Southshore

Her task in life is to use magical tears to awaken the dead,and then to work the zombies until their bodies decay and become food for the gods. The horror of her task is ameliorated by her ecstatic relationship with the gods, and her devout belief in the goodness of her work. Like most of Tepper's work, this story investigates a world jeopardized by uncontrolled consumption and disregard for the needs of others. The mysteries that float through the townships: the poisoned wood, the relationship between the gods, the rulers, the awakeners and the dead all come together to create a story filled with suspense. Perhaps the weakest part of the Awakeners story is the end, which seems almost trite when compared to the intricacy and the depth in the rest of the two books.