Reviews

Damia, child of the legendary Rowan and inheritor of her mother's formidable telepathic powers, faces a test of courage and self-control as the planet Deneb is threatened by an insidious alien attacker. This sequel to The Rowan (Ace, 1990) extends the story of a remarkable group of people into a second generation. Although the plot verges on the melodramatic and the central characters suffer from an overabundance of self-awareness, McCaffrey's legion of fans will undoubtedly want this. Otherwise, a marginal sf romantic adventure. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 3/1/92

YA-- This is the second volume in McCaffrey's latest trilogy. In The Rowan (Ace, 1991), she introduced FT&T, Federal Telepath and Teleport, an organization that, through the use of psi talents, is responsible for interstellar communication. This well-written book centers around Damia (the daughter of Rowan and Jeff Raven) and Afra Lyon, Rowan's second-in-command. The story follows the girl from birth into adulthood, as she becomes a beautiful, young woman who is enormously talented in FT&T. Afra starts out as Damia's babysitter and becomes her friend, teacher, and ultimately her husband. This title climaxes with Damia battling a powerful alien invader. McCaffrey has created another memorable, independent female protagonist and fully fleshed-out, secondary characters who behave in a believable manner. Damia is a tighter, stronger story than The Rowan , and stands on its own. A superb sci-fi romance.-- John Lawson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

In this second volume of the trilogy begun with The Rowan , McCaffrey introduces Damia Raven, brilliant and willful daughter of Angharad Gwyn (the Rowan) and Jeff Raven, leaders of the psionic Talents of Federal Telepath & Teleport, who make interstellar commerce possible. The precocious Damia's difficult childhood is made tolerable by the care and solicitude of Afra Lyon, her parents' valued friend and assistant, who secretly loves the child as much as he did her mother. Maturing as a Prime--the most powerful of the orders of psis--Damia is sent to run the FT&T Tower on the new colony of Iota Aurigae. She lives there in petulant loneliness, having rejected or alienated all Talented potential mates, until she touches the alien mind of Sodan, many light-years away. Concerned about an alien invasion like the one suffered a generation previously, her family sends Afra to evaluate the dangers of Damia's infatuation. In a forceful resolution, Damia suffers a deep loss but finds her salvation. McCaffrey interweaves an engrossing romance with a coming-of-age story as she examines the issue of responsibility in a society where survival depends on the abilities of a gifted few. (July)