- Publisher: ACE Books
- Publication date: January 1982
- Copyright Year: 1982
- Pages: 216
- ISBN: 0-441-87380-4
- Author: Connie Willis
- Author: Cynthia Felice
Water Witch by Connie Willis and Cynthia Felice is part science fiction, part fantasy, part con-job caper. Water is key to life and power on the desert planet of Mahali. In the past, water witches could feel, and somewhat control the flow of water. That power was replaced by computer controls, and the water witches lost power until they seem to be no more.
An off-worlder is looking to gain power by working to gain more of the precious water he needs from the Princess Sheria . The prince-soldier Radi is sent to help control and discipline the off-worlder who drove the priest from his estate. His son, Edvar, has become infatuated by a lovely con artist, Deva.
I really love most all of Connie Willis’s work. She is masterful and writes really well in many different styles. Having said that, I can say I liked Water Witch, but I did not love it. It was a fun little tale with some twists and turns, but it did not seem crisp. There was the ‘monologuing’ of a villain that did not ring true. The ultimate secret that is eventually revealed was telegraphed early on. It is a good little story, but it read more like a good first attempt at a young adult novel by a novice rather than a serious work by an accomplished author.
I got this book and a couple of others in the series from a library book sale, and they were worth the 50 cents I paid for them. I will most likely finish the other two, but it is not an urgent matter. Don’t go out of your way to search out Water Witch, but if you come across it at your local library or in a used book sale, you could do worse.
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Plastivore by Matt Truxaw
