The TellingEarthling Sutty has been living a solitary, well-protected life in Dovza City on the planet Aka as an official Observer for the interstellar Ekumen. Insisting on all citizens being pure "producer-consumers," the tightly controlled capitalist government of Aka--the Corporation--is systematically destroying all vestiges of the ancient ways: "The Time of Cleansing" is the chilling term used to describe this era. Books are burned, the old language and calligraphy are outlawed, and those caught trying to keep any part of the past alive are punished and then reeducated. Frustrated in her attempts to study the linguistics and literature of Aka's cultural past, Sutty is sent upriver to the backwoods town of Okzat-Ozkat. Here she is slowly charmed by the old-world mountain people, whose still waters, she gradually realizes, run very deep. But whether their ways constitute a religion, ancient traditions, philosophy, or passive, political resistance, Sutty is not sure. Delving ever deeper into her hosts' culture, Sutty finds herself on a parallel spiritual quest, as well. |
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Common terms and phrases
Akan Akidan Amareza ansible antiscience asked Aunty banned bean meal beautiful began blue boss maz called caves cold Corporation Corporation police Dalzul dark Dovza City Earth eberdin Ekumen Envoy everything eyes face Fathers Fertiliser gesture Goiri Hainish Hainish cycle hand heard ideograms Ikak Iziezi Kieri knew Lap of Silong laughed light listened lived looked Meneng minule Monitor Mother mountain neareals never nodded Odiedin Okzat-Ozkat Ottiar Uming pale pause Penan Rangma religion river rock seemed sent Shiva Siez silence smile snow Sotyu spoke stay stood story street Sutty saw Sutty thought Sutty's Takieki talk tell tent Terra things tion Tobadan Tong Ov took tray-table Tree trying tuzi umyazu Uncle Hurree Unist Unroy URSULA K usury Valparaíso village voice walked wall wanted wind woman words wrong Yara yoz Sutty yurts Zubuam