This was a very good science fiction novel about different cultures interacting. I liked how Bren Cameron has to figure out what's going on without inadvertently offending his atevi hosts. I look forward to learning what happens next in the second book in the series, Invader. ( )

In a far future time, humans have sent colony shps out looking for new planets to colonize. Unfortunately, one of them limps on its last legs to a planet that already has a civilization on it, though one not quite as advanced as the humans. The humans must bargain for landing rights, and technology exchange, while dealing with a race that has some fundamentally different principles, while appearing mostly humanoid. The interplay of the two cultures is excellent, really a good book. ( )

The only human allowed into an alien society is thrust into a situation that challenges all his preconceptions.

Intellectually, this book has a lot going for it. It's structured in such a way that the reader is fully immersed in a carefully constructed alien society. The main character is reasonably easy to relate to. The writing style mirrors his thought processes as he reacts to everything around him. There's tons of food for thought as Cherryh explores the differences between atevi and human hardwiring.

And I really, really wish I could say I'd enjoyed it, but it just didn't work for me. There were two short segments when my attention was fully engaged, but for the most part I just didn't care. I couldn't get involved with Bren or his predicament. I was pretty durned glad when I finally finished it.

I think I would have gotten more out of it if it had been pared down to only its most essential elements. I didn't want all the little details of atevi society. They're different. I get it. I didn't need to be told so over and over and over again. I often felt like Cherryh was giving the me the same example of their differences over and over again, in slightly different ways each time. It just got to be too much for me.

But I think the style was the biggest sticking point. I believe I'd have enjoyed Cherryh's style quite a bit if this had been a short story, but it just didn't work for me as a novel. I sometimes felt like I was decoding the book as I sifted through Bren's realistically recorded thoughts, and I always find that frustrating. If I'm invested in the characters and their story, I'm willing to work for the payoff. If I'm not, I'm not, and that was the case here.

And finally, I guessed what was going on almost instantly and became increasingly annoyed with Bren as he failed to see what was happening.

So no, this most definitely wasn't a winner. I may read the next book eventually, just in case the series gets better, but it's far from a priority. And I'll definitely be borrowing it from the library instead of buying it. ( )

I don't read a lot of Sci Fi, so I picked this up to give it a try and enjoyed it a lot. So much I read the other 3 in the first series. The alien race is facinating and the political schemes and plots were all I love. It even had a little romance thrown in. I might read more Scifi. ( )

Cherryh remains one of my favorite science fiction authors for her fascinating portrayals of alien races. The Foreigner series is no exception with the introduction of the atevi—a race of humanoids that is, nonetheless, so different in cultural mind set that the entire premise of the book is that the two races will inevitably come into conflict without the mediation of individuals trained for their entire life to do the job.

It's a very long-running series, which is great if you're a Cherryh fan. ( )