Foreigner 3: Inheritor

An accelerated pace and 3 months have passed since the end of "Invader". Jase has settled in, the emissary from the orbiting space ship "Phoenix" which, like the bird of legend, returned from the unknown & unexplored reaches of deep space. For a little history: Cherryh sets her world with imposing aliens(Atevi) who are united by a single ruler, the aijii, under whom lords & council govern. Humans, lost on a space colonization mission, have settled on the Atevi world and exist in an uneasy truce, co-operating & trading only through one diplomat; Bren Cameron. As the only contact between two species, Cameron is constantly protected by an extraordinary security force but his family is not so fortunate. In a turbulent political climate on the human governed island, Camerons' family is endangered by radical factions & Yolanda Mercheson, the ships emissary has been threatened. Against this background he must somehow train (Jase)the new Atevi ship-human diplomat in the tangled Ragi tongue, which has no word for trust, or love or even like. Yes, human and Atevi are biologically different, and a man alone in an alien culture must constantly rethink his most basic suppositions. Jase & Cameron have made little headway after the initial friendliness of their contact & arrangements, but luckily Cameron's Atevi security have become his family. Against the backdrop of the stars, and one alien homeplanet where HUMANS are the alien threat, the `space opera' plays out. Well written, fast paced & enjoyable, an increasingly involving series. . Kotori [email protected]

The first reading of this instalment - of what for me is my favourite Cherryh series so far - was like going on a long trip and wondering when I was going to get there, it taking a re-read of the first two in the series, and the second time around with this one to find it wasn't as drawn out as it seemed to be the first time. Foreigner is revisited by way of Bren being conscious of Jase's difficulties to assimilate with Atevi thinking and expectation. And the ongoing Jago - Bren relationship adds an element of romance to the proceedings, which is well used towards the end of Invader. An Alliance - Mosphei versus Union - Atevi element is also present, the political and social structure of the Atevi adding a further fantasy angle to it all. That's why I like this series so much, it's a well written and thought out mix of sci-fi and fantasy. Looking forward to the new one.

I loved this book - this is her best series yet, and I am eagerly awaiting those next three books that her webpage hints at. This one elaborated on the brilliant world of the atevi, had magnificently interwoven plots and sub-plots, and some fascinating characters. There was only one thing I was disappointed in ...... there was very little of Damiri, Tabini's influential consort, who looked promising in Invader. Damiri aside, this is an elegant, suspenseful, beautifully-written book, the type that is very, very, very hard to put down. An absolute must-read for all fans of intelligent sci-fi.

The entire trilogy is first-rate and one gets hooked very fast. Plots and subplots come thick and fast. There's no way to anticipate them, yet they never seem contrived once they arrive. Characters are deep and realistic, strange yet eerily familiar. One complaint: the first 100 pages or so are a waste for those who have read the first two volumes. It seems that Cherryh is simply trying to bring new readers into the story. This is not only boring for those who are already hooked but also somewhat futile for others: there's no way to capture adequately what happened in vols. 1-2 without reading them. This concerns not only plot but also, even moreso, the character development at which Cherryh excels. Fortunately, after this initial letdown the book picks up and quickly reaches the pace and intensity of the others. Let's hope the author doesn't do *this* again in any sequels. (I'm hoping for at least one more follow-up!)

Cherryh has managed to create in this trilogy a fascinating yet thoroughly alien race - just close enough to human to be familiar, yet different enough to tantalize. The concepts of honorable assasination, different emotion "hardwiring" and the only word in the languange for like/love equating to a preference for a particular salad certainly keep one just enough off-balance that you can't stop reading - because you just want to find out just how Bren will make that true connection with the atevi, and one lovely woman in particular. Even if she is 7 feet tall, has pointed ears, yellow eyes and is a trained assassin! A must read for those who truly appreciate the creation of an alien race who are not just humans who dress differently or have an extra limb or eye. Hopefully there will be more forthcoming in this series.