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Foreigner #9
Deliverer
The ninth novel in Cherryh’s Foreigner space opera series, a groundbreaking tale of first contact and its consequences…
In the aftermath of civil war, the world of the atevi is still perilously unstable. Tabini-aiji, powerful ruler of the Western Association, along with his son and heir Cajeiri, and his human paidhi, Bren Cameron, have returned to the seat of power. The usurper, Murini, has escaped to the lands of his supporters, but the danger these rebels pose is far from over. Ilisidi, Tabini's grandmother, the aiji-dowager, has returned to her ancient castle in the East, for she has powerful ties in the lands of the rebels, and she seeks to muster whatever support for her grandson that she can from among those enemy strongholds.
In the aftermath of civil war, the world of the atevi is still perilously unstable. Tabini-aiji, powerful ruler of the Western Association, along with his son and heir Cajeiri, and his human paidhi, Bren Cameron, have returned to the seat of power. The usurper, Murini, has escaped to the lands of his supporters, but the danger these rebels pose is far from over. Ilisidi, Tabini's grandmother, the aiji-dowager, has returned to her ancient castle in the East, for she has powerful ties in the lands of the rebels, and she seeks to muster whatever support for her grandson that she can from among those enemy strongholds.
357 pages, Hardcover
First published February 6, 2007
52 people are currently reading
931 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Cherryh
292 books3,559 followersCurrently 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
May 9, 2017
I am consistently pleased with this series and this one does not disappoint. It wraps up the third semi-trilogy that follows Bren Cameron, human translator for the Atevi/now Lord of the Heavens, friend and confidant to Atevi Lords and little Atevi children.
The great part of this book is that we finally get a new PoV. Cajeiri, the Son of Tabini, the great-grandson of Ilsisdi, is missing his human friends aboard the spaceship and is semi-successful in fitting in with the rest of the Atevi. He likes tech and is doing all he can to sneak away from his protectors.
What can go wrong?
Truly, even though I've always loved Bren from the start and he's becoming more and more confident in his position in the world, he does make a few mistakes along the way. That's all right. That's Bren. He always thinks his way through problems and he's as loyal a companion as anyone could want.
Cajeiri, however, has a big problem on his hands. He's not growing up with all the proper instincts of an Atevi. For one, he's ignoring his instincts and following a code of "friendship", and he doesn't think it's a code for "salad". Things are gonna get really hairy, now. :)
There's more action and intrigue in this one. Quite fun action and intrigue! But above all, it's the world-building that shines. I live here. I belong here. It's a world that lives and breathes and it's a shining example of SF if there ever was one. It only seems to get better with time. Fantastic!
The great part of this book is that we finally get a new PoV. Cajeiri, the Son of Tabini, the great-grandson of Ilsisdi, is missing his human friends aboard the spaceship and is semi-successful in fitting in with the rest of the Atevi. He likes tech and is doing all he can to sneak away from his protectors.
What can go wrong?
Truly, even though I've always loved Bren from the start and he's becoming more and more confident in his position in the world, he does make a few mistakes along the way. That's all right. That's Bren. He always thinks his way through problems and he's as loyal a companion as anyone could want.
Cajeiri, however, has a big problem on his hands. He's not growing up with all the proper instincts of an Atevi. For one, he's ignoring his instincts and following a code of "friendship", and he doesn't think it's a code for "salad". Things are gonna get really hairy, now. :)
There's more action and intrigue in this one. Quite fun action and intrigue! But above all, it's the world-building that shines. I live here. I belong here. It's a world that lives and breathes and it's a shining example of SF if there ever was one. It only seems to get better with time. Fantastic!
June 21, 2023
4.5
Tabini is back in power and juggling with all the strings of power, trying to get everything back to the way it was before the coup, something that is not as clear cut as might appear. All the Houses are in turmoil, and some are resisting, especially in their views of Bren's supposedly nefarious influence.
In this ninth volume, Cherryh gives us something different. Indeed, the narration is this time shared between Bren and Cajeiri, Tabini's son. I wasn't too sure at first, but very quickly came to enjoy this different perspective. The young ateva, having just spent two long years in space with humans, has assimilated a lot from this, not just from the people but also his experiences, as well as forged bonds with Bren and the crew's children that his family adamantly want him to sever. They do not however know the young heir, or his resilience, and keep underestimating him. Cajeiri's observations are not just fun but also provide much, especially of the atevi/human spheres. The heir could be said to be Bren's reverse image, an ateva with human affinities while the Lord of the Heavens is a human with atevi ones. Very much looking forward to the next instalment.
Tabini is back in power and juggling with all the strings of power, trying to get everything back to the way it was before the coup, something that is not as clear cut as might appear. All the Houses are in turmoil, and some are resisting, especially in their views of Bren's supposedly nefarious influence.
In this ninth volume, Cherryh gives us something different. Indeed, the narration is this time shared between Bren and Cajeiri, Tabini's son. I wasn't too sure at first, but very quickly came to enjoy this different perspective. The young ateva, having just spent two long years in space with humans, has assimilated a lot from this, not just from the people but also his experiences, as well as forged bonds with Bren and the crew's children that his family adamantly want him to sever. They do not however know the young heir, or his resilience, and keep underestimating him. Cajeiri's observations are not just fun but also provide much, especially of the atevi/human spheres. The heir could be said to be Bren's reverse image, an ateva with human affinities while the Lord of the Heavens is a human with atevi ones. Very much looking forward to the next instalment.
April 7, 2022
This time we get a view of Ilsidi's fractious Eastern neighbours as Bren and company attempt to settle back into their apartments and their responsibilities, and clean up after Murini's disastrous coup. And we get, for the first time, insight into Cajeiri and how he views atevi life as Cherryh shifts perspective between Bren and Cajeiri throughout the novel. Over several books I have loved watching Bren puzzle and analyze his way through Atevi politics, and enjoyed watching the man consume myriad cups and tea and cakes while ensuring he protects both Atevi and human lives through the utterance of just the right words. Cajeiri is fascinating with his atevi and human-influenced behaviours and thoughts, and is often quite funny. I also love every time the mecheiti show up, because, well, mecheiti.
June 16, 2023
***100 Days of Summer 2023***
Reading prompt: Book categorized as space opera
Virtual 12 sided dice roll: 1
Be careful what you wish for.
Bren, the aiji-Dowager, and the young gentleman, Cajeiri, the heir, have returned to the capitol city, along with Tabini. After the rebellion, everything is in flux and Tabini is concentrating on regaining control of his government. The youngster, being used to the relative freedom of the space ship and his human pals, is lonely, bored and annoyed with his confinement. He wishes for something to happen. Then it does when he is kidnapped by his father's political rivals.
Cherryh introduces an innovation in this volume—we get Cajeiri as narrator, alternating with Bren. Since he gets separated from the responsible adults in his life, this is a sensible way for the author to keep the reader informed. And it is a pleasant change from Bren's constant searching for connections and worrying. Cajeiri tells us at one point that he and his great-grandmother have discussed Bren. They recognize his emotional nature and they can't always predict what he will do, but they know that he will do his best for them.
The adults are concerned that the young gentleman has missed the developmental window where he should have been bonding with other atevi, and indeed he sorely misses his human friends from the ship. Curiously, no one seems to think that it would be a good idea to keep him busy with appropriate activities, leaving him plenty of time to plan shenanigans. Perhaps fearing for his life will reset his brain and let him appreciate his own species?
Cherryh is wonderful at juggling the interactions between several human factions and intertwining atevi political manoeuvring. Things progress slowly until the kidnapping. We can share Cajeiri's impatience for action. But once the plot is shoved into motion, the pace never slows. If you've made it this far in the series, you're likely as addicted as I am, and also glad that there are still numerous volumes still ahead.
Book number 488 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project
Reading prompt: Book categorized as space opera
Virtual 12 sided dice roll: 1
Be careful what you wish for.
Bren, the aiji-Dowager, and the young gentleman, Cajeiri, the heir, have returned to the capitol city, along with Tabini. After the rebellion, everything is in flux and Tabini is concentrating on regaining control of his government. The youngster, being used to the relative freedom of the space ship and his human pals, is lonely, bored and annoyed with his confinement. He wishes for something to happen. Then it does when he is kidnapped by his father's political rivals.
Cherryh introduces an innovation in this volume—we get Cajeiri as narrator, alternating with Bren. Since he gets separated from the responsible adults in his life, this is a sensible way for the author to keep the reader informed. And it is a pleasant change from Bren's constant searching for connections and worrying. Cajeiri tells us at one point that he and his great-grandmother have discussed Bren. They recognize his emotional nature and they can't always predict what he will do, but they know that he will do his best for them.
The adults are concerned that the young gentleman has missed the developmental window where he should have been bonding with other atevi, and indeed he sorely misses his human friends from the ship. Curiously, no one seems to think that it would be a good idea to keep him busy with appropriate activities, leaving him plenty of time to plan shenanigans. Perhaps fearing for his life will reset his brain and let him appreciate his own species?
Cherryh is wonderful at juggling the interactions between several human factions and intertwining atevi political manoeuvring. Things progress slowly until the kidnapping. We can share Cajeiri's impatience for action. But once the plot is shoved into motion, the pace never slows. If you've made it this far in the series, you're likely as addicted as I am, and also glad that there are still numerous volumes still ahead.
Book number 488 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project
June 11, 2023
Last book of the third sub-trilogy. The first time that Bren‘s view is not the only one. The other POV is told by Cajeiri, Tabini-aiji son and Ilisidi‘s grandson.
In the first part of the book the storytelling alternates between those two, showing very similar scenarios, but seen from different sets of eyes. Bren is mostly glad to be home again, for Cajeiri it‘s all new and pretty boring at the same time, as he is tightly guarded in his father‘s headquarters. He has a hard time adjusting to life on the planet and his parents. He misses Bren and his human friends from the ship. I really liked the juxtaposition of their experiences. It was cleverly done, with Cajeiri going through similar situations as Bren, but with quite different emotions.
The first part of the book felt quite slow, but enjoyable. Obviously something unexpected happens at some point and off we go on a wild chase across the planet. That was fun! And once we hit a certain point in the action I could not put this down anymore.
Bonus point for Bren mastering riding on his mecheiti!
🚀🚀🚀🚀🐎
(PS: no, I have no idea if mecheiti is the singular or the plural. Please enlighten me.)
In the first part of the book the storytelling alternates between those two, showing very similar scenarios, but seen from different sets of eyes. Bren is mostly glad to be home again, for Cajeiri it‘s all new and pretty boring at the same time, as he is tightly guarded in his father‘s headquarters. He has a hard time adjusting to life on the planet and his parents. He misses Bren and his human friends from the ship. I really liked the juxtaposition of their experiences. It was cleverly done, with Cajeiri going through similar situations as Bren, but with quite different emotions.
The first part of the book felt quite slow, but enjoyable. Obviously something unexpected happens at some point and off we go on a wild chase across the planet. That was fun! And once we hit a certain point in the action I could not put this down anymore.
Bonus point for Bren mastering riding on his mecheiti!
🚀🚀🚀🚀🐎
(PS: no, I have no idea if mecheiti is the singular or the plural. Please enlighten me.)
August 4, 2020
As usual in this series, Deliverer picks up right were the previous volume ended-- Tabini back in charge of the Western Alliance (the main governing body of the atevi) and trying to sort out his return. The usurper is still at large in the south, albeit being hunted actively, and there is a great mess of things to do in the capital. The first half of the book concerns this sorting process, and we are _finally_ given a new POV besides Bran-- the great grandson the of the dowager and heir, Cajeiri. Cajeire is now eight years old, as tall as a human, but in human terms, is a rebellious teenager. This new POV gives the text a decided YA feel, which is not my favorite, but Cherryh cleverly balances this by it being an alien YA perspective, and one who is destined to be ruler one day.
The doo doo hits the spinning blades when Cajeire is kidnapped out of his suite in the capital and Bran with his trusty guild bodyguards are immediately sent on a rescue mission.
Again, as usual in the series, Cherryh moves the plot along at a frenetic pace, with Bren worrying about everything. This entire trilogy takes place in around a month. 3.5 stars, rounding to 4
The doo doo hits the spinning blades when Cajeire is kidnapped out of his suite in the capital and Bran with his trusty guild bodyguards are immediately sent on a rescue mission.
Again, as usual in the series, Cherryh moves the plot along at a frenetic pace, with Bren worrying about everything. This entire trilogy takes place in around a month. 3.5 stars, rounding to 4
August 2, 2021
3.5 stars
After eight books with a single, limited POV we are thrown into another character's head, and it broke my brain. Can't say I'm a fan at the moment, but it may grow on me. The rest of the book was quite good, with the usual confusing action scene at the end ;)
After eight books with a single, limited POV we are thrown into another character's head, and it broke my brain. Can't say I'm a fan at the moment, but it may grow on me. The rest of the book was quite good, with the usual confusing action scene at the end ;)
September 19, 2024
Deliverer is the 9th book in the Foreigner series.
After the events of the last book, all is still not well. Bren and his Atevi group try to find some peace and security after the rebellion. But, a few holdout are still intent on causing trouble. Cajeri is kidnapped and Tabeni and Bren must try to get him back without upsetting the delicate balance of power on the Atevi world.
This was a fun volume. Not only was it exciting due to the adventure surrounding the kidnapping, but the political nature of the book was also very well done. Looking at the various associations between the conflicting Atevi clans, this book focuses on the various undercurrents of familial ties and betrayals.
A great series with in-depth world building. For people looking for something different then this series is for you.
After the events of the last book, all is still not well. Bren and his Atevi group try to find some peace and security after the rebellion. But, a few holdout are still intent on causing trouble. Cajeri is kidnapped and Tabeni and Bren must try to get him back without upsetting the delicate balance of power on the Atevi world.
This was a fun volume. Not only was it exciting due to the adventure surrounding the kidnapping, but the political nature of the book was also very well done. Looking at the various associations between the conflicting Atevi clans, this book focuses on the various undercurrents of familial ties and betrayals.
A great series with in-depth world building. For people looking for something different then this series is for you.
August 4, 2018
If you stick with the Foreigner series by CJ Cherryh for more than a few pages, you know that numbers are very, very important to the Atevi. And they have a strong preference for odd numbers, so tonight I can declare that I have finished the fortunate 9th book, the end of the 3rd trilogy in the saga of Bren Cameron.
This series takes a few volumes to hit its stride, but it's worth starting from the beginning.
This series takes a few volumes to hit its stride, but it's worth starting from the beginning.
August 21, 2014
Is the atevi kid growing up?
Will Bren get to use that stupid gun he's carried through 9 books?
Will the aiji-dowager kick some ass?
Will I care?
Nope.
Why am I still reading? Because I start something and I finish it, no matter the pain. I didn't leave the military early. I didn't quit school. I clean my plate . . .
I suffer.
Will Bren get to use that stupid gun he's carried through 9 books?
Will the aiji-dowager kick some ass?
Will I care?
Nope.
Why am I still reading? Because I start something and I finish it, no matter the pain. I didn't leave the military early. I didn't quit school. I clean my plate . . .
I suffer.
August 3, 2017
I've read this twice, maybe more. I enjoy the striving for balance between trusting and understanding motivation in both humans and aliens. The science in this science fiction is psychology.
March 31, 2020
Cherryh has a way of writing books that manage to be both glacially-paced AND breakneck all in the span of one book.
The first part of this book moves very, very, VERY slowly, with Bren settling back into his pre-space life now that the mutiny against Tabini is over and Tabini's young son Cajeiri struggling to adjust to the culture shock of spending two formative years around humans and then abruptly returned to his own world with the expectation that he'll develop more culturally appropriate relationships with his own kind without a hitch. There's politically loaded dinner and office parties, bureaucracy, careful discussion of integrating disruptive human technology into atevi culture, and Cajeiri acting like... well, a young kid having to deal with his world being upended in a way that seems unfair to him, dumped back with parents he barely knows: he's boundary-pushing hard and in ways that could be politically disastrous, which makes sense for HIM (ofc it does) but is incredibly frustrating to read because holy shit, kid, there was JUST a mutiny against your father and everyone is waiting to see if you've been psychologically warped by too much time around humans, what are you even doing. Plus, well, no Ilisidi for the front half of the book, and she is my favorite character by far. So my reading stalled at about for, uh, about 2 years because I felt no real urge to continue until I suddenly had a lot of quarantine time on my hands.
Thankfully, things picked up a LOT after Cajeiri disappears suddenly. It became Ilidisi and Bren doing what they do best as a terrifying tag-team of iron fist and velvet glove. I loved every bit of Ilisidi's dealings with Drien, who is in many ways Ilisidi's even more conservative (in the sense of conserving the old pre-Bren atevi ways) foil while still being just as ruthless and whip-smart. I could read them subtly machinating and making backhanded comments over tea and brandy all day.
And when the action kicks in, I ended up reading the last quarter of the book in one frantic gulp before I could sleep because I needed to know what was going to happen, damn it! And it was more than worth the lost sleep. Cajeiri Macguyvering himself out of captivity with stuff he learned from his time in space, Toby and Tano and Algini turning up at the last possible moment to save the day, BREN being the one to finally kill Murini with a lucky shot in the dark when he had no idea who he was shooting at... all of it was perfect.
It was also initially weird to have a non-Bren POV for (I think) the very first time in the series. Especially since Cajeiri is in many ways the inverse of Bren; he's an atevi who thinks too much like a human in ways that have literally saved a lot of lives, including his own, but alienate him from his own people. Hopefully this'll continue in the rest of the series so we can see how Cajeiri grows into himself, because he really grew on me this book despite being frustrating at times.
The first part of this book moves very, very, VERY slowly, with Bren settling back into his pre-space life now that the mutiny against Tabini is over and Tabini's young son Cajeiri struggling to adjust to the culture shock of spending two formative years around humans and then abruptly returned to his own world with the expectation that he'll develop more culturally appropriate relationships with his own kind without a hitch. There's politically loaded dinner and office parties, bureaucracy, careful discussion of integrating disruptive human technology into atevi culture, and Cajeiri acting like... well, a young kid having to deal with his world being upended in a way that seems unfair to him, dumped back with parents he barely knows: he's boundary-pushing hard and in ways that could be politically disastrous, which makes sense for HIM (ofc it does) but is incredibly frustrating to read because holy shit, kid, there was JUST a mutiny against your father and everyone is waiting to see if you've been psychologically warped by too much time around humans, what are you even doing. Plus, well, no Ilisidi for the front half of the book, and she is my favorite character by far. So my reading stalled at about for, uh, about 2 years because I felt no real urge to continue until I suddenly had a lot of quarantine time on my hands.
Thankfully, things picked up a LOT after Cajeiri disappears suddenly. It became Ilidisi and Bren doing what they do best as a terrifying tag-team of iron fist and velvet glove. I loved every bit of Ilisidi's dealings with Drien, who is in many ways Ilisidi's even more conservative (in the sense of conserving the old pre-Bren atevi ways) foil while still being just as ruthless and whip-smart. I could read them subtly machinating and making backhanded comments over tea and brandy all day.
And when the action kicks in, I ended up reading the last quarter of the book in one frantic gulp before I could sleep because I needed to know what was going to happen, damn it! And it was more than worth the lost sleep. Cajeiri Macguyvering himself out of captivity with stuff he learned from his time in space, Toby and Tano and Algini turning up at the last possible moment to save the day, BREN being the one to finally kill Murini with a lucky shot in the dark when he had no idea who he was shooting at... all of it was perfect.
It was also initially weird to have a non-Bren POV for (I think) the very first time in the series. Especially since Cajeiri is in many ways the inverse of Bren; he's an atevi who thinks too much like a human in ways that have literally saved a lot of lives, including his own, but alienate him from his own people. Hopefully this'll continue in the rest of the series so we can see how Cajeiri grows into himself, because he really grew on me this book despite being frustrating at times.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2019
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Quote:
Review:
Deliverer is a bit of an odd book. I think I rated it so highly only because it rode on the coattails of the previous books. On it's own I was.... a bit confused what the hell the point of it even was. Plus the narration wasn't just Bren. No, it was Bren and Cajeiri, the leader of the Atevi's son. Who is eight years old. Effectively transforming this series into an adult/children's book hybrid that somehow manages to mostly work.
In the beginning of the book, the first 40-50 or so percent, we establish that things are slowly returning to the way things were before a civil war broke out across the planet. Things have been changed irrevocably, and it is inherently less safe, but it is returning to normal. Bren is going back to his job, and he is talking to Tabini about things that may happen in the future.
Yet this also sets up the story of Cajeiri, the boy who is very, very confused at what he is. He spent a long time with humans, but he is Atevi. He knows humans better than he knows his own people. He doesn't like how things are down on earth, he doesn't like the changes in his life. He wants things to go back the way they are. And he is trying his damnedest to control his surroundings.
.... And then the rest of the book is Cajeiri has been kidnapped and Bren of all people have to go after him. The human diplomat to the atevi aishidi'tat. (This makes no sense lol). It's a whole bunch of politics, very quickly. and most of the kidnapping isn't even from Cajeiri's perspective, which is where you would expect it to be utilized the most, until towards the end. It just.. didn't seem to matter to the overall series. It didn't tie up the trilogy well. It didn't seem to do anything, and it distracted from other big going ons. I can only assume that it will play some part later on but for now it just seems out of place and a not so good ending to a trilogy. (Future keikii: it did not.)
Still loved reading it, though. Because Cherryh is magic.
Quote:
“Be at ease,” Tabini said, which surely meant it was not bad news in the offing, so he felt free to draw an easier breath. “You cannot think, nand’ paidhi, that your actions are in any sense disapproved. You should by no means seem so ill at ease.”
Did it show that badly? He tried to settle. “One hopes that this is the case, aiji-ma,” he said, “but it was a long voyage, and the aishidi’tat has seen a great deal of disturbance in the interim.”
Review:
Deliverer is a bit of an odd book. I think I rated it so highly only because it rode on the coattails of the previous books. On it's own I was.... a bit confused what the hell the point of it even was. Plus the narration wasn't just Bren. No, it was Bren and Cajeiri, the leader of the Atevi's son. Who is eight years old. Effectively transforming this series into an adult/children's book hybrid that somehow manages to mostly work.
In the beginning of the book, the first 40-50 or so percent, we establish that things are slowly returning to the way things were before a civil war broke out across the planet. Things have been changed irrevocably, and it is inherently less safe, but it is returning to normal. Bren is going back to his job, and he is talking to Tabini about things that may happen in the future.
Yet this also sets up the story of Cajeiri, the boy who is very, very confused at what he is. He spent a long time with humans, but he is Atevi. He knows humans better than he knows his own people. He doesn't like how things are down on earth, he doesn't like the changes in his life. He wants things to go back the way they are. And he is trying his damnedest to control his surroundings.
.... And then the rest of the book is Cajeiri has been kidnapped and Bren of all people have to go after him. The human diplomat to the atevi aishidi'tat. (This makes no sense lol). It's a whole bunch of politics, very quickly. and most of the kidnapping isn't even from Cajeiri's perspective, which is where you would expect it to be utilized the most, until towards the end. It just.. didn't seem to matter to the overall series. It didn't tie up the trilogy well. It didn't seem to do anything, and it distracted from other big going ons. I can only assume that it will play some part later on but for now it just seems out of place and a not so good ending to a trilogy. (Future keikii: it did not.)
Still loved reading it, though. Because Cherryh is magic.
September 30, 2012
This is the 9th book in C.J. Cherryh's "Foreigner" series and not surprisingly, sequelitis has taken residence in the basement like an adult child that just won't launch. And it is just about as welcome...
Let me be perfectly clear...Cherryh is a favorite author of mine. "Downbelow Station" was a GREAT book! I thoroughly enjoyed her "Chanur" series. I even enjoyed roughly 6 of the 9 "Foreigner" series books I have read (despite Cherryh's tendency to obsess over mundane details). However, that being said, "Deliverer" feels like it was written by an author who has either run out of interesting ideas for this character or is simply typing words to fulfill a contractual obligation.
What did I not enjoy about this book?
I did not enjoy switching between Bren's (what I consider the main character and the reason I bought the book) and Cajeri's (a spoiled alien brat) point of view. I kept putting this book down whenever the point of view shifted from Bren to the whiny bratling Cajeri. I contemplated simply skipping the Cajeri parts but didn't for fear that something might prove interesting. Sigh. Cajeri, IMO, has always been an inconvenience for the main character to overcome, at best. Giving him equal billing was a horrendous mistake.
***Spoiler Alert***
The book only became mildly interesting when Cajeri was kidnapped. At that point, a welcome tension replaced the annoying whining. My enjoyment was less than it could have been because part of me actually hoped they would kill Cajeri off and end MY suffering! But even the "recover the kidnapped heir" plot device was mishandled by such a skilled/experienced author as Cherryh. A "deus ex machina" styled ending just left me feeling disappointed.
***Spoiler Ends***
In conclusion, if this had been a book by another author, I might have thrown it down in disgust early on. However, I trudged onwards trusting Cherryh to steer the book back onto a proper course. I doubt that I will read another "Foreigner" novel as I have begun to believe that Cherryh is milking the proverbial cash cow for all it is worth. This is a shame, because I derived a great deal of pleasure from some of the earlier books in this series.
Let me be perfectly clear...Cherryh is a favorite author of mine. "Downbelow Station" was a GREAT book! I thoroughly enjoyed her "Chanur" series. I even enjoyed roughly 6 of the 9 "Foreigner" series books I have read (despite Cherryh's tendency to obsess over mundane details). However, that being said, "Deliverer" feels like it was written by an author who has either run out of interesting ideas for this character or is simply typing words to fulfill a contractual obligation.
What did I not enjoy about this book?
I did not enjoy switching between Bren's (what I consider the main character and the reason I bought the book) and Cajeri's (a spoiled alien brat) point of view. I kept putting this book down whenever the point of view shifted from Bren to the whiny bratling Cajeri. I contemplated simply skipping the Cajeri parts but didn't for fear that something might prove interesting. Sigh. Cajeri, IMO, has always been an inconvenience for the main character to overcome, at best. Giving him equal billing was a horrendous mistake.
***Spoiler Alert***
The book only became mildly interesting when Cajeri was kidnapped. At that point, a welcome tension replaced the annoying whining. My enjoyment was less than it could have been because part of me actually hoped they would kill Cajeri off and end MY suffering! But even the "recover the kidnapped heir" plot device was mishandled by such a skilled/experienced author as Cherryh. A "deus ex machina" styled ending just left me feeling disappointed.
***Spoiler Ends***
In conclusion, if this had been a book by another author, I might have thrown it down in disgust early on. However, I trudged onwards trusting Cherryh to steer the book back onto a proper course. I doubt that I will read another "Foreigner" novel as I have begun to believe that Cherryh is milking the proverbial cash cow for all it is worth. This is a shame, because I derived a great deal of pleasure from some of the earlier books in this series.
March 16, 2025
My reading buddy friend and I were discussing whether the end of this third arc actually wraps anything up or not. It's true that the larger issues of the shipfolk & stationers & new alien neighbors isn't even touched upon, but if looked at as Cajieri's arc (and we actually get Cajieri as a POV!) then there's a lot of growth that comes to a fairly satisfying point.
The first half of the book or so is fairly slow, almost wrap-up of the chaos of the last one, and seeing Cajieri chafe at the new restrictions of a proper Atevi lifestyle at times makes me sympathize and at times makes me facepalm. The action hits a bit past midway, with Cajieri caught in the middle of it, and it is great to watch him put all his best qualities together into a new epiphany of maturity.
The first half of the book or so is fairly slow, almost wrap-up of the chaos of the last one, and seeing Cajieri chafe at the new restrictions of a proper Atevi lifestyle at times makes me sympathize and at times makes me facepalm. The action hits a bit past midway, with Cajieri caught in the middle of it, and it is great to watch him put all his best qualities together into a new epiphany of maturity.
September 21, 2012
Well this one, while very good, did not have me at the edge of my seat. It was very unusual in that it changes POV between Bren and Cajieri, the 8 year old heir and the aiji's son. The Dowager, Ilisidi and Bren's two bodyguards, Jago (who is also his lover) and Banichi continue to be fascinating characters. Bren has become indispensable to both Ilisidi and Tabini, the aiji. I've ordered the next two of the fifth trilogy. The third is not yet written. This last trilogy was available for my Nook, which I loved. Wish they all were.
August 9, 2015
Enjoyable, although not one of my favorites of the series, as it seemed like it had repeats of several scenes the series has already done before. I liked the introduction of Cajeiri’s point of view pretty well, and I liked the worry over whether his social instincts have been screwed up by spending time with humans during a crucial developmental period.
January 7, 2019
A wonderful addition to the series and end to this, the third trilogy in the longer series. Each trilogy is better, although the pacing tends to be very "epic fantasy" in that in both the book arc and the trilogy arc the bulk of the action and movement in the story, and the climax, tend to happen near the end of the books.
I wasn't sure if I would enjoy the POV changes from Bren to Cajeiri (sp?) or whether I would enjoy being in the head of a youngster albeit an alien youngster. Generally I don't enjoy being in the head of children and early in the series that held true for being in the head of a alien child. But Cajeiri has absolutely grown, unmistakably, during this trilogy and is growning into a wonderful character in his own right. Being in his head helps to bring home the alien-ness of the Atevi, too, while still fostering relate-ability.
Excellent stuff, this.
I wasn't sure if I would enjoy the POV changes from Bren to Cajeiri (sp?) or whether I would enjoy being in the head of a youngster albeit an alien youngster. Generally I don't enjoy being in the head of children and early in the series that held true for being in the head of a alien child. But Cajeiri has absolutely grown, unmistakably, during this trilogy and is growning into a wonderful character in his own right. Being in his head helps to bring home the alien-ness of the Atevi, too, while still fostering relate-ability.
Excellent stuff, this.
October 12, 2024
Three and a half stars
The first half of this was recovery from the events of the previous book and honestly I loved the quieter mood. Bren of course will always be constantly fretting about something or other, but it all looked like it was settling down and then stuff started happening and we culminated with a confusing high action bit at the end as usual. I now almost want another half a book for things to calm down again but we don't get that here.
I'm awfully fond of the characters in this series by now, nine books in, and the alien culture and world and language and all of that is always wonderful to spend time with. I'm a bit less fond of the plots as a whole but there sure are lots of political intrigue to fuel them.
The first half of this was recovery from the events of the previous book and honestly I loved the quieter mood. Bren of course will always be constantly fretting about something or other, but it all looked like it was settling down and then stuff started happening and we culminated with a confusing high action bit at the end as usual. I now almost want another half a book for things to calm down again but we don't get that here.
I'm awfully fond of the characters in this series by now, nine books in, and the alien culture and world and language and all of that is always wonderful to spend time with. I'm a bit less fond of the plots as a whole but there sure are lots of political intrigue to fuel them.
August 6, 2022
He wanted to seize every stray bit of his life, set it firmly in separate chairs, and keep everything still until his brain caught up to speed, but he foresaw that was not likely to happen.
This series is just wonderful. Again, we pick up on the heels of the preceding installment, maintaining this (breakneck, for Cherryh) momentum. Bren is back on planet and adjusting, of course. But that's not the best part of this volume...
We get a new PoV in this book (the first time since Foreigner's overlong prologue!). Cajeiri, Tabini's son, has spent two of his formative years among humans, and as disturbed as Bren sometimes is by the possibilities of what this atevi kid has learned, he doesn't know the half of it. This is an alien kid with extremely strong and alien attachments to people not of his own species. He's a stranger on his own homeworld who's been uprooted from everything he knows more than once, and he's desperate for some sense of control over his environment.
Atevi children have, of course, been a mystery. Even when Bren was shipside, his insight into Cajeiri's developing mind was blocked by human perception. And now the reader can actually see what's happening because this kid feels Oh So Deeply about everything.
And the world doesn't give them time to settle, because of course it doesn't. There's the station above, and the still-fragmented atevi below, and Mospheira doing Mospheiran things. Nothing is settled. No one is acclimated. Our main characters' info is two years out of date and it's causing some commotion.
And if it was just about Bren? Well, that would be interesting enough, but also business as usual. Making Cajeiri a PoV character is a stroke of genius because it flips the entire interpretation of things on their head. It makes it viscerally clear to the reader that atevi are different (instead of simply being told).
I'm still utterly ensnared.
April 24, 2016
CAVEAT: This review contains spoiler material, not about the book itself, but about the preceding eight books; i.e., if you have not read the previous books, you might be better off reading my more general review of Destroyer (or reading my blog post on Cherryh).
Deliverer is the ninth instalment in the series and the concluding part of the third trilogy, as it were. Picking up from the situation left at the end of Pretender, paidhi Bren Cameron is once again installed (albeit in a somewhat temporary accommodation) in the Bujavid in Shejidan, capital of the powerful Aishidi'tat. However, while the aiji Tabini has reclaimed his power from the pretender Murini and restored some sense of order, Murini himself is still at large and the political climate remains a bit shaken up. In short, Cherryh delivers another in depth study of atevi politics as focalised through Bren Cameron.
Stylistically speaking, Cherryh does push herself a bit outside the established format for the Foreigner series. Up until now, the focalisation has always (with the very, very brief exception of the first, short story like, opening sequences in the first book) been through Bren Cameron and it has always been there. In this novel, however, Cherryh alternates the focalisation between Bren and Tabini's son Cajeiri. While she still favours Bren's perspective and stays with that most of the time, the introduction of Cajeiri's p.o.v. is both refreshing and very suiting, given the events of the story (where Cajeiri plays an important role).
As per usual, I'd recommend new comers to start with Foreigner and then keep going if they like it. But I cannot recommend this series enough.
Deliverer is the ninth instalment in the series and the concluding part of the third trilogy, as it were. Picking up from the situation left at the end of Pretender, paidhi Bren Cameron is once again installed (albeit in a somewhat temporary accommodation) in the Bujavid in Shejidan, capital of the powerful Aishidi'tat. However, while the aiji Tabini has reclaimed his power from the pretender Murini and restored some sense of order, Murini himself is still at large and the political climate remains a bit shaken up. In short, Cherryh delivers another in depth study of atevi politics as focalised through Bren Cameron.
Stylistically speaking, Cherryh does push herself a bit outside the established format for the Foreigner series. Up until now, the focalisation has always (with the very, very brief exception of the first, short story like, opening sequences in the first book) been through Bren Cameron and it has always been there. In this novel, however, Cherryh alternates the focalisation between Bren and Tabini's son Cajeiri. While she still favours Bren's perspective and stays with that most of the time, the introduction of Cajeiri's p.o.v. is both refreshing and very suiting, given the events of the story (where Cajeiri plays an important role).
As per usual, I'd recommend new comers to start with Foreigner and then keep going if they like it. But I cannot recommend this series enough.
April 6, 2022
Reading the Foreigner novels in order (as much as the library's selection permits, anyway) makes it very clear that they're formulaic. In the beginning Bren Cameron is just recovering from the stress of a difficult situation, when a new crisis erupts, requiring him - in concert with his atevi associates - to do without food and sleep and, in this addled state, solve the new problem, after which he can begin to rest.
This after a time drags down the ratings of the books, at least for me. But there are still good points. The main one here is the view into "the east" that we get. On the earth of the atevi, we almost exclusively see the aishidi'tat, the Western Association, the most powerful of the associations on the sole habitable continent. But in this book we get to see "the east," which isn't a large association (though it is powerful), but a confederation of associations which exist in a sometimes uneasy peace. The east is different ethnically, historically, geographically, geologically, and culturally. Cherryh errs, I think, in not showing us anything of the eastern language(s) - if there is such a difference between the east and the west, then it should require translators to enable people from one side to speak with people of the other, yet throughout the series - and, of course, in this book - everyone speaks Ragi, the language of just one of the ethnic groups what make up the Western Association.
Aside from that, there is the constant alienness of the atevi, and a gripping crisis for Bren Cameran and his associations to deal with, and the grim and imposing Ilisidi, lord of Malguri. It's a good book. But it is formulaic.
This after a time drags down the ratings of the books, at least for me. But there are still good points. The main one here is the view into "the east" that we get. On the earth of the atevi, we almost exclusively see the aishidi'tat, the Western Association, the most powerful of the associations on the sole habitable continent. But in this book we get to see "the east," which isn't a large association (though it is powerful), but a confederation of associations which exist in a sometimes uneasy peace. The east is different ethnically, historically, geographically, geologically, and culturally. Cherryh errs, I think, in not showing us anything of the eastern language(s) - if there is such a difference between the east and the west, then it should require translators to enable people from one side to speak with people of the other, yet throughout the series - and, of course, in this book - everyone speaks Ragi, the language of just one of the ethnic groups what make up the Western Association.
Aside from that, there is the constant alienness of the atevi, and a gripping crisis for Bren Cameran and his associations to deal with, and the grim and imposing Ilisidi, lord of Malguri. It's a good book. But it is formulaic.
September 22, 2020
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.
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.
May 15, 2015
I love CJ Cherryh and this is a great series, but this book was just not quite it. It seemed incredibly pointless, honestly. And a new POV felt very out of place and dragged down the book, in my opinion. Probably my least favorite of the series. I'll probably take a longish break before diving back in to book #10!
October 1, 2025
The East is fragmenting, Cajeiri is kidnapped and the dowager, Bren and their staff ride to the rescue. Love this book! Rereading the whole series.
May 2, 2021
This is book nine in a long-running science fiction series that began with Foreigner (1994) and currently numbers twenty-one books. I've greatly enjoyed the first nine books and will begin with general remarks that apply to them collectively, before progressing to comments on book nine 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.
On the planet or in space, every single book so far has captivated me. About the only objection I can muster is that the beginnings of many of the books are relatively weak, because they juggle large amounts of recap of previous volumes. Beyond that, I've pretty much lost all detachment. I am addicted to this series. I plan to read the remaining twelve books as soon as I can.
4.5 out of 5 atevi 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).
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.
On the planet or in space, every single book so far has captivated me. About the only objection I can muster is that the beginnings of many of the books are relatively weak, because they juggle large amounts of recap of previous volumes. Beyond that, I've pretty much lost all detachment. I am addicted to this series. I plan to read the remaining twelve books as soon as I can.
4.5 out of 5 atevi 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).
June 26, 2022
A slow slide into mediocrity.
What I liked about the first book was the sense of alien-ness, the idea that humans and aliens were dangerously incompatible at an emotional level. Yes, Bren was introspective and broody, and so the pacing of the books could be plodding and slow, but it fit with the themes of a book supposedly about human emotion versus incompatible, incomprehensible alien emotion. As the series moved to space, there was less of that in favor of a technological progress plot, which: ok! Sure! Every book ends with exactly one action scene where Bren bravely cowers in the background while his security does the work, which is slightly preferable to the Hero role where Bren fires the shot that wins the war.
But by the time we get here, the formula is really starting to grind. The deep incomprehensible alien emotions are starting to look remarkably comprehensible and making an alien POV character really doesn’t help. The tech progress plot is left to the wayside for more and more intrigue, which is increasingly abandoning the pretense that motives are incomprehensible to humans and looking just like every other court drama. And then Bren fires the shots that wins the war.
It’s not that the books are bad, it’s just they changed. I liked the sci-fi, “aliens would actually have totally different ways of thinking we couldn’t easily track” aspects of the court drama. Now they seem more like regular court drama. I liked the “slow burn to technological progress” setting, and then GPS gets thrown down and unexamined for an entire book. I liked Bren as an Everyman diplomat, and now he’s taking lucky shots that end revolutions. I liked the dowager and Jago as interesting women who defined politics, but Barb keeps showing up as a Crazy Ex Harpy and Jago is becoming a sex kitten while the precocious 8 year old heir becomes a POV character.
I think I’ll take a break and read some plot summaries before coming back.
What I liked about the first book was the sense of alien-ness, the idea that humans and aliens were dangerously incompatible at an emotional level. Yes, Bren was introspective and broody, and so the pacing of the books could be plodding and slow, but it fit with the themes of a book supposedly about human emotion versus incompatible, incomprehensible alien emotion. As the series moved to space, there was less of that in favor of a technological progress plot, which: ok! Sure! Every book ends with exactly one action scene where Bren bravely cowers in the background while his security does the work, which is slightly preferable to the Hero role where Bren fires the shot that wins the war.
But by the time we get here, the formula is really starting to grind. The deep incomprehensible alien emotions are starting to look remarkably comprehensible and making an alien POV character really doesn’t help. The tech progress plot is left to the wayside for more and more intrigue, which is increasingly abandoning the pretense that motives are incomprehensible to humans and looking just like every other court drama. And then Bren fires the shots that wins the war.
It’s not that the books are bad, it’s just they changed. I liked the sci-fi, “aliens would actually have totally different ways of thinking we couldn’t easily track” aspects of the court drama. Now they seem more like regular court drama. I liked the “slow burn to technological progress” setting, and then GPS gets thrown down and unexamined for an entire book. I liked Bren as an Everyman diplomat, and now he’s taking lucky shots that end revolutions. I liked the dowager and Jago as interesting women who defined politics, but Barb keeps showing up as a Crazy Ex Harpy and Jago is becoming a sex kitten while the precocious 8 year old heir becomes a POV character.
I think I’ll take a break and read some plot summaries before coming back.
July 18, 2018
After the restoration of Tabini's regime at the end of the pervious volume, one might have expected a bit of respite from excitement, danger and terror for our hero Bren Cameron. But no, whether it is dealing with the growing pains of Tabini's son Cajieri (and the consequences of said child's boredom and frustration), navigating the shifting currents of a dinner party with the aiji dowager Illisidi and her fractious eastern neighbours or even seeking the whereabouts of his brother Toby, the paidhi's life is anything but quiet.
And so it goes, when Cajieri disappears from his apartments in the Bujavid, it is clear that malfeasance and betrayal are the cause. But whose betrayal, and to what purpose? Bren and Ilisidi, and their loyal staff are charged by the aiji to 'Bring back my son'. What follows is a breakneck pursuit, into the snowy wastes around Malguri, a race against time.
One learns rather more than might be strictly necessary about association and shifting interests of the various atevi factions, but it is worth it for the way the author knots the threads together, making perfect and appropriate sense in the conclusion. And it also has us bear witness to the ways in which the child Cajieri matures, finding his own way to navigate the conflict between his destiny as his father's heir, and his experiences on the starship Phoenix and his longing for the human companions he found there.
And so it goes, when Cajieri disappears from his apartments in the Bujavid, it is clear that malfeasance and betrayal are the cause. But whose betrayal, and to what purpose? Bren and Ilisidi, and their loyal staff are charged by the aiji to 'Bring back my son'. What follows is a breakneck pursuit, into the snowy wastes around Malguri, a race against time.
One learns rather more than might be strictly necessary about association and shifting interests of the various atevi factions, but it is worth it for the way the author knots the threads together, making perfect and appropriate sense in the conclusion. And it also has us bear witness to the ways in which the child Cajieri matures, finding his own way to navigate the conflict between his destiny as his father's heir, and his experiences on the starship Phoenix and his longing for the human companions he found there.
July 29, 2024
Aight. I have thoughts (tm).
Overall, this book was pretty typical Foreigner affair, and I would have thoroughly enjoyed it except (full book spoilers)
Anyway, if you've read the previous 8 books, this is pretty similar and likely your catnip/happy niche read, so it won't be a disappointment.
ETA: cover art is lovely minus the fact that the scene in question doesn't occur until about 2/3rds of the way through the book. Which, like, I get, but also, I feel jibbed by the lack of mechietia muscle cramps.
Overall, this book was pretty typical Foreigner affair, and I would have thoroughly enjoyed it except (full book spoilers)
Anyway, if you've read the previous 8 books, this is pretty similar and likely your catnip/happy niche read, so it won't be a disappointment.
ETA: cover art is lovely minus the fact that the scene in question doesn't occur until about 2/3rds of the way through the book. Which, like, I get, but also, I feel jibbed by the lack of mechietia muscle cramps.
April 13, 2021
Although it seemed a little slow at the beginning, I enjoyed this volume in the Foreigner series. Our MC and associates are attempting to settle in after returning from space and finding themselves in the middle of a civil war. Life should be returning to some form of normal.
But "how do you keep them down on the farm, after they've seen Paree?" The eight-year-old Atevi heir has spent two years on a space voyage with mostly humans and other species. He sees things through different eyes than the other Atevi.
The Foreigner series revolves around politics; but not always politics as humans might understand. When all hell breaks loose, it's up to negotiations (both formal and deadly, at times) to resolve the conflicts. Our young heir proves that a combination of education in both Atevi and human manners can be helpful in difficult times.
I have enjoyed this series immensely; not all volumes are as good, but the immersion in another culture and viewpoints is stimulating (although it can drag occasionally). I suggest that readers begin at the beginning, because much will be confusing if you haven't learned something about how the Atevi think and react.
But "how do you keep them down on the farm, after they've seen Paree?" The eight-year-old Atevi heir has spent two years on a space voyage with mostly humans and other species. He sees things through different eyes than the other Atevi.
The Foreigner series revolves around politics; but not always politics as humans might understand. When all hell breaks loose, it's up to negotiations (both formal and deadly, at times) to resolve the conflicts. Our young heir proves that a combination of education in both Atevi and human manners can be helpful in difficult times.
I have enjoyed this series immensely; not all volumes are as good, but the immersion in another culture and viewpoints is stimulating (although it can drag occasionally). I suggest that readers begin at the beginning, because much will be confusing if you haven't learned something about how the Atevi think and react.
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