Seventeen undemanding new tales set in the Witch World, Norton's long-standing fantasy-creation of white and black magic, ancient traditions, strange creatures, and mysterious powers. Though there's nothing particularly striking or original about all this, the Witch World's primarily adolescent appeal continues unabated. Norton herself and Robert Bloch tell two sides of the same story, the attempts of a lord under a curse to produce an heir. From Wilanne Schneider Belden comes a delicate, touching tale of a witch-child's struggle to survive in a devastated land. Elsewhere are to be found variations, ranging from sprightly to feeble, on: evil wraiths and helpful ghosts, shape-changers, refugees from genocide, magical doorways, remonstrating corpses, conniving cats, falconers and misogynists, female warriors, and more. Some of the yarns aren't fully worked out, but all show at least a glimmer of imagination. Pleasant, then, if largely uncompelling entertainment for Witch World fans.