''Gate of Ivrel'' is a 1976 novel by American writer

C. J. Cherryh Carolyn Janice Cherry (born September 1, 1942), better known by the pen name C. J. Cherryh, is an American writer of speculative fiction. She has written more than 80 books since the mid-1970s, including the Hugo Award-winning novels '' Downbelo ...

, her first published work. It is the first of four books composing

the Morgaine Stories ''The Morgaine Stories'', also known as ''The Morgaine Cycle'', are a series of Fantasy literature, fantasy novels by American writer C. J. Cherryh, published by DAW Books. They concern a time-traveling heroine, Morgaine, and her loyal companion N ...

, 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 Fantasy literature is literature set in an imaginary universe, often but not always without any locations, events, or people from the real world. Magic, the supernatural and magical creatures are common in many of these imaginary worlds. Fa ...

, and noted author

Andre Norton Andre Alice Norton (born Alice Mary Norton, February 17, 1912 – March 17, 2005) was an American writer of science fiction and fantasy, who also wrote works of historical and contemporary fiction. She wrote primarily under the pen name ...

agreed with her. Others, however, classify it as

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...

or science fantasy.

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

praised the novel highly, writing that:

... never since reading ''
The Lord of the Rings ''The Lord of the Rings'' is an epic high-fantasy novel by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, intended to be Earth at some time in the distant past, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's b ...
'' 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.

Fellow fantasy and science fiction author

Jo Walton Jo Walton (born 1964) is a Welsh and Canadian fantasy and science fiction writer and poet. She is best known for the fantasy novel ''Among Others'', which won the Hugo and Nebula Awards in 2012, and '' Tooth and Claw'', a Victorian era novel ...

found all four books in the series to be "too grim. They're good, but they're unrelievedly dark."

Publication history

* ''Gate of Ivrel''. DAW Books, 1976. . * ''The Book of Morgaine'' (omnibus). Nelson Doubleday/Science Fiction Book Club, 1979. :Reissued as: :* ''The Chronicles of Morgaine''. Methuen Publishing, 1985 and 1987. . :* ''The Chronicles of Morgaine''. Mandarin, 1989 and 1990 . * ''The Complete Morgaine'' (omnibus). DAW Books, 2015 .

Plot summary

Characters

Reviews

Publication history

References

Further reading