The World Before

The Wess'har Wars #3

by Karen Traviss

Three strikingly different alien races
greeted the military mission from Earth
when it reached the planet called Bezer'ej.

Now one of the sentient species
has been exterminated—and two others
are poised on the brink of war.

The fragile bezeri are no more, due to the ignorant, desperate actions of human interlopers. The powerful wess'har protectors have failed in their sworn obligation to the destroyed native population—and the outrage must be redressed.

But those who are coming to judge from the World Before -- the home planet, now distant and alien to the wess'har, whose ancestors left there generations ago -- will not restrict their justice to the individual humans responsible for the slaughter. Earth itself must answer for the genocide. And its ultimate fate may depend on a dead former police officer Shan Frankland, who became something far greater than human before destroying herself in the vast airless depths of space.

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

388 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 25, 2005

About the author

#1 New York Times best-selling novelist, scriptwriter and comics author Karen Traviss has received critical acclaim for her award-nominated Wess'har series, and her work on Halo, Gears of War, Batman, G.I. Joe, and other major franchises has earned her a broad range of fans. She's best known for military science fiction, but GOING GREY and BLACK RUN, the first books in her new techno-thriller series RINGER, are set in the real world of today. A former defence correspondent and TV and newspaper journalist, she lives in Wiltshire, England. She's currently working on SACRIFICIAL RED, the third book in the Ringer series, and HERE WE STAND, book three in the NOMAD series.

Reviews

[Helen Erwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm on book four now. It's been a long time since I found a series that I enjoy this much.
The aliens are wonderful and complex and I could write a lot about them, but I want to say something about Shan here.
It's rare to read someone who is tough as nails, very smart, kind and strong and not "typically girlie," AND straight. Usually women like this are lesbian in novels which is great too, but not all lesbians are tough, not all straight women are girlie and not all men are tough.
Arras and Ade are not stereotypical manly men either, and it's really nice to see this. Humans are much more complex than we give them credit for and Karin Traviss has done an amazing job of it.

[Jacqueline Langille · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoilers: Excellent entry (#3) in this series. Might have given it 4.5 but this book ended on an emotional and psychological cliffhanger. The overarching plot thickens! So enthralled that I've started #4 in the Wess'Har Wars series right away. Such a good writer! 👍😍👏❤️

[Joseph · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't wrap my head around the hypocrisy of the Wess'. It's wrong to interfere with other species. If you eat animals, you're a monster. If they are dead first, it's even worse. (If you eat them LIVE, it's ok? I guess? For some species, as long as they're besties?)

But genocide is totally A-OK, as long as THEY are the ones who do it.

There is no greater evil in this universe than the species the author is painting as the most noble of races.

[Cliff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book without realising that it is the third in a series. Not that it matters, there is enough of the back story included to enable the reader to make sense of the action. It is an interesting concept. Those from Earth are not all conquering heroes, but clinging on to a scrap of land which they are trying to cultivate. The aliens are not power mad, wanting to destroy all before them, but rather technically advanced ecologists who want to repair the damage done to the eco systems by other races human and alien. Clearly, they have not heard of the Star Trek prime Directive! Some of the humans who play a major part in the story have been infected by a parasite that grants virtual immortality and concurrently very swift recovery from the most deadly wounds. Is this a good thing? There is also a love story of the relationship between one of these humans and an alien - whose head resembles a sea horse! That's original, I haven't come across such before in reading sci fi for more years than I care to remember!

[Chris The Lizard from Planet X · Rating 4 out of 5]

The World Before by Karen Travis is an Original Sci-fi novel, and the third book of Travis’s “Wess’har War” Book Trilogy. In the year 2376, and a UN military expedition is marooned on Wess'ej Galaxy, twenty-five light years from Earth. Following a tactical incident of astronomical ramifications, the military expedition has annihilated a sentient species on nearby planet of Bezer'ej. Commander Lindsay Neville, with Mohan Rayat as loyal supporter and accomplice, was responsible for detonating the nuclear bombs on Bezer'ej, and the fragile bezeri of that planet simply and nearly instantly ceased to exist. Neville's motives and methods - as she argued - were strategically proper and politically necessary. After all, she sought to do nothing more or less than destroy the mysterious c'naatat, a potentially valuable and possibly dangerous parasitic life-form that transforms and indefinitely extends the life of its host and makes the host indestructible. The scope and offensiveness of the collateral genocide, however, has outraged the wess'har, the indigenous inhabitants of Wess'ej. Slow to anger but resolute and merciless when sufficiently provoked, the matriarchal government of Wess'ej, having failed in its sworn obligation as protectors of Bezer'ej, now seems to be slowly but irrevocably moving towards retaliatory action against Earth.

Meanwhile, Ade Bennett, a member of the ill-fated expedition, now faces an uncertain future on Wess'ej, and his life is further complicated by the fact that he has been dismissed from the service, and - like the several hundred other unwelcome visitors from Earth, including Neville and Rayat, who have received an uneasy sanctuary on nearby Umeh among the isenj - Bennett worries that he has been apparently abandoned to his fate by the Federal European Union back home on Earth. Bennett's despair is deepened by his grief over the apparent death of Shan Frankland. After Frankland went to her near-certain death in the vacuum of space after the Bezer-ej disaster, Bennett feels utterly alone and seems to have lost all reason for living.

Tensions build between Wess-ej and Umeh, but a more powerful force from the ancestral home planet, the World Before, will soon impose its judgment upon the individual humans responsible for the slaughter. Of course, Earth itself must answer for its complicity, but significantly and most surprisingly, everyone's fates - Wess'ej's, Umeh's and Earth's - may ultimately depend on the dead woman: Shan Frankland who has become more alien then human.

How to live with the consequences of your choices. This is the dilemma Traviss' characters circle in this installment of Wess'har series. Journalist Eddie Michallat worries that by helping the Wess'har he has lost his objectivity. The Wess'ej on F'nar fear their way of life will be ruined by the arrival of their brethren from Eqbas Vhor, the titular World Before, from whom they have been separated for over ten millennia. The Isenj prime minister commits an act of political betrayal in hopes of convincing his countrymen to seek the help of the Wess'ej in rebalancing the ecology of their overpopulated world. Shan Frankland weighs the risk of an imminent restructuring of Earth's ecosystem by the Wess'ej from Eqbas Vhor. This is not the future of Star Trek's Federation, where humans act benevolently in their exploration of the cosmos. In Traviss' universe, humans are as we know them today - greedy, grasping, intolerant, and ready to kill for advantage. No longer the preeminent power in the universe, humans must now learn to accept limits to their expansion imposed from afar by a more powerful species. Besides a refreshingly candid portrait of homo sapiens, what distinguishes this series of novels is Traviss' development of character. The players grow and learn as a result of their experience and Traviss is not afraid to explore faults in her heroes, or redeeming qualities in her villains. Naval commander Lindsay, for example, once in charge of the Thetis mission and now responsible for setting off a nuclear device that results in the near extinction of the aquatic Bezer'ej, learns to deny her selfish desires for revenge and for her own death by choosing to spend the rest of her life helping the Bezer'ej to rebuild their society.
Overall, Karen Traviss's exciting Sci-fi novel The World Before is a fascinating tale of a fateful encounter between alien worlds. Drawing upon traditional SF thematic concerns the speculative future of politics, populations, and environments beyond Earth's boundaries Traviss uses The World Before to more closely look at the possibilities and implications of intercultural (interplanetary) anxieties and the endangerment (exploitation) of species. Filled with vivid characterizations and enriched by a complex plot, The World Before is a daring critique of what might actually happen when humanity dares to expand beyond our currently limited boundaries.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series gets better with each book...the characters are deeper, and the author's ability to build an entire alien society (or two or three) is good. Shan Frankland seems to be be immortal in more ways than before. The wess'har are ultimate environmentalists, but are their ways too much? The story gives one much to think about...and I can't wait to read the next one!

[Hypatia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was enjoyable. I want to say not a lot happened, except it did. It's a relatively slowly-paced book, while still being interesting I guess. The world building is very well done, and I'm enjoying the series.

[Judith Bienvenu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is one of my all time favorites. Originally read 12-15 years ago, rereading the whole series again, and getting a lot more out of it.

[Stacey Lunsford · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Eqbas Vorhi, from the homeworld of the wess'har, but separated by 10,000 years of separate evolution, arrive to Wess'ej in response to the matriarch Nevyan's request for assistance in dealing with the isenj and the humans. The Eqbas are far more militant and begin preparations to environmentally balance the isenj homeworld and Earth. Shan finds out that c'naatat could potentially be removed from her system without the process killing her and she has to decide where she believes her duty lies. This entry in the series moves more slowly than the previous two and there is far more angst about the effects of immortality on the three protagonists infected the c'naatat parasite.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

(reviewed months later)
This is not afraid to take twists and up the stakes. The relationships are handled deftly, and are set up in believable ways despite the speed of the timelines and the social differences. However, some major plot point decisions were forced. The overall arc was good, but there were several points that didn't make much sense. Still a great series, though.

[Josephine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mixed feelings but it was okay

[Val Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Traviss continues to maintain the momentum of her world(s) and characters. The stories remain strong, thought-provoking, and entertaining.

[Lionel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really slow-paced, not much action going on and few developments.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

This continues to be a great saga of colonies, aliens , their interactions and consequences. A bit too military for me at times but a great story and set of worlds.

[Sara]

One of more.ilenes colones miltary sci fic novel.that ectraordinary awakwrd city.with quistion of dilma about tringle love .earth and starway.enjoyble.

[Britt K · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was carefully thought out from start to finish, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Can’t wait to read Matriarch.

[David King · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The World Before" by Karen Traviss is the third book in the thoroughly enjoyable Wess'har series. Due to the highly integrated nature of this series of novels it is very hard to review this book without including some spoilers in relation to previous books so I would advise you to make sure you have read those books prior to reading this review.

The story itself picks up directly from the conclusion of the previous novel, "Crossing The Line". Due to actions of a small human contingent, the peaceful Bezeri species are dieing out which forces their Wess'har protectors to look at finding a way to redress this outrage. However, when they decide to contact their home world for help they unleash a force that threatens to make all of Earth answer for the genocide.

Without doubt this novel really does have that "middle of the series" feeling in that it is more about development and setting up the characters for future events. However, I marveled at the way in which Traviss kept me hooked to the point that I devoured this book in no time at all even though it felt like nothing much was happening in regards to the progression of the overall story. I just enjoyed the way that the book really explores the different characters and various alien species to see how they react to the events of the previous novel.

The high level of complexity that Traviss has created in regards to the characters and alien species really did shine through in this novel. In particular I liked how Traviss used what had occurred at the end of the previous book to ensure she could concentrate on some of the minor characters. All the characters are becoming that little bit deeper and the reader can see the gradual changes in how they act as they review and think about what has occurred in their lives.

The only real issue I had was that Traviss once again devotes a fair amount of the novel to denigrating humanity. Don't get me wrong, I am more than happy to follow a novel that doesn't use the rather predictable heroic humans to the rescue scenario but I do think that Traviss really does go a little bit too far the other way. The alien species also have some faults which come to the fore in this novel but the focus still seems to be on explaining why humanity basically sucks.

One good thing that this focus on the actions of humanity resulted in was some really interesting and entertaining debates between humans and aliens over issues such as morality, culpability, relationships and punishment. They were thoroughly enjoyable although they did get a little bit repetitive by the end of the novel as the same arguments would occur multiple times with the same feelings and information being utilized.

Overall, this was another enjoyable installment in the Wess'har series with this novel really coming across as being a transition piece. Whilst some people may dislike the lack of real action, the real power behind this novel and series as a whole are the excellent and varied characters that grow and change as the story progresses. I am really looking forward to picking up the next novel and am still happy to highly recommend this series to people looking for a different view point of humanity in the future.

[Damian · Rating 5 out of 5]

More excellent world-building majesty from Karen Traviss. I could stand to suffer a little more detail about the Wess'har technology and culture other "alien" matters, but this novel is not in the least bogged down by such detail. For those following the series, it will prove an excellent read, both presenting and fulfilling ethical dilemmas that the characters from previous books dove into without reserve. Those resolutions are on the horizon – knowing three more books have yet to come in the Wess'har series, I can only look forward to the resolutions Traviss' myriad characters must come to.

One knows going into this novel (assuming one has read the previous two) that one character may be resurrected, and that there is the multi-world potential for reunion among "human" characters whom we first encountered in City of Pearl; to create this epic, one knows there's a formula to follow, but Traviss does an exceedingly commendable job in making it all interesting and challenging for the homo sapiens audience, all without burdening us with the protagonist, Shan Frankland's, ultimate eco-warrior outlook.

Crossing The Line truly did cross the line, both character- and story-wise; they might have been better published as companion novels, but if you have the series at hand via library or your local bookstore, then the gap between cultural supposition and actual impact between alien species may be more easily bridged. One can't deny that in creating characters, let alone entire alien races, one might impose one's own view on matters pertinent to our own culture (mainly English-speaking Westerners) and, furthermore, our own planet...

In this third installment of the Wess'har series, Traviss takes the world(s) she's previously built and expands them yet again, giving us a glimpse into the universal worldview and inspiring us with the same sense of awe one gets when rereading (or reading for the first time) Arthur C. Clarke's Rendezvous With Rama, entangled with the time/space displacement one experiences alongside characters who persist and survive in the latter installments of Orson Scott Card's Ender saga.

I've read Karen Traviss' Star Wars fiction in addition to her original science fiction, and I must say, her original work is as deserving of praise as anything out there today: I have become immersed, I have felt sympathetic, I have bitten my lower lip in expectation. If nothing else, Traviss' characters make this an incredible read – those who enjoy a bit of social tension or drama mixed in with their sci-fi will enjoy this series and particularly this book. The dramatic interaction of characters and the inter-species relationships that wax and wane are worth the effort of remembering.

Personally, I won't be able to put this series behind me any time soon. On to the next book, with great expectations.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What am I then, then? asked Sergeant Bennett.[return][return]This sentence has become one of my favorite ""first lines"". It's a knockout, especially when followed by:[return][return]""Am I still human?""[return][return]To reveal more would be to risk telling a plot spoiler. This book begins with a punch, and it is one of the reasons I recommend reading the series from the beginning.[return][return]All six of the wess'har war books in the series can stand alone. Not every series deserves to have all the books read in order of publication. This series, though, is worth reading all the way through from the beginning work, ""The City of Pearl"".[return][return]The third wess'har novel, ""The World Before"", continues to unfold the fascinating characters introduced in the first book, knitting their lives together in totally unexpected but satisfying ways and places.[return][return]I like the plot twists in Karen's books more than nearly anything I've read, and I don't intend spoil the surprises for anyone else, so it becomes a challenge to convey the excitement of discovery, the pleasure of the tantalizing developments in this story.[return][return]Five alien societies live and rub shoulders in the wess'har war series, (humans included). They all have domestic and political problems, which are dwarfed by the secret,: something so transforming of their worlds that obtaining or containing it becomes their top priority.[return][return]Russell Letson, reviewing Karen's second book, ""Crossing the Line"" in Locus (2004), favorably compares Traviss to Le Guin, Nancy Kress, and C.J. Cherryh. I agree with him: Karen's writing is easily as entertaining, thought-provoking and skillful as any of the leading lights of Science Fiction today. To his list, I would add David Brin (the Uplift series), and S. L. Viehl. (Stardoc series), two of my personal favorites.[return][return]Looking for aliens that are truly alien and not just humans in funny costumes? Looking for unforgettable characters, in spite of (or is it because of) they're flaws? Looking for a plot you cannot see coming a mile away, but which is believable once it arrives?[return][return]The wess'har war books give all that and more. Just don't make the same mistake I did, but order all five of yours together. Because once you start reading, you won't be able to put them down. Since I only ordered the first two in paperback, and couldn't wait for the next three to be delivered, I ended up with those three in digital format. Now I'm usually agreeable with digital books, but these five novels are books I want to take places with me, read again when I go on vacation, handle and pop open and consider. Not so easy with digital. You've been cautioned.[return][return](My original review was first published at Forward Motion online, and on my blog, Pandababy.)"

[erforscherin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This should be a textbook example of how to keep a good series moving forward smoothly. The introduction of a new species to the previously-established quartet of aliens quite literally changes everything, shaking up predictable patterns and introducing a host of open-ended moral questions (and, impressively, actually leaving them that way, without spoonfeeding any answers to readers).

The dialogue and descriptions remain as strong as ever - there's something worth quoting in nearly every chapter - even as character development wars with plot for screentime. Ade and Aras's paths are understated and fairly predictable, clearly just trying to advance quickly to a more-interesting Point B in the near-future, but (as always) Eddie's character continues to grow in interesting new directions. The main antagonists, Lindsay and Rayat, have finally (thankfully!) fleshed out a bit, becoming more human just in time to provide an intriguing alternate take on some of the minor plot threads from the first book (i.e., the story behind the ever-mysterious Suppressed Briefing).

The plot itself moves briskly, and even if it feels predictable at times (Ade and Aras, and Shapakti's discovery), it shows all signs of setting the stage for something great to come. I look forward to the next installment!

[Kathleen Molyneaux · Rating 3 out of 5]

*spoilers*

I love Traviss' world building and this book continues to deliver in that respect. It deepens our understanding of the Wess'har by showing us a glimpse of their sister culture (the Eqbas) and gives us an interesting view of Isenj politics. The Isenj character Ual really came into his own in this book, and I was very upset when he was killed by his own people. I was less enthralled by Shan's "resurrection" and the subsequent love triangle between Shan, Aras, and Ade. Two manly yet sensitive characters striving to cook dinner for her? Really? And then they both decide to offer themselves to the bezeri to make amends for their role in destroying that race? But at the same time secretly vying to be the one to sacrifice themselves to allow the other to be with Shan? And then having Lindsey and Rayat bypass that whole plan by requesting (and gaining) immortality as the bezeri's punching bags? Aaaaagh! Traviss’s humans make a lot less sense than her aliens (excepting the bezeri who are merely nameless victims). I guess I need to keep reading to see if the bezeri ever get any more development and to see how the threesome plays out.

[Zack · Rating 4 out of 5]

The World Before takes advantage of the extra groundwork laid in Crossing the Line and runs with it.

While the number of species involved in the situation surrounding Bezer'ej has technically not changed, the introduction of the "original" wess'har serves as a remarkable contrast to the self-contained colony living on Wess'ej, and only increases the tension straining the budding relationships between the humans and isenj. The plot is one where every individual decision makes a difference and emotional stakes matter as much as existential ones, yet with an eventual outcome as seemingly inevitable as nature (imagine being adrift in the sea and befriending a tsunami while it heads for your home country). This series' conception of an interspecies interstellar society grows stronger with every novel, and it's impossible to predict where it goes from here — or how much longer Shan Frankland can hold herself together.

4/5 (B+), a strong continuation in an increasingly strong series.

[Paradoxical · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I enjoy about this series is how each species seem to become more and more complex with each passing book. It's slow going, but there's definite progression with both thought and actions--each character is becoming a little bit deeper and it's not out of the blue, just a gradual descent that seems perfectly normal. And I appreciate that in books.

At the same time, it's still wordy. The book is still feeling very long and dense, and not all that much seems to actually happen. You get little jumps in progress, but then it slows to a crawl, and then it stagnates for a little bit, and then it's kick started once again. It's not a book, a series, where you see gunfights and explosions happening everywhere. It's quieter and more chaotic than that. There is more of a mess when politics and people get tangled up.

I do like how Shan's relationships with everyone is constantly evolving. Her bonds to other people never seem to level out--they're always shifting and sometimes a little bit stronger, sometimes not as strong. It feels real and fluid.

All in all, 3 stars.

[Banner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm really getting into this series. This book continues right where the last one left off (you really want to read these in order). The wess'har deal with the humans that have committed crimes against nature. The Wess'Har are truly the biggest kid on the block.

We are getting deeper into the aliens (both wess'har and isenj) moral philosophy. There were times that I actually got quite angry with Traviss at the inconsistency in the wess'har ethics. Then the inconsistency would be acknowledged and explanation attempted. I didn't feel the Christians got as fair of a representation in this book as they have in the past two (especially Pearl City).

I'm beginning to see where this series is going (which is actually disappointing since we still have three more books). As much as I'm enjoying this, I'm getting the feeling that the author is beginning to repeat herself a lot. I'm going on to the next one to see... I really do like the characters.

[Naïma · Rating 3 out of 5]

La suite de la série n'a pas été traduite, et ce tome un peu décevant par rapport aux autres me dissuade de chercher à la lire en VO. L'univers, l'intrigue politique, les différentes races d'extraterrestres, les questionnements moraux, la technologie sont toujours aussi originaux, magnifiques et passionnants mais les héros sont ENERVANTS : Aras se comporte comme un toutou, Shan est trop sûre d'elle et trop interventionniste (j'ai eu du mal à la comprendre au tome 2 mais là c'est trop!), bref j'ai trouvé leur comportement et celui d'autres personnages secondaires incohérent et mal construit...
J'ai néanmoins dévoré ce troisième tome et j'ai passé de bons moments avec cette série de science fiction!

[Celia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so glad to find this book in a little Melbourne sci-fi bookshop - I loved the first two books in this excellent series. It is unfortunately very hard to talk about without mentioning major plot points, especially as Shan is actually dead after the last book. We meet the wess'har from the World Before & learn about their plans for Earth. I will leave it by saying - really fantastic, some very tense moments, loved it.

Re-read - October 2010

[2025 re-read - raced through the first two books and now I'm flagging a little on the third. The endless circular philosophising by everyone is getting on my nerves.]

[Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

This third book (after City of Pearl, Crossing the Line) adds a new twist to the pro-environment themed novels of Karen Traviss: the Wess'har we've met in the previous novels are just a crazy faction of an even more radical race that believes if you can intervene to save living things, then you must. That is the very central theme of this entire series of novels, and the author uses almost every thread in the plot to illustrate some different approach to cultural intervention.

The story continues to fracture, and is not as "new" or compelling as the first two (big surprise!), the exploration of the different cultures meeting remains interesting.

[Chani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying this series and I'm relieved that Traviss doesn't disappoint. Many author's first book of the series is great, but the rest dwindle becoming flat and boring, or they do a poor job on the first and you have to wait until later in the series to get the goods. Traviss writes with a balance and adds just enough new things to keep it interesting but not overwhelming. I was a bit annoyed by the love triangle but only because the solution was right there. It was somewhat disturbing to see how much Aras has become human, lying, not being blunt etc. I'm worried about his future development as a character, but I'm still read about it!

[Art Lyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Except for the ending (which strains credulity for me), this was as engaging as the first two books in the series. However, given my experiences with other long series, I'm not sure I'll be reading the remaining 3 novels any time soon. It's hard to explain why, because I love the way Traviss writes and what she focuses on. It's just that I can only take so many iterations of new twists to the same characters' lives. Also, it's my understanding that the character focus of the subsequent novels changes, and I the characters it looks like they'll be focusing on just aren't characters i want to read much more about.
That said, I am very happy with the books thus far and highly recommend them.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

The reason I like Sci Fi is it allows us a chance to look at our own culture/sociology and either laugh or cringe. What's great about this author is, unlike some series, she has some drastically imperfect aliens trying to tell us their better. But other than that, this is a continuation of the love story with more twists. And, again, an interesting ending. Spoiler sort of: Why don't people just tell the truth instead of withholding information? It would make it so much easier. Secret, secrets, lies, lies.