Invader (Foreigner 2) [Hardcover]

C. J. Cherryh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1995

Nearly two centuries after a human colony is abandoned on an alien planet, the two races have reached a tenacious peace agreement, but when the human ship returns unexpectedly, both governments are thrown into chaos.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

An interesting first-contact political thriller is buried in this sequel to Foreigner, but readers will have to work hard to pry it from the dull surroundings. Bren Cameron continues as paidhi, the interface between the human community and the indigenous atevi population on a planet that the humans colonized years before. Cameron's musings about politics and language take up much of the novel; these generally are not deep thoughts ("Hell, maybe human caring was a survival disadvantage. Who knew? It sure screwed up lives"). The return to the planet of the human spaceship Phoenix brings the promise of many changes in both atevi and human ways of life. Cherryh takes the reader plodding through the resultant conflicts, many of which are political and most of which would be more interesting if they weren't rehashed so often. This novel?which reads like the prelude to yet another sequel?is simply too static.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

After an absence of nearly 200 years, the starship Phoenix reappears in the skies above the human enclave of Mospheira, throwing both humans and the native atevi population into consternation and threatening the delicate balance between two distinctly alien civilizations. This sequel to Foreigner (LJ 2/15/94) continues to explore the patterns of thought and culture that define a species' civilization. Veteran sf author Cherryh combines a flair for hard science with a keen insight into the complex rationales behind human-and nonhuman-actions. Highly recommended for sf collections.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: DAW Hardcover; First Edition edition (May 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0886776384
• ISBN-13: 978-0886776381
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #944,780 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Even Now There Is Something to Say About This One, December 25, 2003

By 

Sires "I enjoy mysteries, historical and proc... (Chesapeake, OH, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Invader: Foreigner 2 (Paperback)

This series of books is one that I always keep within easy reach. The series has its ups and downs, but this book is a particular favorite because in this book the whole atevi culture and Bren Cameron's place in it starts to gel.

While not action packed and the time period covered by the book is short, a lot happens as Bren makes certain irrevokable decisions that are sure to cause him problems in the future. The Atevi struggle within their culture to come to some resolution as to how they will interact with humans. Bren's personal life shifts from his connection with human family, associates and lover to finding a place within Atevi culture.

While the pace is slow and the writing dense, this allows the reader to start to feel comfortable in the atevi world and to appreciate the complexities of the culture. Cherryh has done a very good job of creating a nonhuman culture that touches on enough points to be comprehensible and even attractive but still alien.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intense Psychological and Political Analysis, July 31, 2000

By 

"gcmedia1" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Invader: Foreigner 2 (Paperback)

The complexity of this book is refreshing in the science fiction genre. Political and societal ramifications of actions keeps Bren, human diplomat to the Ateva, constantly thinking, analyzing and contemplating, as well as the reader. It is necessary to read and reread to truly grasp every detail, every association, every meaning. The result is a truly well defined society and culture, as well as characters with whom the reader can identify and support, be they human or not.

The author doesn't compromise story development for cheap thrills. The depth with which she covers each moment is what gives the Foreigner series its depth and substance.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Continues to amaze!, May 10, 2003

By 

R.Parklane (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Invader: Foreigner 2 (Paperback)

This series continues to amaze, with the second book just as riveting. Here Cherryh shines in her development of the Atevi characters, each one distinct and complex in his/her won way. Bren Cameron is of course as appealing and it is wonderful to find him growing close to his alien friends. Of course there is the subtle hints of affection (maybe love?) between Bren and Jago which I hope Cherryh will explore deeper in future books. The pace maybe slow at the beginning but the build-up to a possible collision between the Atevi and 2 different human cultures, one on land and the other in space is exquisitely handled. Now to start the third book! Well done Cherryh!