Deceiver and Betrayer

Deceiver is number 11 and Betrayer is number 12 of C.J. Cherryh's 'Foreigner' series.  Both are very complex tales that center around the ongoing interactions between a human and an alien race known as the atevi.  A very ritualized society, honorifics, correct gestures and control of facial expressions are essential and not necessarily easy for a human to grasp.  Bren's progression over the books of the series has demonstrated the sharp learning curve but he is impressively adept at juggling the duties of his position which has continued to become more complex as he gains the trust of those he deals with.  Although it would be helpful to have read the series from the beginning, it is not absolutely necessary provided one is patient with the learning curve necessary to adjust to the myriad of characters.  Cherryh has an awesome ability to build intricate worlds with their attendant societies peopled by fascinating characters (I am particularly fond of young Cajeiri who will soon be felicitous nine) where courage is sometimes displayed through quiet determination rather than showy actions.   My Amazon review for Betrayer is at this link.  I always appreciate positive votes on the Amazon listing for ELF2060 (although I certainly would welcome knowing the reasons behind a negative one as well!).   My Goodreads review for Deceiver is here.

I received a copy of Deceiver in return for an honest review (and was fortunate to find Betrayer at my local library)

Deceiver and C.J. Cherryh

Deceiver by C.J. Cherryh is another of my recent sci-fi reads and reminded me of how much I enjoy her facility at world-building.  Fortunately, in addition to all of the greats who formed the basis for science fiction literature today, there are plenty of wonderful authors who continue expanding our universe with their vision.  Ms Cherryh peoples her Foreigner series with humans and aliens who have a very strict system of interactions that are gradually altering their perspective of each other's society.  There are so many dangerous pitfalls possible due to ignorance of mores and conventions and it is virtually impossible to completely mimic the body movements and expressions but that adds to the complexity of the universe being described.  It takes awhile to immerse oneself in the society, especially if it has been several years since reading previous books in the series but it is well worth the effort.  It was a little irksome but not unexpected to have the political machinations unresolved by the end of the book but fortunately the sequel, Betrayer, is already published and #13 in the series, Intruder, is to be released in March of this year.  My Night Owl Review is at this link

Those who enjoy this series should also look for Cherryh's Chanur series, her Cyteen books are very intense and she also has a nice fantasy series with a 'Fortress' theme.