Customer Reviews

Jaran

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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.

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.

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!

This novel is the first in a series that has so far reached four volumes, although it can be read as a mostly complete story within itself. Unfortunately, this is partially due to the failure of the background plots to ever cohere sufficiently to become compelling. At its heart, this is a simple "girl meets boy" story, and would've played out just as well as a piece of historical fiction instead of a romance with science fiction trappings.

The protagonist, Terese Soerensen, accidentally becomes stranded on an off-limits planet under the remote governance of her brother, the only human duke within the Chapalli Empire, which is ruled by humanoid aliens that have forcibly absorbed the human polity. The planet, Rhui, is populated by medieval-era humans who are unaware of their galactic heritage, having been apparently seeded there from Earth by rogue Chapalli centuries ago. Once on the planet, Tess becomes aware that a group of Chapalli are on the surface illegally and are paying a band of nomads to help them discover ancient ruins which may contain useful secrets. To be rescued, Tess needs to reach Jeds, where her brother has a clandestine team of off-world observers, but she also needs to discover why the aliens are wandering around in contravention of treaty. At the same time, she has to take pains to ensure that the indigenous population doesn't realize the she and the Chapalli are not of their world.

Fortunately, the Chapalli are very much caste-driven, and as her brother's heir, she outranks most of them, so she can browbeat them to a certain extent. Thus, when she makes contact with the nomads and finds out they're going to be escorting the aliens across the plains, she's able to force her way into the party, much to the dismay of the nomad leader, Ilyakoria Bakhtiian.

The character of Ilya poses certain problems. Essentially, he's a highly educated and philosophical version of Genghis Khan. He has been uniting the jaran tribes, sometimes by bloodshed, so that he can lead them against the settled peoples. What is never explored is why he should want to do this. Basically, he's going to cause untold deaths, both amongst his own people and the city-dwellers, but no one seems to care too much about that. His motivation is never really explored; the civilized folk aren't unduly harrassing or oppressing the jaran, and indeed, most of them are scarcely aware of their existence. Nor do the settled lands hold anything the jaran want; the nomads are pretty content right where they are, out on the plains. So why everyone goes along with Ilya is a bit of a mystery, and Tess's failure to feel any remorse at all about the bloody war that he will unleash doesn't really speak well for her.

Another flaw is that the "B" story, dealing with events affecting Tess's brother, the Duke Charles, pretty much just lies there inertly and doesn't contribute a whole lot. This particular plot fairly clearly serves to set up events for subsequent books, but is so uninteresting that it could easily have been removed with no harm done. And even Tess's ongoing investigation of the Chapalli traveling with her and Ilya's band is a bit of a snooze. Far too often, her breakthroughs are the result of people strolling up within earshot of her and blabbing out their secrets. Coincidence plays far too large a role in the book.

Nevertheless, the author does a fantastic job with dialogue, particularly the barbed exchanges between Ilya and Tess, who love each other so much from the onset that they actually can't stand each other. Their ongoing duel is skillfully depicted. And the secondary characters, particularly Yuri and Kirill, are vividly drawn.

Make no mistake: this is, at heart, a romance story, although not an insipid and cloying one. If you're looking for galactic intrigue and adventure, this would be a poor choice. But if you want to indulge in a tale on a more human scale, albeit one with some serious flaws, this would be a good choice.

My very favorite sci fi book. The story is about a young woman who has the massive responsibility of being the heir to the one man who has any status among the aliens who have conquered Earth. She's not comfortable with these responsibilities and . . . runs. She manages to become stranded on another planet among a "simple" plains people who help her to become the strong, independent woman she barely knew was inside herself. In the process, she manages to uncover a secret that could free the Earth.

The depth and complexity of the many characters in the story is impressive. The Jaran culture is practically a character itself, and I enjoy it very much, with its gender roles that are a very different mix from what we ourselves are familiar with. And I freely admit to enjoying romance in my fantasy and sci fi and this story delivers that perfectly.

I recommend readers who enjoyed this story try the author's first series, The Highroad Trilogy, written under the name Alis Rasmussen. They serve as a loose sequel to the Jaran stories (after the Chapalii have been driven out) and are a highly enjoyable read.

I just finished reading Jaran. It's a great book. The characters are excellently developed and seem like real people. Kate Elliott is an excellent writer who not only creates a new fascinating world but also connects it to history (In this case to the Mongol invasion of Western Europe and conquest of Eastern Europe and most of Asia.) This is a wonderful book but make sure you have some time to read it, and the sequels. It's not a huge cliffhanger, but you'll want to know what happens. Now I MUST comment on some of the other reviews. I don't know WHY anyone would think this book is “...fiction” or “unrealistic,” she had a few gay characters, so what...it’s just another element to the story that involves everything into convoluted plots... That’s excellent too, although I was dieing for the sequel when I finished the fourth. If you like Sci-Fi /Fantasy... you’ll like this.

The fact that Kate Elliott does her research shows throughout a novel like JARAN and its sequels (or in her later series, CROWN OF STARS). This is first rate anthro-SF with fully-drawn cultures from an author who has the courage (and knowledge) to avoid the pit-fall of modern characters with modern mindsets wearing costumes. ;> The rare sort of book where the more the reader knows, the more enjoyable it is (instead of less).

[Her later series, CROWN OF STARS is full of inside jokes for those who know about life in the middle ages and the literature of antiquity and the early church. She's created a plausible and theologically-realized church as it might have been if gnosticism and docetism had prevailed as the orthodox view.]

A couple of remarks on comments in previous reviews. Regarding the lack of clear ending to the JARAN series.... My *understanding* is that the series isn't finished--which is why there's no "ending" book. To move on to another series was a marketing / publishing decision, not Ms. Elliott's. In short, don't blame the author. :)

Also, I got a real laugh from the comparison to Jean Auel. This book is what Auel tries to be and fails (imo).

And *gay* fiction? ? What book did that reviewer read? Sure wasn't this one....

Tess, a young woman on her way back to her home planet from university on Earth, accidentally finds herself marooned in the middle of a vast prairie. She had been puzzling over a shuttle that seemed to have horses in it, and sure enough, the horses have been delivered to a tribe of Russian-like nomads on this planet owned by Tess's brother, who had declared the planet off-limits except for limited, incognito exploration. The natives are a primitive, pre-space society, unaware of their origins in the distant solar system.

Tess is not completely helpless. She does speak a language that the natives can understand, but she does undergo great hardships while she tries to adjust to the conditions in which she finds herself. It is, indeed, a society dominated by women, though it feels more as if the usual male dominance is merely absent. The women are presented as all preoccupied with domestic and social matters; it would have been nice to have one of them show some interest in logical, or scientific things. (Okay, there is a woman who is an expert maker of fabric and clothing.)

The personalities are beautifully drawn, their relationships depicted very plausibly. (The various reactions to the personalities and the "plot" seem to reflect Ms Elliott's success in drawing on her readers' experiences of the various types she depicts. To some, the basis of the Slavic culture will be an obstacle, to others, something that enriches the texture.) No prior knowledge of Russian or Slavic culture is needed to enjoy the book; enough is provided to make it all understandable.

The story takes place, as others have reported, in the context of mankind finding itself in the control of an impossibly powerful alien empire, to which --apparently-- mankind is no more than a minor footnote. (But the aliens are humanoid, which makes things very interesting.) The interdicted planet, with its puzzling earth-like natives turns out to have been established in antiquity by the aliens themselves--a "Seeded" planet. No doubt the author would have some day revealed more about these coincidences, but having read only this first book, I'm quite ignorant of the overall logic of the historical background.

Ultimately, my enjoyment of the book was based on the wonderful female characters. They really live and breathe, and you ache to meet them again, when Tess has been away from the tribe. There is plenty of SF-sociology to satisfy the most rabid fan of such things, but not so much as to turn others off. Tess, who is destined to own the planet someday, is close enough to Royalty to please those who like such things, but is level-headed enough not to be too obnoxious. The men are believable (and believable in the context in which they find themselves). I'm very sad to hear that subsequent volumes were less enjoyable; I guess I have to find out for myself!

Arch

I've read all four Jaran books twice while eagerly waiting for number five. The characters and storyline are totally engrossing, and I was particularly impressed by how strongly I was stirred emotionally by what was happening in the story. One scene in particular put a lump in my throat as I read--both times! I also enjoyed the development of the alien culture, with its stylized elements and the unanswered questions provoked by it. I plan on reading the series again at some point, especially if Ms. Elliot gives us the fifth volume, and I know I'll enjoy it just as much as the first time.

At first glance, Jaran seems to be a typical "aliens have
conquered the earth" story. It's not. It's a story of personal
growth and relationships. Blending sf, fantasy, linguistics,
anthropology, and romance, this book's a great read.

Follow Tess as she leaves Earth and is stranded on Rhui. See
what happens as she treks across an endless plain of grass.
Check out the culture of vigorous men-who-embroider-shirts.
Find out what happens when two strong people both insist on
doing things *their* way.