Rating: 
Summary: Precursor Proves Sequels can Be Great
Review: Just finished reading Precursor. Many authors cannot successfully return to a world and set of characters from a previous trilogy, but this book shows once again that C.J. Cherryh is a great storyteller. This book picks up from the previous stories without losing a beat. If anything the storyline was more exciting and the characters had more depth and more heart. As soon as I reached the chapter where we knew the action was going to take place on the space station I was captivated. And having the dowager appear at a MOST critical scene in the midst of all the action was marvelous! Readers would need too be familiar with the first trilogy to truly appreciate the books, but this is not a problem for Cherryh fans.I look forward with much anticipation to the next book and the appearance of the dreaded and mysterious 'aliens'.I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Aliens alive!
Review: No one succeeds in presenting the feel of an alien culture as well as C. J. Cherryh. Her aliens are alien, but they are also people. The first book by this author that I ever read was Hunter of Worlds, and that book blew me away at the time. She defined their universe so well, and I always wanted more of that universe. This series of books harkens back to the same feeling that I got from that book. In these days of endless fantasy epics that go on book after book, it is a pleasure to know that there is some good science fiction still being written. Each book in the series could stand on its own, but it is better to read them in sequence. I bought all three of the first series, and could not put them down. I thought the end of Inheritor was a little weak, as if she could not think how to end it, but this straightens out that problem by continuing the story. And the continuation makes sense. My only disapointment is that the next book is not yet out. I am looking forward to it.
Rating:
Summary: Aliens alive!
Review: No one succeeds in presenting the feel of an alien culture as well as C. J. Cherryh. Her aliens are alien, but they are also people. The first book by this author that I ever read was Hunter of Worlds, and that book blew me away at the time. She defined their universe so well, and I always wanted more of that universe. This series of books harkens back to the same feeling that I got from that book. In these days of endless fantasy epics that go on book after book, it is a pleasure to know that there is some good science fiction still being written. Each book in the series could stand on its own, but it is better to read them in sequence. I bought all three of the first series, and could not put them down. I thought the end of Inheritor was a little weak, as if she could not think how to end it, but this straightens out that problem by continuing the story. And the continuation makes sense. My only disapointment is that the next book is not yet out. I am looking forward to it.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Brilliant!
Review: Our beloved Paidhi is embroiled in yet another intrigue. This time the race is for space - in all its forms (station, shuttle, ship). As expected, there are two more books coming in the sequel trilogy. If you have made it thus far, keep with it. The book is rewarding although I would have enjoyed more of the Dowager - by far my favorite character aside from Bren Cameron.
Rating: 
Summary: Paidhi In Space
Review: Our beloved Paidhi is embroiled in yet another intrigue. This time the race is for space - in all its forms (station, shuttle, ship). As expected, there are two more books coming in the sequel trilogy. If you have made it thus far, keep with it. The book is rewarding although I would have enjoyed more of the Dowager - by far my favorite character aside from Bren Cameron.
Rating:
Summary: precursor
Review: Precursor continues to expand the alienation of the paidhi-Bren Cameron- from the humans isolated on the island of Mospheira with its corrupt political system.
He is clearly seen as an advocate for the Atevi - under the guidance of Tabini-aijii as the sole instrumentality for control
of the space station and the starships which will provide the only defence against the :reported: aliens which destroyed the -as yet- undefined space station the Pilots Guild bult around another star.
Brens relationships with dowager Ilisidi continue to fascinate me
The discovery in Precursor that (...) was a complete surprise as there had been NO indication (...).
C.J.Cherryh continues to present some of the best crafted aliens in SF. The Chanur Saga,Downbelow Station,Cyteen,Finity's End,
The Foreigner series;in all of these it is the Human who is the alien and I just love Mekkt-Hakkikt Pyanfur Chanur.
Rating:
Summary: A "must" for all C.J. Cherry fans!
Review: Precursor is recommended for prior fans of the Foreigner trilogy, who will appreciate having a sequel which covers the years since the reappearance of the starship Phoenix. Political balances are changed by the starship's appearance, and new challenges between aliens and humans arise as a result.
Rating:
Summary: Satisfying Action, Long Awaited
Review: Since discovering C.J. Cherryh's novels about the -atevi-, I've waited several years for PRECURSOR, and I'm delighted to say it was worth the wait. Cherryh has a gift for combining breathless and sinister power politics and intricate plotting with a dry, unexpected wit that blindsides you and makes even readers familiar with her tactics laugh out loud. I count myself experienced in the ways of CJ's aliens, but this time, she startled me but good. (The people on the E train are USED to people letting out whoops of glee during rush hour, right? Oh well, they'll get over it.) To borrow -atevi- speech constructions, I can only say that one will prove indecorously impatient for the next installment.
Rating:
Summary: Return to the Earth of the atevi - at last!
Review: The books of the "Foreigner" series aren't the usual kind of books where things happen and keep going until the end, and then stop. It's a world where you go to and live, for a while. You get a ride with Bren Cameron, the human ambassador/translator to the atevi, the species native to the world; you look at the world solely through his eyes and observe a wealth of culture, politics and personal relationships from his point of view. Being Bren Cameron among atevi absorbs you to the point of forgetting to get off the bus. The culture you're immersed into absorbs you to the point of avoiding even numbers as infelicitous for some time after finishing the book. To me, what actually happened in "Precursor" was comparatively unimportant as opposed to just getting to *be there* again. And of course, I was glad to find everyone I'd known from the former books alive and well.- The plot is flawlessly thought out and masterfully executed: the flow of time and action feels entirely natural and adds to your feeling of being at home in that world. Bren Cameron goes to the space station, together with "his" atevi, and solves a bunch of glitches and one major problem, vaccilating between experienced routine, inspired self-assurance, profound doubts and major new insights, just as we all do, just as we know him. In the process, there are all those little things that deeply touch our souls: like giving fruit candy to the *Phoenix*'s crew used only to bland rations, like Sabiso, the shy, young woman who comes along to serve Jago, like the two junior translators from Mospheira who are along for the trip and get their first wide-eyed experience of real atevi. And then there's that one big thing we learn about our favorite atevi, that doesn't change a thing, doesn't do anything for the plot, but so deeply startles and surprises us that it colours all three of the earlier books in retrospect and made me go back for the first one again the moment I finished "Precursor", to live through it all again knowing that... Oh yes, and of course the electronic archive of the whole of human literature and history is released to the Moshphei' and the atevi alike (happens early enough in the book that I don't think telling it constitutes a spoiler). One so looks forward to the first production of "Macbeth" by an atevi machimi troupe! And, ever since I regard the antics of our present-day political and military leaders with a new misgiving among all the customary ones: "How embarassing that the atevi get to read *this* in the archives!" Just think of all the collateral damage done in the small wars we had this year, with their apalling lack of biichi-gi, the atevi principle of political finesse and style in doing just the minimum of harm needed to effect one's aims: they're going to think we humans are utter barbarians.- Many things I have been asking myself on and off since the first three books have been answered in "Precusor"; and I look forward to the two other books that are announced to follow. There are still so many questions I'd like to see answered, and so many things I look forward to see - through Bren Camerons eyes. To whoever hasn't read these books yet, I can only warmly recommend: visit this world! It one of the most believable and most engaging ever to come out of the great stream of creativity that is Science Fiction.
Rating:
Summary: The next installment of the saga.
Review: The Foreigner series is very strange. First of all nothing much happens in them. Whole books can pass with just one event happening which could have been written in a paragraph or less. What is even stranger is how enjoyable they are. While most science fiction is like a shower, dousing you with refreshing ideas as quicky as it can, the Foriegner series is a long slow bath in which you are immersed in one idea for a long pleasurable time. Indeed so slow and relaxing are the books that when action happens you are taken somewhat by surprise and often have to reread the section. The books are really one very long book (like other CJ Cherryh works) and should be read in order. I recommend this series very highly the lack of five stars for this one book is that some of the themes are getting a little recurring namely: calm,family crisis, diplomatic crisis, negotiation, mild violence, resolution. I look forward to the next book greatly, in which one hopes that the long awaited "others" finally arrive.
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