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Foreigner #10
Conspirator
First in a brand-new Foreigner trilogy from Hugo Award winning author C. J. Cherryh.
Cajeiri is the young son of the powerful leader of the Western Association-and he has become a target for forces bent on destroying his father's rule. For Cajeiri is the first ateva youth to have lived in a human environment. And after hundreds of years of fragile atevi-human coexistence, he may very well be the first of his people to ever truly understand the so similar-yet so dangerously different-aliens who share his home planet and threaten the hidebound customs of his race.
Cajeiri is the young son of the powerful leader of the Western Association-and he has become a target for forces bent on destroying his father's rule. For Cajeiri is the first ateva youth to have lived in a human environment. And after hundreds of years of fragile atevi-human coexistence, he may very well be the first of his people to ever truly understand the so similar-yet so dangerously different-aliens who share his home planet and threaten the hidebound customs of his race.
370 pages, Hardcover
First published April 28, 2009
58 people are currently reading
893 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Cherryh
309books3,475followersCurrently resident in Spokane, Washington, C.J. Cherryh has won four Hugos and is one of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed authors in the science fiction and fantasy field. She is the author of more than forty novels. Her hobbies include travel, photography, reef culture, Mariners baseball, and, a late passion, figure skating: she intends to compete in the adult USFSA track. She began with the modest ambition to learn to skate backwards and now is working on jumps. She sketches, occasionally, cooks fairly well, and hates house work; she loves the outdoors, animals wild and tame, is a hobbyist geologist, adores dinosaurs, and has academic specialties in Roman constitutional law and bronze age Greek ethnography. She has written science fiction since she was ten, spent ten years of her life teaching Latin and Ancient History on the high school level, before retiring to full time writing, and now does not have enough hours in the day to pursue all her interests. Her studies include planetary geology, weather systems, and natural and man-made catastrophes, civilizations, and cosmology…in fact, there's very little that doesn't interest her. A loom is gathering dust and needs rethreading, a wooden ship model awaits construction, and the cats demand their own time much more urgently. She works constantly, researches mostly on the internet, and has books stacked up and waiting to be written.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
June 12, 2017
This series is still proving to be my go-to feel-good alien-human political machinations with a good mixture of comedy and in-depth world-building.
Bren is a solid guy now and we're seeing a lot more of Cajeiri, the eight-year-old son of the head of the Association, from his PoV. And none of these novels are right without Ilisidi, his great-grandmother, and close friend of Bren.
Cajeiri always seems to get into HUGE amounts of trouble, but that's to be expected by an Atevi alien that grew up on a human-run spaceship. He's an alien of both worlds and so is of neither. He's also a breath of fresh air and errors. :) I'm honestly rather happy with this turn. Bren is still a big part of it all, of course, but Cajeiri keeps it fresh.
Bren is a full Lord of the Atevi now. It still shocks me how far he's come, and I can't say the change is undeserved. He's done more for both the Atevi and the Humans than anyone in this world's history, and he's freakishly loyal. :)
This is feel-good adventure and politics. Don't think it's all that light, though. It isn't. It's played close to the cuff and we're always forced to live through the big reveals as they come. As a thriller, it's fantastic.
There's always some lord somewhere wanting to kill someone. That's the problem with a society run by assassins. :)
Great stuff!
Bren is a solid guy now and we're seeing a lot more of Cajeiri, the eight-year-old son of the head of the Association, from his PoV. And none of these novels are right without Ilisidi, his great-grandmother, and close friend of Bren.
Cajeiri always seems to get into HUGE amounts of trouble, but that's to be expected by an Atevi alien that grew up on a human-run spaceship. He's an alien of both worlds and so is of neither. He's also a breath of fresh air and errors. :) I'm honestly rather happy with this turn. Bren is still a big part of it all, of course, but Cajeiri keeps it fresh.
Bren is a full Lord of the Atevi now. It still shocks me how far he's come, and I can't say the change is undeserved. He's done more for both the Atevi and the Humans than anyone in this world's history, and he's freakishly loyal. :)
This is feel-good adventure and politics. Don't think it's all that light, though. It isn't. It's played close to the cuff and we're always forced to live through the big reveals as they come. As a thriller, it's fantastic.
There's always some lord somewhere wanting to kill someone. That's the problem with a society run by assassins. :)
Great stuff!
July 3, 2017
This (and the next book in the series) remain one of my favourite stories within the larger Foreigner story line. I loved how Bren really became Lord Bren in this installment; he was really invested in the welfare Najida and its people.
Cajeiri; that kid continues to amuse and intrigue. His love for engineering kept coming into use to help him and his aishid both get in and out of trouble.
And Ilsidi, every time she thwacked her cane down made me laugh. And what a canny, dangerous woman she is, dropping that political bombshell that will have serious repercussions for the Western Association, and Bren, because, of course when Sidi-ji gets an idea, she has her young men deal with it.
And who grows the tea that the Atevi drink by the gallon?
Cajeiri; that kid continues to amuse and intrigue. His love for engineering kept coming into use to help him and his aishid both get in and out of trouble.
And Ilsidi, every time she thwacked her cane down made me laugh. And what a canny, dangerous woman she is, dropping that political bombshell that will have serious repercussions for the Western Association, and Bren, because, of course when Sidi-ji gets an idea, she has her young men deal with it.
And who grows the tea that the Atevi drink by the gallon?
September 3, 2023
4.5 (10th book - beginning of 4th trilogy)
Once more the narration is shared between Bren and Cajeiri to great effect. Cherryh takes time with her story. And this is it - one truly huge epic told in episodes rather than a variety of plots in the same universe. In this instalment, we get the continuation of the re-establishment of Tabini to power after the coup, with all the awkward situations and political 'walking-on-eggs' moments. In the midst of power plays, Bren finds himself going back to his atevi country house, which he hasn't seen since going to space, and looking forward to some 'relaxed' time after all the happenings. Of course, that is not counting on Cajeiri, who can't take much more of his enforced alienation of all things human and lack of freedom. What does he do? Escape of course and make his way to Bren's...
I am really enjoying the addition of Cajeiri's point of view, not just for the difference of perception but also for the fun of it. Bren is still a firm favourite, but these two are really shining in these stories (and Ilisidi of course!!). I cannot believe this is the 10th volume and I am still completely happy to stay in this world with all its players :O)
Once more the narration is shared between Bren and Cajeiri to great effect. Cherryh takes time with her story. And this is it - one truly huge epic told in episodes rather than a variety of plots in the same universe. In this instalment, we get the continuation of the re-establishment of Tabini to power after the coup, with all the awkward situations and political 'walking-on-eggs' moments. In the midst of power plays, Bren finds himself going back to his atevi country house, which he hasn't seen since going to space, and looking forward to some 'relaxed' time after all the happenings. Of course, that is not counting on Cajeiri, who can't take much more of his enforced alienation of all things human and lack of freedom. What does he do? Escape of course and make his way to Bren's...
I am really enjoying the addition of Cajeiri's point of view, not just for the difference of perception but also for the fun of it. Bren is still a firm favourite, but these two are really shining in these stories (and Ilisidi of course!!). I cannot believe this is the 10th volume and I am still completely happy to stay in this world with all its players :O)
January 29, 2024
I don't know how Cherryh has kept coming up with new crises for Bren Cameron to deal with. She had definitely set up Cajieri, son of atevi leader Tabini, to be both a fond companion and a thorn in Bren's side. Cajierei may be only eight, with the poor ability to judge consequences of a child, but he also has the slipperiness of an escape artist. This novel sees him making three unfortunate decisions in quick succession. And it's not Bren's first rodeo when it comes to getting the boy to safety, but he anticipates blowback from Tabini and even the Aiji-dowager, Ilisidi, one of his favourite people. (And it saddens me to see this elderly woman having problems. I have a hunch there will be little to no meicheta riding for her anymore).
It never rains but it pours! Politics require that Bren leave his borrowed quarters in the capitol while the apartment that he considers his is occupied by a clan of dubious loyalty. Bren decides to head out to his country estate. There he is initially glad to see his brother Toby, who is now hooked up with Bren's ex, Barb. Barb is a piece of work and manages to scandalize the atevi house staff and the villagers. Additionally, when Cajieri is recovered from his second scrape, Bren takes him personally to thank the neighbouring land holder for locating the boy. They inadvertently discover political machinations that threaten the region and atevi governmental stability.
So Bren must juggle an unpredictable child, family ructions, and deadly political action, with the assassins� guild in full evidence. If that wasn't enough, he realizes that his time spent on his space mission has deprived his district of much needed leadership and attention. I expect the next book will see more movement in that direction. It's always an interesting ride following Mr. Cameron!
Book number 512 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project
It never rains but it pours! Politics require that Bren leave his borrowed quarters in the capitol while the apartment that he considers his is occupied by a clan of dubious loyalty. Bren decides to head out to his country estate. There he is initially glad to see his brother Toby, who is now hooked up with Bren's ex, Barb. Barb is a piece of work and manages to scandalize the atevi house staff and the villagers. Additionally, when Cajieri is recovered from his second scrape, Bren takes him personally to thank the neighbouring land holder for locating the boy. They inadvertently discover political machinations that threaten the region and atevi governmental stability.
So Bren must juggle an unpredictable child, family ructions, and deadly political action, with the assassins� guild in full evidence. If that wasn't enough, he realizes that his time spent on his space mission has deprived his district of much needed leadership and attention. I expect the next book will see more movement in that direction. It's always an interesting ride following Mr. Cameron!
Book number 512 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project
April 26, 2025
*** 4.25 ***
Still a slow burn, but quality Political Sci-Fi and I am enjoying every minute of it! Bran is becoming more and more like his hosts, The Atevi, and you see how far he is starting to remove himself culturally from the Humans on the planet. It's never more obvious than when he has to deal with his brother's new wife and his ex, Barb. I do hope they deal with their familial tension soon, because that is my least favorite part of the series. My favorite part, as always, is the old matriarch Ilsidi! She is such a strong and awesome character, I want to be like her when I grow up 😃! And the young grandson, who always finds creative ways to get in trouble, is a bright light in the lives of the adults around him. Very excited to have more books in the series to look forward to!👍😃❤️
Still a slow burn, but quality Political Sci-Fi and I am enjoying every minute of it! Bran is becoming more and more like his hosts, The Atevi, and you see how far he is starting to remove himself culturally from the Humans on the planet. It's never more obvious than when he has to deal with his brother's new wife and his ex, Barb. I do hope they deal with their familial tension soon, because that is my least favorite part of the series. My favorite part, as always, is the old matriarch Ilsidi! She is such a strong and awesome character, I want to be like her when I grow up 😃! And the young grandson, who always finds creative ways to get in trouble, is a bright light in the lives of the adults around him. Very excited to have more books in the series to look forward to!👍😃❤️
April 5, 2024
Excellent as usual; I’m going to use up all my annual Audible credits well before my renewal date 🙄
September 26, 2024
The tenth book in the Foreigner series continues the tale of Bren and the Atevi.
This entire series has been a lot of fun. Ten books in I look forward to the latest adventures of Ben Cameron. After the civil war of the last book, this book seemed like it would be more laid back. It is not.
It starts with Cajeri trying to exhibit some form of independence but this will have some severe repercussions. As Bren tries to find Cajeri, a lesser-known Atevi clan decides to make some risky political moves. This will lead to assassins coming for Bren and Cajeri.
This was a fun read. I really like how the events from previous books are still having effects into this book. The fascinating complexity that is Atevi politics is a pleasure to read. Bren and his Atevi bunch are a wonderful group to follow. What makes this series different is the emphasis on diplomacy and inter-species associations. This may sound dull but it is anything but.
If you're looking for a completely different, but still excellent, sci-fi story then this is for you. but don't start on book #10.
This entire series has been a lot of fun. Ten books in I look forward to the latest adventures of Ben Cameron. After the civil war of the last book, this book seemed like it would be more laid back. It is not.
It starts with Cajeri trying to exhibit some form of independence but this will have some severe repercussions. As Bren tries to find Cajeri, a lesser-known Atevi clan decides to make some risky political moves. This will lead to assassins coming for Bren and Cajeri.
This was a fun read. I really like how the events from previous books are still having effects into this book. The fascinating complexity that is Atevi politics is a pleasure to read. Bren and his Atevi bunch are a wonderful group to follow. What makes this series different is the emphasis on diplomacy and inter-species associations. This may sound dull but it is anything but.
If you're looking for a completely different, but still excellent, sci-fi story then this is for you. but don't start on book #10.
September 3, 2023
The beginning of the next sub-sequence. Back in town, dirtside, sorting the mess that a revolution/uprising has left behind�
As in the last book, the story is told by Bren and Cajeiri in turn. And Ilisidi gets to thwack her cane a lot.
I love Bren‘s (Cherryh’s) musings about the cellphone plague and about introducing new tech too quickly. And also Bren, realizing that atevi behavior is becoming more natural to him than human interactions, when dealing with Toby and Barb—it reminds me again of .
Cajeiri tries hard, but repeatedly gets into and out of a lot of trouble. Those are some of the best scenes of the book. I am really looking forward to finding out what kind of leader he will become.
There are many action scenes in this one and it is downright speedy, compared to many of the previous books.
As in the last book, the story is told by Bren and Cajeiri in turn. And Ilisidi gets to thwack her cane a lot.
I love Bren‘s (Cherryh’s) musings about the cellphone plague and about introducing new tech too quickly. And also Bren, realizing that atevi behavior is becoming more natural to him than human interactions, when dealing with Toby and Barb—it reminds me again of .
Cajeiri tries hard, but repeatedly gets into and out of a lot of trouble. Those are some of the best scenes of the book. I am really looking forward to finding out what kind of leader he will become.
There are many action scenes in this one and it is downright speedy, compared to many of the previous books.
September 9, 2015
The jacket blurb for this book is generic to the point of pointless, since the story revolves around Bren, the Dowager, and the young gentleman Cajeiri as the characters and plot moves forward. Towards what, remains to be seen...
The politics in the Capitol have forced Bren from his temporary residence to his home on the coast, which he decides isn't such a bad thing. A visit and some relaxation are long overdue. What he leaves behind is one very disgruntled Cajeiri, who takes it upon himself and his companions to follow the pahdhi to his coastal estate. Just when the dust is settling from this unexpected turn of events, the young gentleman and his companions end up in a pickle when a boat they "borrowed" is pushed out to sea on the tide. The town comes to the aid of the youngsters and everyone is brought back safely.
A visit to the neighboring estate to express thanks on behalf of all uncovers an assassination plot and an entrenched political rival to Cajeiri's father in an allies house. With the help of the Dowager's forces, the rival fraction is ousted from the peninsula. The book concludes with a rather stunning meeting between the natives of the peninsula, the Padhi, and the Dowager.
In my opinion, this was one of the more interesting Foreigner books. Much of the plot surrounds Cajeiri, the troubles he gets into and Bren's reaction to those troubles. The padhi still assumes too much of the guilt in regards to Cajeiri's actions, when it isn't Bren's fault. The young gentleman is headstrong and resourceful. If the Guild can't keep track of the boy, how in the world does Bren think he can?
What we also see is just how much Bren has integrated himself into the culture of the Atevi, and he admits as much to his brother Toby and his girlfriend Barb when they come to visit. Human norms, such as hugging and effusive greetings are now unfamiliar and awkward for Bren, and he finds himself in this odd place of not really belonging in either world.
There is also a thread of political action happening just below the surface which is subtle, and I'm sure pertinent to forthcoming books.
Recommended if you've read the first 9 books in the series. Not a stand alone book.
The politics in the Capitol have forced Bren from his temporary residence to his home on the coast, which he decides isn't such a bad thing. A visit and some relaxation are long overdue. What he leaves behind is one very disgruntled Cajeiri, who takes it upon himself and his companions to follow the pahdhi to his coastal estate. Just when the dust is settling from this unexpected turn of events, the young gentleman and his companions end up in a pickle when a boat they "borrowed" is pushed out to sea on the tide. The town comes to the aid of the youngsters and everyone is brought back safely.
A visit to the neighboring estate to express thanks on behalf of all uncovers an assassination plot and an entrenched political rival to Cajeiri's father in an allies house. With the help of the Dowager's forces, the rival fraction is ousted from the peninsula. The book concludes with a rather stunning meeting between the natives of the peninsula, the Padhi, and the Dowager.
In my opinion, this was one of the more interesting Foreigner books. Much of the plot surrounds Cajeiri, the troubles he gets into and Bren's reaction to those troubles. The padhi still assumes too much of the guilt in regards to Cajeiri's actions, when it isn't Bren's fault. The young gentleman is headstrong and resourceful. If the Guild can't keep track of the boy, how in the world does Bren think he can?
What we also see is just how much Bren has integrated himself into the culture of the Atevi, and he admits as much to his brother Toby and his girlfriend Barb when they come to visit. Human norms, such as hugging and effusive greetings are now unfamiliar and awkward for Bren, and he finds himself in this odd place of not really belonging in either world.
There is also a thread of political action happening just below the surface which is subtle, and I'm sure pertinent to forthcoming books.
Recommended if you've read the first 9 books in the series. Not a stand alone book.
March 27, 2016
Most authors would take a chapter to cover the events that transpire in this book. As is her style, Cherryh drags a very small scenario out over a few hundred pages. Granted, I've read ten books in this series and they are all structured like this. Often her level of detail is fascinating and it makes the world feel extremely real. For some reason, in this case it drove me crazy. The entire first half of this book is about nothing of significance.
August 5, 2011
While some parts were refreshing (I will always adore Cajeiri and Illisidi), it grows rather tiresome to run into the same situation repeatedly. It also grows tiresome when Bren repeats himself, returns to the same tracks, and the book lulls.
I enjoyed seeing conflict between Bren, Toby, and Barb. I enjoyed it less when it abruptly came to an end and we didn't see exactly what was going on with Barb and Bren. I want to know whether or not Barb really is using Toby, like Bren suggests, but we don't get to see that. This gets frustrating.
A random renewal of hostilities in the middle of the book stir up interest, but that fades after the reader realizes it's nearly the same situation as earlier. Gunfire, without the people shooting visible, and only explanations being given later. It's the same formula and, after about nine books, it's time the formula changed.
It'll be a while before I come back to this series. The long interludes in Bren's head, without much going on and no real plot, just shambling from one scene to another, has grown tiresome.
I enjoyed seeing conflict between Bren, Toby, and Barb. I enjoyed it less when it abruptly came to an end and we didn't see exactly what was going on with Barb and Bren. I want to know whether or not Barb really is using Toby, like Bren suggests, but we don't get to see that. This gets frustrating.
A random renewal of hostilities in the middle of the book stir up interest, but that fades after the reader realizes it's nearly the same situation as earlier. Gunfire, without the people shooting visible, and only explanations being given later. It's the same formula and, after about nine books, it's time the formula changed.
It'll be a while before I come back to this series. The long interludes in Bren's head, without much going on and no real plot, just shambling from one scene to another, has grown tiresome.
August 8, 2022
It was the sort of social glitch-up and attitude that had led to the War of the Landing. Humans were sure atevi would adapt to their very friendly ways with just enough encouragement. Atevi--who didn't even have a word for friendship--assumed humans, who seemed so intelligent, would eventually learn civilized manners.
After the revolution and to-do in the East from the last sub-trilogy, Conspirator begins by settling. It's been three months, and everyone is settling into the new status quo. Which means, among other issues, that Bren has to go check in on his estate. And what an estate it is... This might be minor retcon, or it might just be a necessary expansion on things that previously weren't plot relevant. You see, Bren's coastal home is not just a house. And in addition to being Lord of the Heavens, he has the honor of being Lord of Najida. Regardless, it means he really does need to make an appearance. Bren being Bren, this does not go smoothly.
If you're 10 books in, I probably don't have to warn you, but some readers are going to find this slow. There's a lot of domestic stuff going on with Bren, with Toby & Barb, with Bren's estate, etc. I happen to really enjoy it, though. It fleshes out the world, keeping things "real" so to speak. There's a lot of setup leading into a minor payoff that itself is setup for this sub-trilogy. Classic formula, but I'm not sick of it yet.
We still get Cajeiri's PoV, as well. He's a year short of 9, precocious, and perpetually in trouble. Sometimes it's amusing. Usually it has me shaking my head like "good grief, this dumb kid...", but he's learning. The follies of youth make a nice balance for Bren's very adult concerns.
At this point, I have to admit that this series has become straight comfort-food. Is anyone completely objective when binging a series? I'm certainly not. As for this installment, I get some fleshing out of coastal politics, and growth for the heir to the aishidi'tat. What more can I ask for?
September 2, 2009
All RIGHT!!! Cherryh's written another one!!! If you haven't read any of the books in CJ Cherryh's Foreigner series -- Shame on YOU! All 10 of them are great and this last one's just as good as the first.
If you're behind in reading these books, we're back on the planet and things have settled down, although Bren has been booted from his apartment and must find new lodgings. He decides to visit his estate on the coast and leaves the capital. And the fun begins! Cajeiri, the headstrong heir, is not pleased with being left out and sets out with his 2 teenaged bodyguards to follow Bren. You can guess what happens...
When I started this latest title, I got worried that Cherryh's best character, grandmother Ilisidi, was going to take a backseat. "NOOOOO!!!!" I cried to myself. "She HAS to be in here!!!" Well, Cherryh didn't let me down. 'Sidi-ma is right there - front & center - making everyone uncomfortable. She's amazing.
Maybe 5 stars is too generous for this particular book, but it continues a 5-star series and is setting us up for Cajeiri's dominance and maybe a new role for Bren. I look forward to the next 2.
If you're behind in reading these books, we're back on the planet and things have settled down, although Bren has been booted from his apartment and must find new lodgings. He decides to visit his estate on the coast and leaves the capital. And the fun begins! Cajeiri, the headstrong heir, is not pleased with being left out and sets out with his 2 teenaged bodyguards to follow Bren. You can guess what happens...
When I started this latest title, I got worried that Cherryh's best character, grandmother Ilisidi, was going to take a backseat. "NOOOOO!!!!" I cried to myself. "She HAS to be in here!!!" Well, Cherryh didn't let me down. 'Sidi-ma is right there - front & center - making everyone uncomfortable. She's amazing.
Maybe 5 stars is too generous for this particular book, but it continues a 5-star series and is setting us up for Cajeiri's dominance and maybe a new role for Bren. I look forward to the next 2.
January 14, 2021
So, a year after they take down Murini, politics force Bren to take a well earned vacation to his home at Najida. However, Cajeiri is jealous and sneaks out to join him--which Bren manages to smooth over until the tension between his brother Toby and Toby's partner Barb upend the peace of his quiet home. In the turmoil, Cajeiri accidentally borrows a boat and gets swept out to sea. During the daring rescue, they find out their neighbor may be what no one expected. Ilisidi changes her plans to join him and deal with the problematic neighbor.
From this point on in the series, each trilogy kind of runs together. I wouldn't read this one without the next two available.
From this point on in the series, each trilogy kind of runs together. I wouldn't read this one without the next two available.
May 29, 2016
I am going to give it one more star just for the writing style. I couldn't care for the plot. I haven't read any of the series and I understand that I might have missed a point, but still. The plot was dragging me along and when it developed it was too late for me to care. There were ups and downs throughout the story and I liked few details in description, but there were moments when I wasn't getting the feeling that I'm reading a sci-fi book.
December 3, 2024
The mark of my interest in this series is evident from the fact that I was essentially reading them a book a day for about a week - it was that engrossing. While the series is also replete with fundamentally similar introductory gestures in the first 50 to 60 pages of each novel, they also merit close reading and great enjoyment. Highly recommended!
October 3, 2024
:popping: Gran 'Sidi and the Young Gentleman are going to cause havok in the next book, assuredly.
Surprisingly, this works for book bingo in the Reference Materials square. My edition had a geneaology for the Southern... associates and map in the back of the book.
Surprisingly, this works for book bingo in the Reference Materials square. My edition had a geneaology for the Southern... associates and map in the back of the book.
January 9, 2019
3.5 stars
This one seemed like it was meant to set up a transition to a new story. It feels like not a lot happens, but I have the sense that it will in the next two books.
This one seemed like it was meant to set up a transition to a new story. It feels like not a lot happens, but I have the sense that it will in the next two books.
September 16, 2021
I wasn't sure if I'd like this installment because right at the beginning a likely culprit gets into trouble yet again, but the politics and (!!) won me over. Add in the always amazing characters and a fully realized world, and I am yet again enthralled.
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April 3, 2013C. J. Cherryh’s Foreigner series is (with volume #14 about to be released as I’m writing this) one of the longer-running series in Science Fiction and might very well be the one with most detailed world-building, or, more precisely, with the most detailed exploration of an alien culture. As so often with Cherryh, it is at its heart a story about culture clash between different species, in this case between the humans (or a group of them that has been stranded on a far-off planet) and the atevi (the dominant species on that planet).
Cherry’s atevi, who have no concept of anything resembling love or friendship among humans, but whose society is held together by a quasi-feudal system of allegiance, are quite unabashedly modelled on Asian cultures; in particular a certain formality and reliance on ritual in interpersonal communication is quite reminiscent of the Far East. Cherryh has occasionally been criticized for basing her alien civilizations on human ones, but I do not think that this criticism is valid � writings that provide us with insights into the ways human cultures interact with each other are not any less significant than writings that describe genuinely alien cultures (which are extremely rare anyway � off the bat, I can think of only two successful examples, Stanislaw Lem’s novel Solaris and James Tiptree’s story “Love is the Plan the Plan is Death�). Much of the best of Science Fiction has used the genre to comment more or less openly on the present, and that is the tradition one should see Cherry’s Foreigner series in.
The series consists of several three-book arcs (and it is probably not a coincidence that three is a fortunate number in atevi culture) and Conspirator, being entry #10 in the series as a whole, kicks off the fourth such arc. Everyone who has been following the series this far will be impatiently waiting for the arrival of the Kyo (a second alien race encountered in Explorer) to arrive on the atevi homeworld; I knew from the back cover blurbs that this was not going to happen yet, and in consequence, was somewhat concerned that Cherry might just be treading water here, but as it turned out, I need not have worried.
The story starts off innocuously enough, with some quibbles over Bren Cameron’s appartement and him in consequence moving to his country estate for an extended vacation (I’d be willing to wager that Cherryh was itching at some stage to call this volume “Bren Goes on Holiday� or maybe “Vacationer�). But then things start to snowball and by the novel’s end our protagonists have had to deal with an assassination attempt and a major conspiracy that threatens to destabilize the balance of power on the planet. Conspirator does stays true to the series� mixture of political intrigue and action, and while it does not present any innovations for the series, it keeps it exciting and entertaining even after ten volumes. The novel does not quite end on a cliffhanger but leaves things mostly unresolved at its end, and I was glad that I had waited until the complete arc was released before starting on it.
Cherry’s atevi, who have no concept of anything resembling love or friendship among humans, but whose society is held together by a quasi-feudal system of allegiance, are quite unabashedly modelled on Asian cultures; in particular a certain formality and reliance on ritual in interpersonal communication is quite reminiscent of the Far East. Cherryh has occasionally been criticized for basing her alien civilizations on human ones, but I do not think that this criticism is valid � writings that provide us with insights into the ways human cultures interact with each other are not any less significant than writings that describe genuinely alien cultures (which are extremely rare anyway � off the bat, I can think of only two successful examples, Stanislaw Lem’s novel Solaris and James Tiptree’s story “Love is the Plan the Plan is Death�). Much of the best of Science Fiction has used the genre to comment more or less openly on the present, and that is the tradition one should see Cherry’s Foreigner series in.
The series consists of several three-book arcs (and it is probably not a coincidence that three is a fortunate number in atevi culture) and Conspirator, being entry #10 in the series as a whole, kicks off the fourth such arc. Everyone who has been following the series this far will be impatiently waiting for the arrival of the Kyo (a second alien race encountered in Explorer) to arrive on the atevi homeworld; I knew from the back cover blurbs that this was not going to happen yet, and in consequence, was somewhat concerned that Cherry might just be treading water here, but as it turned out, I need not have worried.
The story starts off innocuously enough, with some quibbles over Bren Cameron’s appartement and him in consequence moving to his country estate for an extended vacation (I’d be willing to wager that Cherryh was itching at some stage to call this volume “Bren Goes on Holiday� or maybe “Vacationer�). But then things start to snowball and by the novel’s end our protagonists have had to deal with an assassination attempt and a major conspiracy that threatens to destabilize the balance of power on the planet. Conspirator does stays true to the series� mixture of political intrigue and action, and while it does not present any innovations for the series, it keeps it exciting and entertaining even after ten volumes. The novel does not quite end on a cliffhanger but leaves things mostly unresolved at its end, and I was glad that I had waited until the complete arc was released before starting on it.
November 4, 2009
The "Foreigner" series is the first one I've followed so faithfully in a long time, and yet sometimes in the months (or years) between books, I forget why I liked them so much.
And then I read "Conspirator" and I remembered very very clearly.
It's just beautifully written, very clean and interesting with a lot of dry humor. And Cherryh's depiction of the atevi, the main aliens of the story...I just love them so much. Here they are, these dark-skinned giants (they stand at least a couple feet taller than humans, a child of eight is about the same size as a human male) and while they DO smile sometimes, or laugh, they're just SO dignified. (Cherryh's very sparing with showing you their humor, so when you do see it, it's really touching, you fall in love with them all over again.)
So you've got these calm, dignified, often terrifying giants, but they can get absolutely flustered by human emotions. Watching a couple humans in the middle of an argument just upsets the heck out of them. But it's not that they don't understand anger or arguments, especially marital ones. But that's what the Assassin's Guild is FOR, you know. Rather than scream and throw things, it's much more likely that they'd sit down with a cup of tea with someone they trust and say "Wouldn't it be far easier, really, to file Intent on them? Have the Assassin's Guild fulfill the contract and be done with it? And if their family files counter-Intent, well, your security could handle that, they're quite good.."
And seeing the human main character Bren try to explain human emotions to his atevi household, in terms that atevi could understand, oh it's just wonderful.
(In case you're picking up this book before the others, you might wonder at the references to "salad." It comes from one of the first books, where Bren was trying to explain something to his bodyguard. See, atevi don't have words for "love" or "friend." They have attachments just as powerful, but on an almost cellular level, it's not the same thing. And the one word they have for "like" is really a word you'd use to express preference for one kind of food over another. It led to some frustrating conversations, and now is a comfortable joke between "friends.")
This book in particular was very fun, because there was a lot of action and suspense, and it was much lighter on the history and politics, until the last couple chapters anyway (where I quickly got lost, but I think I got the gist of it.) I enjoy the history and politics too, but sometimes a straightforward adventure is just what you want.
And about half of the time, when Cherryh goes on for a few pages in a long exposition about who's related to whom and how this is going to affect the political situation, she follows it up with a good "Yipe!" moment, and you're off and running again.
And then I read "Conspirator" and I remembered very very clearly.
It's just beautifully written, very clean and interesting with a lot of dry humor. And Cherryh's depiction of the atevi, the main aliens of the story...I just love them so much. Here they are, these dark-skinned giants (they stand at least a couple feet taller than humans, a child of eight is about the same size as a human male) and while they DO smile sometimes, or laugh, they're just SO dignified. (Cherryh's very sparing with showing you their humor, so when you do see it, it's really touching, you fall in love with them all over again.)
So you've got these calm, dignified, often terrifying giants, but they can get absolutely flustered by human emotions. Watching a couple humans in the middle of an argument just upsets the heck out of them. But it's not that they don't understand anger or arguments, especially marital ones. But that's what the Assassin's Guild is FOR, you know. Rather than scream and throw things, it's much more likely that they'd sit down with a cup of tea with someone they trust and say "Wouldn't it be far easier, really, to file Intent on them? Have the Assassin's Guild fulfill the contract and be done with it? And if their family files counter-Intent, well, your security could handle that, they're quite good.."
And seeing the human main character Bren try to explain human emotions to his atevi household, in terms that atevi could understand, oh it's just wonderful.
(In case you're picking up this book before the others, you might wonder at the references to "salad." It comes from one of the first books, where Bren was trying to explain something to his bodyguard. See, atevi don't have words for "love" or "friend." They have attachments just as powerful, but on an almost cellular level, it's not the same thing. And the one word they have for "like" is really a word you'd use to express preference for one kind of food over another. It led to some frustrating conversations, and now is a comfortable joke between "friends.")
This book in particular was very fun, because there was a lot of action and suspense, and it was much lighter on the history and politics, until the last couple chapters anyway (where I quickly got lost, but I think I got the gist of it.) I enjoy the history and politics too, but sometimes a straightforward adventure is just what you want.
And about half of the time, when Cherryh goes on for a few pages in a long exposition about who's related to whom and how this is going to affect the political situation, she follows it up with a good "Yipe!" moment, and you're off and running again.
January 10, 2020
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Review:
On the surface, nothing about my liking this book makes sense. Conspirator has every problem I typically have with long running series, all in one book. The pace has slowed down. It has a character perspective I don't typically always enjoy reading. More problems are introduced just so the series can continue for books to come. Nothing really ends, it just continues and continues with no resolutions that don't bring on more problems.
BUT I LOVED IT. Every single thing that goes wrong should go wrong and I ate it up. And everything ends in yet another meeting, which I couldn't get enough of. There is a lot of talking, and a lot of sitting around eating, and oh my god the amount of tea they drink per book is enough to fuel the entire country of Britain for a day. I wanted more of it.
Plus, the amount of action! The book starts off with Bren getting essentially kicked out of the apartment he was living in, which wasn't actually his, he was just allowed to use it. So he decides to take this time to take a vacation and visit the land Tabini gave him to oversee a while back. I'm sure this book is just going to be all fishing and sleeping and getting caught up on all the work he has to get done, right?
HAH!
Nope, it is a bunch of action, and Bren getting way in over his head again and again. He makes mistakes, but not your typical mistakes. He actually does everything right that he is supposed to. Except perhaps not sticking a person to literally keep two eyes and both hands on Cajeiri the entire time. That boy can find a way to get in trouble inside a hat. It is just the fact that the danger Bren is in is way bigger than anyone could have guessed at first. And it always surprises me how much politics these books actually have. And that I just completely eat it up the entire time. I love it, and it is perfect.
Also: Let me tell you, if all 8 year old atevi act like Cajeiri does - I completely, totally, 100% entirely understand why the Atevi fear the number 8. Jesus, this kid is a walking disaster zone. He is a child. He acts like a child. He acts before he thinks, and his position in their society is one that those that are always with him don't always deny him the things he wants to do. Which then gets him into trouble. Goddamn children. I should hate him..... and I kind of do. Yet man do I love this kid. He's mine. Ihope he gets everything good out of life.
Baiji was sweating. Visibly. And Ilisidi sat there with the smile of a guardian demon, staring straight at him, with Cenedi standing by her side.
Review:
On the surface, nothing about my liking this book makes sense. Conspirator has every problem I typically have with long running series, all in one book. The pace has slowed down. It has a character perspective I don't typically always enjoy reading. More problems are introduced just so the series can continue for books to come. Nothing really ends, it just continues and continues with no resolutions that don't bring on more problems.
BUT I LOVED IT. Every single thing that goes wrong should go wrong and I ate it up. And everything ends in yet another meeting, which I couldn't get enough of. There is a lot of talking, and a lot of sitting around eating, and oh my god the amount of tea they drink per book is enough to fuel the entire country of Britain for a day. I wanted more of it.
Plus, the amount of action! The book starts off with Bren getting essentially kicked out of the apartment he was living in, which wasn't actually his, he was just allowed to use it. So he decides to take this time to take a vacation and visit the land Tabini gave him to oversee a while back. I'm sure this book is just going to be all fishing and sleeping and getting caught up on all the work he has to get done, right?
HAH!
Nope, it is a bunch of action, and Bren getting way in over his head again and again. He makes mistakes, but not your typical mistakes. He actually does everything right that he is supposed to. Except perhaps not sticking a person to literally keep two eyes and both hands on Cajeiri the entire time. That boy can find a way to get in trouble inside a hat. It is just the fact that the danger Bren is in is way bigger than anyone could have guessed at first. And it always surprises me how much politics these books actually have. And that I just completely eat it up the entire time. I love it, and it is perfect.
Also: Let me tell you, if all 8 year old atevi act like Cajeiri does - I completely, totally, 100% entirely understand why the Atevi fear the number 8. Jesus, this kid is a walking disaster zone. He is a child. He acts like a child. He acts before he thinks, and his position in their society is one that those that are always with him don't always deny him the things he wants to do. Which then gets him into trouble. Goddamn children. I should hate him..... and I kind of do. Yet man do I love this kid. He's mine. Ihope he gets everything good out of life.
December 19, 2023
Misadventures of a found-family vacation. Delightful.
February 4, 2010
I finished C.J. Cherryh's Conspirator in one sitting today. It was that absorbing. As she adds more novels to the long-running Foreigner series she continues to refine and elaborate on the alien atevi, their culture, and their tangled clan histories and alliances. The human factions thus far seem simpler by comparison. Politics can really be deadly here, which is why Bren Cameron's life as a human representative among the atevi continues to get ever more complicated and never stays quiet for long.
At first in Conspirator, it looks like it might be quiet for a little bit. Just some peaceful time out at the country estate to get work done and see his brother. Ha. He's soon embroiled in stopping his former lover from creating an international incident and breaking his brother's heart, trying to keep an eye on a precocious eight-year-old who keeps doing some stupidly risky things, entangled in various plots, and working to protect his life and associates from assassins.
The book's not perfect. Sometimes the pile-on of unfortunate events gets a bit ridiculous, Cajeiri spends so much time getting into trouble that could kill him that sometimes I wish one of those events would succeed, and there are a lot of similar names that can occasionally tangle in my brain as to who's plotting what with whom, but these are minor quibbles for me. I enjoyed it and look forward to what the next book will bring.
An appearance by Jase would be nice. I miss him.
At first in Conspirator, it looks like it might be quiet for a little bit. Just some peaceful time out at the country estate to get work done and see his brother. Ha. He's soon embroiled in stopping his former lover from creating an international incident and breaking his brother's heart, trying to keep an eye on a precocious eight-year-old who keeps doing some stupidly risky things, entangled in various plots, and working to protect his life and associates from assassins.
The book's not perfect. Sometimes the pile-on of unfortunate events gets a bit ridiculous, Cajeiri spends so much time getting into trouble that could kill him that sometimes I wish one of those events would succeed, and there are a lot of similar names that can occasionally tangle in my brain as to who's plotting what with whom, but these are minor quibbles for me. I enjoyed it and look forward to what the next book will bring.
An appearance by Jase would be nice. I miss him.
July 19, 2016
The series becomes repetitive, the descriptions of the background information and Bren's inner monologue longer and longer, the action more confusing, the progress of the plot minuscle. At least Cherryh avoids the pitfall of many other best-selling authors who increase the volume of their books the less they have to tell, and the basic mode of the novels has not really changed. The focus is still on the political intrigue and the dificulties in balancing several psychologically incompatible intelligent races with a minimal amount of bloodshed while preparing for the next step on the way to becoming a spacefaring civilization. However, while I have read the first six novels several times, the next three were read only once and number ten was a struggle to complete. At one point I had to ask myself whether I continued reading because I enjoyed the series or simply out of habit and was unable to provide a satisfactory answer.
April 21, 2025
This entry combined a lot of elements I enjoy. Toby & Barb ratchet up the awkwardness--but a lot of long-time-coming necessary conversations finally get had. But toss in Cajieri and his two baby guildlings, Ilsidi, an idiot nephew of Lord Geigi, and mix them at Bren's coastal Atevi estate with a healthy dose of political intrigue, and I couldn't stop laughing for half the book. All of Bren's careful attempts to control and categorize just go out the window when any one of those factors is involved. Put them all together, and.... whew! This was a fun one.
I also really enjoyed the twist on the history of the land Bren was granted by Tabini. There's going to be some very interesting plotlines coming out of this, I hope.
I also really enjoyed the twist on the history of the land Bren was granted by Tabini. There's going to be some very interesting plotlines coming out of this, I hope.
September 18, 2016
I thought this was an improvement over #9 in the series. I still find Cajeiri's POV irritating--it's hard to sell the atevi as fundamentally alien when we get to see their thoughts and they're basically human. Also he's just a fucking idiot so there's that. I was actually mildly amused at the end when .
The first half of the book was quite slow, but the second half had a lot happening. That has been the case for most of the books in this series, so I suppose I wouldn't have made it to #10 if that bothered me too much. I enjoy the various political wranglings and I liked to see the way man'chi plays out in more complicated situations.
The first half of the book was quite slow, but the second half had a lot happening. That has been the case for most of the books in this series, so I suppose I wouldn't have made it to #10 if that bothered me too much. I enjoy the various political wranglings and I liked to see the way man'chi plays out in more complicated situations.
June 22, 2009
I wanted to like this book because I've enjoyed the first several books in the series, and in fact have re-read them several times. I feel as though the series is really losing steam, though, and felt that the core plot in this book -- Cajeiri gets separated from the grownups, much mayhem ensues in getting him back, and the Southern resistance continues to get smashed -- wasn't all that different from the previous one. I'm waiting for the arc of this trilogy to gain some momentum, but am losing hope.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2012
I'm following this series through book by book, and loving it. Sometimes it's hard to say why - it can go through long passages of internal angst and periods when pretty much nothing happens. I guess it's the characters. They are so very real and so brilliantly portrayed, they develop, they change, we learn more about them. Glad I came to the series when so much of it was already written.
May 4, 2021
This is book ten in a long-running science fiction series that began with Foreigner (1994) and currently numbers twenty-one books. I've greatly enjoyed the first ten books and will begin with general remarks that apply to them collectively, before progressing to comments on book ten in particular.
The series, at least thus far, centers on Bren Cameron, a human translator and mediator living among aliens. Bren's thoughts are shown in a depth that I found fascinating and highly immersive. This careful meticulous detail reminds me of reading L. E. Modesitt, Jr., though Cherryh's themes are not Modesitt's. I note that some readers find the level of detail an annoyance and the pace slow. I do not.
Spoilers ahead.
Overall: still very good, but not quite as good. 4 out of 5 scheming stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
The series, at least thus far, centers on Bren Cameron, a human translator and mediator living among aliens. Bren's thoughts are shown in a depth that I found fascinating and highly immersive. This careful meticulous detail reminds me of reading L. E. Modesitt, Jr., though Cherryh's themes are not Modesitt's. I note that some readers find the level of detail an annoyance and the pace slow. I do not.
Spoilers ahead.
Overall: still very good, but not quite as good. 4 out of 5 scheming stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
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