lordenglishssbm's review against another edition
2.0
I like some of the ideas, and even the writing itself. It's clean, it's controlled, the dialogue is sharp and expressive, and the characters are vividly drawn. The emphasis on politics was probably more appealing to me than it is to most people (I do reporting work), though it leans too heavily into the everyone-knows-everyone-else-knows mindgames that everyone incorrectly assumes is how politics really functions.
The problem is that it's slow. Like, glacially slow. The plot starts after the first two hundred pages, which I'm almost willing to forgive because what happens in those first two hundred pages is more interesting, more tightly-plotted, more affecting, and more tense than what comes after. No, the real problem is that while the way Cherryh writes her conversations is neat, and it is kind of fun watching her characters try to outsmart each other, she keeps writing the same conversations throughout the whole book. It becomes increasingly tiresome as the book goes on, and it doesn't help that the death of a major character and the shift in focus to a new one, done halfway through the book, kills the momentum of her narrative. To be fair to Cherryh, it was not her decision to split a single book into three volumes, but I struggle to see how that would retroactively make this more enjoyable to read. The long walls of exposition don't help, but given that this is a book set in a larger universe alonside other series which chronologically come before this, I can at least respect Cherryh's attempt to get the reader up to speed.
Taken on its own, I think it would have worked much better as a standalone if it had focused on Justin and ended when Justin and Grant's character arcs ended. It was a natural end point for the book, and it would have shaved one hundred and fifty pages off the length. As it is, the story feels disjointed and incoherent, with a very sudden ending. If you are going to read this book, make sure to track down a version that collects all three volumes.
The problem is that it's slow. Like, glacially slow. The plot starts after the first two hundred pages, which I'm almost willing to forgive because what happens in those first two hundred pages is more interesting, more tightly-plotted, more affecting, and more tense than what comes after. No, the real problem is that while the way Cherryh writes her conversations is neat, and it is kind of fun watching her characters try to outsmart each other, she keeps writing the same conversations throughout the whole book. It becomes increasingly tiresome as the book goes on, and it doesn't help that the death of a major character and the shift in focus to a new one, done halfway through the book, kills the momentum of her narrative. To be fair to Cherryh, it was not her decision to split a single book into three volumes, but I struggle to see how that would retroactively make this more enjoyable to read. The long walls of exposition don't help, but given that this is a book set in a larger universe alonside other series which chronologically come before this, I can at least respect Cherryh's attempt to get the reader up to speed.
Taken on its own, I think it would have worked much better as a standalone if it had focused on Justin and ended when Justin and Grant's character arcs ended. It was a natural end point for the book, and it would have shaved one hundred and fifty pages off the length. As it is, the story feels disjointed and incoherent, with a very sudden ending. If you are going to read this book, make sure to track down a version that collects all three volumes.
mjfmjfmjf's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 of 5. Endeavour Award. Book 12 (also book 3 of series 4) of the Foreigner Series. These books are always exhausting - this one included. Some of the better aliens and alien societies out there. But each of the book is a very abbreviated set of time - a couple of days to a week - centered around Bren the human ambassador to the Atevi - heavy on dialogue, politics and fleeing. I got tired of this series a long time ago and only came back to it for the Endeavour award. And yet I'd bet it'd be an interesting read straight through, three books at a time.
reasie's review against another edition
4.0
GAH!
Least. Satisfying. Ending. Evah.
I have just checked Wikipedia, though, and learned that the three Cyteen books were originally one novel, split into a trilogy perhaps by profit-motivated publishers of the 80s, back when paperbacks were not as thick as cement blocks. In fact, I recall, back in The Golden Age of SF (defined as the speaker's 13th year, in my case 1986) science fiction books nearly always fit in your back jeans pocket.
I digress.
GAH!!!
So, I chose this book because, as a Cherryh fan, I always felt I was missing something by not having read the Union/Alliance universe FROM THE START. I'm very methodical sometimes. The opening nearly put me off. 20 pages - I kid thee not - of a frickin CONGRESSIONAL HEARING?? I didn't care who was trying maneuver whom into what. I didn't know who I was supposedly rooting for. I mean, this guy's a populist, but this gal is supporting space expansion, and we all know in SF that's the Ulitmate Good.
Also: I have decided, from here on out, never to read any segment of a book that claims to be an insert from some fictional publication in the universe. You wanna infodump me, sister, you gotta work for it.
That said... they then, after all that tediousness, got to the real story - which is a twisted, perverse little tale of people in close emotional relationships with abuse and emotional hurt and sacrificing for love! YAY!!! I can't get enough of it. I'm totally hooked. Already reading the next part. Regretting these pesky distractions like sleep and eating.
Spoiler below......
And I'm 100% convinced that Ari Emory faked her own death. OMG. No way was it Jordan. No. Fn. Way. And how was that for a plot twist? I was floored by her death. I, er, didn't read the cover text or anything on the flaps, like the "The death of a leading scientist..."
Least. Satisfying. Ending. Evah.
I have just checked Wikipedia, though, and learned that the three Cyteen books were originally one novel, split into a trilogy perhaps by profit-motivated publishers of the 80s, back when paperbacks were not as thick as cement blocks. In fact, I recall, back in The Golden Age of SF (defined as the speaker's 13th year, in my case 1986) science fiction books nearly always fit in your back jeans pocket.
I digress.
GAH!!!
So, I chose this book because, as a Cherryh fan, I always felt I was missing something by not having read the Union/Alliance universe FROM THE START. I'm very methodical sometimes. The opening nearly put me off. 20 pages - I kid thee not - of a frickin CONGRESSIONAL HEARING?? I didn't care who was trying maneuver whom into what. I didn't know who I was supposedly rooting for. I mean, this guy's a populist, but this gal is supporting space expansion, and we all know in SF that's the Ulitmate Good.
Also: I have decided, from here on out, never to read any segment of a book that claims to be an insert from some fictional publication in the universe. You wanna infodump me, sister, you gotta work for it.
That said... they then, after all that tediousness, got to the real story - which is a twisted, perverse little tale of people in close emotional relationships with abuse and emotional hurt and sacrificing for love! YAY!!! I can't get enough of it. I'm totally hooked. Already reading the next part. Regretting these pesky distractions like sleep and eating.
Spoiler below......
And I'm 100% convinced that Ari Emory faked her own death. OMG. No way was it Jordan. No. Fn. Way. And how was that for a plot twist? I was floored by her death. I, er, didn't read the cover text or anything on the flaps, like the "The death of a leading scientist..."
essinink's review against another edition
5.0
Collective wisdom of the paidhiin before him had said, Don't interfere when it came to atevi dealing with atevi.
What the hell else had he done in his whole career but interfere?
This subtrilogy is so satisfying! I have wanted to see Bren with his back actually to the wall for a while now. He has SO many connections and so much support that--even when the stakes are high--there's a sense that there's an army behind him. Not so much here. Everyone is spread thin, and Bren is basically down to his aishid.
Meanwhile, at Najida, Cajeiri has undergone a great deal of growing-up. And he (and therefore the reader) is finally starting to understand the difference between friendship and man-chi.
Lots of interesting insights here, from atevi regional politics to just how atypical Bren's household is compared to atevi norms (and resulting troubles). And it leaves off on a very tentative note... so on to the next books!
al27caro's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
applequinn's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Light orientalism inherent to worldbuilding
katmarhan's review against another edition
4.0
8/10
Like many of Cherryh’s books, this is a little dense and hard to get into at first. The politics of Union, and Cyteen in particular, are not easy to grasp but play an important role in the story. But the author crafts a compelling tale of power and loyalty in a world peopled by “born men” or CITs (citizens) and Azi, genetically-created humans who are classed by their gene-sets and deep-tape subliminal and instructional training.
[b:Cyteen|834518|Cyteen (Cyteen, #1-3)|C.J. Cherryh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1316469389l/834518._SX50_.jpg|820134] was originally published as a trilogy, and [b:The Betrayal|57061|The Betrayal (Cyteen, #1)|C.J. Cherryh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1407177836l/57061._SY75_.jpg|8754593] is the first book. Cyteen was later released as one book, and given the ending of The Betrayal, I can see why. The end isn’t an end at all. Time to read on...
Side note: there are references to another of [a:C.J. Cherryh|989968|C.J. Cherryh|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1244675150p2/989968.jpg]’s books in this universe, [b:Forty Thousand in Gehenna|57148|Forty Thousand in Gehenna (Unionside, #1)|C.J. Cherryh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440848230l/57148._SY75_.jpg|1185217], as well as events chronicled in other books of the Company Wars and more. It’s quite a universe she has created!
Like many of Cherryh’s books, this is a little dense and hard to get into at first. The politics of Union, and Cyteen in particular, are not easy to grasp but play an important role in the story. But the author crafts a compelling tale of power and loyalty in a world peopled by “born men” or CITs (citizens) and Azi, genetically-created humans who are classed by their gene-sets and deep-tape subliminal and instructional training.
[b:Cyteen|834518|Cyteen (Cyteen, #1-3)|C.J. Cherryh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1316469389l/834518._SX50_.jpg|820134] was originally published as a trilogy, and [b:The Betrayal|57061|The Betrayal (Cyteen, #1)|C.J. Cherryh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1407177836l/57061._SY75_.jpg|8754593] is the first book. Cyteen was later released as one book, and given the ending of The Betrayal, I can see why. The end isn’t an end at all. Time to read on...
Side note: there are references to another of [a:C.J. Cherryh|989968|C.J. Cherryh|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1244675150p2/989968.jpg]’s books in this universe, [b:Forty Thousand in Gehenna|57148|Forty Thousand in Gehenna (Unionside, #1)|C.J. Cherryh|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440848230l/57148._SY75_.jpg|1185217], as well as events chronicled in other books of the Company Wars and more. It’s quite a universe she has created!
soulfulsin's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best Foreigner books since the trilogy on the space station, this book was riveting, action packed, and almost impossible to put down. I greatly look forward to Intruder.
robinwalter's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
An excellent wrap to the 4th 3-book subset of the Foreigner series. Action, Machiavellian manoeuvrings and mayhem. Possibly my favourite set so far