Reddit mentions of The Magic and the Healing

Into the storm was great! Kinda off the wall, so it gets a smaller audience than it deserves. I loved the trick that the sister and the human sailor played (names escape me). The scene with giant paleolithic monsters in a ferocious primordial sea attacking fucking WWII Destroyers was scary awesome, great way to kick off the book.

So you like alternative universes with talking animals? Try this little known gem.

[Here's another dusty treasure, set in the far future.] ( http://www.amazon.com/Starbridge-C-Crispin/dp/0441783295/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344184739&sr=1-1&keywords=starbridge) It remains the best First Contact with aliens story that I've ever read.