Witch World: High Hallack Cycle, Books 1-2
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Narrated by:
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Adjoa Andoh
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John Lee
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By:
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Andre Norton
About this listen
Set on a planet in a parallel universe where magic is a reality, these high fantasy novels from the Witch World series transport you to the western continent of High Hallack, illustrating why prolific author Andre Norton was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
The Jargoon Pard: When a strange traveler gifts young heir to the throne Kethan a belt of leopard skin embossed with a stone - a jargoon - carved in the shape of a predatory snow cat, he becomes possessed with its magical powers.
Zarsthor’s Bane: A once highborn lady and her loyal feline join forces with a demented lord and his devoted squire to find the powerful and magical Zarsthor’s Bane - an object as wreathed in mystery and ancient lore as it is cloaked in peril.
©1974, 1978 Andre Norton (P)2021 Podium AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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From the Sea to the Stars
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Sea Siege: The nuclear war had come at last, and the research team on an island in the West Indies thought they had been lucky to survive. But survival was going to require more than luck, when they found themselves under attack by sea creatures out of darkest legend. Star Gate: Long ago, the Star Lords had come from a dying Earth to Gorth, where they helped the inhabitants build a civilization. Now some of the Lords have resumed wandering among the stars, but others have decided to travel through an interdimensional gate to another Gorth in a parallel universe.
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Fantastic books to grab you.
- By katb64 on 10-08-22
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Masks of the Outcasts
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The planet Korwar was a glittering jewel of a world, inhabited by the galaxy's wealthiest, visited by the upper classes of other worlds in search of diversion. The jewel had a flaw: the Dipple, its name coming from a contraction of "displaced person", where the misfits, the hopeless, the penniless eke out a wretched existence on the dole. Two young men hoped to escape from the Dipple.
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The story is to childish for my taste
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Classic Sci-fi at it's finest!
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The Beast Master
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Left homeless by the war that reduced Terra to a radioactive cinder, Hosteen Storm - Navaho commando and master of beasts - is drawn to the planet Arzor, to kill a man he has never met. On that dangerous frontier world, aliens and human colonists share the land in an uneasy truce. But something is upsetting the balance, and Storm is caught in the middle. He had thought the war was over - but was it?
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And Old Master but still Tops
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Crosstime
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Performance
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An orphan, Blake Walker has never really known who he was, and his strange flashes of intuition have always set him apart from those who raised him and everyone else he has known. Acting on one of those flashes, he prevented a murder. But neither the assailant nor his intended victim were from the world Walker had always known - he had stumbled onto the greatest secret of the ages. Our Earth is only one of an infinite number of Earths, each with a slightly different history from the others, each separated from the others in a crosstime dimension.
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an old master
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The Game of Stars and Comets
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The birth of a hero is never easy. Clumsy as an elephant in high heels, he is nothing like his legendary scout father. But inside that bull-moose-of-a-body lies the heart of a hero whose moment has arrived! Next, a boy survives alien invasion - but must learn to think and act like his reptilian enemy to exact retribution for slaughter. These and two other tales of coming-of-age-through-peril from the writer who invented the genre, Andre Norton.
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Far from her best
- By Will S. on 02-11-24
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Star Flight
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Performance
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The Stars Are Ours: Dard Nordis is a hunted man. His brother was murdered for covert activities as a scientist in a world in which scientists and engineers are blamed for the global war that smashed civilization. Star Born: Centuries after the desperate flight from Earth, Pax has been overthrown and humanity again reaches for the stars. Rof Kurbi's spaceship reaches the planet Astra, but he and the crew do not know that the planet already has a colony established centuries ago.
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A complete story!
- By Kindle Customer on 06-14-24
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The Time Traders
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The young man in question, Ross Murdock, is about to embark upon the adventure of his life. In order to avoid prosecution, he reluctantly joins Operation Retrograde, whose members are exploring various time periods. Their goal? To find out where – and when – the ‘Reds’ are obtaining certain scientific breakthroughs, in order to maintain the balance of global power. An outsider in his own time, Ross becomes an outsider in other times as well, and faces one challenge after another.
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Eh.... So So.
- By SHELDON on 07-09-12
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Warlock
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Performance
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In a sweeping generational saga, the story of Warlock is told by three humans: Shann Lontee was the lowest-ranking member of an exploration team sent to the newly discovered planet Warlock. When the insectile Throgs attacked the base, only he and two trained wolverines escaped. Charis Nordholm was sold into slavery by the outlaw colony on the planet Demeter. The trader, Jogon, who holds her contract, was on his way to Warlock to trade with the Wyvern. But the alien witches had ominous plans of their own....
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great book
- By Kindle Customer on 09-24-21
By: Andre Norton
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Janus
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Impoverished and without hope, Naill Renfro sells himself into indentured servitude and is transported across the galaxy to the far-off jungle world of Janus. Naill hopes to work off his debt and begin his life again. But the harsh masters of Janus are destroying the priceless treasures of the planet's ancient culture - and when Naill, entranced by the beauty of an alien artifact, is caught trying to hide it, he is exiled and left to die in the jungle. But Naill inexplicably begins to remember another life, in another time - a time when he was not human, but something else
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Classic Norton
- By Randall Knol on 01-17-23
By: Andre Norton
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The Elvenbane
- Halfblood Chronicles, Book 1
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Two masters of epic fantasy have combined in this brilliant collaboration to create a rousing tale. This is the story of Shana, a half-breed born of the forbidden union of an Elvenlord father with a human mother. Her exiled mother dead, Shana was rescued and raised by dragons, a proud, ancient race who existed unbeknownst to elven or human kind. From birth, Shana was the embodiment of the Prophecy that the all-powerful Elvenlords feared. Her destiny is the enthralling adventure of a lifetime.
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Love it, but there is no conclusion to series.
- By Kindle Customer on 09-01-12
By: Andre Norton, and others
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Star Soldiers
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- Length: 14 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Only as interstellar mercenaries can humans go to the stars; the aliens who already dominate the galaxy allow no other recourse. But when Swordsman Third Class Kana Karr and his comrades-in-arms are betrayed and abandoned on a hostile world by their alien masters, the warriors from Earth begin a desperate but glorious march across a planet whose every sword is against them. Their actions may doom humanity's future...or lead the way to an empire of their own!
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Star Guard, and Star Rangers/Last Planet
- By Signalshifter on 04-17-21
By: Andre Norton
People who viewed this also viewed...
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Witch World: Estcarp Cycle Trilogy
- By: Andre Norton
- Narrated by: John Lee, Adjoa Andoh
- Length: 22 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Set on a planet in a parallel universe where magic is a reality, these three high fantasy novels from the Witch World series transport you to the eastern continent of Estcarp, illustrating why prolific author Andre Norton was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Contains Trey of Swords, Ware Hawk, and The Gate of the Cat.
-
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A very good series
- By Crystalshannon1 on 05-11-21
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The Elvenbane
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- Length: 18 hrs and 48 mins
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Two masters of epic fantasy have combined in this brilliant collaboration to create a rousing tale. This is the story of Shana, a half-breed born of the forbidden union of an Elvenlord father with a human mother. Her exiled mother dead, Shana was rescued and raised by dragons, a proud, ancient race who existed unbeknownst to elven or human kind. From birth, Shana was the embodiment of the Prophecy that the all-powerful Elvenlords feared. Her destiny is the enthralling adventure of a lifetime.
-
-
Love it, but there is no conclusion to series.
- By Kindle Customer on 09-01-12
By: Andre Norton, and others
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Warlock
- By: Andre Norton
- Narrated by: Gabriel Vaughan
- Length: 20 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In a sweeping generational saga, the story of Warlock is told by three humans: Shann Lontee was the lowest-ranking member of an exploration team sent to the newly discovered planet Warlock. When the insectile Throgs attacked the base, only he and two trained wolverines escaped. Charis Nordholm was sold into slavery by the outlaw colony on the planet Demeter. The trader, Jogon, who holds her contract, was on his way to Warlock to trade with the Wyvern. But the alien witches had ominous plans of their own....
-
-
great book
- By Kindle Customer on 09-24-21
By: Andre Norton
-
Moonsinger
- By: Andre Norton
- Narrated by: Chris Abernathy, Chelsea Stephens
- Length: 16 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It was the time of the Moon of the Three Rings when the Free Trader ship Lydis landed on the planet Yiktor and junior crew member Krip Vorlund visited a beast show. He was strangely attracted to the owner of the show animals, a delicate and mysterious woman named Maelen. Soon Krip was caught in a vicious struggle by powerful opponents over the fate of Yiktor - and he learned the nature of Maelen's sorcery when he found his mind trapped in the body of a wolf-like creature.
-
-
horrible
- By Tina Williams on 01-20-23
By: Andre Norton
-
The Forerunner Factor
- By: Andre Norton
- Narrated by: Traci Odom
- Length: 15 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two Andre Norton Forerunner novels, Forerunner and Forerunner: The Second Venture, featuring young Forerunner/human hybrid Simsa, collected for the first time in one volume.
-
-
I loved these two forerunner books
- By Calvin on 03-20-22
By: Andre Norton
-
Search for the Star Stones
- By: Andre Norton
- Narrated by: Charles Constant
- Length: 14 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Murdoc Jern's father, an interstellar gem trader, was murdered by outlaw competitors and left behind an odd ring, large enough to fit over the finger of a space suit. With his companion Eet, a strange feline mutant with phenomenal mental powers, he soon discovered that the stone in the ring was actually a Zero Stone - an alien device left behind by an ancient vanished race - and it was the key to powers beyond human imagination. Murdoc and Eet had to solve the secret of the Zero Stone, and very quickly, because very greedy and dangerous people wanted that ring.
-
-
Classic Sci-fi at it's finest!
- By Reese on 05-21-21
By: Andre Norton
-
Witch World: Estcarp Cycle Trilogy
- By: Andre Norton
- Narrated by: John Lee, Adjoa Andoh
- Length: 22 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Set on a planet in a parallel universe where magic is a reality, these three high fantasy novels from the Witch World series transport you to the eastern continent of Estcarp, illustrating why prolific author Andre Norton was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Contains Trey of Swords, Ware Hawk, and The Gate of the Cat.
-
-
A very good series
- By Crystalshannon1 on 05-11-21
By: Andre Norton
-
The Elvenbane
- Halfblood Chronicles, Book 1
- By: Andre Norton, Mercedes Lackey
- Narrated by: Aasne Vigesaa
- Length: 18 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two masters of epic fantasy have combined in this brilliant collaboration to create a rousing tale. This is the story of Shana, a half-breed born of the forbidden union of an Elvenlord father with a human mother. Her exiled mother dead, Shana was rescued and raised by dragons, a proud, ancient race who existed unbeknownst to elven or human kind. From birth, Shana was the embodiment of the Prophecy that the all-powerful Elvenlords feared. Her destiny is the enthralling adventure of a lifetime.
-
-
Love it, but there is no conclusion to series.
- By Kindle Customer on 09-01-12
By: Andre Norton, and others
-
Warlock
- By: Andre Norton
- Narrated by: Gabriel Vaughan
- Length: 20 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In a sweeping generational saga, the story of Warlock is told by three humans: Shann Lontee was the lowest-ranking member of an exploration team sent to the newly discovered planet Warlock. When the insectile Throgs attacked the base, only he and two trained wolverines escaped. Charis Nordholm was sold into slavery by the outlaw colony on the planet Demeter. The trader, Jogon, who holds her contract, was on his way to Warlock to trade with the Wyvern. But the alien witches had ominous plans of their own....
-
-
great book
- By Kindle Customer on 09-24-21
By: Andre Norton
-
Moonsinger
- By: Andre Norton
- Narrated by: Chris Abernathy, Chelsea Stephens
- Length: 16 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It was the time of the Moon of the Three Rings when the Free Trader ship Lydis landed on the planet Yiktor and junior crew member Krip Vorlund visited a beast show. He was strangely attracted to the owner of the show animals, a delicate and mysterious woman named Maelen. Soon Krip was caught in a vicious struggle by powerful opponents over the fate of Yiktor - and he learned the nature of Maelen's sorcery when he found his mind trapped in the body of a wolf-like creature.
-
-
horrible
- By Tina Williams on 01-20-23
By: Andre Norton
-
The Forerunner Factor
- By: Andre Norton
- Narrated by: Traci Odom
- Length: 15 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two Andre Norton Forerunner novels, Forerunner and Forerunner: The Second Venture, featuring young Forerunner/human hybrid Simsa, collected for the first time in one volume.
-
-
I loved these two forerunner books
- By Calvin on 03-20-22
By: Andre Norton
-
Search for the Star Stones
- By: Andre Norton
- Narrated by: Charles Constant
- Length: 14 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Murdoc Jern's father, an interstellar gem trader, was murdered by outlaw competitors and left behind an odd ring, large enough to fit over the finger of a space suit. With his companion Eet, a strange feline mutant with phenomenal mental powers, he soon discovered that the stone in the ring was actually a Zero Stone - an alien device left behind by an ancient vanished race - and it was the key to powers beyond human imagination. Murdoc and Eet had to solve the secret of the Zero Stone, and very quickly, because very greedy and dangerous people wanted that ring.
-
-
Classic Sci-fi at it's finest!
- By Reese on 05-21-21
By: Andre Norton
What listeners say about Witch World: High Hallack Cycle, Books 1-2
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Lydia Phinney
- 11-12-21
Brilliant fantasy classics
I've been an Andre Norton fan since adolescence--she's the writer who got me started reading fantasy. I still have my inexpensive paperback copy of The Jargoon Pard. Hearing it narrated, however, made the story fresh and new for me. Norton's writing sings, and these two narrators know how to make the most of her lyrical prose. Jargoon Pard is a classic tale of identity and belonging: the young protagonist must discover who he is and where he fits. The second book in this set, Zarsthor's Bane, is new to me. I somehow missed it in my younger days. It's got all of the trademark Norton characteristics: a youthful protagonist wandering in a near-wilderness, surviving by her wits, alone except for her enigmatic feline companion. What really sets "Bane" apart is the almost hallucinogenic quality of the main character's experiences in the outlaw-infested Waste. I'm glad I didn't read this book: What a treat to hear it narrated, instead, by the astonishingly talented Adjoa Andoh. Her reading shines with intelligence and engagement: She drilled down through the weirdness of the Waste to find the brilliant heart of this beautifully strange story. I highly recommend this double set of High Hallack books for any Norton fan, and any reader of fantasy who has not yet come to know the timeless work of Andre Norton, a Grand Master of Fantasy.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Bonnie
- 07-19-22
1st book great, 2nd book not
The fist book, The Jargoon Pard, is terrific. It is a direct sequel to Andre Norton’s “Year of the Unicorn” which is also available on Audible, so I’m baffled why they label this set as books 1 & 2 of the High Hallack Witch World Series. Do yourself a favor and read Year of the Unicorn first, then The jargoon Pard’ s ending will be much more satisfying. Year of the Unicorn is very satisfying in itself.
I wish I could say the other book in the set, Zarsthor’s Bane, was equally good. Sadly, it’s pretty dull, and not important to the series either. There are only three characters for most of the book, and they mostly wander around lost for the majority of the story. Ho-hum, chapter after chapter of dream-like images in a strange place, probably another dimension, little of which contributes to plot or character development at all. You can listen to the first two chapters to meet the characters, then skip to chapter nine where the action starts at last, and not miss anything significant. The ending is interesting if confusing.
The next book listed in this Audible series is “The Crystal Gryphon” which was actually published before The Jargoon Pard, but they can be read in either order. That one is one of the best in the series, with many parallels between it and The Jargoon Pard. Andre Norton seldom wrote romance, but there are a few exceptionally good ones in the Witch World and High Hallack series. Enjoy!
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2 people found this helpful
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- Levi
- 07-03-23
interesting world, not explored
The first narrator was a weird choice for a child as the main character. The second narrator had a lot more depth, but nothing amazing. neither subtracted from the story, but they definitely didn't have anything.
It really undercuts the story when every character can innately tell who and what is good and evil by being in their presence.
Over all the world seems interesting but the protagonists effectively are railroad from encounter to encounter, resolve the problem by instinct without explanation then move on to the next.
The story telling feels like a missed opportunity for the world building potential.
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