From Publishers Weekly
Thomson's lyrical, episodic tale of symbiosis between humans and aliens and of a boy's growth to adulthood recalls Heinlein's beloved Citizen of the Galaxy, which enchants with both details and broad strokes. On the primitive water planet of Thalassa, with its few clutches of small islands, Teller, a seemingly simple, elderly woman, rescues a destitute eight-year-old orphan, Samad. Besides belonging to the revered Storyteller guild, whose mission is to alleviate social ills and disseminate history and morality, Teller has another identity that readers will have the pleasure of suspecting well before she lets her young charge in on the secret. Thalassa's human colonizers depend on the ability of some people to communicate with the native harsel, charming, sentient whale-like creatures, inside whose "backs" they travel between islands. Having benefited from off-world rejuvenation drugs, Teller is also part of a much larger intergalactic culture, which was responsible for Samad's childhood problems. Eschewing technological explanation, the author explores such familiar SF themes as rejuvenation and longevity, interstellar societies and ecological balance. Some may find the major plot shifts and gaps in chronology jarring, but all will feel touched by mystery and wonder. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
On Thalassa, a watery world dotted with thousands of archipelagos, history is kept by the Storytellers. Samad, an orphan, has nothing to pay Teller, however, so in exchange for her knowledge, he becomes a guide for the storyteller, who is also a har-captain. The har are telepathic fish native to Thalassa, and Teller's har, Abeha, is one of the oldest and largest of them. Storyteller follows Samad from his adoption by Teller, through the difficulties of growing up and travels off-planet to the day when he must choose between responsibility to Thalassa and freedom. Woven in throughout are revelations about Samad's favorite story, the history of the Pilot, the first human on Thalassa, who prepared the way for later colonists. Thomson's well-crafted account of growing up immersed in history and travel is suffused with great caring for a place that, though considered an impoverished backwater by some, is culturally and historically wealthy. Regina Schroeder
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
Set on a water-rich planet covered with thousands of islands and archipelagos, Amy Thomson's profoundly moving and eloquently bittersweet novel is an emotionally charged story that revolves around the loving relationship between a mysterious old storyteller, a sentient sea beast, and a young street urchin named Samad.

On a planet where history and folklore are passed on through storytelling, Teller is the master. Older than anyone can remember, she has been a fixture visiting the small communities of Thalassa, sharing stories about the Pilot, the legendary burned-out space pilot who was stranded on the unexplored planet of Thalassa. On the verge of suicide, the Pilot was saved by a gigantic sea creature that could communicate with her telepathically. The Pilot learned more about the amazing creatures (she called them harsels) and lived with them for decades. Eventually, more colonists came to Thalassa, and -- after a few volatile disagreements -- a compact was ultimately established that allowed humans and harsels not only to live in peace together but to cooperate in bettering each other's lives.

In her travels, Teller fatefully meets Samad, a homeless orphan, and reluctantly takes him on as an apprentice. Together they journey through the wild and beautiful world in the hold of her harsel partner Abeha. But Teller and Abeha are both getting old, and someone has to continue Teller's mysterious work and learn her secrets.

For a novel that deals so intimately with death and dying, Storyteller is surprisingly inspirational. Heartbreaking, haunting, and intimate, this is a rare novel readers will not soon forget. Paul Goat Allen

FROM THE PUBLISHER

On the planet of Thalassa, history is passed on from generation to generation, village to village by Storytellers. Crowds gather in the public marketplace to listen, paying them with coins, with food, with lodging, whatever they can offer.

For a woman who calls herself Teller, storytelling is her life. She travels the many oceans of Thalassa with her harsel, the great sea-beast to whom she is telepathically bonded. At her side is a young street boy named Samad, whom she reluctantly took in as an apprentice. He will grow up under her care - both delighting and disappointing her with the choices he makes along the way. And he will eventually discover the secret at the heart of Teller's life - a discovery that will change him profoundly.

FROM THE CRITICS

Booklist

A well-crafted account of growing up...

Publishers Weekly

Thomson's lyrical, episodic tale of symbiosis between humans and aliens and of a boy's growth to adulthood recalls Heinlein's beloved Citizen of the Galaxy, which enchants with both details and broad strokes. On the primitive water planet of Thalassa, with its few clutches of small islands, Teller, a seemingly simple, elderly woman, rescues a destitute eight-year-old orphan, Samad. Besides belonging to the revered Storyteller guild, whose mission is to alleviate social ills and disseminate history and morality, Teller has another identity that readers will have the pleasure of suspecting well before she lets her young charge in on the secret. Thalassa's human colonizers depend on the ability of some people to communicate with the native harsel, charming, sentient whale-like creatures, inside whose "backs" they travel between islands. Having benefited from off-world rejuvenation drugs, Teller is also part of a much larger intergalactic culture, which was responsible for Samad's childhood problems. Eschewing technological explanation, the author explores such familiar SF themes as rejuvenation and longevity, interstellar societies and ecological balance. Some may find the major plot shifts and gaps in chronology jarring, but all will feel touched by mystery and wonder. (Dec. 2) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

KLIATT - Deirdre Root

On the Earth colony of Thalassa, gentle whale-like harsal swim the seas, some with their telepathically bonded human companions, and history is passed on from generation to generation by the venerated Storyteller's Guild. Teller, the oldest living storyteller, rescues a scruffy orphan boy and makes him her apprentice. As he grows up under her care, Samad learns how both the Storytellers and the har-captains help keep human society running smoothly—and also learns Teller's secrets and how they will affect his life. The story is basically a mythology of the planet, and the writing is respectful to the point of being stilted; the characters never quite come to life. But the planet is beautiful, and the tale is nicely told. Fans of thoughtful SF should enjoy it. KLIATT Codes: SA—Recommended for senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2003, Penguin, Berkley, Ace, 374p., Ages 15 to adult.

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