Damia by Anne McCaffrey

I first read Damia 10 years ago when I was 12 or so, and for some reason it has always stayed with me as a nostalgic favorite. I like it better than any of Anne McCaffrey's other books--including the Pern series and Harper Hall Trilogy.

Damia starts out from the point of view of Afra Lyon, a fairly powerful T-3 telepath, empath, and telekinetic, and how he grows up with his emotionally-repressed family, leaving at the age of 18 or so and later working with and supporting a lonely FT&T Prime on a moon orbiting Jupiter. However, The Rowan is not for him, and she marries a new hot-shot Prime from Deneb, raising several children with him whom Afra lends a supportive shoulder to as well, despite his own desire for a family.

The book then switches to the point of view of Damia, the Rowan and Jeff Raven's moody second daughter, and her own quest for happiness.

The book is a romance in SF&F clothing, so I think you can figure out the rest of the plot. :)

I enjoy this book for the development of the psychics' powers and how families of telepaths and other psychics might work, and for the characterization. Afra Lyon is an unusual protaganist for Anne McCaffrey, not quite like the others, which might be why she says "Damia" is one of her own favorites of all the books she has written. (I met her at a booksigning in Chicago when she was made Grand Master at the Nebulas, and as she signed my copy of Damia she said this. :) )

This is a stand-alone book, although it has two follow-up books that are more action-oriented and follow Afra and Damia's children, and the prior book in the series is about Damia's mother, the Rowan, and HER quest for love. (I can't quite forgive Rowan for thinking Afra's not good enough, despite liking Damia a lot.) Damia was made out of a short story, which I believe can be found alone in the book "Get off the Unicorn", and has a few minor changes from the corresponding scene in the book. (Cigarettes turn into cake. Hee!)

Damia is a great book. It starts out by giving some of Afra's history including how he came to work with the Rowan, and his upbringing. It then turns over to Damia's life and how she came to respect and, eventually, love him. This book was well-written (no surprise there)and was all around great. I also liked the rest of the books in this series (yes, ALL of them).