Shaman (novel)
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Literature |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Kim Stanley Robinson |
| Products | Book |
Shaman: A Novel of the Ice Age is a 2013 novel authored by Kim Stanley Robinson. Set during the Ice Age, it centers on a young apprentice shaman from a tribe of European early modern humans as he acquires both survival techniques and spiritual knowledge.
Synopsis
The story opens with Loon, a twelve-year-old boy belonging to the Wolf Pack tribe, undertaking a solitary two-week survival trial in a remote valley. Despite facing challenges such as heavy rain and an injury while evading Neanderthals—referred to as 'Old Ones' by his people—Loon successfully applies the skills imparted by Thorn, the tribe’s shaman.
Loon is part of the Wolf Pack, a nomadic hunter-gatherer group that follows seasonal migrations of caribou, fish, and deer. Orphaned at a young age, he is guided by Thorn in mastering survival tactics, spiritual realms, and cave art. Heather, an adept medicine woman, also plays a significant role within the tribe.
Each summer, various local groups convene for the 'eight eight' festival, a gathering for exchanging stories and astronomical insights. During this event, Loon encounters Elga, who chooses to leave her own tribe to join his. They marry and have a child together, despite Thorn’s objections to shamans entering into marriage.
The subsequent year brings turmoil when Elga is captured by the northern Jende tribe. Loon attempts a rescue but is taken prisoner himself. The Jende inhabit areas near the Great Salt Sea ice cap and rely on enslaved labor. While separated from Elga, Loon spends the winter working alongside Jende hunters.
Pippiloette, a traveler who escaped captivity, informs the Wolf Pack of their plight. Thorn enlists Click—an Old One who communicates without speech but demonstrates intelligence—to help locate and free Loon and Elga. They mount a surprise assault on the Jende and embark on a hazardous journey back through snow-covered wilderness. Click dies near their homeland; Thorn consumes his body to endure the harsh conditions. Eventually, they return safely to the Pack.
Back with their people, Thorn is troubled by visions of Click’s spirit concerning the treatment of his remains. The Pack opts out of attending the next festival but plans to participate later. Expecting demands for compensation from the Jende, Thorn instructs Loon to create enhanced snowshoes crafted from rare bark unavailable to northern tribes. At the following festival, Elga declines to go back; the Jende reluctantly accept Loon’s innovative snowshoes.
Thorn falls ill and passes away, urging Loon to continue sharing his wisdom. Later, while painting animals in the cave, Loon becomes lost for four days before being found—a symbolic moment of spiritual renewal. The novel concludes with Loon mentoring his son as a shaman, carrying forward Thorn’s teachings with a subtle gesture acknowledging errors.
Setting
The narrative takes place approximately 32,000 years ago in present-day southern France, specifically within the Chauvet Cave, renowned for its extraordinary prehistoric artwork. The viewpoint reflects the limited knowledge of its characters, culminating in Loon creating images of the cave’s authentic fighting rhinoceroses and horse heads in the final chapter.
Reception
Shaman garnered varied critiques: Publishers Weekly described it as "entertaining yet somewhat insubstantial," while Kirkus Reviews highlighted its detailed depiction but considered its storyline modest compared to Robinson’s typically expansive works. National Public Radio commended its vivid environment portrayal, whereas The New Yorker found its depiction of Ice Age society less brutal and alien than archaeological evidence might indicate.