Gate of Ivrel: Difference between revisions

Gate of Ivrel
	First edition
Author	C. J. Cherryh
Cover artist	Michael Whelan
Language	English
Series	The Morgaine Stories
Genre	Fantasy
Publisher	DAW Books
Publication date	March 1976
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (paperback)
ISBN	0-88677-257-5
Followed by	Well of Shiuan (1978)

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Gate of Ivrel is a 1976 novel by American writer C. J. Cherryh, her first published work. It is the first of four books composing the Morgaine Stories, chronicling the deeds of Morgaine, a woman consumed by a mission of the utmost importance, and her chance-met companion, Nhi Vanye i Chya.

Cherryh lists it on her website as a fantasy novel,^[1] and noted author Andre Norton agreed with her.^[2] Others, however, classify it as science fiction^[3]^[4] or science fantasy.^[5]

Plot summary

The pre-technological land of Andur-Kursh is fought over by rival clans, among them the Nhi and the Chya. Vanye is the despised bastard son of a Nhi lord and a Chya captive. One day, he kills one legitimate half-brother and maims the other after being baited.

Exiled for his crimes, Vanye inadvertently frees Morgaine, a beautiful woman whom he recognizes as a legend from the past. Morgaine had been trapped in stasis for a century in one of the many "Gates" (passageways through space and time) which dot the land. By age-old custom, she claims a year of service from him for his acceptance of her food and shelter.

Morgaine explains that she is on a mission to close the Gates, as the misuse of their powers has destroyed entire civilizations in the past. The rest of her group were betrayed while attempting to attack this planet's master Gate at Ivrel, controlled by Thiye. Only Morgaine and a few soldiers escaped. Pursued, she fled into a lesser Gate.

She seeks aid from Clan Leth, but its lord, Kasedre, is half mad. His chief counselor, Liell, warns them to leave, killing a guard to leave them no choice.

Morgaine and Vanye become uneasy guests of Roh, Vanye's cousin and lord of the Chya. After questioning, they are let go, only to be attacked by Thiye's men. Morgaine draws her sword, Changeling, which can tap the power of the Gates to send its victims to another place and time. The two escape, but run into Vanye's people. She is set free, though without her sword, while Vanye is forced to remain behind by his half-brother Erij, who wants Vanye to help him rule their land. When persuasion and threats alike prove useless, he draws Changeling, not knowing its powers. Vanye uses the ensuing mayhem to retrieve the dropped sword and rejoin Morgaine.

Roh warns him not to trust Liell, whose body is rumored to have been taken over by another. Morgaine confirms this can be done using a Gate. Thiye has extended his life this way, and Morgaine suspects her betrayer has also.

After another clash with Nhi warriors, Morgaine and Vanye are personally escorted by Roh out of his domain. Liell and his men capture all three. Liell takes Vanye to a Gate to switch bodies. Vanye escapes, stealing a horse which is carrying Changeling, but is recaptured by Erij.

Erij, emboldened by his possession of Changeling, attacks Ivrel. After driving off Liell's men with the sword, the pair breach Thiye's fortress. Vanye surprises Erij and retakes Morgaine's sword. Inside, they come upon the aged Thiye, but Roh kills him. Roh tells them that Morgaine is loose and that Liell is dead. He then flees.

Vanye finds Morgaine and gives her the sword. She tells Vanye that Liell has taken possession of Roh's body in his place. Roh/Liell has set the controls to shut down all the Gates very soon. He hopes to escape to another planet, leaving his enemies trapped here. Morgaine sets off in pursuit. Erij allows Vanye to follow. Together, Morgaine and Vanye pass through the Gate before it closes forever.

Characters

Morgaine, a woman driven by an impossible mission
Nhi Vanye i Chya, an outcast warrior
Nhi Erij, Vanye's half-brother
Chya Liell, a counselor in Leth
Leth Kasedre, lord of Leth
Chya Roh, lord of Chya
Thiye Thiye's-son

Reviews

Andre Norton praised the novel highly, writing that:

... never since reading The Lord of the Rings have I been caught up in any tale as I have been in Gate of Ivrel. I do not know the author, but her talent is one I must envy. She has drawn an entirely believable hero on an alien and enchanting world, working in bits of customs, beliefs, and history so cleverly that it now certainly exists-somewhere.^[2]

Fellow fantasy and science fiction author Jo Walton found all four books in the series to be "too grim. They're good, but they're unrelievedly dark."^[3]

Publication history

Gate of Ivrel. DAW Books, 1976. ISBN 0-88677-257-5.
The Book of Morgaine (omnibus). Nelson Doubleday/Science Fiction Book Club, 1979.

Reissued as:

The Chronicles of Morgaine. Methuen Publishing, 1985 and 1987. ISBN 0-413-56290-5.
The Chronicles of Morgaine. Mandarin, 1989 and 1990 ISBN 0-7493-0007-8.

The Complete Morgaine (omnibus). DAW Books, 2015 ISBN 978-0-7564-1123-7.

^[6]

References

^ "The Universes of C.J. Cheryhh..." www.cherryh.com.
^ ^a ^b The Complete Morgaine. Astra Publishing House. 2015. p. 17. ISBN 9780698410435.
^ ^a ^b Walton, Jo (March 17, 2010). "Grimmer than grim: C.J. Cherryh, The Chronicles of Morgaine".
^ "Gate of Ivrel". Audible.
^ "The Morgaine Saga: Gate of Ivrel, Well of Shiuan, Fires of Azeroth". ThriftBooks. Sword-and-sorcery meets hard sci-fi in C.J. Cherryh 's epic story of a woman's mission across time and space to preserve the integrity of the universe.
^ C. J. Cherryh at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 | language      = English
 | series        = [[The Morgaine Stories]]
-| genre         = [[Science fiction]]
+| genre         = [[Fantasy literature|Fantasy]]
 | publisher     = [[DAW Books]]
 | release_date  = March 1976
@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 | pages         =
 | isbn          = 0-88677-257-5
-| preceded_by   = –
+| preceded_by   =
 | followed_by   = [[Well of Shiuan]] {{noitalic|(1978)}}
 }}
-'''''Gate of Ivrel''''' is a 1976 [[science fiction]] novel by  American writer [[C. J. Cherryh]], her first published work. It is the first of four books composing [[the Morgaine Stories]], chronicling the deeds of Morgaine, a woman consumed by a mission of the utmost importance, and her chance-met companion, Nhi Vanye i Chya.
+'''''Gate of Ivrel''''' is a 1976 novel by American writer [[C. J. Cherryh]], her first published work.  It is the first of four books composing [[the Morgaine Stories]], chronicling the deeds of Morgaine, a woman consumed by a mission of the utmost importance, and her chance-met companion, Nhi Vanye i Chya.
+Cherryh lists it on her website as a [[Fantasy literature|fantasy novel]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cherryh.com/www/univer.htm |title=The Universes of C.J. Cheryhh........... |website=www.cherryh.com}}</ref> and noted author [[Andre Norton]] agreed with her.<ref name=Norton>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HFGJEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT7 |title=The Complete Morgaine |page=17 |publisher=Astra Publishing House |year=2015 |isbn=9780698410435}}</ref> Others, however, classify it as [[science fiction]]<ref name=Walton>{{cite web |url=https://www.tor.com/2010/03/17/grimmer-than-grim-cj-cherryh-lemgthe-chronicles-of-morgainelemg/ |title=Grimmer than grim: C.J. Cherryh, The Chronicles of Morgaine |last=Walton |first=Jo |author-link=Jo Walton |date=March 17, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.audible.ca/pd/Gate-of-Ivrel-Audiobook/B0725JT98L |title=Gate of Ivrel |publisher=[[Audible (service)|Audible]]}}</ref> or [[science fantasy]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thriftbooks.com/enwiki/w/the-morgaine-saga-morgaine-saga-books-1-2-and-3_cj-cherryh/305075/#edition=1258956&idiq=4241505 |title=The Morgaine Saga: Gate of Ivrel, Well of Shiuan, Fires of Azeroth |publisher=[[ThriftBooks]] |quote=Sword-and-sorcery meets hard sci-fi in C.J. Cherryh 's epic story of a woman's mission across time and space to preserve the integrity of the universe.}}</ref>
-It is tenuously set in her [[Union-Alliance universe]], but has little in common with other works in that milieu.
 ==Plot summary==
-The non-technological land of Andur-Kursh is split into many cantons, each with ambitious, competing clans. Vanye is the barely tolerated bastard, fathered by a Nhi lord with a captive from an enemy clan, the Chya. One day, he kills one legitimate half-brother and maims the other with his sword after being baited. Rather than honorable suicide, he chooses exile as a clanless warrior akin to the Japanese [[ronin]].
+The pre-technological land of Andur-Kursh is fought over by rival clans, among them the Nhi and the Chya. Vanye is the despised bastard son of a Nhi lord and a Chya captive. One day, he kills one legitimate half-brother and maims the other after being baited.
-Hunted by his half-brothers' clan, Vanye enters Morgaine's vale, a place shunned by all. He accidentally releases Morgaine, a beautiful woman trapped in a Gate long ago. Vanye recognizes her as a legend from the past. Weary, cold and hungry, he accepts food and shelter from her. Only then does he remember that she, alone of all women, has been given lord-right; she claims a year of service from him for her hospitality.
+Exiled for his crimes, Vanye inadvertently frees Morgaine, a beautiful woman whom he recognizes as a legend from the past. Morgaine had been trapped in stasis for a century in one of the many "Gates" (passageways through space and time) which dot the land. By age-old custom, she claims a year of service from him for his acceptance of her food and shelter.
+Morgaine explains that she is on a mission to close the Gates, as the misuse of their powers has destroyed entire civilizations in the past. The rest of her group were betrayed while attempting to attack this planet's master Gate at Ivrel, controlled by Thiye. Only Morgaine and a few soldiers escaped. Pursued, she fled into a lesser Gate.
-She explains that the Gates that dot the land are passageways through both space and time. One hundred men and women had been sent by the Union Science Bureau on a one-way mission to close all the Gates. Another species, the ''qujal'', had found the Gates and used their powers to rule an interstellar empire and enslave lesser species, among them humans. But one reckless fool had gone back in time, triggering a cataclysm that had wrecked qujal civilization. Morgaine is determined to close the master Gate at Ivrel.
+She seeks aid from Clan Leth, but its lord, Kasedre, is half mad. His chief counselor, Liell, warns them to leave, killing a guard to leave them no choice.
-After many years, the last five Union survivors had reached this world a century before and recruited allies to attack Thiye, the master of the Gate of Ivrel. But they were betrayed and nearly their entire army was swallowed up by the Gate. Morgaine had been forced to seek refuge in a lesser Gate, to wait in stasis until freed.
+Morgaine and Vanye become uneasy guests of Roh, Vanye's cousin and lord of the Chya. After questioning, they are let go, only to be attacked by Thiye's men. Morgaine draws her sword, Changeling, which can tap the power of the Gates to send its victims to another place and time. The two escape, but run into Vanye's people. She is set free, though without her sword, while Vanye is forced to remain behind by his half-brother Erij, who wants Vanye to help him rule their land. When persuasion and threats alike prove useless, he draws Changeling, not knowing its powers. Vanye uses the ensuing mayhem to retrieve the dropped sword and rejoin Morgaine.
-She seeks aid from Clan Leth, a former staunch ally, but its lord, Kasedre, is half mad. His chief counselor, Chya Liell, comes to them late at night and warns them to leave, killing a guard to give them no choice.
+Roh warns him not to trust Liell, whose body is rumored to have been taken over by another. Morgaine confirms this can be done using a Gate. Thiye has extended his life this way, and Morgaine suspects her betrayer has also.
-Morgaine and Vanye enter Chya lands and become uneasy guests of Chya Roh, Vanye's cousin. After questioning, they are let go, only to be attacked by Thiye's men. Morgaine draws her sword, Changeling, which can tap the power of the Gates to send its victims elsewhere. The two escape, but run into a Nhi band. She is set free, though without her sword, while Vanye is forced to remain behind by his half-brother Erij, now the lord of Nhi. Erij wants his brother to help him rule their canton. When persuasion and threats alike prove useless, he draws Changeling, not knowing its powers. Vanye takes advantage of the ensuing mayhem to retrieve the dropped sword and rejoin Morgaine.
+After another clash with Nhi warriors, Morgaine and Vanye are personally escorted by Roh out of his domain. Liell and his men capture all three. Liell takes Vanye to a Gate to switch bodies. Vanye escapes, stealing a horse which is carrying Changeling, but is recaptured by Erij.
-Roh had warned him not to trust Liell, whose body is rumored to have been taken over by someone else. Morgaine confirms this can be done using a Gate. Thiye has prolonged his life this way, and Morgaine suspects her century-old betrayer also still lives.
+Erij, emboldened by his possession of Changeling, attacks Ivrel. After driving off Liell's men with the sword, the pair breach Thiye's fortress. Vanye surprises Erij and retakes Morgaine's sword. Inside, they come upon the aged Thiye, but Roh kills him. Roh tells them that Morgaine is loose and that Liell is dead. He then flees.
-After another clash with Nhi warriors, Morgaine is personally escorted by Roh out of his domain. Liell and his men capture all three. He takes Vanye to a Gate to switch bodies. Vanye escapes, stealing a horse which is carrying Changeling, but is recaptured by Erij.
+Vanye finds Morgaine and gives her the sword. She tells Vanye that Liell has taken possession of Roh's body in his place. Roh/Liell has set the controls to shut down all the Gates very soon. He hopes to escape to another planet, leaving his enemies trapped here. Morgaine sets off in pursuit. Erij allows Vanye to follow. Together, Morgaine and Vanye pass through the Gate before it closes forever.
-Erij, emboldened by his possession of Changeling, is persuaded to attack Ivrel. After driving off Liell's men with the deadly sword, the pair breach Thiye's fortress. Vanye retakes Morgaine's sword in a surprise attack. Inside, they come upon the aged Thiye, but before they can react, the old man is killed by Roh. Roh tells them that Morgaine is loose and that Liell is dead. He then flees.
-Vanye finds Morgaine and gives her the sword. She confirms Vanye's suspicion; Roh's body now houses Liell's mind. Roh/Liell had set the controls to shut down all the Gates in the world. He hopes to escape to another world, leaving his enemies trapped here. Morgaine sets off in pursuit. Erij unexpectedly allows Vanye to follow. Together, Morgaine and Vanye pass through the Gate.
 ==Characters==
-*Morgaine, a woman burdened and driven by an impossible mission
+*Morgaine, a woman driven by an impossible mission
-*Nhi Vanye i Chya, an outcast warrior who inadvertently becomes bound up in Morgaine's quest
+*Nhi Vanye i Chya, an outcast warrior
 *Nhi Erij, Vanye's half-brother
 *Chya Liell, a counselor in Leth
-*Leth Kasedre, petulant, weak-minded lord of Leth
+*Leth Kasedre, lord of Leth
-*Chya Roh, lord of Chya, Vanye's cousin
+*Chya Roh, lord of Chya
-*Thiye Thiye's-son, master of the Gate at Ivrel
+*Thiye Thiye's-son
+==Reviews==
+[[Andre Norton]] praised the novel highly, writing that:
+<blockquote>
+... never since reading ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' have I been caught up in any tale as I have been in ''Gate of Ivrel''. I do not know the author, but her talent is one I must envy. She has drawn an entirely believable hero on an alien and enchanting world, working in bits of customs, beliefs, and history so cleverly that it now certainly exists-somewhere.<ref name=Norton/>
+</blockquote>
+Fellow fantasy and science fiction author [[Jo Walton]] found all four books in the series to be "too grim. They're good, but they're unrelievedly dark."<ref name=Walton/>
+==Publication history==
+* ''Gate of Ivrel''. DAW Books, 1976. {{ISBN|0-88677-257-5}}.
+* ''The Book of Morgaine'' (omnibus). Nelson Doubleday/Science Fiction Book Club, 1979.
+:Reissued as:
+:* ''The Chronicles of Morgaine''. [[Methuen Publishing]], 1985 and 1987. {{ISBN|0-413-56290-5}}.
+:* ''The Chronicles of Morgaine''. Mandarin, 1989 and 1990 {{ISBN|0-7493-0007-8}}.
+* ''The Complete Morgaine'' (omnibus). DAW Books, 2015 {{ISBN|978-0-7564-1123-7}}.
+<ref>{{Isfdb name|id=16|name=C. J. Cherryh}}</ref>
 ==References==
+{{reflist}}
-*C. J. Cherryh. ''Gate of Ivrel''. DAW Books 1976. {{ISBN|0-88677-257-5}}.
 ==Further reading==
@@ Line 71: / Line 86: @@
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Gate Of Ivrel}}
-[[Category:American science fiction novels]]
+[[Category:American fantasy novels]]
 [[Category:1976 American novels]]
-[[Category:1976 science fiction novels]]
+[[Category:1976 fantasy novels]]
-[[Category:Science fiction novels by C. J. Cherryh]]
+[[Category:Fantasy novels by C. J. Cherryh]]
 [[Category:Novels set in the future]]
 [[Category:Books with cover art by Michael Whelan]]
 [[Category:DAW Books books]]
-[[Category:Debut science fiction novels]]
+[[Category:Debut fantasy novels]]
 [[Category:1976 debut novels]]

v t e C. J. Cherryh
Bibliography
Science fiction series	Alliance–Union universe The Faded Sun Trilogy Alternate Realities The Chanur novels The Merchanter novels Devil to the Belt Foreigner series Finisterre universe
Fantasy series	The Morgaine Stories Ealdwood Stories The Russian Stories The Fortress Series
Science fiction novels	Brothers of Earth Hunter of Worlds Hestia Serpent's Reach Downbelow Station Merchanter's Luck Forty Thousand in Gehenna Angel with the Sword Cuckoo's Egg Cyteen Rimrunners Tripoint Rider at the Gate Cloud's Rider Finity's End Hammerfall Forge of Heaven Regenesis Alliance Rising (with Jane S. Fancher) Alliance Unbound (with Fancher)
Fantasy novels	Gate of Ivrel Well of Shiuan Fires of Azeroth Exile's Gate Ealdwood The Dreamstone The Tree of Swords and Jewels The Paladin Rusalka Chernevog Yvgenie The Goblin Mirror Faery in Shadow Lois & Clark: A Superman Novel
Short fiction collections	Glass and Amber The Collected Short Fiction of C. J. Cherryh
Short fiction	"Cassandra" "The Scapegoat" "The Brothers"
Related	Jane Fancher (spouse) David A. Cherry (brother) Heroes in Hell Merovingen Nights Azi Mri Themes of C. J. Cherryh's works The Cherryh Odyssey The Company War 77185 Cherryh
Category