Shaman, Healer, Heretic

Olivia Lawson ("Livvy") is a twenty-something techno-shaman, a medium that connects with the spirit world but relies on technology, rather than hallucinogens or other drugs, to get there. She uses her craft to heal people, though the pay isn't very good. Skeptics treat her with cynicism at best; violence at worst. One morning she's contacted by a kachina, a spirit being of southwestern US Native American cultures. Such a visit is supposed to be impossible.

While Livvy attempts to figure out why she's being contacted by a Hopi Indian god, trouble is brewing in the physical and spirit worlds. Her clients and friends are threatened while other shamans disdain her practice. Once people start dying, Livvy finds herself under assault from all show more sides, including an ancient being longing to wreak havoc upon the world.

M. Terry Green draws upon her archaeology background to craft a highly believable world where shamanism thrives in contemporary Los Angeles. Green introduces us to this world through Livvy and her agent, SK, a dwarf. We accompany Livvy as she heals those too poor or desperate to utilize modern medicine. A former medical student herself, Livvy barely scrapes by on what people can afford to pay for her services. When Livvy encounters a problem that neither she nor SK can answer, we are brought deeper into this world and meet other shamans.

It is through these latter encounters that Green's talent at developing diverse characters comes to light. Each of the shamans is distinctly different from the others in both her skills and personality. We also learn that this is a very territorial business and "sisterhood" is a concept that is secondary to a profitable enterprise.

Short chapters and an active dialogue move the story along at a quick pace. Green crams so much into Livvy's days, and thus the story, that she wears the poor girl out! The reader feels her fatigue.

Although Green isn't marketing this as a Young Adult novel, there's very little here that would preclude it from being read by a teen. There's no foul language, no sex (a couple of kisses), and only one incident involving alcohol. And the latter was definitely portrayed in a non-glamorous light. I think that teen girls would be able to relate to Livvy and her struggle with self-doubt, not to mention her love life.

As for the technicals, Green hired an editor so the quality of the manuscript is at a professional level. It made for very easy reading. Let that be a lesson to all of you indie authors out there!

Shaman, Healer, Heretic by M. Terry Green is an enjoyable read. Green provides us with a diverse group of realistic characters and is adept at creating a highly believable and easy to visualize setting. Her very personable protagonist is a charming guide to Green's Techno-Shaman world and I expect to be seeing more of her adventures in the future. show less

What’s a Shaman have to do to catch a break, anyway? You haul butt around, all over LA, finding lost souls (literally) and nobody gives you a lick of respect. Ugh. As if slipping on the Technogoggles and hoping around the multiverse, looking for people’s wandering souls was an easy thing to carry off!

Livvy is a Techno-Shaman, a Shaman who uses 3-D goggles combined with the technology of the “God Helmet”, which uses an electromagnetic field and shamanic symbols created with light and magnets in order to open the way into the multiverse of the middleworld – the entryway world where she meets her spirit helper, her guide through the middle and down into the Underworld, the land of the Spirits. The money isn’t all that good, show more but hey, it’s a living – even though you have to dodge the occasional religious fanatic or prejudiced A-hole. Only, suddenly, Techno-shamans are dieing. And Livvy isn’t sure that she won’t be next.

As more Shamans die, and the underworld becomes more and more dangerous to enter, Livvy works with S.K., the dwarf who acts as intermediary for the Los Angeles area Shamans, to gather together the Shamans in order to stop the deaths and changes in the middle and under worlds. But pulling together the secretive and isolationist Shamans into a working group is harder than one might think. And it soon appears that, even working together, it might be too late to stop the destruction of the multiverse, and possibly of all time and space.

Shaman, Healer, Heretic is a quirky sort of Urban Fantasy, set in the gritty and unhappy back alleys and hovels of Los Angeles. Seeped in multiple world views and superstitions, the author blends differing belief systems into a satisfying whole, making it one of the more creative books of it’s type that I have read recently.

I picked up my copy of M. Terry Green’s Shaman, Healer, Heretic (Olivia Lawson Techno-Shaman) as a freebie on Amazon. If you are a lover of Urban Fantasy as am I, this is a book you should add to your reading list. I intend to add the next two books, Shaman, Friend, Enemy and Shaman, Sister, Sorceress to my TBR stack and try to work around to them in the near future. If the next two are as good as this one, I will be happy I did. show less

I've never encountered shamanism, let alone techno-shamanism, in literature before, but I could really get used to it. It's a fascinating, dare I say "new age" concept, with a mystical, but not quite fantastical feel; its foray into the urban fantasy genre is thrilling, engaging, and makes for a damn good story.

Something is terribly wrong in the shaman world, a different plane from human existence in which alternative healers work, and Olivia Lawson may have a lead. The kachina in the real world could be a sign, rather than a threat, but she's going to have to use her powers, and her resources, to fully trust that instinct.

Green's story is masterfully structured, perfectly woven together, and perfectly paced. She adds just enough show more shaman culture into the mystery of the lethal kink in their multiverse. Combined with wacky technology, an unexpected (climbing) death toll, and the common vexations of our modern world, this sci-fi/thriller cross is sure to please all readers of the contemporary urban fantasy genre.

As a shaman, Olivia is relatively relatively new and unexperienced at the practice, but her spirit helper is lightning, automatically making her a legendary and rare healer with power even she herself is yet to fully discover. The fact that the kachina has come to her, and that her own trips to the middleworld and underworld are going astray is no coincidence; the kachina wants her... or at least her attention.

Olivia seems to have a complicated, painful past involving her initiation into shamanism, but none of this is explained, which was a bit frustrating. Green hints at these little waverings, but never fully goes into them; this intrigued me greatly. While Olivia isn't explored deeply as a character, there is enough of her genuine personality throughout the book, for me to like her and her attitude towards her personal life and her work. She has admirable ethics, and way more courage and motivation than I could ever muster; a true heroine I'll stay loyal to.

At first, the story was disorienting because it appears to begin in medias res. I had a little difficulty going into it because there was so much about shamanism introduced at once (kachina? huh?), but I warmed up to the concept quickly; I guarantee you will too.

When shaman responsibilities wreck her personal life, Olivia knows she needs to take a stand. Breaking centuries of time-worn rules of the shaman world, she is determined to resolve this catastrophe once and for all, but little does she know of its disastrous consequences.

Pros: Absorbing // Well-written // Clear, concise structure that's easy to follow // A little romance (just the right amount) // Heart-stopping plot twists and betrayals // Fascinating topic of shamanism // I couldn't put this book down!

Cons: A bit disorienting at first // Not enough of Olivia's backstory

Verdict: No one is left at mercy in M. Terry Green's unpredictable, un-put-down-able, and addicting debut. I'm dying to try the next book in the Olivia Lawson Techno-Shaman series, which is rare for me... usually I don't like series much! (I was fortunate enough to snag a copy of the sequel, Shaman, Friend, Enemy, as well, so look out for a review of the second installment of that soon). Cunningly presented, lush in detail, but not too dense, Shaman, Healer, Heretic is a must-read for those searching for a breath of fresh air in the urban fantasy genre. Let's move away from demons and angels, shall we? Shamans are the next big thing.

8 out of 10 hearts (4 stars): An engaging read; highly recommended.

Source: Complimentary copy provided by author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!) show less

Green turns tradition on it’s head with her debut novel that combines technology with ancient spirituality. Olivia Lawson is a young techno -shaman, a spirit healer who uses electronic glasses to gain access to the Multiverse, rather than chants or drugs. Livvy is called to help restore a person’s soul, when all other methods have failed, but something strange is happening in the Underworld. A destructive Sumerian God is roaming the lanndscape putting souls in jeopardy and the Shaman’s are being blamed for the sudden increase in sickness by an ignorant public. Olivia knows that the only way to defeat the monster is to join forced with the others of her kind, no matter the risk.
Olivia is an appealing protagonist, we don’t learn a show more lot about her outside of her Shaman role, but Green defines her personality well. She is a heroine who is not averse to risk but considers the consequences and behaves authentically. I liked that the author developed a culturally diverse cast and brought them together in a natural way. I would have liked a little more background on SK and his relationship to the Shaman and Olivia, but there are some interesting teasers which I assume Green will follow up on later. He has the potential to be a unique character in the series, particularly as a romantic interest.
The plot combines action, mystery and a light touch of romance to involve the reader in Livvy’s world. I like the idea of modern technology enhancing ancient practice, and Green provides an original and realistic method of doing so. I do think that there is potential for the author to have presented the belief systems of Shamanism in more detail but it’s not something essential to the story. The action that takes place in both worlds is the story’s strength. The events where confrontations take place, in both worlds, were well written and provided tension and excitement.
The plot does have some weak points however. The idea of discovering who could be responsible for the release of the Sumerian God was ignored when it could have provided a richer storyline. I also felt some ideas were unfinished, for example, the spirits being brought into our world was never followed up on. Nevertheless, I thought generally the story flowed smoothly with good pace.

The premise of Shaman, Healer, Heretic is an intriguing one, providing a fresh angle in the Urban Fantasy genre. The strengths in plot and character demonstrate the author has the potential to create a strong and original series and I look forward to the next installment. show less

I really enjoyed this book!

Not only was the pacing great, and the characters rounded and real...

But as someone who has done shamanic work, this was accurate to my experiences in many ways. (Note: I use drumming, not drugs nor tech.) While some of the details differ, the overall feel was excellently portrayed.

Mostly the plot worked well, with some interesting surprises. However, there were aspects of the Big Bad(s) that were not foreshadowed- indeed, at least one detail basically completely contradicted the eventual revelation. I cannot say more because of spoilers, but that's partly why I gave this very entertaining novel 4 instead of 5 stars.

I also found the shaman's position in society to be problematic. Are they fringe whackos? Are show more they a persecuted minority? Are they celebrated and wealthy? It seemed that this changed according the needs of some sub-plots, and probably as Green was feeling her way through it; having read a teaser for the next in the series, things change dramatically yet again.

Anyway, despite these quibbles- it's a very readable novel with strong characters and a fascinating premise. If you like urban fantasy but are tired of vamps and weres, check this one out! show less

Livvy wakes in her small apartment in Los Angeles, to a kachina beside her, which is impossible. Livvy is of the new ways in shaman healing, a techno-shaman as it's called. Being of the "new" ways, if a kachina were to appear to anyone, they would be drawn to where they are comfortable and to the old ways. She's young, but a talented one with a one-of-a-kind spirit helper, one that only appears once a generation. Moving away from the kachina, Livvy's cell phone rings. It's SK calling for her help a woman no other has been able to help. The healing Livvy does includes going to the underworld through the middleworld to find a lost soul and return it to the world, but this cases isn't the easiest and things in the underworld are off. Livvy show more stumbles across other troubles and has to visit the underworld and middleworld, but notices with each visit things are not right, actually getting worse. Until she meets up with a terrifying creatures that could kill a shaman, then all are afraid to return. Are all that Livvy has occurring to her related? Could she help make a difference with things she learns and sees?

I found I really really enjoyed this book! I was surprised. Yes, it sounded like something I would enjoy, but at the same time I was nervous going in. And I was so pleasantly happy with what I found.

I started off with lots of questions on the world and characters. Truth be told, I wasn't 100% sure what a kachina was. I thought I knew as my grandma has them all over her house, and after Goggling I found I was right. But I wasn't sure how all this played together in this world. As I read it all became clear, and quickly.

I loved the use of Native American beliefs and gods to crate the middleworld, underworld, and spirit guides. Even the use of the kachina.

There was always something interesting happening, keeping Livvy going. We got to see the way of the shaman as we also see what was not right to. The picture was drawn with not normal, but telling us was normal was at the same time. Nicely drawn to give us two views at once. This kept me curious to what I would learn next and what Livvy would be drawn into next as she unknowingly got drawn into help with shamans getting trapped and dying.

I didn't suspect any of the characters until close to the end. There were things I thought might be against what I thought they should 'believe' in. And in that, I got surprised as the author hide the guilty party. Oh, I loved that the character wasn't stupid and left suspicion around them self. In books I notice the "bad guy" leaves clues that they are the guilty one, now if they really wanted to get away with what they did they wouldn't. This is done wonderfully to surprise me in the end. Well done! show less

This is one of those books in which I loved the concept more than the execution. That being said, the book is well written and did hold my interest.

My likes and dislikes are mostly wrapped up within each other, but I'll do my best to untangle my thoughts. I'll start with the characters. We have a lot of them, and they are quite entertaining, unique, and fun. At the same time, I felt the central characters, particularly Olivia, lacked development. I knew very little about her background, her family, and how or why she became a shaman.

The plot is well thought out and executed. I loved the originality of the story. The pacing, though, tends to lag, particularly in the first half of the book. Also, the world in which we're taken is never show more explained. While I was fascinated by this everyday place in which shamans were frequently called upon, I didn't understand anything about the dynamics between the apparent outcasts and the society in which they lived.

One problem area, for me, came with inconsistent details. For instance, early on we're told that no one truly believes in shamans. Yet we see that shamans are hated to the point of abuse being accepted and sometimes promoted. People don't trust them or want them around. They're ridiculed. This can't happen if people don't even believe in them. Then, by midway through the story, shamans are receiving a ton of national news coverage.

Other aspects of the story didn't ring true, such as the inept and indifferent attitude of the cops. At one point, Olivia is attacked and badly hurt, yet the cops barely take a statement and show no concern at all. This type of thing happens consistently with police involvement - or lack thereof. Some of this might reflect bad to society's hatred of shamans, though, again, that issue was not handled consistently or explained properly.

And, finally, the twist at the end and the character involved was an irritation for me throughout. The character's part was far too convenient and therefore really not believable. I don't want to say more because I don't want to give spoilers. I have to add, though, that despite knowing this character would play a pivotal role, I didn't know quite what that role would be and so the connection did come as a surprise.

Overall, this is a fun story offering the promise of a great series. show less