The Magestone

A novel by Andre Norton and Mary H Schaub. Sequel to The Key of the Keplian, followed by The Warding of the Witch World.
Secrets of the Witch World Volume 2

Publishing History

Paperback, Aspect, 276pp., ISBN: 0 446 60222 1, 1996

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Timeline Notes

  1. p1. Year of the Horned Hunter
  2. p2. Year of the Fire Troll - when invasion of the Dales began
  3. p2. Mereth has been writing to 'Doubt' for 20 years
  4. p4. Mereth - more than sixty years a trader
  5. p5. Year of the Kolbold - two years before - the Turning occurred in this year
  6. p6. Year of the Blue-horned Ram - year of Mereth's birth
  7. p10. Mereth was 19 nearly 20 when her mother died
  8. p11. Nearly 20 years later 'Doubt' asked Mereth to marry him - this was a year before the Year of the Fire Troll
  9. p16. 1052nd Year Since the Betrayal
  10. p19. Last Kolder died 7 months ago (see: The Stillborn Heritage and Falcon Magic.)
  11. p21. 13 years ago Gurborian given a reward by Mallandor for helping depose Facellian
  12. p22. Kasarian was five when the Alizon alliance with the Kolder was forged - Oralian (K.'s father) killed.
  13. p23. Kasarian was 12 when it was clear war was lost
  14. p23. Kasarian was 15 when Gratch/Guborian partnership began
  15. p23. Kasarian was 22 at time of the Turning
  16. p24. Last year - raid on Estcarp, killing of the last of the Kolder, fall of Mallandor, Norandor now Lord Baron (Events of Falcon Magic)
  17. p64. Three years ago the raid was proposed.
  18. p103. Meredith says she is 75.

Timeline Analysis

Year Since the Betrayal Year Name Event
987 Year of the Blue-horned Ram Mereth born
1006 Mereth's mother dies when Mereth is 19
1028 Year of the Fire Troll Invasion of the Dales began, Mereth 41 years old
1050 Year of the Kobold The Turning; Mereth 62
1051 Year of the Horned Hunter Raid on Estcarp, fall of Mallandor, Norandor becomes Lord Baron
1052 Year of the Lamia Mereth and Kasarian come to Lormt
1063 Meereth would be 751

Discussion

There is a fundamental problem with the timing of this novel - the fall of Mallandor cannot have happened in the Year of the Horned Hunter as Mouse hadn't even been born. The relative dates appear correct, but the internal events suggest the novel should be set 12 years later - this would also make sense of Mereth's comment on p4. of being a trader for more than sixty years. With the events of The Warding of the Witch World, this seems to be the most likely solution except that Kasarian and Liara are now too young….

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