Jaran (The Jaran, Book 1) [Paperback]

Kate Elliott (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 3, 2002

The first book in Kate Elliott's acclaimed Jaran series-the groundbreaking story of a young woman coming of age on an alien planet...and her effect on the human race's survival.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Romance and intrigue mark this debut as a young woman threads her way through a maze of interstellar politics with humanity's freedom at stake.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: DAW (September 3, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0756400953
• ISBN-13: 978-0756400958
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #418,774 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kate Elliott lives in Hawaii, USA. In addition to the Crossroads series and the Crown of Stars series, she is co-author of THE GOLDEN KEY.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Whatever you're looking to read, it's here, July 16, 1998

By 

"jen_of_whim_and_vinegar" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jaran (Paperback)

Do you want a multiple book, well written epic to keep you busy for a while? Buy this book. If, on the other hand, you want to read a romance between two strong-willed people set against the backdrop of war, then buy this book. If, on the third hand :) , you want a book about the rebellion of humanity against their alien conquerors, then buy this book. Perhaps you want to read about characters that seem real, that have faults and talents in equal measure, that love and hate and die and do everything that real people do. If so, buy this book. Maybe you want a book that examines relationships of all kinds, that constantly surprises you, that is creative, original, deep, and still a good read. If this is the case, then (all together now!) BUY THIS BOOK! Have you noticed a pattern yet? Kate Elliott is a wonderful and talented writer who seems to be at home in any number of genres, from historical fiction to epic fantasy to romance to war story to science fiction. Her charac! ! ters are three dimensional, her plots are creative, her settings are lovingly detailed without being overdone, and her books will keep you saying "Just a few more pages, I'll be right with you" until you sigh, reluctantly stick in a bookmark, and wonder where the time went. I just finished re-reading this series, and it still took my breath away. Please, please, write book 5! Eager fans are waiting!

P.S. Don't let the plea for book 5 put you off. Though there are obvious hooks for another book, there is a definite sense of closure with book 4. This is not one where you need to wait for the series to finish being written before you start it.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful! (And not "gay" fiction.), June 29, 2004

By 

Julia LeVine (Denver, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jaran (The Jaran, Book 1) (Paperback)

I picked up Jaran for about 25 cents at a library book sale, and I've never looked back. This was my first introduction to Kate Elliott's writing, and since then I've enjoyed the rest of the Jaran books and her Crown of Stars series (I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of the sixth book, and hoping for more on the growing romance between Ivar and Baldwin). I've since read my copy of Jaran into the ground, and have to replace it because the spine is broken in numerous places and the pages are beginning to fall out. What higher praise can there be, for an author, than to have a devoted reader replace a copy of a beloved novel instead of ending the relationship?

That being said, I will try not to spoil anything. Jaran is not a fantasy book. There is no magic here, no wands or sourcery or incantations. It is pure science fiction, but without the monotonous and cliché use of outer space and starships as a setting. Rather, it is set on a "primitive" planet, where technology is sorely behind the times and the major cultural center surrounds a university. Tribes of Jaran roam the plains, and the Jahar, bands of Jaran warriors, war and explore in their beloved home. They've their own laws, myths, songs and stories, and ways of life, entirely different from those in more developed regions. Though the Jaran come from regions that are not technologically developed, they are still extremely intelligent. Definitely not the "brutes of the north" that some writers are so fond of! The book occasionally switches locations, focusing briefly on Tess' brother, the Duke, but this simply offers a bit of insight into why Tess does some of the things she does. It also offers characters a reason to appear later, so they don't simply drop out of nowhere with no readily apparent reason for their appearance.

Romance is at the heart of Jaran, where the intelligent, confident, university-educated leader of a Jaran tribe (Ilyakoria Bahktiian) meets the heir of a planetary Dukedom (Tess Sorensen). However, the story is not about them alone, and the plot is supported by a host of interesting and well-developed supporting characters (Yuri, Kirill, and Nikolai, to name but a scant few). Traveling is not done in a haphazard way, but to seamlessly advance the plot. Each move has a point, and is not done simply to get characters from one place to another without explanation. There are no characters that are granted immunity, either. Many get injured, and friends, foes and family alike are all subject to death. Dialogue is executed very well, too, at times touching, at times witty, at times passionate and at others downright hilarious. Like the Jaran themselves, it varies with the moods of the speakers and the situations.

Elliott's writing is absolutely superb, and of a quality that one rarely finds anymore. It's the writing of someone who takes her time, not someone who churns out book after book in order to satisfy the demands of publishers for more money and the public for more books. Settings are beautifully described, and the characters are developed very well. Not only are they remarkable to begin with, they grow as the story progresses. Though other books follow it, Jaran can easily stand on its own as a remarkable work.

Several reviewers have said that this is a "gay book," or that Ms. Elliott has an "obsession with gay themes." This is not true. While homosexual attractions are included as a very minor part of her Crown of Stars series, they are not the focus of it. The same is true for Jaran. Yes, there *is* a tribe of gay men, who have forsaken their tribes and people because they do not conform to the idea of getting married to women and having children. Yes, they would far rather sleep with each other. Yes, their leader is in love with Bahktiian. But this does *not* make Jaran a gay story! Again, that group of people who are different merely serves to enrich the world (and in a romance, the presence of gay characters is rare indeed... such tales usually revolve around heterosexual ideals alone). Do not let the label of "gay fiction" given to this work by some deter you from reading an amazing story. Even if you are uncomfortable with homosexuality, you won't mind this. There are no graphic sexual descriptions, or depictions of men kissing or touching other men sexually. It's simply an interesting little plot twist, not a major storyline. (I would not, however, object if Ms. Elliott wished to write a Jaran installment about the gay tribe in particular. I *adore* gay sci-fi and fantasy, thank you very much, and I only wish that there were more of it! If Ms. Elliott happens to find this, I register a plea: more Ivar and Baldwin! I was most engrossed and appreciative, and hope to see more.)

Simply put, Jaran is a wonderful sci-fi romance. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will undoubtedly leave you changed, even if only a little bit. *This* is high sci-fi, what every author should strive for: a unique world, well-developed and unique characters, and such wonder that readers will gladly return to the realm of the Jaran time and time again.

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What an amazing, epic tale!, February 15, 2003

By 

Christina M. Roberts "Neyjour" (Texas, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jaran (The Jaran, Book 1) (Paperback)

Tess Soerenson, sole heir to her brother's dukedom, cannot face the responsibilities that this position requires and flees to Rhui, a primitive planet whose inhabitants know nothing of the other technologically advanced worlds around them. She is taken in by a band of nomadic people led by Ilya Bakhtiian, a ruthless and ambitious man who is determined to unite the Jaran tribes. And as fate would have it, she finds herself caught up in a dangerous and mysterious conspiracy involving the Chapalii, an alien race that have conquered humankind. But the Chapalii have secrets they wish to keep from the humans, secrets that could be vital to her brother's plan of releasing their people from the Chapalii domination.

Jaran is an amazing story! It gripped me from the very first page and would not let me go! It is an epic tale with fantastic world building, wonderful, unforgettable characters, richly detailed cultures and societies, and a truly fascinating plot that just sucks you in and leaves you begging for more. This is a book that has everything; love and loss, friendship and betrayal, action and suspense, and much, much more! And all of it is set against the backdrop of a beautiful world and way of life.

I was so completely immersed in the story, so charmed by the lives of these characters, and so desperate to figure out all the secrets and motivations, that I read the entire book in two days! I did NOT want to put it down! Kate Elliott is obviously a fan of Jane Austen (as am I), and if you are familiar with Austen's work, you will undoubtedly recognize many of those wonderful elements that Elliott has lovingly woven into the story of Jaran. I just finished the book this morning and already I am eager and excited to continue the story. Don't miss this one. I HIGHLY recommend it!