under control. The novel isn't great but I will probably read the rest of the series.
Up to chapter nineteen one has a very typical Norton SF novel. All the tropes are there: creeping through spooky tunnels, fungi and fleshy tendrils everywhere, violent monsters – in this case a giant aggressive lupper with big teeth and a beer belly even larger than mine (once again Norton has it in for the bufonidae family, she just doesn't like toads) – a telepathic familiar, a teenage orphaned heroine who thinks while running and is unspeakably brave, and a landscape that could be post-apocalyptic or an early Witch World – all that is missing is a cat with a cunning plan. I was quite won over by it. The girl, Ashen, rescues Obern, the warrior son of a Sea Rover warlord – the Sea Rovers are very similar to Vikings – and then they are both captured by Count Harous of Cragden Keep and his loyal retainers.
Alas, and yea verily, we are cast into a world of mock-medieval Camelot and Snow White. Obern is gradually transformed into a Prince Charming while the courageous Ashen – the young woman who previously would have smashed a giant lupper in the teeth with a wooden club – becomes a pretty princess in waiting who wouldn't even stab a pushy courtier with a stiletto. After receiving a variety of gifts from Harous, She was moved to protest. "Marcala [she is a potential rival in the court], this is too much!" she exclaimed as she held up a pair of golden earrings set with tiny blue stones that gleamed in the morning light. "I feel embarrassed by it all.” Oh my, where will this all lead? One is tempted to think: not in the direction of more adventures. One can visualize sweet little Ashen at the courtly dinner table gazing moon-eyed at the virile Obern while simpering through the bubbles in her third glass of Prosecco.
That is not to say that the whole world of Cragden and the court of Queen Ysa – she is not dissimilar to the Queen in Snow White – is a total let down. There are flashes of things more interesting to come. Prince Florian, Ysa's debauched son appears now and then to some effect and at one point his friend Dakin is described as the catamite's lapdog. Not a phrase familiar to chicklit readers. Marcala, who is really Marfey Queen of Spies, master of disguise, subterfuge and a quick stab between the ribs when poison will take too long, is promising and Ashen will have to wake herself up if she is to survive.
There is a juvenile part of me, a twelve year old remnant lurking in my mind, which finds lavatorial humour hilarious. It's very British and very childish. However, having the luppers living with the Bog People in the Bale Bog results in so many characters going into and coming out of the bog on a regular basis that it just set me off. And then with an additional character called Kazi on top of that, it took some time for the puerile grin to be brought under control. The novel isn't great but I will probably read the rest of the series.
May 24, 2012
I must say I'm surprised. For years I have heard that Andre Norton is one of the founders of modern sci-fi/fantasy, and so I was under the impression that her writing would be... good. Instead, I was surprised to find that this is one of the first books I have read in years in which my problem is fundamentally with the *writing*.
Characters weren't given enough personality to be truly likeable. No one seemed to have much in the way of humor or personal quirks. Instead, every character was either manipulative or coldly efficient. And they would have to be so, because nothing of true significance happens in this novel. The entire build-up concludes with a "climax" that is really more of a flat note, and then the novel is abruptly done.
I never enjoyed myself at all until about the last 40 or 50 pages. There was something wrong with the imagery and pacing. I was never properly swept up by the story, and there were many occasions where I would realize I had read two pages without any idea of what they said. There was a lack of good sensory detail, lack of action, lack of *dialogue* at all (especially interesting dialogue).
Within the last 40 or 50 pages, there is an increase in actual dialogue between characters, the scene is painted a little more clearly --though I would not say "vividly"--, and I felt like I could relax a bit. Basically, the last 40 pages should have been kept, and everything before that should have been heavily edited and chopped down to just a couple chapters, and then the story should have continued for another 200 pages after the flat note that is the end of this novel.
It makes me sad that this is such a bad book. I went into it expecting it to be quality.
Characters weren't given enough personality to be truly likeable. No one seemed to have much in the way of humor or personal quirks. Instead, every character was either manipulative or coldly efficient. And they would have to be so, because nothing of true significance happens in this novel. The entire build-up concludes with a "climax" that is really more of a flat note, and then the novel is abruptly done.
I never enjoyed myself at all until about the last 40 or 50 pages. There was something wrong with the imagery and pacing. I was never properly swept up by the story, and there were many occasions where I would realize I had read two pages without any idea of what they said. There was a lack of good sensory detail, lack of action, lack of *dialogue* at all (especially interesting dialogue).
Within the last 40 or 50 pages, there is an increase in actual dialogue between characters, the scene is painted a little more clearly --though I would not say "vividly"--, and I felt like I could relax a bit. Basically, the last 40 pages should have been kept, and everything before that should have been heavily edited and chopped down to just a couple chapters, and then the story should have continued for another 200 pages after the flat note that is the end of this novel.
It makes me sad that this is such a bad book. I went into it expecting it to be quality.
August 17, 2010
I didn't feel particularly compelled by this book, but I did enjoy it. I fail to see how Queen Ysa is a bad guy. They claim she does black magic, but don't show it. All I see is a strong woman taking fairly reasonably measures to keep power, in particular to prevent her lout of a son from getting power. She should welcome Ashen as a potential heir to her.
December 17, 2020
7/10
This is a story with lots of promise and a few really intriguing elements, but it also is somewhat flawed. The timeline, especially in the last third of the book or so, seems a bit askew. The characters don’t have a lot of depth—most are cardboard role-players. Even those characters who are more fleshed out seem to exist, not as individuals, but as game pieces. And while I know this is fantasy, there should be some sense of reality. Ashen, having been raised in the Bale-Bog, is an amazingly quick study at courtly manners, speech, dress, and pursuits like music, dancing, and needlework. She, Oberon of the Sea-Rovers, and the men of Rendel converse easily despite speaking different languages. Even with these weaknesses, the story is interesting and I look forward to seeing what happens next in this series. I also hope for stronger writing in the rest of the series.
This is a story with lots of promise and a few really intriguing elements, but it also is somewhat flawed. The timeline, especially in the last third of the book or so, seems a bit askew. The characters don’t have a lot of depth—most are cardboard role-players. Even those characters who are more fleshed out seem to exist, not as individuals, but as game pieces. And while I know this is fantasy, there should be some sense of reality. Ashen, having been raised in the Bale-Bog, is an amazingly quick study at courtly manners, speech, dress, and pursuits like music, dancing, and needlework. She, Oberon of the Sea-Rovers, and the men of Rendel converse easily despite speaking different languages. Even with these weaknesses, the story is interesting and I look forward to seeing what happens next in this series. I also hope for stronger writing in the rest of the series.
July 21, 2020
Not the strong writing I was expecting from a Norton novel. The timeline and details seem confused at times, and the story is less a story and more an introduction for the first half of the book. There are plotlines that could have been cut down, chapters that could have been omited, details that seem to have little point besides simply being details (the giant birds, for example), and the big bad queen so far seems less evil fairy tale queen, and more scheming ruler, which in a male character wouldn't even be evil, just not heroic. It's not a strong story, and I'm not sure I have enough interest to continue with the series, despite already having access to them.
April 13, 2021
I liked that the characters didn't all have modern personalities. Some had personalities that kind of reflected it's setting. That mix of personalities is very interesting. The combination of multiple plots at once made the story feel real. The bad guys in the story aren't all bad, but what makes them bad are their ways of getting things they want. The bits of dialogue were pretty funny at times, and really showed the personalities of the characters. The story was great, and I really liked it.
June 7, 2025
this book was on pause for so long for me. I did pick it up again and started reading from where I stopped, the prince fell down. I remember enjoying the beginning and now being dragged into the city but I prefer outside adventures with all the fantasies. it became dry and paused but finished. I do have the second paper back and I will give it a go just to see ysa have a hard time but I fear the outside adventures are over.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2018
A little too simple in the writing which is odd for being an Andre Norton book.
October 25, 2020
Abandoned. Did not like the characters and was not grabbed by the plot or setting.
Probably a very good story, but not to my taste.
Probably a very good story, but not to my taste.
Read
July 22, 2010This was apparently originally intended as the first volume of a series (probably a tetrology). It was copyrighted in 2000; but Norton died in 2005, and her co-author (Sasha Miller) may or may not have had sufficient material to go on with the series. Because of this, the book is surprisingly inconclusive, even for a Norton work. To use her own favored metaphor of the ruthless weavers of Fate, there are loose threads all through the story, and none of them are really dealt with.
Not much of a loss, I'd say. Many of the characters are thoroughly unpleasant people. Norton seemed to have had a somewhat jaundiced view of character, and didn't show much sign of mellowing with age.
The setting is a world undergoing a natural disaster. An extraplanetary impactor has significantly increased vulcanization, and there's a fairly great probability that no humans will ultimately survive.
This is a fact that is largely ignored by the characters, although they do notice movements of displaced people--sometimes. Far from putting aside their petty quarrels, they pursue them with even more passion, like people looting what they can get while a fire is still raging. Nobody seems to think of uniting to do anything that might save them. One character comments that, if they don't stop squabbling, the earth will probably swallow them up--but then dismisses the thought as peripheral, because it's not like we actually CAN change, is it?
It might be interesting to see what a more sanguine (and less sanguinary) person would have made of the same basic premises. Norton was almost unexceptionally contemptuous of negotiation, which she seems to have regarded as always a matter of selfish plotting, and more harmful to the participants than outright, relentless slaughter. Others might differ in such conclusions--though not Sasha Miller, apparently, based on this and other books he collaborated on.
Not much of a loss, I'd say. Many of the characters are thoroughly unpleasant people. Norton seemed to have had a somewhat jaundiced view of character, and didn't show much sign of mellowing with age.
The setting is a world undergoing a natural disaster. An extraplanetary impactor has significantly increased vulcanization, and there's a fairly great probability that no humans will ultimately survive.
This is a fact that is largely ignored by the characters, although they do notice movements of displaced people--sometimes. Far from putting aside their petty quarrels, they pursue them with even more passion, like people looting what they can get while a fire is still raging. Nobody seems to think of uniting to do anything that might save them. One character comments that, if they don't stop squabbling, the earth will probably swallow them up--but then dismisses the thought as peripheral, because it's not like we actually CAN change, is it?
It might be interesting to see what a more sanguine (and less sanguinary) person would have made of the same basic premises. Norton was almost unexceptionally contemptuous of negotiation, which she seems to have regarded as always a matter of selfish plotting, and more harmful to the participants than outright, relentless slaughter. Others might differ in such conclusions--though not Sasha Miller, apparently, based on this and other books he collaborated on.
September 18, 2010
An overextended prologue. This should be part one of a novel, not a full length novel. It's not bad, but it's not good. If I didn't own the sequel already, I probably wouldn't buy it.
The book is a little drawn out, though not as bad as some I've read. The ending is blech because it's not really an ending. It's basically the end of Part One. This may not be a drawback for you, but it's a personal pet peeve to have no resolution (or not enough) in one physical volume. If there had been a Part Two after this, then it would have been appropriate.
(Vaguely spoilerly, but not really) Also, I found the main character's transformation in the last 5th of the book to be a bit... implausible, I guess. She spent 16 years in one environment and then transfers to another one and doesn't really bring any of the habits from her previous life with her. She starts as a blank slate in her new environment. It feels wrong.
The book is a little drawn out, though not as bad as some I've read. The ending is blech because it's not really an ending. It's basically the end of Part One. This may not be a drawback for you, but it's a personal pet peeve to have no resolution (or not enough) in one physical volume. If there had been a Part Two after this, then it would have been appropriate.
(Vaguely spoilerly, but not really) Also, I found the main character's transformation in the last 5th of the book to be a bit... implausible, I guess. She spent 16 years in one environment and then transfers to another one and doesn't really bring any of the habits from her previous life with her. She starts as a blank slate in her new environment. It feels wrong.
July 9, 2009
This book was pretty good but took a long while to get into it. The first five to ten chapters are very slow with weird language used. I think the writer was trying to give a feel for his world but instead just dragged the descriptions on. Once you get about halfway it does become more interesting and you start to "get" the characters. All in all wasn't a show stopper and didn't really inspire me to read the rest of the series.
April 16, 2009
A reread speaks volumes (pun intended) for a story. This book is another of the ones on my list that I have read multiple times, because I felt it a worthy telling of a grand story - betrayal by kin, death at the hands of one who holds power in greedy hands. An excellent story that I recommend to anyone who enjoys fantasy and mystery - or even fairy tales in their original dark form.
January 8, 2011
Sometimes I feel Norton is a bit too detailed for me. The first couple of chapters I'm thrown into a world which I couldn't fully understand what is going on. After a bit, I get the lay of the land and I'm entranced.
January 9, 2011
one of the very very few Andre Norton books I cannot actually say anything good about. i did not enjoy it at all. its definatly an anti-utopic but it just doesnt go well, feel right - there was nothing i enjoyed. am sorry am not more specific. i just disliked it.
January 10, 2010
I have read this book before. It was just as good this time as the first time. Andre Norton is a very good writer.
September 20, 2013
ok to much description of things that are not important, but story has potencial and i like it. now i must read other 3 books.
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July 23, 2016I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews