Crystal Healer

by S.L. Viehl

NINTH IN THE CONTINUOUSLY SURPRISING AND DEVIOUSLY WRITEN SERIES

Genetically engineered interstellar surgeon Dr. Cherijo Torin, her husband Duncan Reever, and a handpicked crew journey to the planet oKia to locate a strange black mineral that is the source of an intergalactic epidemic. When one of the crew members becomes infected, his body slowly begins to crystallize. While Cherijo races to save the crew member, mercenaries arrive...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0072Q21F2
• ISBN13: 9780451462855
• Release Date: August 2009
• Publisher: Ace Books
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.2" x 6.7"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Spell binding! Can't put it down.

You have just gotta read this book! Following the adventures of Cherijo and Duncan is awesome. It is just spell binding and addictive. Both hubby and I are reading this super series.

The Political Shell Game

Crystal Healer (2009) is the ninth SF novel in the StarDoc series, following Omega Games. In the previous volume, Jarn discovers the nature of the body snatcher. Then she rescues Tya from the creature and the rogur swallows it. Jarn promises to never reveal the existence of the rogur. In this novel, Cherijo Grey Veil is a Terran bioengineered clone, an immortal surgeon and physician. Since losing her personal memories, she has been using the name Jarn. Duncan Reever is a Terran telepathic linguist. He too is now immortal. Reever was married to Cherijo and now accepts Jarn as his wife. They have one child -- Marel -- who has unusual talents, including teleportation. Xonea Torin is a Joren and the captain of the Sunlace. He is the brother of Kao, Cherijo's deceased lover. Qonja and Hawk are crewmen on the Sunlace. Qonja is Joren and Hawk is a crossbreed. Jylyj is a Skartesh. He is working as a medical resident on the Sunlace. In this story, Xonea doesn't believe the official story about Jarn's excursion to Trellus. He has evidence that violence had occurred and is talking about declaring ClanKill on the colony. Jarn cannot talk him out of destroying the whole colony. Naturally, Jarn is not going to tell him the actual events that occurred on Trellus. He doesn't need to know and other lives are at stake. Yet he is applying pressure to make Jarn explain her actions. Jarn is very upset with his behavior. Then Duncan tells her that someone else is looking for her. All he knows is that mercenaries are involved. Despite just returning to Joren, she and Duncan need to leave the planet. Jarn dreads telling Marel that they are leaving her behind once more. Jarn and Reever have found a discrepancy in their Aksellan map. The oKiaf world is not marked with a black crystal icon. Jarn asks for the Sunlace to take them on an expedition. This not only gets them away from Joren, but also takes Xonea offworld. Marel has a dream of them leaving. She hugged her mother and never saw her again. Reever calms down Marel and they both say their goodbyes the night before the departure. Jarn becomes suspicious of Jylyj when she sees him swimming in the sea. Skartesh are hydrophobic and avoid any body of water. Jylyj is also acting suspiciously, standing too close to Jarn and sniffing her hair. But his DNA matches the Skartesh pattern. The Sunlace departs Joren and transits just outside the Saraced system. The system contains the destroyed remains of the Skartesh homeworld and the world of the oKiaf people, who are much like the Skartesh. When they reach the system, two oKiaf patrol boats approach them. This tale leads Jarn, Reever, Jylyj, Qonja and Hawk to the surface. There they find the oKiaf people living in primitive housing and hunting animals. Skartesh is an excellent interpreter for the party, Reever starts learning the language. Then mercenaries show up and the plot thickens. The next installment is Dream Called Time. Re

Crystal Healer:A Stardoc Novel

I really enjoyed this book. I wish that I had read the two preceding books because it would have answer some questions for me, but that is only because I had read the entire series up to the last three. Viehl is such a fantasic writer her books do not bog the reader down and the action and motion is maintained without stoping. I think that this would be a great book for any science fiction reader who enjoys books on aliens, space battles, androids, romance and human nature. It was an easy read and I could not put the book down till I read it in its entirity.

One of my favorite series

If you like SF you will love this series and the other books she has written also. Be sure to start with number one though as it is a continuing saga.

The series just keeps getting better and better

Jarn, (who was Dr. Cherijo Gray-Veil up until the 6th book, 'Rebel Ice', where her head injury was so severe she had no memories and was reborn as Jarn of Akkabarr) and her husband Duncan Reever, are in for another adventure. In the last book, 'Omega Games', they were trapped on Trellus and found a deadly black crystal there. Now Jarn and Duncan must travel to a nearby planet, to search for any traces of the deadly, planet killing crystal. Also appearing in this book is Jylyj, a Skartesh (canine-type) being who appeared in one of S.L. Viehl's non-Stardoc books called 'Bio-Rescue'. Jylyj is a touch healer, working with Jarn in the medical bay aboard the Sunlace as it travels to the planet oKia where a similar canine-type species resides. The oKia allow the Sunlace to land a launch for their survey, but are still distrustful of foreigners. As they should be, for Duncan and Jarn are still hunted by the League and the Hsktskt, and someone knows where they are. On oKia, they discover a different type of crystal, a clear crystal that infects Jylyj. Does this crystal hold the secret to the deadly black crystal they seek? Don't miss this episode of Stardoc. This one is going to knock your boots off. The relationship between Jarn and Duncan is more loving and together than ever, and the puzzle of the black crystal and the clear crystal a complex plot. There's lots of reference to past incidents in other books, so make sure you're up to date on the series. There's a lot of interaction and new information, and a cliffhanger ending that will leave you screaming for the next installment. I CAN'T WAIT for the next installment. Viehl has disappointed me sometimes with Stardoc, but she's back on track and her characters are stronger than ever. I always want more Squilyp, the Omorr. I love his character as Senior Healer. I highly recommend you buy this book. If this is the first Stardoc book you read, there will be a lot of references you won't understand, but it's still a good story and you'll find yourself going back and buying up all the previous books in the series. Five strong stars. Enjoy!