As I'm posting this, I've never read anything by one C.J. Cherryh; yet another name on the long list of fantasy/sci-fi writers that I've yet to read...
By the time you read this though, things will be slightly different. I'm working my way through the 'Swords & Dark Magic' anthology (very good so far) and next up is one C.J. Cherryh's 'A Wizard in Wiscezan'. Maybe I'll like it and maybe I won't, we shall see...
From what I know though, C.J Cherryh has written more than just the one short story. There's at least two series of hers that I've seen on the shelves! I've recently found myself looking for books to read that are a little different from my normal fare as well as by authors that I haven't read before (I know I've still got to read 'The Anubis Gates' and the new David Weber book, I'll get there...) I've never read any of Cherryh's series and I'm wondering if they might be worth checking out. Have any of you folks read her books? What did you think? My preference is running towards fantasy at the moment and I know she's written a couple of these at least, are they worth a look?
All comments much appreciated!
4 comments:
I haven't read any of Cherryh's fantasy, but I rather like her science fiction. The four that I've read so far (latest review: Regenesis) have been a bit headier fare, more often about the socio-political conflicts than outright warfare. Excellent stuff.
I read a book by her called "Fortress in the Eye of Time" it was pretty good, as far as I remember. But since it was about 5 years ago, I can't be sure; my reading tastes have developed much since then.
You could check out a review or two to make sure...
I've long wanted to read Cherryh's "Foreigner" series (which you've shown here) but have been daunted by its length and incompleteness.
That said, I have read two of her other series:
The Faded Sun series (readily available in MMPB omnibus form) is absolutely fantastic. I get a fairly "Dune" vibe from it, and it still haunts me after all these years. (It's on my reread list, but who knows when I'll get to it?)
The Chanur books are also great. What Cherryh can do like no else is write great aliens that think in alien ways. The Faded Sun series mentioned previously has a couple of species, but the Chanur saga has over half a dozen. It's really impressive what she can do. FYI, the Chanur books consist of an introductory book followed by a trilogy, then capped with related (but not necessary) sequel.
The one book by her that I just finished reading is Cyteen, her Hugo-winning book written in the mid-80's. It is a "headier" book told in a style that jumps narrators and focuses heavily on political/psychological thrills. It is a long book; my paperback copy comes in just under 700 pages. It's not as amazing as I've seen some people review it as, but it is a decent read. Plus: Good character development, brain-bending psychology. Neg: Can be repetitive, slow plot development in the middle of the book.
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