Merro Tree

In this dazzling debut, Waitman offers a futuristic commentary on the possibilities of art and censorship. Mikk of Vyzania was simply the lonely child of a diplomat and an abusive mother when he was first sent to the Academy, a school for performers and artists. There he struggled until the universe's premier performance master--singer, dancer, polyglot instrumentalist Huud Maroc--arrives and makes Mikk his last apprentice. During the years of traveling and performing with Huud, Mikk finds his soul mate and discovers a different, artistic, resonance in the song dance of the Somalites. Even after it is banned by the Galactic Council, Mikk continues to perform, eventually standing trial not only for the sake of the art form he loves, but also to ensure that future artists will not be censored. Skillfully interweaving Mikk's past with his present trial, the author offers a poignant portrayal of the evolution of an artist in finely detailed descriptions of diverse worlds and art forms. Waitman has created an imaginative, involving and unusually relevant read. (Oct.)