Shaman

Robinson takes readers back about thirty thousand years to the last Ice Age, when small bands of people moved across a harsh and unpredictable landscape. At the center of the story is Thorn, an aging shaman whose role gives him a place of authority within his group. Elga, an outsider who lives on the edges of the community, is also central to the narrative and sees the people around her from a different vantage point. The novel also follows Loon, the young man being groomed to succeed Thorn, as he tries to work out what kind of spiritual leader he will become in a world where survival is never guaranteed. Robinson, better known for his science fiction, uses this prehistoric setting to explore belief, belonging and the pressures of leadership.