The Healer
by Michael Blumlein

Description:
The Healer, ironically named "Payne," is a member of a minority offshoot of humanity called Grotesques, or Tesques, who are distinguished by a cranial deformity and an extra orafice in their chests. A small percentage of Tesques have the ability to effect phenomenal healings, which makes them a valuable commodity in their world. Sadly, such gifted healers live a life somewhere between that of a possession and a slave.

Payne is unusual in that he is seemingly unaffected by the mysterious burnout (called "The Drain") that all other healers experience. The novel follows his journey across the strange landscape of his world in search for an acceptance he may never find. Along the way, we move from the outskirts of society, to an isolated mining camp, to a metropolis dedicated to gambling and vice, to a secret government compound wher ethe most dangerous of healings are performed. In the climatic scene, reality meets mythology, and Payne experiences a transformation that will forever alter the balance between Tesques and humans.