Invader: Book Two of Foreigner

This series of books is one that I always keep within easy reach. The series has its ups and downs, but this book is a particular favorite because in this book the whole atevi culture and Bren Cameron's place in it starts to gel. While not action packed and the time period covered by the book is short, a lot happens as Bren makes certain irrevokable decisions that are sure to cause him problems in the future. The Atevi struggle within their culture to come to some resolution as to how they will interact with humans. Bren's personal life shifts from his connection with human family, associates and lover to finding a place within Atevi culture.While the pace is slow and the writing dense, this allows the reader to start to feel comfortable in the atevi world and to appreciate the complexities of the culture. Cherryh has done a very good job of creating a nonhuman culture that touches on enough points to be comprehensible and even attractive but still alien.

This series continues to amaze, with the second book just as riveting. Here Cherryh shines in her development of the Atevi characters, each one distinct and complex in his/her won way. Bren Cameron is of course as appealing and it is wonderful to find him growing close to his alien friends. Of course there is the subtle hints of affection (maybe love?) between Bren and Jago which I hope Cherryh will explore deeper in future books. The pace maybe slow at the beginning but the build-up to a possible collision between the Atevi and 2 different human cultures, one on land and the other in space is exquisitely handled. Now to start the third book! Well done Cherryh!

Out of all the Foreigner books, I found Invader to be the best. People have commented that Cherryh focuses far too much attention on Bren (the protagonist).The reason Cherryh has used this approach is because Bren, whatever his education, is still a product of Western Civilization, with our codes of behavior, our attitudes, and our way of thinking. The Atevi are a totally unknown quantity. Bren must re-evaluate every aspect of who he is--every inflection of voice, every facial expression, every choice of word, every thought in his head. Everything a normal human would take for granted and pass off as totally mundane has a completely different meaning among the Atevi.Motivations among humans do not equate to the motivations among Atevi. We are reading about a race that has a thought-process built on a completely different set of instincts.Cherryh is forcing her readers to re-evaluate Western life, Western attitudes, and Western reasoning. She is trying to make us realize that there are strange and wonderful things outside of our society.

The complexity of this book is refreshing in the science fiction genre. Political and societal ramifications of actions keeps Bren, human diplomat to the Ateva, constantly thinking, analyzing and contemplating, as well as the reader. It is necessary to read and reread to truly grasp every detail, every association, every meaning. The result is a truly well defined society and culture, as well as characters with whom the reader can identify and support, be they human or not.The author doesn't compromise story development for cheap thrills. The depth with which she covers each moment is what gives the Foreigner series its depth and substance.

C.J. Cherryh brings us back to the universe first visited in "Foreigner". "Invader" is the continuing story of human/Atevi politics, as witnessed and manipulated by the human Paidhi, Bren Cameron. The main thrust of this novel is a thoughtful exploration of non-human values and relationships, and Cherryh is among the best in the field at realizing alien mindsets. Her Atevi are a wonderfully different race, a species whose bonds exist outside the human concepts of friendship and love. The resulting interspecies interactions are believable and nicely handled. Cherryh's deft handling of character shines throughout the novel, both exploring a human reaction to a people with no concept of trust, and the Atevi view of a race whose basic idea of hierarchy is entirely different from their own. The plot, revolving around the return of a human starship to Atevi skies, is taut and compelling, with political intrigue and personal conflicts intertwining in a weave of fine subtlety. But always through it all is Cherryh's perceptive search of a man's adaptability and a race's hope for their future. The author also has a talented hand at universe-building, with local color and a culture which seems as plausible as our own. While not her best work, this book certainly satisfies the first time reader or an old fan. Cherryh has once again proven she is one of the premier writers of science fiction.