A review by soulfulsin
Destroyer by C.J. Cherryh
3.0
While certainly not as action packed as the previous books (mostly notably its immediate predecessor), Destroyer packs a punch nonetheless. Finally, we have a longer interaction with Barb and Toby and Cajeiri takes precedence. As always with the Foreigner series, there are long sections of stream of consciousness, interspersed with dialog and summary designed to keep the reader on their toes- this is not a book to read while you're tired. Much of the action takes place "behind the curtain" and it's up to the reader to follow what's going on through the complicated atevi machinations and the plot within a plot.
My one quibble with this book is that it seemed Bren spent an inordinate amount of time drifting off into thought and giving us more background on the atevi home world than seemed necessary at this point. It's enough to keep track of without Bren giving us *too* much information and also dragging out the plot.
Cherryh has obviously chosen a slightly different formula in this trilogy within a series- rather than conclude the plot and bring up something else related, she stretched it into three books, so there is no real immediate resolution. Speaking for myself, I would much rather have a longer book than have it stretched out over three, but whatever works, I suppose.
It's hard not to grow obsessed with this series and the intricacies within it. There are layers upon layers and although it's hard to get into (especially with the first book), the experience can be very rewarding.
I recommend this book to anyone who has been reading the series all along. If you haven't, start with Foreigner. This is not a series where you can jump in at any point. There is very little summation of other books and it grows shorter and shorter the further you delve into the series.
My one quibble with this book is that it seemed Bren spent an inordinate amount of time drifting off into thought and giving us more background on the atevi home world than seemed necessary at this point. It's enough to keep track of without Bren giving us *too* much information and also dragging out the plot.
Cherryh has obviously chosen a slightly different formula in this trilogy within a series- rather than conclude the plot and bring up something else related, she stretched it into three books, so there is no real immediate resolution. Speaking for myself, I would much rather have a longer book than have it stretched out over three, but whatever works, I suppose.
It's hard not to grow obsessed with this series and the intricacies within it. There are layers upon layers and although it's hard to get into (especially with the first book), the experience can be very rewarding.
I recommend this book to anyone who has been reading the series all along. If you haven't, start with Foreigner. This is not a series where you can jump in at any point. There is very little summation of other books and it grows shorter and shorter the further you delve into the series.