Way-Farer

The adoption of zen techniques to combat an unseen deadly enemy that leads to a surprising change in mankind.

Schmidt wraps a number of classic zen & martial arts stories in a science fiction setting in a very interesting and enjoyable manner. Although some of the finer details about the plot might require a second reading to completely grasp, the story is gripping enough to warrant the effort. I have actually read the entire 4 book series through at least 3 times over the last 12 years, and have read "The Way-Farer" at least 5 times. The story centers around a pilgrimage from earth. They find what seems to be a perfect planet, only to discover there is something on the planet which drives people homicidally (sic) insane. Once the population is decimated by 80%, the story turns to more of the classic zen & martial arts vein, only to dive back into the science fiction for the last third of the book. The book is well written, covers the zen aspects faithfully, and presents the reader with not only a great story but an interesting approach to zen. If you have not already gathered, I highly recommend this book. I have extra copies I get from the used book store, so start looking!