SOLVED. Sci Fi - Setting: planet with an elliptical orbit, causing decade long seasons. Main Character: from a nomadic people, is banished from his clan and goes on a journey to discover the true history of his planet and himself. [s]

[Stew]

Sci Fi - Setting: planet with an elliptical orbit. Primitive migratory people, living in a patriarchal society, follow decade long seasons under the constant threat of winter's encroaching blight. Sophisticated wagon merchants seem to possess esoteric knowledge of the particular astrological anomalies, offering subtle guidance to the nomads.

Main character: Raised in a tribal family unit, all members governed\owned by a single father. Young males in the society a ritually banished from the clan at maturity. Main character does not resemble other males. Of a separate linage, implied offspring of a clanswoman and a wagon merchant. His (clans)father is killed and the clan commandeered by a roving male, causing the main character to venture off in fear of culling.

His wanderings take him to a shrinking sea, populated by aquatic humanoids living on floating plants. Odd sexual practices described in these scenes are due to a dramatic rate of infertility in the aquatic people. Main character ventures on from the sea folk on the back of a semi-sentient Orca/dolphin.

My memory is fuzzy from here..

It was a ragged paperback; torn cover and stained pages stuffed haphazardly inside of a donation box. Overwhelmed by a knee-jerk decision to liberate this worn novel from its dumpster bound destiny... The ending was missing, soon the memory faded. Please help me reunite with a lost friend.

[Scott]

Helliconia Spring? (Different time frame I know, but just thought I'd put it out there.)

[Rita]

This book I beleive is West of January by Dave Duncan. West of January

Description: Knobil is born into the savage herder race, where family groups of several women and their children belong to one dominant male, slowly making their way across the grasslands with their huge stupid beasts that must be constantly walked. With his blond hair and blue eyes, he is obviously the child of an Angel, a group of men of various races who live in Heaven, hoarding knowledge, and travel in their chariots trying to prevent disaster every cycle by getting different groups through the passes or around water to safety.

When he reaches puberty he avoids his destiny - being sent out with one of his many sisters, who he may trade with a girl from another herd to start his own - by falling in with an Angel. This starts his own awakening, and his determination to reach Heaven and become an angel, something he must do alone. This goal loses its importance when he is taken in by the sea folk and starts fathering children left right and centre. When the sea begins to dry up as High Summer approaches, he looks for passage south for his adopted family but is caught by Ants. Ants, miners who use captives as slaves to mine in the temperate southern parts of the world, are brutal, and Knobil spends several years merely surviving.

[Stew]

Scott wrote: "Helliconia Spring? (Different time frame I know, but just thought I'd put it out there.)"

Unfortunately, no.

[Stew]

Rita wrote: "This book I beleive is West of January by Dave Duncan. West of January

Description: Knobil is born into the savage herder race, where family groups of several women and their children..."

Yes! A skin crawling recognition swept over me as I read the description. It is most definitely West of January. Thank you for taking my disjointed memories and vague inferences and handing me back a tangible conclusion. Hope your day is as delightful as you have just made mine :)

-Stew

[Rita]

Your welcome:)