Loved the story, the very evocative and excellent descriptions of an entirely convincing alien culture and world. Although there was an enormous danger of the "arrogant anthropologist" tract, the author only sprinkled in a few elements. I loved that the anthropologist was actually being watched by a sophisticated and organized group that had faults of their own.
Fatally, the Watching People do not question. (Western) science is all about questioning (testing) observations. Asking questions, while well-explained as a sign of lack of observation, can also be exactly the opposite. Once all the possible observations are made, there _are_ still questions. The People make equally dangerous assumptions about the Doctor by concluding he also something to be exploited (in their case, for food) after everything "useful" has been learned.
The Tall people story within the story was excellent foreshadowing of the potential for the People to get a hold of a "boat" that crossed "water that no one could cross." Also, the story-within-the story of imprudent, unobservant members of the village being killed - like these two youths inadvertently calling down a space ship that might conjure up another, more dangerous, consequence than the killer bees.
I was, however, a little disappointed with the narrative technique of recounting the exact words of the Doctor and the "box" without leaving the perspective of the narrator. I understand that it was both necessary exposition and in keeping with the story's description of the careful observations by the narrator's People. But, it was a little too convenient for me and odd, given that the narration was itself (necessarily) in English. I would have preferred a shift in perspective for those moments. A very minor, quibble, given the many positive attributes of the story.
