Excellent sci-fi, really conjures up a feeling of alienness. ( )

As well-summarized in the Science Fiction Encyclopedia: this is an ueasy blend of SF and fantasy. It takes place on another planet, where the only non-human intelligent race we know of lives. There's a mystery to that race that is only gradually realized and then revealed. Meanwhile, something plague-like called the Fear is decimating humanity on many worlds, including, most recently Earth, lending an urgency to understanding possible evolutionary parallels before the planet becomes overrun by humans looking for refuge. Ghosts are accepted as real, not only on this world, but on Earth. A blind man who seems to see just fine, turns out to be a scientist who was allowed to visit a lost predecessor race 700 years ago. He teleports in and out at random. Unfortunately, no wonderment results from all this because the dominant story arc is about the main character chasing after his ex-wife who hates him and is busy going native. The main character is abusive mentally and physically, but not particularly put off when she tries to have him killed.

Not recommended, though it's right at the edge for me. ( )