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A Shaman's Tale from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper
Otto is Richard Krugg's only son and heir to the Shaman's gift. The only problem is Otto doesn't want it. He wants to be a fisherman. When company policies force unwelcome changes onto his life and threaten even the security of the village, Otto discovers that being a shaman isn't optional.
Jimmy Pirano is caught between the devil and the deep green sea when new production quotas are handed down from corporate headquarters. Locked into a century of existing practice, Jimmy is forced to find new ways to fish and new places to do it in or face the very real possibility that Pirano Fisheries will lose the St. Cloud franchise.
Join Otto, Richard, and Rachel Krugg as they struggle with what it means to be the son of a shaman. Cast off with Jimmy, Tony, and Casey as they navigate the shoals and shallows of corporate fishery along the South Coast.
Otto is Richard Krugg's only son and heir to the Shaman's gift. The only problem is Otto doesn't want it. He wants to be a fisherman. When company policies force unwelcome changes onto his life and threaten even the security of the village, Otto discovers that being a shaman isn't optional.
Jimmy Pirano is caught between the devil and the deep green sea when new production quotas are handed down from corporate headquarters. Locked into a century of existing practice, Jimmy is forced to find new ways to fish and new places to do it in or face the very real possibility that Pirano Fisheries will lose the St. Cloud franchise.
Join Otto, Richard, and Rachel Krugg as they struggle with what it means to be the son of a shaman. Cast off with Jimmy, Tony, and Casey as they navigate the shoals and shallows of corporate fishery along the South Coast.
285 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2007
404 people are currently reading
605 people want to read
About the author
Nathan Lowell
46 books1,633 followersNathan Lowell has been a writer for more than forty years, and first entered the literary world by podcasting his novels. His sci-fi series, The Golden Age of the Solar Clipper grew from his long time fascination with space opera and his own experiences shipboard in the United States Coast Guard. Unlike most works which focus on a larger-than-life hero (prophesized savior, charismatic captain, or exiled prince), Nathan centers on the people behind the scenes--ordinary men and women trying to make a living in the depths of space. In his novels, there are no bug-eyed monsters, or galactic space battles, instead he paints a richly vivid and realistic world where the "hero" uses hard work and his own innate talents to improve his station and the lives of those of his community.
Dr. Nathan Lowell holds a Ph.D. in Educational Technology with specializations in Distance Education and Instructional Design. He also holds an M.A. in Educational Technology and a BS in Business Administration. He grew up on the south coast of Maine and is strongly rooted in the maritime heritage of the sea-farer. He served in the USCG from 1970 to 1975, seeing duty aboard a cutter on hurricane patrol in the North Atlantic and at a communications station in Kodiak, Alaska. He currently lives in the plains east of the Rocky Mountains with his wife and two daughters.
Awards & Recognition
2008 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for Full Share
2008 Podiobooks Founder's Choice Award for Double Share
2008 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for South Coast
2009 Podiobooks Founder's Choice Award for Captain's Share
2009 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for Double Share
4 out of 10 Books on Podiobooks.com Top Overall Rated by Votes (2. Double Share, 3. Quarter Share, 5. Full Share, 8. Half Share) -- as of Jan 4, 2009
6 out of 10 Books on Podiobooks.com Top Overall Rating (1. Ravenwood, 2. Quarter Share, 3. Double share, 4. Captain's Share, 5. Full Share, 7. South Coast) -- as of Jan 4, 2009
Dr. Nathan Lowell holds a Ph.D. in Educational Technology with specializations in Distance Education and Instructional Design. He also holds an M.A. in Educational Technology and a BS in Business Administration. He grew up on the south coast of Maine and is strongly rooted in the maritime heritage of the sea-farer. He served in the USCG from 1970 to 1975, seeing duty aboard a cutter on hurricane patrol in the North Atlantic and at a communications station in Kodiak, Alaska. He currently lives in the plains east of the Rocky Mountains with his wife and two daughters.
Awards & Recognition
2008 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for Full Share
2008 Podiobooks Founder's Choice Award for Double Share
2008 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for South Coast
2009 Podiobooks Founder's Choice Award for Captain's Share
2009 Parsec Award Finalist for Best Speculative Fiction for Double Share
4 out of 10 Books on Podiobooks.com Top Overall Rated by Votes (2. Double Share, 3. Quarter Share, 5. Full Share, 8. Half Share) -- as of Jan 4, 2009
6 out of 10 Books on Podiobooks.com Top Overall Rating (1. Ravenwood, 2. Quarter Share, 3. Double share, 4. Captain's Share, 5. Full Share, 7. South Coast) -- as of Jan 4, 2009
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
April 15, 2013
Nathan Lowell has a strking ability to make the ordinary extraordinary, without the conceits of fiction that are found in so much mainstream literature. I'm sure his next project will be about painting a room, and it will be tremendously exciting and a thrill to read.
In the Trader Tales series, he wove lessons on economics into the story and showed us how he could apply and extend his own shipboard experience to space travel in the future. In Ravenwood, Lowell flexed his literary muscles, effortlessly providing us with the nuances of herbology and holistic medicine for a tale set in a time on the opposite side of the spectrum. In Shaman Tales, he expands on the universe of the Solar Clipper, and applies his more direct experience to the future of fishing as an industry.
In Shaman Tales, the story has a wee bit of a steampunk feel to it, combining traditional fishing technique with advance prefabrication technology. Moreso than the other Tales of the Solar Clipper, this story focuses more on skill and ability than training. There is no mention of training or certifications that can advance a fisherman from deckhand to mate to skipper; it seems obvious in the telling that the only way you're going to advance is through hard work, experience, and on-the-job training. Fishing, as an industry, lacks only unionization, which would actually hamper the plotline significantly.
Shaman Tales is two separate stories. One is of a young boy, the son of the village shaman. It is his birthright to become a shaman, but he struggles with his desires to be the fisherman his father won't let him be. There's a good bit of backstory behind the Welkies that were introduced in the Trader Tales, and it feels right at home.
The second story is about the fishing company's struggle to deal with new quotas that have been handed down from corporate headquarters. They are universally decried as unreasonable and unattainable, yet the management must find ways to try to meet that quota. At times, the stories intersect. Of course, when they do, it feels very organic and flows nicely.
This is not an edge-of-your-seat story, though it is rife with tension that any reader can relate to. Job performance and security is something that most of us have to think about on a daily basis, and this story raises some pretty harrowing circumstance. It's interesting to see the same kind of reactions that working humans would see if this happened to us at work as well: indignation, blustering, some abandonment, and eventually people hunkering down to try to solve the problem at hand. I hope to see more in this series.
In the Trader Tales series, he wove lessons on economics into the story and showed us how he could apply and extend his own shipboard experience to space travel in the future. In Ravenwood, Lowell flexed his literary muscles, effortlessly providing us with the nuances of herbology and holistic medicine for a tale set in a time on the opposite side of the spectrum. In Shaman Tales, he expands on the universe of the Solar Clipper, and applies his more direct experience to the future of fishing as an industry.
In Shaman Tales, the story has a wee bit of a steampunk feel to it, combining traditional fishing technique with advance prefabrication technology. Moreso than the other Tales of the Solar Clipper, this story focuses more on skill and ability than training. There is no mention of training or certifications that can advance a fisherman from deckhand to mate to skipper; it seems obvious in the telling that the only way you're going to advance is through hard work, experience, and on-the-job training. Fishing, as an industry, lacks only unionization, which would actually hamper the plotline significantly.
Shaman Tales is two separate stories. One is of a young boy, the son of the village shaman. It is his birthright to become a shaman, but he struggles with his desires to be the fisherman his father won't let him be. There's a good bit of backstory behind the Welkies that were introduced in the Trader Tales, and it feels right at home.
The second story is about the fishing company's struggle to deal with new quotas that have been handed down from corporate headquarters. They are universally decried as unreasonable and unattainable, yet the management must find ways to try to meet that quota. At times, the stories intersect. Of course, when they do, it feels very organic and flows nicely.
This is not an edge-of-your-seat story, though it is rife with tension that any reader can relate to. Job performance and security is something that most of us have to think about on a daily basis, and this story raises some pretty harrowing circumstance. It's interesting to see the same kind of reactions that working humans would see if this happened to us at work as well: indignation, blustering, some abandonment, and eventually people hunkering down to try to solve the problem at hand. I hope to see more in this series.
July 3, 2020
An enjoyable read. A little slow starting, but eventually I was invested, and enjoying being so.
November 3, 2020
I remember listening to Nathan Lowell's narration of this when it was written. (Still available free on iTunes.) It'd been so long that I only remembered the very big plot points. Young Otto wants to become a fisherman while his father insists that tradition be followed, "The son of a shaman is a shaman." Jimmy Pirano has a different family problem. His family is the power behind the corporation that runs the company planet snd they've just been given impossible quotas that will force a lot of the inhabitants out of business.
This is a story in a space opera setting but, as with all of Lowell's tales, it focuses on the people, business, and problem that has to go on behind the scenes. I find these stories engrossing as problems are worked through, different points of view and communications are shared that enlighten instead of setting people at loggerheads, and ordinary people find themselves. All these things are accomplished in exotic settings and circumstances, as is fitting for sf.
Seeing that there are now two more in the series I began again at the beginning and am glad I did. Very enjoyable, light reading.
This is a story in a space opera setting but, as with all of Lowell's tales, it focuses on the people, business, and problem that has to go on behind the scenes. I find these stories engrossing as problems are worked through, different points of view and communications are shared that enlighten instead of setting people at loggerheads, and ordinary people find themselves. All these things are accomplished in exotic settings and circumstances, as is fitting for sf.
Seeing that there are now two more in the series I began again at the beginning and am glad I did. Very enjoyable, light reading.
March 9, 2024
Sea Magic and Great Characters
The book cover is beautiful but its the characters that drew me into this one and kept me reading until I actually reached the end. Basically I just read this whole book in one sitting. I certainly didn't expect it to be this interesting, so it has surprised me in that regard.
The relationship between Otto and his father Richard is what really carries this story. Richard is the shaman and the rules say that the son of the shaman becomes the next shaman. But young 14 year old Otto has no desire to be a shaman, not when all the other kids in his town are out on boats fishing. He feels left out and mighty confused. How can his father be a shaman when all he does is walk along the beach to pick up bits of shell and driftwood? It makes no sense.
Otto comes of age in here and he goes through a wonderful character arc. And as I read this it was plain to see who the real shaman was. So many amazing details. Never have I read something where the author can describe an animal so clearly, precisely but only use a few select words. Amazing! Plus the added strife between Otto and his father adds extra tension as they cannot agree on what being a true shaman means.
The other part of the story is about the fishing quota that is pushed on everyone in here. Simply put its impossible to meet. But through creative thinking and people working together they show superb problem solving skills... Will it work? You will have to read it to find out.
I definitely preferred the parts with Otto. And I guess I have some doubts about the long term affect of the fishing solution they came up with in here - will it work on a yearly basis? No idea. But there certainly was some danger in here near the climax - although I never actually felt any worry or tension. I guess I just trusted in the shaman would use his powers to fix everything.
Its clear the author spent time thinking about what a shaman is and what kind of powers they have. Its nothing outrageous or anything. No Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings type magic in here. Its more natural and low key. More nature based: listening to the world and seeing what a thing can be. Being in tune with the world around you and just knowing things, even if you don't know how you know.
I had a fun relaxing time reading this. It certainly has surpassed any expectations I had. The author has created a wonderful world here. I will definitely read more of these.
The book cover is beautiful but its the characters that drew me into this one and kept me reading until I actually reached the end. Basically I just read this whole book in one sitting. I certainly didn't expect it to be this interesting, so it has surprised me in that regard.
The relationship between Otto and his father Richard is what really carries this story. Richard is the shaman and the rules say that the son of the shaman becomes the next shaman. But young 14 year old Otto has no desire to be a shaman, not when all the other kids in his town are out on boats fishing. He feels left out and mighty confused. How can his father be a shaman when all he does is walk along the beach to pick up bits of shell and driftwood? It makes no sense.
Otto comes of age in here and he goes through a wonderful character arc. And as I read this it was plain to see who the real shaman was. So many amazing details. Never have I read something where the author can describe an animal so clearly, precisely but only use a few select words. Amazing! Plus the added strife between Otto and his father adds extra tension as they cannot agree on what being a true shaman means.
The other part of the story is about the fishing quota that is pushed on everyone in here. Simply put its impossible to meet. But through creative thinking and people working together they show superb problem solving skills... Will it work? You will have to read it to find out.
I definitely preferred the parts with Otto. And I guess I have some doubts about the long term affect of the fishing solution they came up with in here - will it work on a yearly basis? No idea. But there certainly was some danger in here near the climax - although I never actually felt any worry or tension. I guess I just trusted in the shaman would use his powers to fix everything.
Its clear the author spent time thinking about what a shaman is and what kind of powers they have. Its nothing outrageous or anything. No Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings type magic in here. Its more natural and low key. More nature based: listening to the world and seeing what a thing can be. Being in tune with the world around you and just knowing things, even if you don't know how you know.
I had a fun relaxing time reading this. It certainly has surpassed any expectations I had. The author has created a wonderful world here. I will definitely read more of these.
October 11, 2015
The synopsis for this book is right on the money. So I'm not going to go into the details, just to my thoughts.
There is a true family aspect here with Richard, Rachel, and Otto. I love it. They are a family and love each other, don't always agree but work through it as a unit. This is wonderful to see.
We see welkies! If you listen/read Golden Age of the Solar Clipper series with Ish, you know what a welkie is. Shamans make them. And we see them right here where they start and how they evolve to the amazing little statues they are.
This story is told with different Point of Views. This way we get all sides of the story - a Shaman and the Business owner as well as the low workers. Even though the workers are the ones who do the labor, Jimmy Pirano - the son who runs the branch in this area - doesn't forget where he and his father came from. They worked their way up to where they are, and he won't forget it. We hear from Otto and his family, Jimmy and the business side of fishing. Both have their own lives, yet meet in the middle.
Nathan sets up a whole world and environment here on this planet. A planet and production that is affected by needs out in space. A fishing port on land, which is kind of the same set up and idea as going into deep dark space but on the vast sea. Boats and crews and a business of trade, same general aspect as Ish's story. However, the fishers have a quota they are required to meet, and it's been raised.
Nathan is meticulous at creating well defined systems of work and money. The marketing system is well defined, and the people are in a normal routine to do as they do best. The manipulators are high up the ladder, but there is always two sides. We get a feel for the little guy and working class as Nathan is wonderful at doing. How the workers are affected by the numbers. And as much as I love the idea, I think this is why this one was a bit slower for me. I love to fish, but I wasn't as taken with the fishing business, yet I couldn't stop listening out of curiosity of what will happen on this world. It's well done, but I wasn't as into the story.
Then we have the Shaman side, as we got further into the story I started to really get curious about this aspect and loved what I saw. This was the growth of a young boy into his family heritage, and even the father as well. This shows you what a Shaman does and is rather than tell you, and for what we learn of the Shaman, this is the best way to experience it.
If you've listened/read Nathan's tales with Ish, you know of Sarah Krugg. This tale is of the Krugg family, but not of Sarah. This is long before her. This story doesn't relate to the Golden Clipper series, other than it's a world in it's Universe.
A trader's tale of another kind. In the end, I enjoyed the magic I saw unlocked in a Shaman, and how a world grew to be more than what it already is.
There is a true family aspect here with Richard, Rachel, and Otto. I love it. They are a family and love each other, don't always agree but work through it as a unit. This is wonderful to see.
We see welkies! If you listen/read Golden Age of the Solar Clipper series with Ish, you know what a welkie is. Shamans make them. And we see them right here where they start and how they evolve to the amazing little statues they are.
This story is told with different Point of Views. This way we get all sides of the story - a Shaman and the Business owner as well as the low workers. Even though the workers are the ones who do the labor, Jimmy Pirano - the son who runs the branch in this area - doesn't forget where he and his father came from. They worked their way up to where they are, and he won't forget it. We hear from Otto and his family, Jimmy and the business side of fishing. Both have their own lives, yet meet in the middle.
Nathan sets up a whole world and environment here on this planet. A planet and production that is affected by needs out in space. A fishing port on land, which is kind of the same set up and idea as going into deep dark space but on the vast sea. Boats and crews and a business of trade, same general aspect as Ish's story. However, the fishers have a quota they are required to meet, and it's been raised.
Nathan is meticulous at creating well defined systems of work and money. The marketing system is well defined, and the people are in a normal routine to do as they do best. The manipulators are high up the ladder, but there is always two sides. We get a feel for the little guy and working class as Nathan is wonderful at doing. How the workers are affected by the numbers. And as much as I love the idea, I think this is why this one was a bit slower for me. I love to fish, but I wasn't as taken with the fishing business, yet I couldn't stop listening out of curiosity of what will happen on this world. It's well done, but I wasn't as into the story.
Then we have the Shaman side, as we got further into the story I started to really get curious about this aspect and loved what I saw. This was the growth of a young boy into his family heritage, and even the father as well. This shows you what a Shaman does and is rather than tell you, and for what we learn of the Shaman, this is the best way to experience it.
If you've listened/read Nathan's tales with Ish, you know of Sarah Krugg. This tale is of the Krugg family, but not of Sarah. This is long before her. This story doesn't relate to the Golden Clipper series, other than it's a world in it's Universe.
A trader's tale of another kind. In the end, I enjoyed the magic I saw unlocked in a Shaman, and how a world grew to be more than what it already is.
December 31, 2015
If you enjoyed the Solar Clipper series then you will enjoy South Coast. Once again Nathan Lowell uses Science Fiction to concentrate on the everyday life of worker bees as opposed to focusing on those with their hands on the levers of power. In this case, fishing quotas for the fisher folk of the South Coast are drastically increased due to mega corporation moving into the Dunsey Roads sector resulting in a huge increase in the amount of food required sector wide. The problem: South Coast is set on a company planet. If you don't meet your quota you lose your boat. Lose your position and you lose your right to remain on the planet. Nathan Lowell has a unique ability to set everyday working life within the context of a high tech interstellar society. As was noted in a review of Quarter Share, he can spend a whole chapter concentrating on the task of making good coffee AND make it interesting. He is able to do the same with the various tasks of fishing as the people of South Coast and their company choose new strategies to meet the new quotas.
This is also a story about the role of spirituality within a high tech society as a young man comes to terms with his future role as his community's shaman. It is fascinating to see how spirituality and tradition continue to play a strong role in they high tech fisher society of South Coast.
This is also a story about the role of spirituality within a high tech society as a young man comes to terms with his future role as his community's shaman. It is fascinating to see how spirituality and tradition continue to play a strong role in they high tech fisher society of South Coast.
October 30, 2020
Lowell, Nathan. South Coast. 2007. Shaman’s Tales from the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper. No. 1. Nathan Lowell, 2014.
If you like, you might consider South Coast a prequel to Nathan Lowell’s Quarter Share. Set in a fishing village on South Coast some 47 years before the beginning of Quarter Share, it tells the story of the coming of age of Otto Krugg, who will become the father of Sarah Krugg, the woman who replaces Ishmael Wong on the mess deck of the Lois McKendrick. It is a quietly intense tale that tells us as much about corporate greed and the fishing economy as it does about shamanism. But that is the sort of scifi fantasy we have come to expect from Lowell. It has a nice story arc, and it avoids the worst excesses of family melodrama—something that is very rare in coming-of-age stories.
If you like, you might consider South Coast a prequel to Nathan Lowell’s Quarter Share. Set in a fishing village on South Coast some 47 years before the beginning of Quarter Share, it tells the story of the coming of age of Otto Krugg, who will become the father of Sarah Krugg, the woman who replaces Ishmael Wong on the mess deck of the Lois McKendrick. It is a quietly intense tale that tells us as much about corporate greed and the fishing economy as it does about shamanism. But that is the sort of scifi fantasy we have come to expect from Lowell. It has a nice story arc, and it avoids the worst excesses of family melodrama—something that is very rare in coming-of-age stories.
May 13, 2019
[12 May 2019]
Set in the same universe as Lowell's wonderful books about Ishmael Wang, this is a very different tale. Tells the story of a young boy, son of a shaman in a South Coast fishing village, destined to be shaman himself one day. It's a well told tale, full of fishing and local politics and people striving to improve. I avoided this book for a long time since I'm not a fan of fishing or of most psi stories, but I love Lowell's other books, so I finally decided to try it and I'm glad I did. Who else could make fishing fascinating?
Set in the same universe as Lowell's wonderful books about Ishmael Wang, this is a very different tale. Tells the story of a young boy, son of a shaman in a South Coast fishing village, destined to be shaman himself one day. It's a well told tale, full of fishing and local politics and people striving to improve. I avoided this book for a long time since I'm not a fan of fishing or of most psi stories, but I love Lowell's other books, so I finally decided to try it and I'm glad I did. Who else could make fishing fascinating?
June 26, 2012
Was tipped off to Nathan Lowell's Quarter Share by the excellent podcast starshipsofa's excellent cheapskate review. Available as free audiobook download from also excellent podiobooks. Ended out reading the entire excellent series and (obviously) paying for it. A low key personal and at times somewhat wistfully melancholic adventure.
June 6, 2015
This one didn't wow me as much as the Tanyth Fairport series. I was more interested in the shaman's family than the company people. And I felt that the company people were a little 2 dimensional.
For my taste, there was a little too much information about commercial fishing.
But I will continue to check out any books by this author.
For my taste, there was a little too much information about commercial fishing.
But I will continue to check out any books by this author.
May 14, 2020
Really good and really boring
If I didn’t like his other works I wouldn’t have finished. Half the story is entertaining and enjoyable. The storyline about fishing quotas was boring with no character development.
If I didn’t like his other works I wouldn’t have finished. Half the story is entertaining and enjoyable. The storyline about fishing quotas was boring with no character development.
July 24, 2018
"South Coast" is what I'm coming to see as "quiet SF", where there are no explosions or galactic empires. A good example of the genre is M.C.A. Hogarth's "Mindtouch". This one, I'm ambivalent about. "South Coast"'s blurb talks about how one main character (Otto) is fated to become a shaman, and the other (Jimmy) is dealing with a corporate threat to the whole coast's fishing economy. Did the book deliver on those plots? Yes, and it was interesting enough to keep reading, but it didn't deliver anything particularly exciting or touching.
Otto finds he's becoming a shaman. What does that mean in this SF setting? It means he learns how to identify interesting bits of wood and carve them into little animal totems that may or may not actually do anything; and he occasionally has minor insights about villagers' lives. Not only is there no real conflict over whether his powers are real or meaningful, his existence has no effect on the other plotline. He could be the reluctant son of a pastry chef, or die on page two, for all it matters. So this story is a quiet stand-alone plot about a boy reluctantly deciding to follow in his father's footsteps to... walk the beach and carve driftwood. I wasn't moved by this. I was kind of hoping for actual magic/tech powers of some sort, or having the shamanic religion interact with other events in a way that matters, or some discussion about how religion works in a future setting. The father does one thing that might be magical, but neither the truth of it nor anyone's opinion matters, so why is it there? The scene would've been about the same without it.
The fishing plot is more interesting. A mysterious directive gets handed down from corporate management, and there's reason to think it's a stock scam or an attempt to chase everybody off the planet by force, ruining the lives of the colonists. I expected a heroic effort to defend the people's home while uncovering the truth and fending off outsiders who want them to fail for nefarious or callous reasons. What actually happens? When the directive's reason gets revealed, the characters just say "oh" and go back to recalculating optimal fishery harvest tactics. (For comparison, imagine "The Martian" if Watney didn't have to travel, and was just building potato greenhouses.) There's talk of a mighty engineering project to do something hard and spectacular to make quota, but this idea gets scaled down and proceeds without incident.
"Proceeds without incident" sums up the book, actually. I don't demand starships exploding in every story, but if there's no action plot, does anybody face a tough moral choice and grow from their experience? Here, I don't think so. So, there's kind of an interesting story here, but it didn't excite me.
Otto finds he's becoming a shaman. What does that mean in this SF setting? It means he learns how to identify interesting bits of wood and carve them into little animal totems that may or may not actually do anything; and he occasionally has minor insights about villagers' lives. Not only is there no real conflict over whether his powers are real or meaningful, his existence has no effect on the other plotline. He could be the reluctant son of a pastry chef, or die on page two, for all it matters. So this story is a quiet stand-alone plot about a boy reluctantly deciding to follow in his father's footsteps to... walk the beach and carve driftwood. I wasn't moved by this. I was kind of hoping for actual magic/tech powers of some sort, or having the shamanic religion interact with other events in a way that matters, or some discussion about how religion works in a future setting. The father does one thing that might be magical, but neither the truth of it nor anyone's opinion matters, so why is it there? The scene would've been about the same without it.
The fishing plot is more interesting. A mysterious directive gets handed down from corporate management, and there's reason to think it's a stock scam or an attempt to chase everybody off the planet by force, ruining the lives of the colonists. I expected a heroic effort to defend the people's home while uncovering the truth and fending off outsiders who want them to fail for nefarious or callous reasons. What actually happens? When the directive's reason gets revealed, the characters just say "oh" and go back to recalculating optimal fishery harvest tactics. (For comparison, imagine "The Martian" if Watney didn't have to travel, and was just building potato greenhouses.) There's talk of a mighty engineering project to do something hard and spectacular to make quota, but this idea gets scaled down and proceeds without incident.
"Proceeds without incident" sums up the book, actually. I don't demand starships exploding in every story, but if there's no action plot, does anybody face a tough moral choice and grow from their experience? Here, I don't think so. So, there's kind of an interesting story here, but it didn't excite me.
January 10, 2019
Familiar, But Different
After reading all of the other books from the golden age, I finally read this one. The way it’s written, the terms used, all sound familiar as well as the shaman’ family name of Krugg and understanding about the female shaman you meet later.
A tale of two things. The son of a shaman will be a shaman, except Otto Krugg ain’t feeling it - he wants to go fishing with St. Clouds’ fleet but his transformation from wannabe fisherman to shaman is startling and not a bit eerie.
Meanwhile, back at the farm, the company who holds sway over St. Cloud has a problem - they’re directed to increase their quotas or everyone working there might wind up deported.
As with all of Nathan’s works, you just know that these two seemingly dissimilar things are really connected and in interesting ways.
And I suspect I now know that a Krugg family shaman may hav been the one who gave Ishmael Wang his whelkies and “made sure” that the dolphin got to where it was needed.
Bring on the next book. You’ll be intrigued by this one.
After reading all of the other books from the golden age, I finally read this one. The way it’s written, the terms used, all sound familiar as well as the shaman’ family name of Krugg and understanding about the female shaman you meet later.
A tale of two things. The son of a shaman will be a shaman, except Otto Krugg ain’t feeling it - he wants to go fishing with St. Clouds’ fleet but his transformation from wannabe fisherman to shaman is startling and not a bit eerie.
Meanwhile, back at the farm, the company who holds sway over St. Cloud has a problem - they’re directed to increase their quotas or everyone working there might wind up deported.
As with all of Nathan’s works, you just know that these two seemingly dissimilar things are really connected and in interesting ways.
And I suspect I now know that a Krugg family shaman may hav been the one who gave Ishmael Wang his whelkies and “made sure” that the dolphin got to where it was needed.
Bring on the next book. You’ll be intrigued by this one.
October 2, 2021
Quiet and compelling
I love Nathan Lowell’s books. They are so real and grounded, yet gently spiritual. He does his research and includes a lot of detail about the particulars of whatever world he has built whether in the deep of space or, in this case, on the fishing craft off the sea coast. Sometimes there is almost too much detail, and I find myself feeling a bit impatient for more movement in the plot. But I also feel drawn into the reality of whatever the characters of his stories and their culture most values. He develops characters that you feel like you’ve truly met by the time you reach the end of the book. Thank you Nathan for the calming and deeply enjoyable stories you tell. I look forward to the next one and the next…and to rereading them again, later. (Note: there are a couple of minor editorial gaffs where a letter or word is missing in the transcription of the text to ebook format. Nothing grammatically incorrect. Just a few little stumbles that I’m sure could be easily corrected with a final ebook proofread by the author, editor or transcriber.)
I love Nathan Lowell’s books. They are so real and grounded, yet gently spiritual. He does his research and includes a lot of detail about the particulars of whatever world he has built whether in the deep of space or, in this case, on the fishing craft off the sea coast. Sometimes there is almost too much detail, and I find myself feeling a bit impatient for more movement in the plot. But I also feel drawn into the reality of whatever the characters of his stories and their culture most values. He develops characters that you feel like you’ve truly met by the time you reach the end of the book. Thank you Nathan for the calming and deeply enjoyable stories you tell. I look forward to the next one and the next…and to rereading them again, later. (Note: there are a couple of minor editorial gaffs where a letter or word is missing in the transcription of the text to ebook format. Nothing grammatically incorrect. Just a few little stumbles that I’m sure could be easily corrected with a final ebook proofread by the author, editor or transcriber.)
February 23, 2022
So Fascinating, and Real
A story about a young man, Otto, growing into his position as a Shaman, and his father, Richard, becoming a real Shaman rather than just a religious one.
I found it really interesting as a Believer in the Creator God. I see many who claim to be Believers, but are merely religious - practicing the forms, "but denying the power (and sacrifices) thereof."!
(as they retain the outer form of religion but deny its power. Stay away from these people!
2 Timothy 3:5 CJB)
It is cool how Richard becomes a real Shaman. The characters in this book are unique and memorable. Having spent a few years in a Southeast Alaskan fishing town, the whole book brought back good memories.
I'd rate this book PG - the Shaman does ritual cutting, and there might be some very mild language but I can't remember.
I recommend this book.
(Read using Kindle Unlimited subscription.)
A story about a young man, Otto, growing into his position as a Shaman, and his father, Richard, becoming a real Shaman rather than just a religious one.
I found it really interesting as a Believer in the Creator God. I see many who claim to be Believers, but are merely religious - practicing the forms, "but denying the power (and sacrifices) thereof."!
(as they retain the outer form of religion but deny its power. Stay away from these people!
2 Timothy 3:5 CJB)
It is cool how Richard becomes a real Shaman. The characters in this book are unique and memorable. Having spent a few years in a Southeast Alaskan fishing town, the whole book brought back good memories.
I'd rate this book PG - the Shaman does ritual cutting, and there might be some very mild language but I can't remember.
I recommend this book.
(Read using Kindle Unlimited subscription.)
June 15, 2020
Side Story to the Ishmael Wang Series
I had actually gotten this book before I even knew what the Solar Clipper series was. Just kept pushing it aside again and again, the timing hadn't seemed right. After reading the Solar Clutter series and loving it, I noticed it lurking in my library. Oh, I think I know what a South Coast shaman is now. Guess I can finally read it. Like "Share" books, it's a coming of age story. The characters have a sense of realness to them that I appreciated. The magical bits mesh well with the story, which is about fishing villages providing product to a multi-planet concern that's too try to squeeze them dry. I world have liked more of a resolution to that piece of the story, but overall, it was entertaining, read quickly, and gave me some unexpected plot points and resolutions.
I had actually gotten this book before I even knew what the Solar Clipper series was. Just kept pushing it aside again and again, the timing hadn't seemed right. After reading the Solar Clutter series and loving it, I noticed it lurking in my library. Oh, I think I know what a South Coast shaman is now. Guess I can finally read it. Like "Share" books, it's a coming of age story. The characters have a sense of realness to them that I appreciated. The magical bits mesh well with the story, which is about fishing villages providing product to a multi-planet concern that's too try to squeeze them dry. I world have liked more of a resolution to that piece of the story, but overall, it was entertaining, read quickly, and gave me some unexpected plot points and resolutions.
August 31, 2018
Lowell is an excellent writer - with this book, I've now read everything he's published as of August, 2018 that relates to his Golden Age of the Solar Clipper series. In this case, we learn a little bit (but not very much) more about the whelkies, and the shamans responsible for them. The story follows Otto and Jimmy, a boy and a man going through similar issues - how do they become the men they want to be and still live up to their father's expectations. They only cross paths once, really. A very enjoyable story with a slower pace; I felt like I was rocking on a boat under an umbrella feeling the day pass by as a I read, instead of something more frantic.
August 30, 2023
Shamans and whelkies were never the most interesting feature of Solar Clipper universe for me, so I wasn't particularly excited to learn more about them. But the book still was nice enough, with a somewhat unexpected libertarian(?) plot twist and a link to other books in the universe. I didn't enjoy it as much as the main series, maybe because it's less of "competence porn" and more of "just some things that happened". What this book doesn't need in my opinions are two sequels. I understand the attempt to tell a women's right story in a corporate planet context, but at three novels, it's just too long.
March 2, 2021
I enjoyed how this book (and eventually this series) are set in the same universe as the Solar Clipper series, but with only tangential intersection with that series. Both fills in the universe backstory a bit, and gives Lowell a nice medium for exploring variations of a sea-faring fishing story reminiscent of old New England or Ireland without being too tied to that specific history.
Add in some surprisingly good depth of character in both Otto and Jimmy as well, and, like the Solar Clipper books, this made for a nice enjoyable read.
Add in some surprisingly good depth of character in both Otto and Jimmy as well, and, like the Solar Clipper books, this made for a nice enjoyable read.
September 8, 2023
After reading the space series I was not sure I would enjoy the Shaman series but YES I do! I am reading it too fast I’m afraid snd will not have another Nathan Lowell book to read! I enjoyed the different flavor of this series very much and found it very engaging and full of the reality of fishing St. Cloud and the magic of the Shaman’s life. I am well acquainted with the Welkies from Ishmael Wang so I can imagine them clearly. I am looking forward to the second book in this series and have already started it!🌊
July 10, 2024
While I've liked all Lowell's other series, I've been hesitant to start this one, because it's not ship-focused. I shouldn't have delayed. This is as good as the rest of his series in its own way.
Like other Lowell series, this is a view of everyday life in a future world. Here, the world is seen through the lens of a fishing culture that has mystical/spiritual elements, and follows a young shaman.
As usual with Lowell, the characters are excellent, the world is very well drawn, and the plot, though low-key, is quite engaging.
Highly recommended.
Like other Lowell series, this is a view of everyday life in a future world. Here, the world is seen through the lens of a fishing culture that has mystical/spiritual elements, and follows a young shaman.
As usual with Lowell, the characters are excellent, the world is very well drawn, and the plot, though low-key, is quite engaging.
Highly recommended.
January 26, 2025
More of Nathan Lowell doing what he does best, writing a cozy, engaging non-adventure, this time with commercial fishing. The only really jarring part is how dumb the experts seem to be in their particular specializations. This does seem to be something done to serve the story, so that those of us who are not experts in commercial fishing, or spacefaring, or commodities trading, can catch up and understand what the characters need to do. But it does ring false, on occasion. Still try not to worry about it too much. These are just feel-good stories about ordinary people, and it’s a formula that Lowell has perfected.
March 8, 2025
A serious disappointment. Two and a half stars, rounded up for the shaman stuff. The whole business with the quotes and trying to meet them is boring and makes no sense. Neither does the resolution. I had really been looking forward to this trilogy after reading all of Nathan Lowell's other works, but after reading this one and looking at the reviews of the other two, I think I'm going to hold off on reading them until I'm ready to reread the "Share" books so I can read them with the Sarah Krugg background..
February 12, 2020
Wonderful as usual
This is the style that I love. An immersion into another reality so vivid, you lose yourself in it. And what do you find? Regular people making their way through the world with all its trials and tribulations that you would ordinarily expect. There is a focus on character and hard work. There is a payoff..a well lived life. There is a feeling of sweetness and satisfaction after I finish one of his books. I love his writing!
This is the style that I love. An immersion into another reality so vivid, you lose yourself in it. And what do you find? Regular people making their way through the world with all its trials and tribulations that you would ordinarily expect. There is a focus on character and hard work. There is a payoff..a well lived life. There is a feeling of sweetness and satisfaction after I finish one of his books. I love his writing!
February 22, 2020
Like this better than his others
The biggest strength of Mr. Lowell's other work is how it focuses on the challenges of work in a sci-fi world. More to conquering the universe than battles and politics. This series does the same but moving it to a planet and incorporating fishing and farming makes it far more relatable. Also, the shaman storyline takes it up several notches, adding in some magic and mystery.
The biggest strength of Mr. Lowell's other work is how it focuses on the challenges of work in a sci-fi world. More to conquering the universe than battles and politics. This series does the same but moving it to a planet and incorporating fishing and farming makes it far more relatable. Also, the shaman storyline takes it up several notches, adding in some magic and mystery.
November 18, 2024
Classic Lowell
Good book filled with the style I expected and enjoy. Lowell’s focus on the mundane and repetitive tasks of life is well done. Whether it is drinking coffee or tea, his characters do it seriously. I rated this a 4 because I wasn’t interested in the main focus on fishing. It’s something I don’t do, don’t like thinking about and can smell just by reading. Loved learning about the Shaman.
Good book filled with the style I expected and enjoy. Lowell’s focus on the mundane and repetitive tasks of life is well done. Whether it is drinking coffee or tea, his characters do it seriously. I rated this a 4 because I wasn’t interested in the main focus on fishing. It’s something I don’t do, don’t like thinking about and can smell just by reading. Loved learning about the Shaman.
July 11, 2020
A mindful tale of a shaman awakening
A well-written story with a rich cast characters. At first it's unclear whether there's any substance to the role of the shaman. I liked how the author let the- concept of what a shaman was and its importance develop slowly and in unexpected ways.
A well-written story with a rich cast characters. At first it's unclear whether there's any substance to the role of the shaman. I liked how the author let the- concept of what a shaman was and its importance develop slowly and in unexpected ways.
February 21, 2023
Somehow, I missed this series on my readthrough of the Solar Clipper universe.
It took a little while to settle in, but it's the same slice of space life I've loved about the rest of the series, with a fun dash of mysticism thrown in the mix.
Interesting characters, interesting stakes, and a world that jumps from the pages. I can't wait to read the rest.
It took a little while to settle in, but it's the same slice of space life I've loved about the rest of the series, with a fun dash of mysticism thrown in the mix.
Interesting characters, interesting stakes, and a world that jumps from the pages. I can't wait to read the rest.
September 10, 2023
Like it but different from his other works
I liked the story and connects well with the Solar Clipper Universe. I think the character development was good. But it felt like the was going one direction and then changed direction. Not that it was bad but just threw me off for a bit. Still recommend the book and plan to read the others in the series.
I liked the story and connects well with the Solar Clipper Universe. I think the character development was good. But it felt like the was going one direction and then changed direction. Not that it was bad but just threw me off for a bit. Still recommend the book and plan to read the others in the series.
January 25, 2018
I don't always like books that have all-new characters in a known universe, but these characters felt familiar quickly. I liked that Otto was not overly precocious, and that the adults around him were not all one-dimensional.
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