The Killing Moon, by N. K. Jemisin

N. K. Jemisin is turning out to be my favorite new author.  Her newest (to me) book, The Killing Moonis a delightful fantasy of ancient Egypt (well, based on it; she has said this is a non-Earth world.  Honest) wherein the stuff of dreams makes powerful healing magic, and can do much, much else.  Consequently, the priests who collect, guard, share and consume the magic are supposed to be free of corruption.  A Gatherer is shocked to learn that his collection of dreamstuff (which sends its host into the land of dreams permanently) may have been motivated by something other than compassion.

A mystery and a fantasy at once, The Killing Moon is also a careful reflection on how one may perceive one’s own motives, on how hard it is to see the right thing, and how hard it is to do the right thing.  And in The Killing Moon all the protagonists face these questions…and none of them look away.

Marvelous stuff, all her books.  Get them all, or at least read them all.  You won’t be sorry.