Destroyer

Foreigner #7

by C.J. Cherryh

The seventh novel in Cherryh’s  Foreigner space opera series, a groundbreaking tale of first contact and its consequences…

It has been two years since the starship Phoenix left Alpha Station on a rescue mission where over four thousand human spacers were under attack by a hostile alien race. Now, exhausted from their journey, the crew of the Phoenix yearns for home. But when the ship makes the jump into atevi space and contacts Alpha, they learn the that supplies to the station have been cut off; that civil war has broken out on the atevi mainland; that the powerful Western Association has been overthrown; and that Tabini-aiji, Bren Cameron's primary supporter and Ilisidi's grandson and ally, is missing and may be dead.

With no one left to lead the Western Association, Ilisidi and Bren know that the survival of their allies lies in their hands. And with the atevi world at war, the only safe landing strip lies on the human colony at Mospheira. Although there are many dangers inherent in bringing a powerful atevi leader such as Ilisidi onto human lands, Bren realizes they have no other choice.

But even if they safely survive their landing, will Bren and Ilisidi together prove strong enough to muster the remaining shards of the Western Association and regain control of their planet?

The long-running Foreigner series can also be enjoyed by more casual genre readers in sub-trilogy installments. Destroyer is the 7th Foreigner novel, and the 1st book in the third subtrilogy.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Space Opera, Aliens, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fantasy, Audiobook

416 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 7, 2003

About the author

Currently resident in Spokane, Washington, C.J. Cherryh has won four Hugos and is one of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed authors in the science fiction and fantasy field. She is the author of more than forty novels. Her hobbies include travel, photography, reef culture, Mariners baseball, and, a late passion, figure skating: she intends to compete in the adult USFSA track. She began with the modest ambition to learn to skate backwards and now is working on jumps. She sketches, occasionally, cooks fairly well, and hates house work; she loves the outdoors, animals wild and tame, is a hobbyist geologist, adores dinosaurs, and has academic specialties in Roman constitutional law and bronze age Greek ethnography. She has written science fiction since she was ten, spent ten years of her life teaching Latin and Ancient History on the high school level, before retiring to full time writing, and now does not have enough hours in the day to pursue all her interests. Her studies include planetary geology, weather systems, and natural and man-made catastrophes, civilizations, and cosmology…in fact, there's very little that doesn't interest her. A loom is gathering dust and needs rethreading, a wooden ship model awaits construction, and the cats demand their own time much more urgently. She works constantly, researches mostly on the internet, and has books stacked up and waiting to be written.

Reviews

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book marks the start of the third sub-trilogy of the series and a very welcome return back to the Atevi Homeworld.

Now while I did enjoy the spacetravel and the intrigue with the new aliens and the mess with the other space-station, I really love the fact that we're returning to where my love of the series began.

We left with the world practically unified under Tabini, but when Bren returns to the system only to find that supplies from the world aren't getting to the space station and the main continent is in turmoil and Tabini is presumed dead, grandmother Ilisidi and Tabini's young son and Bren go harrowing off to find support in the mainland or at least some word as to Tabini's fate.

The Atevi can't lose space! Not like this! No!!!

This one is full of politics and poor Bren still trying to figure out the deep fundamental differences between the Atevi and the Human mindsets, becoming a mystery much greater than that and a full-out action novel later, still.

God, I love this series. It really has everything. Characters we're deeply invested in, absolutely gorgeous worldbuilding, and truly fantastic stories that are both very grounded and intricate.

This series is still going strong 10 books after this, too!!! :) I can't wait to get to them!

[Gergana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woohoooo! Where do I begin?!



Did some sketches too :3

Finished book 9, so it's time to do a review for the whole third sequence (books 7 through 9). No spoilers, promise!

Story

We've spent two years in a spaceship where Atevi and Humans have been peacefully coexisting with each other...imagine that. And noone was better at adapting than the young heir of the aiji - Cajeiri, who manages to get himself and his new human associates in all sorts of mischief. Meanwhile, Bren and pretty much all the grown ups from both races are looking forward to finally arriving at the space station, orbiting the Atevi world, and having a proper cup of coffee and sugar candies.

So imagine their surprise, when the moment they exit the jump, the station's crew is quick to inform them that the whole world below is in a total chaos, with rebels overthrowing the government and with Tabini rumored to be murdered. The station's crew and the humans from Mospheira are refusing to acknowledge the usurper, Murini, at a great risk for their own safety, and their only hope is the 8 year old Cajeiri, and his strong-willed and dangerous great grand-mother - Ilisidi.

The race is on! Cajeiri HAS to reach the capital and file an official complain with the assassin's guild to take care of the rebels, while Bren has to deliver his official report to the general public which will, hopefully, justify all of Tabini's actions and ensure his safety (if he's still alive). But first of all, they have to land on the planet without their shuttle being blown to smithereens.



General opinion

Assassins vs. assassins! These three books were absolutely thrilling and action-packed, giving us more information on how the assassin's guild and the atevi government operates - more battles, more schemes, more traps, more narrow escapes and more politics! The 7th book is a race against time and... the second weakest after book 1... (I'll explain later). The 8th book is better, although it still dragged a little bit, but the ending was totally worth it! And book 9 was awesome and refreshing.

As you can see, I have really high expectations when it comes to my favorite series, so despite absolutely enjoying every minute of listening to the audiobooks (which were EPIC! Best narrator choice EVER!), I'm not afraid to admit that none of the new books were able to match the pure awesomeness of book 6!

At least for me. (some of my GR friends would disagree ;)

Pros and Cons

As I mentioned above, book 7 was a step down after book 6 for me. The weird thing is, it reminded me a lot of book 1, almost like a mirror, but with a major difference - we see Bren going through similar experiences and challenges as the ones he faced in the first installment, but NOW we see how much he has changed. Bren is far more familiar with the Atevi around him, they have mutual respect for eachother, he is pretty proficient at riding macheti, and is far more useful in battles. It was interesting to see his character development and I loved it! If only there was more happening around the middle... the story dragged a lot, nothing happened except their team moving from one place to another, hiding and sneaking around, trying not to be caught. The politics here weren't that entertaining either (compared to books 8 and 9). When the final act started my brain was half asleep, so even the mandatory plot twist failed to impress me as much.

In contrast, book 8 was a definite improvement. Again, there were some plot similarities with its predecessor, but it was more exciting and the ending was brilliant! I honestly didn't believe Bren will be able to pull it off, but his report was genius and it made perfect sense!

Book 9 was actually the best of the trio - with one huge addition - a new POV was added next to Bren's and the choice of the character was perfect! Overall, book 9 was far more engaging and my favorite of the three! Although, you could skip this book if you want to, as it barely does anything to progress the whole story, but it was still captivating and exciting!



Improvements?
In my review of book 1, I complained about the general stupidity of the human race and the lack of likable female humans. I'm happy to say that the humans were definitely behaving far better and their actions, although not many, totally took me by surprise.
On the other hand, the women are absolutely awful as ever. XD I have a feeling that Bren has some serious issues when it comes to women and we always see them through his eyes as being incompetent, selfish and out there to ruin his life.

Conclusion

The Foreigner series has so many elements that I normally try to stay away from (slow-pacing is a major one), but, for some reason, I'm having a blast reading this series and I'm dreading the day I catch up with all the books that have come out so far.
I love these books! I love the audiobook narrator! I love the stunning covers! I know, it's not a series I can guarantee everyone would love, but how I wish I could bully people into reading them >:3

[Veronique · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75* Re-read
7th book - beginning of third trilogy

After the events of the previous instalment in space, this book very much felt like a return to the very beginning of the series, mirroring even Foreigner on a lot of points. Bren however is a very different person, even though he still worries all the time, and it was fascinating to follow him on yet another threatening situation. And what a royal mess!!!

The usual characters shine as always. Do I even have to mention Ilisidi? Cajeiri is proving very entertaining and full of potential. I do wonder what kind of person he is becoming. both on a personal and political stance. Me thinks sparks are going to materialise...

[Choko · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** 4.43 ***

This Sci-fi Political series is so well written and compelling, I wish more people would give it a try! ❤️😀👍

[Sud666 · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Destroyer" seems to start a new arc in the story. Bren and the Atevi have returned from their mission to the station with the survivors. Yet, they find that during the two years they were gone-there has been an internal power struggle.

They return to find Tabini missing, presumed assassinated, and themselves the targets of assassins. Bren, the Dowager and the Atevi must work together to stay alive and outsmart their enemies to come back to power.

While I have enjoyed this entire series, and this book as well, the story seems to have moved back to where it was in the beginning with Bren being the outsider trying to stay alive and understand Atevi politics. It seemed familiar and I am hoping it will branch off into a more interesting angle. Still a great read and I will be picking up the next book.

[Justine · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Back from straightening out one mess and going directly into another. But isn’t that always the way?

This book dealt almost exclusively with known characters and it was great to get a bit more insight and closure on some of them. I loved the politics, the plotting, and the way everything played out in a rich tapestry of worldbuilding that continues to become ever more complex.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a successful rescue mission Phoenix has returned to the atevi system, but things at home haven't gone well. Tabini-aiji is in exile and the governing aishidi’tat has collapsed. Shuttles to the station have stopped, as has nearly all communication.

This is very much an establishing book placing Bren, Ilisidi and Cajeiri back into a now-dysfunctional atevi society and very quickly making waves. In the school of a picture painting a thousand words, the cover art by Michael Whelan of this one is brilliant. We see Bren as the focus, a powerful figure in atevi politics in his own right and no longer timid, openly holding a gun. Jago has his back as always and behind them both we see Ilisidi, quietly regal and clearly projecting that Bren is her agent of choice as well as her support of him.

This is a more mature Bren wading into atevi politics and its fun to see.

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Destroyer constitutes a new 'mini trilogy' in the long running Foreigner series. The starship Pheonix returns from its adventures in the previous trilogy and finds a true mess at home. The atevi, the aliens on the planet partially colonized by humanity, are in a state of civil war. Tabini, the leader of the atevi alliance that favored rapid technological changes, and was behind the push to get the space station up and running, is missing, and a rival leader proclaims himself the new 'king' (for lack of a better word). the various factions of the atevi start taking sides, led by the more techophobe divisions. The young son of Tabini, along with the formidable dowager Ilisidi and Bren, immediately upon their return decide they most go planet side to either find Tabini or make a claim for the 'throne' itself.

This really felt like a 'place holder' in the series, and Cherryh spends way too much time going over events that occurred in the previous volumes; this may help someone who starts the series here, but most people reading this probably read the previous volumes, and it gets annoying pretty quickly. As usual, _lots_ of political intrigue among the atevi, who are governed by something like clans in a myriad of associations and alliances. The best part of this, and the series, concerns how Cherryh develops the aliens and their thought processes; truly sociological science fiction at its finest. Also, as typical in this series, it starts off relatively slowly, and gradually builds up for a frenetic ending. Bran's endless worrying started to get to me a bit, and not much was resolved, hence the place holder feeling. Not the best of the series, but still pretty good. 3.0 stars.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book of the third sub-trilogy. Bren and his posse return home after two years in space. Things are not as they were. To their shock they find out that the Western Association has been overthrown and Tabini is missing and may be dead. I was quite apprehensive, when I took a peek at the book blurb.

I liked the plot, but there was way too much internal monologue and humming and hawing for my taste. Bren just went on and on and on... I zoned out of the audiobook narration quite a few times. By the time we got around to the frenetic grand finale, I barely cared anymore. This felt like a „middle book“.

Nonetheless, I will definitely continue. Because I really, really want to know where Cherryh takes it all in the end. Only 15 more books to go at current count.

[Para (wanderer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually complain that Foreigner books tend to start slow, but this one? This one started with a fucking bang. And what's more, continued in this vein for the most part (Bren still gets in his multi-page anxiety spirals but that's to be expected I guess). High on action, high on intrigue, it was perhaps the best-paced one so far. Plus, it contains both everyone's favourite granny and her cranky old man ex 😁

[Samantha (AK) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome home, Bren Cameron. Welcome home, on the day all the mistakes suddenly made a difference...

To my immense relief, we are back planetside! In the two years since Phoenix left--carrying not only Bren, but the aiji-dowager and Tabini's son--things on the mainland have collapsed. Everything is going wrong and it is glorious.

If Bren Cameron has one glaring weakness, it's his hubris. His belief that he personally is instrumental to and responsible for the peace, and that if things go wrong, it's his fault. In fairness, his job description says it's his fault if things go wrong, but the reader knows there's plenty of other moving parts at play. Still, he's an easy target. Outsider. Very public. Very foreign (though not so foreign as the ship).

This is very fast-paced for Cherryh. There's plenty of introspection to be had, of course. Bren finally gets some clear resolution in his personal affairs, for instance, even as he's working through guilt over the rest of it. Cajeiri is growing up very quickly as well, giving the readers their first clear insights into atevi youth among other atevi. But mostly it's a lot of traveling and subterfuge and high-stakes maneuvering. After the frankly stagnant space-and-ship environment of the last three books, I'm thrilled.

5 stars, and looking forward to the next book.

[Wanda Pedersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seems that Bren Cameron is destined to find himself in the saddle, on a fearsome mecheita, in the company of the Dowager, grandmother to the ruler of the aetevi, Tabini. (It always seems to me that riding these animals must be rather like riding a huge, mean draught horse.) Bren & co have returned from a two year space mission, only to find the aetevi home world in chaos. The government is overthrown and Tabini and his consort are missing. Cajierei, Tabini's son, had also been on the space voyage, so their guards must protect an elderly woman, a boy of eight years, and a foreign human, who all owe their loyalty and man'chi to Tabini. They land the space shuttle on the human-occupied continent and it is Bren's brother, Toby, who ferries them across the strait to aetevi territory.

As usual, Bren is thinking and overthinking the situation. He is extraordinarily prone to blaming himself for circumstances well beyond his control. But plenty of time on a mecheita gives a body time to work through things, when one isn't absolutely exhausted or dodging gunfire. Bren still hasn't learned that he can't control what other beings will do (including his brother), but by book's end he has limited himself to deciding only his own actions.

Cajieri has become a very mature eight-year-old, and has developed his own network of man'chi as soon as he hit the aetevi continent. Another of Bren's worries dealt with—so much time spent with humans hasn't crippled the youngster's aetevi instincts.

Cherryh explores the struggle to modernize a very conservative civilization, with kerfuffle being inevitable. But change is also relentlessly approaching. Aetevi and humans are going to have to deal with the kyo, the third alien species, whom the Dowager and Bren negotiated with in the last book. And the kyo have suggested that there is yet another alien species out there to be contacted and make peaceful treaties with. Not to mention the relations between at least two aetevi factions and three or more human groups. Politics is Cherryh's forte, along with constructing believable and truly alien societies. I am looking forward to the next book, Pretender, this fall.

Book Number 457 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project

[Suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+

Every now and then Cherryh manages to coincidentally remind me that the aliens are "not like us" no matter how much they seem to be. Now, understand that she does manage to TELL you that quite a lot, but sometimes she stops telling you and lets you forget and then lets you get hit in the face with it within the course of the story. I like that. I got a lot of that with this entry.

It took six books for me to stop calling it first "world building" and then "court intrigue." Today I'd call this story strongly character driven court intrigue in space. It takes a long time to develop, but it's quite good once it does.

[The_Mad_Swede · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of C. J. Cherryh since I first read Foreigner (the first part in her Foreigner universe series) a little more than five years ago. I've since read (with this one) six sequels in that series as well as the first novel in her Chanur series (and have managed to accumulate quite a few more books by her on my shelves). And so far, she has not yet let me down.

Part of what fascinates me about her writing is her strong ability to depict a meeting between cultures, a meeting with the Other. It seems to be a thread in her work (clearly present in the Chanur series as much as in the Foreigner series, yet equally clearly handled differently). In the series at hand, it is of course all about interaction between humans and atevi, a species upon whose world lost space travelling humans got stranded a few centuries earlier. Part of the charm being, not only the cultural, political crash and fascinating story told, but how Cherryh manages to hold to a strong genetic difference between earth humans and basically anything from the world of the atevi. They are simply hard-wired differently and consequently humans and atevi cannot understand each other fully emotionally. Atevi can never grasp an emotion like love and humans can never quite grasp the governing emotional force of man'chi. All this on a world where politics makes use of assassination as a legal means of operating.

Throughout the series we are given a view into atevi society but always through the human paidhi (or simplified "translator", although it doesn't quite cover it fully) Bren Cameron, sole representative of the human colony on the island Mospheira (where humans live utterly separated from atevi society to avoid conflicts and misunderstandings). As Bren, throughout the books are drawn into atevi politics, we learn more but always through him. Not because he's the narrator, because he isn't, but because Cherryh skilfully focalises the narrative through Bren. Our knowledge is always tied to Bren's knowledge, how much or how little he has at any given time is all we get to play with.

And Cherryh manages this by an exquisite use of language and psychological insight.

Now, this is a series, and so far at least three more novels (currently reading book 8), but it is not a serial. That is, you can safely pick up the first book and, if you don't like that one, easily leave it at that without feeling that you've been taken hostage and not given a full story. In fact, I'm pretty sure that one could pick up one of the later books and start there as well... although, I'd strongly recommend starting at the beginning as it is a rewarding starting point; whether you keep going or not.

All in all, I do not think I can possibly recommend Cherryh enough. She is certainly a big name in my authors pantheon.

[Peter Tillman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book, but I got tired of Bren's interior monologues. The story felt padded, and is definitely not self-contained. Still, it's an intriguing start to a (then) new trilogy, and the pages turn quickly.

[Mothwing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even I was very relieved when we finally meet up with Tabini again, conditions on the planet being so disorderly. Ilisidi is as great as ever.

[Paulette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books in the Foreigner series. Rereading the whole series

[Liam || Books 'n Beards · Rating 3 out of 5]

Welcome home, Bren Cameron. Welcome home, on the day all the mistakes suddenly make a difference.

I am SO bad at reading ugh. Two months to get through this. 2023 has not been a good reading year for me so far.

After galaxy-trotting to defuse tensions with a new alien race, Bren Cameron and his trusty crew return to the earth of the Atevi to find that Tabini, the aiji and leader of the atevi, has been overthrown. Goodness gracious what are we to do?

This is probably my least favourite of the FOREIGNER books so far (which isn't really saying much, to be fair, they've all been excellent). It was a bit of a slog to get through, as much as reading Cherryh's excellent worldbuilding and characters can feel like a slog.

The character interactions were, as always for this series, the highlight. Bren and Jago's odd relationship, the burgeoning confidence if Cajeiri, the butting heads of Ilisidi and Tatsiegi. Really good stuff.

Plot-wise it just really didn't feel like much happened. It felt like the middle book in a trilogy, not the first - a lot of fluff and treading water.

I am always impressed how well Cherryh writes action scenes that our main character doesn't take too much part in - despite Bren spending an entire climactic gunfight hiding under a hedge, it still feels incredibly tense and energetic.

I've slowed down so I'm not sure when I'll get to book #8 but I'm keen to. Just need to get my mojo back.

[Kazen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

After being stuck in one situation for several books Bren finally gets to move around, and does he ever! I loved the road trip aspect, as well as meeting characters we haven't seen in a while, along with the respective politics. It would have been four stars, but Cherryh's action scenes are so confusing and jumbled that the entire book ended on a '....?' note.

[Sheryl Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

7th read: self-doubt and self-blame. No wonder this book feels uncomfortable--it rather stares me in the soul. Oops!
---
This is a transition book which is necessary to the plot.

I love the unexpected action in this book and the Reveal of dynamics in the staff as well as shifts in loyalty which are deeply moving.

Bren's failure of understanding seems like a trivial failure in communication. His staff's support for actions following from the misunderstanding make no sense--until one realizes that Bren's status in Atevi society had been changed by Tabini's act of making him a Lord, but that happened after he left the world and both his status and Tabini's return to power are very uncertain.

It's a good book. The issues simply do not speak to my soul the way the first six books do.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, Cherryh has proven herself master of political intrigue and tight, suspenseful plotting. This is one of the best. This story also includes some deep emotional scenes -- between Bren and his old love, Barb who is now with his brother Toby; between Bren and Jago as he assures her his future and his heart lies with her, although, of course, he doesn't say 'heart' as that is meaningless to atevi. There's also a touching scene between Cajieri, the aiji's heir, and his new adolescent friends (not, of course, called 'friends'.)

All in all, another more than satisfying chapter in the atevi saga.

[Nora · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this installment of the Foreigner series very much. The turn of events was completely unexpected (I don't even usually read blurbs, so I had honestly no idea), and it was a good change of pace to get back to the atevi world and politics after the space adventure of the last one. Bren is a bit whiny in this, but well, that's Bren!

[Dorothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

After 7 books I must admit to being hooked.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What was past me thinking?? Only two stars?? This novel is great.

[Mary Soon Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book seven in a long-running science fiction series that began with Foreigner (1994) and currently numbers twenty-one books. I've greatly enjoyed the first seven books and will begin with general remarks that apply to them collectively, before progressing to comments on book seven in particular.

The series, at least thus far, centers on Bren Cameron, a human translator and mediator living among aliens. Bren's thoughts are shown in a depth that I found fascinating and highly immersive. This careful meticulous detail reminds me of reading L. E. Modesitt, Jr., though Cherryh's themes are not Modesitt's. I note that some readers find the level of detail an annoyance and the pace slow. I do not.

Spoilers ahead. Through Bren, the books conjure an intricate alien civilization, one in which words such as "friend" and "love" have no close equivalent, and in which there is an official, highly-respected Assassins Guild. Bren is a very sympathetic character, who finds himself in difficult situations where the stakes are high. I'm also very fond of several of the supporting characters, especially the assassins Banichi and Jago, and the elderly grande dame, Ilisidi. The plot builds from book to book, with developments from the small and personal to those of sweeping impact.

In as much as I have a general gripe, it's that the books' openings are comparatively weak. In the case of the first book, there are two introductory sections that I found less compelling than Bren's storyline. In the case of book two onward, the beginnings mix in new material with an extensive recap of what's happened so far in the series.

As for book seven in particular: I'm far from certain it's better than the preceding (excellent) books. But I'm falling deeper and deeper into the series, the characters, the interplay of humans, aliens, technology, politics. There are times, increasingly often, when I want nothing more than to read the next paragraph. I admire how Cherryh balances the epic with the personal. I admire how she moves the action back planetside without losing impetus. I admire how the bursts of action are well-earned and well-executed. I admire how even the battle scenes include a great deal of waiting and small discomforts. I have fallen for this series and it is a fierce joy to me that, at the end of book seven, I am only one third of the way through.

4.5 out of 5 most capable stars.

About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).

[Gally · Rating 4 out of 5]

A faster paced Foreigner installment with nostalgic callbacks to earlier novels in the series. Returning home to a mysterious disaster, Bren and his allies rush across the mainland in search of answers and allies. The narrative is in constant movement from beginning to end, with only a few respites spaced between. Cherryh fits as much intrigue and banter as she's able into this story, despite the forced pacing.
Alongside several familiar characters, and a few new characters as well, Cajeiri, the atevi prince, is given a delightful importance in this novel. Two years have passed since the events of the previous novel, and Cajeiri has grown up so fast. The young boy watching films and racing toy cars now seems every bit a young adult acting to save his family in crisis. Cajeiri earns two companions in this story who are rather endearing, despite their very limited appearance.
Destroyer is a strong opening for a new sequence in the Foreigner series, promising both familiarity and new opportunity. While established tropes and characters from the series remain, the world has very much changed, and events from Explorer loom over all.

[Clay Kallam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given the length of this series -- and the fact I'm devouring the books like tasty snacks -- unless something drastic happens, I'll just keep posting the same review.

First note: Start with Foreigner ... if you don't, you'll miss so much of what makes the series special.

Second note: Human Bren Cameron is a linguist and diplomat who bridges the gap between humans stranded far from Earth and the aliens they encounter. He does bring a lot of angst to the table, but so far, the emotional turmoil hasn't detracted from the books.

Third note: There are a lot of political machinations going on, and a lot of Cameron trying to tease out motivations. There's physical action too, but the bigger picture is more interesting.

That's it -- I'm still reading, and on to the next volume.

[Rob Hermanowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

C.J. Cherryh's third trilogy within her great "Foreigner" science fiction saga starts with this very good book. Bren Cameron and his atevi companions return from deep space with several thousand human refugees, only to discover that the planet is in the midst of a civil war. This is the seventh "Foreigner" novel overall, and it is continues to beautifully explore the incredible difficulties of merging alien cultures in a way which promotes both peace and respect. Expertly narrated on Audible, again, by Daniel Thomas May.

[Paraphrodite · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.

What a homecoming! Bren and the rescued humans arrived back home to find the space station running low on supplies because the Atevi government has been overthrown and the shuttles no longer flying. On top of that, Tabini is missing and rumoured to have been assassinated. Thus we have an exhausting adventure whereby Bren, the Dowager and the Heir risk their lives to get back to earth and look for old alliances and learn the truth.

This was probably the most action packed book to date. Very entertaining!

[Rex Libris · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the previous installment Bren et al go with the recently returned Ship to a second station where humanity has run afoul a third alien species. Successfully averting this disaster the ship return to the Atevi homeworld only to find a rebellion has displaced the Aiji and sent him into hiding.

Bren, the Dowager, and Aiji's son secretly cross the continent to gain allies, Those same allies are soon under siege by the usurpers. Bren et al forge a peace between previous enemies to break the siege, and in the end the Aiji is reunited with the Dowager and his son.