I really enjoyed this book even though fantasy is not a preferred genre for me. I think because the fantasy aspect was limited to a few talents and otherwise the story was about people striving to do their best in a world gone temporarily made. Oh yes, and there are also great battle scenes on the sea and hidden tunnels and gorgeous clothing and romantic liasions and skulduggery so that I was compelled to keep reading.

Sian Alkattha is a mature woman who runs a textile business with her husband of many years. The passion has long gone out of their marriage but they have a good partnership so they stay together. Sian also has a lover, Konstantin Reikos, a ship's captain who often comes to Alizar, the island nation where Sian lives. Two years before the events of the book take place a giant body washed up on the shore of one of the islands. The Factor, ruler of the nation, decreed that the body be cut up and the meat distributed to the poor. Since then a religious cult has taken to wandering the streets in the name of the Butchered God. The members of the cult are the poor mostly and they have withdrawn their labour so the merchants are finding it hard to stay in business. Sian falls into the hands of the mob and she is beaten badly by the priest of the Butchered God. When she awakes the next morning all her injuries have healed and she feels better than she has in years. Then she discovers she can heal anyone with her touch. She remembers the priest saying that she is to deliver a message to the Factor, a distant cousin, but she has no idea what the message is to be. Her fame as a healer spreads throughout the islands and this brings her to the attention of some of the powerful people. These people do not really want a healer encouraging the poor. Poor Sian suffers for this gift that she did not ask for but feels compelled to use.

Jay Lake has died of cancer since writing this book. He and the other author, Shannon Page, collaborated on it before he became too ill but the final draft was left to Shannon. I find the idea of collaborating in writing a book interesting and, in this case, it certainly worked out well. ( )