Synopses & Reviews
In the wake of civil war, Bren Cameron, the brilliant human diplomat of the alien
atevi civilization, has left the capital and sought refuge at his country estate, Najida. But now he is trapped inside Najidawhich has been surrounded by enemieswith Ilisidi, the powerful grandmother of his ally, Tabini-aiji,
atevi leader of the Western Association. But Ilisidi, the wily and dangerous aiji-dowager, is not inclined to be passive, and in a brazen maneuver sends Bren into enemy territory, to the palace of Machigi, the leader of the rebels.
Bren's mission is to negotiate with Machigia young atevi lord who has never actually seen a humanand somehow persuade him to cease his hostile actions against the West. Bren knows that the autocratic Machigi rules a fractious clan, and that his hospitality is not guaranteed. Bren's genius for negotiation enable him to make a daring trade offer to Machigione that seems to interest the young warlord. But Machigi is suspicious of Ilisidi's motives, and, to Bren's utter shock, evokes an ancient law that jeopardizes Bren's life. Can Bren stay alive, not alienate and not alienate Ilisidi or Tabini, while also representing the interests of their enemy?
The long-running Foreigner series can also be enjoyed by more casual genre readers in sub-trilogy installments. Betrayer is the 12th Foreigner novel. It is also the 3rd book in the fourth subtrilogy.
Review
...serious space opera at its very best. (Publishers Weekly, starred review)
Review
"Three-time Hugo-winner Cherryh's gift for conjuring believable alien cultures is in full force here, and her characters, including the fascinatingly unpredictable atevi, are
brought to life with a sure and convincing hand." —
Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Veteran sf/fantasy author Cherryh plays her strongest suit in this exploration of human/alien contact, producing an incisive study-in-contrast of what it means to be human in a world where trust is nonexistent. A good purchase for most sf collections." —Library Journal
"A seriously probing, thoughtful, intelligent piece of work, with more insight in half a dozen pages than most authors manage in half a thousand." —Kirkus Reviews
"A large new novel from C.J. Cherryh is always welcome. When it marks her return to the anthropological SF in which she has made such a name, it is a double pleasure. The ensuing story is not short on action, but stronger (like much of Cherryh's work) on world-building, exotic aliens, and characterization. Well up to Cherryh's usual high standard." —The Chicago Sun-Times
"A typically close-grained and carefully constructed world, filled with arresting details of atevi life and history. The long and deliberate setup pays off more than satisfactorily, but without any sense of a pat or closed-off solution. A book that will stick in the mind a lot longer than the usual adventure romp." —Locus
Review
"Fans of the series will be enthralled with the character development and the rich content of this political thriller...the rich character dialogue and plot twists will keep you reading long into the night." —
RT Book Reviews "This is one of the best science fiction series currently running." —Strange Horizons
Review
"One of the best long-running SF series in existence.... Cherryh remains one of the most talented writers in the field." —
Publishers Weekly
"Some of the finest work of Cherryh's long and distinguished career."—Locus
"My favorite science fiction series is C. J. Cherryh's Foreigner universe. Cherryh deftly balances alien psychology and human vanities in a character caught between being human and part of an alien race."—Denver Post
"There is plenty of intrigue…marvelous attention to detail that makes the culture of the atevi one of the most complex, multi-layered creations in science fiction…. The Foreigner series is about as good as it gets…so finely and densely wrought that you may end up dreaming of sable-skinned giants with gold eyes, and the silver spun delicacy of interstellar politics."—SF Site
"A seriously probing, thoughtful, intelligent piece of work, with more insight in half a dozen pages than most authors manage in half a hundred."—Kirkus
"Cherryh superbly crafts complex intrigues and alien races possessed of integrity, as well as a sense of otherness."—Library Journal
"A large new Cherryh novel is always welcome...a return to the anthropological science fiction in which she has made such a name is a double pleasure.... Superlatively drawn aliens and characterization."—Chicago Sun-Times
Synopsis
The groundbreaking novel that launched Cherryh's eponymous space opera series of first contact and its consequences...
It had been nearly five centuries since the starship Phoenix, lost in space and desperately searching for the nearest G5 star, had encountered the planet of the atevi. On this alien world, law was kept by the use of registered assassination, alliances were defined by individual loyalties not geographical borders, and war became inevitable once humans and one faction of atevi established a working relationship. It was a war that humans had no chance of winning on this planet so many light-years from home.
Now, nearly two hundred years after that conflict, humanity has traded its advanced technology for peace and an island refuge that no atevi will ever visit. Then the sole human the treaty allows into atevi society is marked for an assassin's bullet. The work of an isolated lunatic? The interests of a particular faction? Or the consequence of one human's fondness for a species which has fourteen words for betrayal and not a single word for love?
Synopsis
The first book in C.J.Cherryh's eponymous series, Foreigner begins an epic tale of the survivors of a lost spacecraft who crash-land on a planet inhabited by a hostile, sentient alien race. From its beginnings as a human-alien story of first contact, the Foreigner series has become a true science fiction odyssey, following a civilization from the age of steam through early space flight to confrontations with other alien species in distant sectors of space. It is the masterwork of a truly remarkable author.
The long-running Foreigner series can also be enjoyed by more casual genre readers in sub-trilogy installments.
Synopsis
The groundbreaking novel that launched Cherryh's epic series on first contact and its consequences is back in this special anniversary edition featuring a brand-new Introduction by the author. Reissue.
Synopsis
In the wake of civil war, Bren Cameron, the brilliant human diplomat of the alien atevi civilization, has left the capital and sought refuge at his country estate, Najida. But now he is trapped inside Najida-which has been surrounded by enemies- with the powerful grandmother of his ally, Tabiniaiji, atevi leader of the Western Association. Ilisidi, the aiji-dowager, is not inclined to be passive and sends Bren into enemy territory, to the palace of the leader of the rebels.
Bren's mission is to negotiate with Machigi-a young atevi lord who has never actually seen a human-and somehow persuade him to cease his hostile actions against the west. Is Bren a shrewd enough negotiator to stay alive, and not alienate Ilisidi or Tabini, while also representing the interests of their enemy?
Synopsis
At lastCajeiri has his young guests from the starship, three young folk entranced by weather and trees and creatures with minds of their own. Its all he dreamed of...
But now safety is foremost: Cajeiris grandfather has been assassinated, hostile Assassins Guild invaded Great-uncles house, and now Bren Cameron, paidhi-aiji, who was sent to keep the aijis son safe, has more than the young guests on his mind. The aiji-dowager knows whos to blame for the attacks, and theyre going after him.
The fact that the person responsible is in the heart of Assassins Guild Headquarters, the most closely guarded fortress on the continent, is not going to stop her.
Bren Cameron has the pieces now, of a decades-old plot thats been threaded through Guild actions going back before his arrival on the continent, and morehe knows the person responsible is going to find out he knows, and find out within hours.
They have no choice. If they dont move, the other side will.
And the lives of the boy, the guests, the entire ruling family are at stake.
Synopsis
It's coming up on Cajeiri's birthday. The boy has been promised he can have the young human children he knew from his voyage sent down from the space station for a two week stay.
But there's far a darker business going on in the background--a major split compromising the Assassins' Guild, which furnishes security and law enforcement to the whole continent. Tabini's consort's own father has been barred from court, and may be involved in a new conspiracy against him.
For safety reasons, Tabini wants Bren and Ilisidi to take charge of Cajeiri, and protect him and his young guests. They themselves are very likely targets of whatever's going on, no question of it. So is Cajeiri. But having the targets separated and contained is an advantage.
It's Bren's responsibility to entertain the guests, keep the security problem secret...and let a lonely eight-year-old prince reestablish his controversial relationship with the only other children he's ever met...inside the best security they can manage.
About the Author
Of all science fiction writers there is none more highly respected than the brilliant, prolific C.J. Cherryh. Cherryh has written more than fifty novels, has won three Hugo Awards, both in the novel and the short story categories, and has frequently appeared on both the Hugo Award ballot and the Nebula Award ballot.