Review: Storms of Victory by Andre Norton and P.M. Griffin

The land of Estcarp is ruled by a Council of Witches, women who wield magic only so long as they remain virgins. But when war threatens from the south, they find  they have insufficient manpower to deter the forces of Karsten.

Desperate to save their nation from destruction, the Witches pool their Power to physically twist and reshape the mountains on their southern border. This event, known as The Turning, saves Estcarp from destruction. But it kills numerous Witches at the same time it awakens threats and Dark things that have been left sleeping for long centuries…

The story

Storms of Victory contains two novellas: “The Port of Dead Ships,” by Andre Norton herself, and “Seakeep,” by the late P.M. Griffin. Readers are introduced to both stories by brief introductions from Duratan, a border guard who fought to keep the southern boundary of Estcarp safe. After being injured on patrol he retires to the scholarly keep of Lormt, where he discovers he has some of the Power that the Witches claim. Men are not supposed to be able to wield the forces that Witches command; if they do, then they are evil and must be destroyed – or so present wisdom held. Along with others, Duratan learns men have wielded and can still use the Power, something which comes to benefit the former Borderer and those who call Lormt home. “The Port of Dead Ships” follows the first-person perspective of Destree m’Regnant. She is summoned to aid in discovering the reason why several ships that have ventured south into uncharted seas have returned intact, but without their crews. It is hoped that her small gift for farseeing and foresight can be of use. However, not all are happy to have her present on the mission. Destree is thought by some to be cursed, in part because if she uses her foresight for anyone but herself, that person will die. One of the men at the meeting lost his foster-brother after she claimed to foresee that man’s future, whereafter he died a month later. Despite this, it is determined that Destree must travel south with him and the others to find the source of the missing ships – some of which have come from Earth! P.M. Griffin’s story, “Seakeep,” follows both Una of Seakeepdale and Tarlach of the Falconers. Part of the Dales of High Hallack, which make up the Western continent of Estcarp’s world, Una’s country is recovering from a war fought with an enemy from over the sea. Although they won the war drained the Dales’ manpower, meaning the political situation among the independent fiefdoms is precarious. This is especially true of the northern Dales, which were hit hard by a fever that killed a large number of the men who survived the war. Una’s father and her new husband both died when they contracted the fever, though she herself survived. With her Dale now being threatened by a tyrannical neighbor she must seek out help from mercenaries stationed farther south. Luckily, she has the perfect type of mercenary in mind… Tarlach’s company of Falconers, currently lodged in the port town of Linna on the coast, await his decision. He can either lead them back across the ocean to Estcarp or find employment in High Hallack. But with the war over service for a company of five hundred men is difficult to discover. Returning to Estcarp will offer little in the way of improvement: A race that has lives apart, Falconer men are renowned mercenaries who would sooner die than violate their oaths. However, they equally well-known for hating women, keeping their own females in secluded villages they visit at set times when they need to ensure a new generation will follow them. In Estcarp, a land ruled by a matriarchy, the Falconers are considered barbarians. That did not matter so long as they had their keep, the Eyrie, in the southern mountains. But now those same mountains have been Turned, destroying the Eyrie along with everything else amidst their peaks. Fate seems poised to end the Falconer race once and for all at the same time it threatens to destroy Seakeep. Is it possible that Una and Tarlach have the solutions to one another’s problems?

The characters

Duratan, despite his brief introduction, is a memorable character. I still find myself wishing Andre had given us more time with him. For her part, Destree grows into a more capable heroine as the story progresses. But the real stars of Victory are undoubtedly Una and Tarlach. Una’s love of her Dale and her people, as well as her determination to do whatever is necessary to protect them, makes her an engaging heroine. Meanwhile Tarlach’s growing admiration for Seakeep and its ruler challenges not only his race’s customs, but the despair at the Falconers’ apparent doom that pulls at him. A fighting man through and through, watching him fall in love with the Holdlady is almost more fun than seeing him do battle on her behalf!

The world

As usual, Andre’s grasp of her world is impeccable. She expands upon the realm of the Witch World by taking the tale from the land - where most Witch World adventures occur – to sea, a location otherwise unseen in the series. The atmosphere for “Port of Dead Ships” slowly transforms from one of awe and excitement to a tense anticipation of horror and dread. The Dales of High Hallack also receive new development with Seakeepdale, the first Dale to truly be tied to the sea. Readers also have their first real glimpse of the Falconers as individual men, beset by fears and concerns about their race’s future. A reader cannot help but be drawn into the travails upon wind and wave while wondering just how the characters will get out of these adventures alive.

The politics

Neither Andre Norton nor P.M. Griffin were wont to insert politics into their stories. The most one will see are comments about the assumptions men and women make regarding the other sex, and how wrong both those suppositions can be for the two parties.

Content warning

“Port of Dead Ships” has a brief scene that intimates cannibalism, while “Seakeep” makes some mention of romantic desire. The Falconers’ method of propagation basically amounts to rape, though it is discussed rather delicately. It is a PG-13 book.

Who is it for?

Readers who like horror, adventure, romance, and rollicking good stories. Andre Norton fans who have not found this gem will also wish to pick it up, while those who have never heard of her should give Storms of Victory a shot. This book is one of the best entry points to the Witch World series.

Why read it?

It is sword and sorcery written by the Grand Dame of Science Fiction and one of her best students. Do you truly need any other reason to read it?