Foreigner: (10th Anniversary Edition) [Paperback]

C. J. Cherryh (Author)

Book Description

Series: Foreigner | Publication Date: December 7, 2004

With a new introduction by the author

The first book in C.J.Cherryh's eponymous series, Foreigner begins an epic tale of the survivors of a lost spacecraft who crash-land on a planet inhabited by a hostile, sentient alien race.

From its beginnings as a human-alien story of first contact, the Foreigner series has become a true science fiction odyssey, following a civilization from the age of steam through early space flight to confrontations with other alien species in distant sectors of space. It is the masterwork of a truly remarkable author.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set on an alien world where the descendants of humans marooned in a long-ago starship accident live segregated from the indigenous atevi on a remote island, this polished and sophisticated tale from the popular author of Hestia addresses the complicated issue of how humans might have to compromise to survive on a planet where they are barely tolerated by the original, humanoid inhabitants. When Bren Cameron, given the name paidhi because he is the only human allowed to mingle with the atevi , survives an assault by an atevi assassin, the shaky detente between the human enclave and the alien society is threatened. Subjected to kidnapping, imprisonment and psychological torture, Cameron finds himself caught between rival factions of atevi as he must grapple with both human and alien xenophobia and with the insidious influence of human technology and culture on an extraterrestrial society. Three-time Hugo-winner Cherryh's gift for conjuring believable alien cultures is in full force here, and her characters, including the fascinatingly unpredictable atevi , are brought to life with a sure and convincing hand.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Exiled to the island of Mospheira, a colony of stranded humans relies on one man, their "paidhi" (liaison), to explain their ways to the dominant species of their adopted world. When Bren Cameron, the current paidhi, becomes the target for assassination in a culture where licensed murder is a recognized political solution, the conflict between species becomes a life-and-death struggle for survival and understanding. Veteran sf/fantasy author Cherryh plays her strongest suit in this exploration of human/alien contact, producing an incisive study-in-contrast of what it means to be human in a world where trust is nonexistent. A good purchase for most sf collections.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: DAW; 10 Anv edition (December 7, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0756402514
• ISBN-13: 978-0756402518
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #160,296 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Authors, A-Z > ( C ) > Cherryh, C.J.

More About the Author

I've written sf and fantasy for publication since 1975...but I've written a lot longer than that. I have a background in Mediterranean archaeology, Latin, Greek, that sort of thing; my hobbies are travel, photography, planetary geology, physics, pond-building for koi...I run a marine tank, can plumb most anything, and I figure-skate.

I believe in the future: I'm an optimist for good reason---I've studied a lot of history, in which, yes, there is climate change, and our species has been through it. We've never faced it fully armed with what we now know, and if we play our cards right, we'll use it as a technological springboard and carry on in very interesting ways.

I also believe a writer owes a reader a book that has more than general despair to spread about: I write about clever, determined people who don't put up with situations, not for long, anyway: people who find solutions inspire me.

My personal websites and blog: http://www.cherryh.com
http://www.cherryh.com/WaveWithoutAShore
http://www.closed-circle.net

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Slow Beginning to a Great Series, November 26, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Foreigner (Paperback)

I found Foreigner rather slow going. In fact, when I finished it I kept wondering what all the fuss was about vis-a-vis the series as a whole. But then I kept also wondering what happened next... and found myself picking up the sequels - which were WONDERFUL. In retrospect, I wish someone had told me to skim Foreigner as background for the rest of the series. So that's my advice to those who haven't yet read it. Do persevere, though - this is one of the best SF series ever written.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Culture, Intrigue, Assasination, and Fun., July 4, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Foreigner (Paperback)

Foreigner is a book about first contact -- humans and aliens, called the atevi, meeting for the first time -- and problems that occur when the two cultures meet and try to understand each other. C.J. Cherryh builds an alien culture and society that is well-formed, complete and believable; and through her excellent style, immerses the reader into this culture such that one begins to think and act like atevi, and perhaps, daydream about what it would be like living with the atevi oneself. This book is similar to Shogun, which, in effect, was a first contact book itself. The atevi culture, to me, has an essence of the Japanese culture, with a touch of India. Different "biological hard-wiring" between the humans and atevi create complicated misunderstandings of some of the most basic societal concepts. Imagine a culture that cannot fully understand the human words "like", "love", and "friend". The only time the atevi use the word, "like", is to describe a favorite food, such as salads. Now think how often we humans use the word "like" -- yes, we like food, but we also like each other, and there are different levels of like, and there are likenesses between members of a family, and we like inanimate objects, like paintings, and like, we compare things to other things, such as, he talks like a lawyer. The humorous side effects of these misunderstandings are quite fun. In one scene, the main character, Bren Cameron, tries to tell Banichi, a very manly atevi guard, that he is liked and considers him a friend. Poor Banichi is quite insulted because he thinks Bren considers him the equivalent of a salad. Further attempts to understand causes Banichi to perhaps wonder about human sexual preferences. The misunderstandings can have a most serious side effect, too. Humans cannot seem to grasp certain atevi concepts, such as "man'chi" and "associations". Atevi society is based upon a clan-like culture. There are no geographical boundaries between the different clans, but associations that are made between lords. Clan members declare man'chi to their lord, and possibly to family members, or spouse. Cherryh keeps the "nebulous-ity" of man'chi evident so that even the human reader cannot quite ever fully understand the concept. Major and minor associations can be made, causing much political complexity. Add in the concept of legal assassination, practiced and controlled by Guild Assassins, and the book takes off with high action. Human ignorance of atevi associations in the past resulted in a war in which the atevi won, and caused a complete separation of the two races on the planet. A treaty was created such that humans would gradually release their superior technology to the atevi. Only one human is allowed to interface and live among the atevi, the nand paidhi, "honored interpreter". Bren Cameron is the first paidhi in a long line of paidhiin to ever get close to understanding the atevi. He is a brilliant diplomat who takes great pains to always be politically atevi-correct. He is also a very lonely man. Enter the assassin, and the fun begins. The first sixty pages of Foreigner are on the narrative side. Cherryh has to provide the reader with the history, politics, and problems encountered by the humans on the Phoenix space ship that caused some of them to end up stranded on the atevi world. But once the name, Bren Cameron, is written, the story, and action, pick up significantly...and soon, dear reader is hooked. One hopes the nadiin enjoy it as much as Donna-ji did. Happy reading!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Aliens, Politics, and Angst, Oh My!, December 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Foreigner (Paperback)

This book is the first in the Foreigner Universe series. It is an amazing web of political intrigue, action and a skimming of romance. Cherryh creates an amazing world, upon which live one of the most unique alien races I have encountered in the many years I have been reading science fiction. The characters are very personable, and the imagery is rich and life-like. For a truly excellent read, see this book, and the second in the series, "Invader" (I just finished it today, and I can't wait to get a copy of the third, "Inheritor.").