Shaman

By:

Synopsis
There is Thorn, a shaman himself. He lives to pass down his wisdom and his stories -- to teach those who would follow in his footsteps.There is Heather, the healer who, in many ways, holds the clan together.There is Elga, an outsider and the bringer of change.And then there is Loon, the next shaman, who is determined to find his own path. But in a world so treacherous, that journey is never simple -- and where it may lead is never certain.SHAMAN is a powerful, thrilling and heartbreaking story of one young man's journey into adulthood -- and an awe-inspiring vision of how we lived thirty thousand years ago.
Copyright:
2013

Book Details

Book Quality:
Publisher Quality
ISBN-13:
9780316235570
Related ISBNs:
9780316098076
Publisher:
Orbit
Date of Addition:
Copyrighted By:
Kim Stanley Robinson
Adult content:
No
Language:
English
Has Image Descriptions:
No
Categories:
History, Literature and Fiction, Science Fiction and Fantasy
Submitted By:
Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:
This is a copyrighted book.

Reviews

1 out of 5

By on

Shaman is the story of the coming of age of a young man in a prehistoric time. Loon, orphaned at a young age, is raised by the pack’s shaman, Thorn, and the pack’s herbal healer, Heather. At the age of 12, he is sent off alone and naked into the forest for his wander. For two weeks (beginning the night of the full moon and ending the night of the new moon), he must find ways to survive hunger, the cold, and the ever-present dangers that lurk everywhere. A shaman is a tribal leader who acts as intermediary between the earthly world and the supernatural world. He uses spiritual forces to predict the future as well as heal in the present. He leads the pack, teaches, and tells stories of the past and present so that history will be preserved. We travel with Loon on his wander and then watch him grow to adulthood when he marries and fathers two children. We experience life as he knew it - the customs, the needs, the perils. Upon Thorn’s death, Loon becomes the pack’s shaman, a role he adapts to suit his personality and his “modern” thinking. The joy of the hunt, the kill, and the satisfaction of hunger upon biting ravenously into the thigh of a freshly killed deer, is understood, and appreciated. The shivers of a frosty wet night without benefit of cover or fireside warmth is palpable. The loneliness and isolation of a blackened cave without even a flicker of light stings with fear and loneliness and trepidation. Life as it existed. In search of something different to read, a diversion from my more usual book selections, Shaman proved to be a very different experience. Although there were moments of disbelief or displeasure, to my delight (and surprise), overall, I actually enjoyed it.