The Shaman's Blessing

The Shaman's Blessing is an exquisite tapestry of myth and memory, woven through a richly imagined ancient world. In this newly revised edition of her beloved novel, Patricia Barnett invites readers to journey across frostbitten plains, through shadowed forests, and into the heart of tribal settlements alive with secrets, traditions, and fragile hopes.

When the Marsh Wives arrive on the wind, bearing strange bells and whispered warnings, the clan's future begins to shift. Young Perak, daughter of the chieftain and destined for a union that could unite distant peoples, must navigate the delicate web of kinship, loyalty, and the restless tug of her own heart. Meanwhile, her friend Fiedra-a mysterious child with a withered leg and an untold lineage-is drawn into currents of fate far beyond the simple settlements of her youth.

From the quiet sorrows of Urdeth, the chief's wife haunted by loss, to the ambitions of men like Zak who dream of reshaping the world at any cost, this story unfolds against the backdrop of winter journeys, sacred feasts, and the long-anticipated arrival of the enigmatic Shaman. But change is coming, sweeping through their traditions like fire through dry grass, and the blessings they once took for granted may become the trials that shape their very survival.

Barnett's tale brims with tender friendships, the aching weight of old wrongs, and glimpses of magic that feel as fleeting and haunting as distant bells in the snow. Poignant, lyrical, and deeply human, The Shaman's Blessing is a timeless story of family, destiny, and the quiet courage it takes to follow the uncertain path laid by the heart.