The Jewels of Aptor

"The Jewels of Aptor" by Samuel R. Delany is a science fiction story that unfolds in a world brimming with magic and mental powers, exploring ideas about power, history, and what it means to be human. The story follows Geo, a poet; Urson, a huge, talented sailor; and Snake, a strange four-armed boy, as they go on a dangerous trip linked to the shadows of Aptor. The reader meets a young girl dealing with past horrors and its lessons, then the story moves to Geo and Urson at the docks trying to get on a ship to Aptor. They meet Snake, a young thief with telepathy, who gets mixed up in their journey. As issues come up between the tired sailors and the mysterious Priestess of Argo commanding the ship, hints of secrets tied to the Great Fire, a big event that changed their world, appear. Delany presents an adventure filled with thoughts about logic, morals, and the impact from what happened before.