User:Humanoidgelato/sandbox
The Necessary Beggar
[edit]The Necessary Beggar is a science fiction novel written by Susan Palwick. The novel was published October 1, 2005 by Tor Books. While intended for an adult audience, it won an Alex Award in 2006 which encouraged its reading by young adults.
Plot
[edit]Known as the Glorious City, Lemabantunk is a land of peace and community where the poorest and the richest are equally valued. For this reason, when carpet merchant Darroti is found guilty of the murder of a sacred beggar, a Mendicant, he and his family are exiled to another world. On the other side of an ancient gate they find themselves in an American refugee camp unable to speak the language or explain their origins. Outside of the camp, dissent concerning the continued entrance of refugees has reached the point of violence. The family must adapt to their new surroundings while maintaining the family unity that is so central to their culture.
Characters
[edit]- Darroti is the youngest child of Timbor. After he is charged with the murder of a Mendicant, he is exiled to a world chosen at random
- Zamatryna is the daughter of Eroloit and Harani. She arrives to the United States as a child and is unable to recall much of Lemabantunk. In addition to being highly intelligent, she assimilates to the new culture the easiest. This results in the burden of the family's future being placed on her shoulders.
- Timbor is the patriarch of the family. He's the father of three children, Eroloit, Darroti, and Macsofo. His wife, Frella died years before the exile. In his old life, he was a carpet salesman. In our dimension, he's a taxi driver.