Precursor (Foreigner, Book 4)

National best-selling author and winner of three Hugo Awards, C.J. Cherryh returns to the universe of her acclaimed Foreigner trilogy-with an epic tale of the survivors of a lost spacecraft stranded on a planet inhabited by a hostile, sentient race. The beginning of a second trilogy, Precursor follows a single human delegate living among aliens, who are just gaining access to space.... Praise for Precursor ... "An addition to Cherryh's superior alien-contact series...Another intriguing human/alien struggle."- Kirkus Reviews "A powerful look at the effects of alienation on individuals and societies."- Locus ...and C.J. Cherryh's Foreigner Universe : "Superlatively drawn aliens and characterization...a return to the anthropological science fiction in which [Cherryh] has made such a name is a double pleasure."- Chicago Sun-Times "An incisive study-in-contrast of what it means to be human."- Library Journal VOYA Bren Cameron is the trusted human liaison to the court of the atevi in this sequel to the Foreigner trilogy. Two centuries earlier, a group of humans dropped from their starship onto the surface of the atevi's planet. Those still on board the ship took off into space, leaving their brethren to cope with sharing a planet with a species whose worldview was totally different. After a neardisastrous war, the atevi and humans have learned to coexist, with the atevi living on the mainland and the humans exiled on an island. Now their peace is shattered with the return of the starship, whose commanders claim that an attack from aliens is imminent. It is Bren's job to reconcile all three factions to build a spacebased defense against the attack. Readers looking for actionadventure will not find it here. The plot is slow moving and the tone is introspective and contemplative. Bren constantly agonizes over whether his efforts will achieve the desired end or whether he jeopardizes the whole process with a wrong diplomatic move. He and the other characters are cardboard stereotypes with very little depth to make them memorable. It is unlikely that anyone other than those who have read the Foreigner trilogy will care enough to finish this one. VOYA CODES: 2Q 2P S A/YA (Better editing or work by the author might have warranted a 3Q; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult and Young Adult). 1999, DAW, Ages 16 to Adult, 438p, $23.95. Reviewer: Diane Yates The fourth novel in Cherryh's Foreigner space opera series, a groundbreaking tale of first contact and its consequences...Over three years have passed since the reappearance of the starship Phoenix, which two centuries before left an isolated colony of humans on the world of the volatile atevi. Since that time, humans have lived in exile on the island of Mospheira; but the unexpected return of the Phoenix has shattered the fragile political balance of these two nearly incompatible races. For the captains of the Phoenix offer the atevi something the Mospheiran humans never could—access to the stars. For three breakneck years the atevi labor to build a space shuttle which will bear their representatives to the Phoenix, to strengthen connections with their new human allies and retain their bid for control of their world. But as soon as the shuttle proves spaceworthy, the captains of the Phoenix suddenly recall their planetary delegates, breaking diplomatic contact and initiating a vicious bid for political dominance. But the powerful head of the atevi's Western Association is not to be outmaneuvered, and he sends his own diplomat, or paidhi, Bren Cameron, into space to negotiate. Thrust into a political maelstrom with almost no preparation, can Bren gain control of the station and political supremacy for the atevi without sparking a three-sided interspecies war? The long-running Foreigner series can also be enjoyed by more casual genre readers in sub-trilogy installments. Precursor is the 4th Foreigner novel. It is also the 1st book in the second subtrilogy. National best-selling author and winner of three Hugo Awards, C.J. Cherryh returns to the universe of her acclaimed Foreigner trilogy-with an epic tale of the survivors of a lost spacecraft stranded on a planet inhabited by a hostile, sentient race. The beginning of a second trilogy, Precursor follows a single human delegate living among aliens, who are just gaining access to space.... Praise for Precursor... "An addition to Cherryh's superior alien-contact series...Another intriguing human/alien struggle."-Kirkus Reviews"A powerful look at the effects of alienation on individuals and societies."-Locus ...and C.J. Cherryh's Foreigner Universe: "Superlatively drawn aliens and characterization...a return to the anthropological science fiction in which [Cherryh] has made such a name is a double pleasure."-Chicago Sun-Times "An incisive study-in-contrast of what it means to be human."-Library Journal "C.J. Cherryh returns to the universe of her acclaimed Foreigner trilogy -- with an epic tale of the survivors of a lost spacecraft stranded on a planet inhabited by a hostile, sentient race. The beginning of a second trilogy, Precursor follows a single human delegate living among aliens, who are just gaining access to space ..."--Publisher's description On a planet inhabited by humans and aliens, preparations are underway to resist an invasion from outside. The hero is diplomat Bren Cameron, whose skills as a translator have maintained harmony between humans and aliens