Norton's stories are notable for a distinctive use of motifs. She links many of her tales by echoing objects, names, and settings. Certain institutions such as the Patrol or the Free Traders appear repeatedly. The stories are also interwoven through the use of a distinctive geography. This novel, the first of the Witch World series, introduces nations and settings that appear throughout the later books, adding continuity.

Another unifying aspect are the motifs derived from Norton's personal interests.

Mental telepathy is common among the natives of various planets. It is a feature among the ruling witches of Estcarp. It can also be found in a negative manner among the Kolders; in fact the head of this nation is literally the Head—when he is destroyed by the witches' use of a small figurine, his head is melted, and the entire Kolder people die. They are in some...