Rites of the Healer

Sixteen-year-old apprentice engineer, Dovella, has more than her share of problems to overcome, and so do the inhabitants of Edlena where she lives with her Healer father, Safir, and her mother, Master Engineer Avella. The problems everyone faces are intricately related, masterfully spun out and cleverly resolved in Hamilton author Anne Gray's engaging debut novel Rites of the Healer... .

...The plot is imaginative, the alternative world setting of Edlena is intricate and complex, and the plot is suspenseful...there is much in the story that reflects everlasting issues such as the tug between youngsters and their elders, the conflicts between males and females, the fight between science and superstition, the need for tolerance and understanding, and the values of truth, self-sacrifice, honour, and integrity no matter what one's quest may be. And it is all presented in an entertaining, readable fashion with a heart-warming conclusion that begs for a sequel or two.

...a good storyline that is beautifully drawn out. Suspenseful and adventurous, as well as empowering, Dovella is a fantastic heroine. She's scared at times, often unsure and somewhat unwilling. She has long-held beliefs about some things and is slowly discovering that some of those might be wrong. I like that there is no easy answer and no simple change in beliefs. The story takes its time with the events and characters, so that they are both allowed to grow and progress naturally. There is no easy answer in life and we aren't forced one in this story. Dovella is flawed and that makes her more real. The whole book has an underlying feeling of realism, which often gets missed in a lot of fantasy novels. It also makes you question your beliefs and gives an outside look at prejudice, without being preachy.

This book was such a pleasant surprise, I can only hope there are more like this on the way.

... and it is a good story. As well as the straightforward elements of action and plot, the conflict between various religious factions is well set out, and it is obviously possible to draw parallels with our own times. These fervent Fundamentalists are perhaps too solidly evil ... — why would anyone want to take part in their rebellion! — but the arguments between them and those more ready to consider innovation and change have a very contemporary ring. Interesting discussions could arise.

Recommended

16-year-old Dovella is on the cusp of adulthood, about to be initiated as a Healer, having thoughtfully turned from engineering to medicine. Dovella is a somapath, with the ability to heal others by the laying on of hands. Chief Engineer Master Avella and her father, Safir, a respected Healer, send Dovella into the wilderness with Zagoad, a trusted guide to discover why the Village's water supply seems to be drying up. Despite attacks by the renegades from the Hill people and the Plains people who have been influenced by the power hungry villager Havkad, Dovella and Zagoad successfully fix he engineering glitch that Havkad has arranged in order to gain power. Dovella is initiated as a true Healer by the Khanti-Lafta herself, the greatest Healer in Hill country. A sequel, determining perhaps how all these disparate groups can reconcile, is in the works.

Dovella is a strong character whose arrogance and prejudices, a result of her closeted life, are gradually whittled away by her dramatic experiences in the wilderness with the stoic, yet talented guide, Zagoad. Secondary characters are all well drawn, coming to life in crisp dialogue and internal reflection.

Dovella's Village, overseen by three moons and the myths of Edlena, strives to survive by scrupulous attention to the past. The Villagers delight in their medieval ties to the land. Dovella and Zagoad's journey through the wilderness brings the land into sharp relief, complete with its own animals, plants and insects that enliven both journey and story.

Anne Gray's themes (the necessity of co-operation, consultation and the importance of the acceptance of others' beliefs and hopes) ring out in the political tangles with the Village and between the different peoples of this mythical land.

Middle school fantasy fans will delightfully turn the pages of this good fantasy and will eagerly look forward to its sequel.

Fantasy fans in search of strong female heroes and intelligent, fast-paced adventure will enjoy Rites of the Healer, by Anne Gray and published by Sumach Press. Sixteen-year-old Dovella lives in a world where technology and ritual intertwine. When the Sacred Machine that provides the village with electricity fails, Dovella must journey to across the land to fix the problem. On her travels, Dovella struggles to overcome the oppression of a rising sinister power, sees past her prejudices and discovers that remaining true to yourself takes more than strong words. Although set in an alternate reality, readers will see reflections of their own modern world in Rites of the Healer and draw strength from Dovella's journey.