The Rowan: Anne McCaffrey

Book I of The Tower And The Hive. The Talents were the elite of the Nine Star League. Their gifts were many and varied, ranging from the gently telepathic to the rare and valued Primes. On the Primes rested the entire economic wealth and communications systems of the civilised worlds. But they were very scarce - only very rarely was a new Prime born. And now on the planet Altair, in a small mining colony, a new Prime existed, a three year old girl - trapped in a giant mudslide that had wiped out the rest of the Rowan mining community. Every Altarian who was even mildly talented could 'hear' the child crying for help, but none knew where the child was buried. Every resource is centered into finding 'The Rowan' - the first Prime ever born on Altair, more unique, more powerful, more agoraphobic and more lonely than any other Prime yet known in the Nine Star League. Cover art by Romas Kukalis as Romas.