Visitor

Not used to giving book #17 in a series 5 stars, indeed there are few authors who I'd bother with beyond book #6 in a series.

There are exciting revelations in this book. And, lots of interesting directions this series could go in now. I particularly hope for getting Irene's viewpoint, and wonder if that storyline is going in a kind of 40,000 in Gehenna direction.

But, the reason I actually gave this 5 stars has nothing to do with any of that. It's because of the depiction of mastery of a complex discipline depicted here. In the middle of the book, Bren loses confidence, has anxiety dreams, feels locked up and unable to think. By the end, he's giving a master class in how to learn his field for super high stakes. The journey between those points, and the lessens between, as well as relating it all back to the whole journey over the previous 16 books is what made this book for me.

I've now read every single book in this series, and I figure in 5 years or so, I'll go back and re-read all of them. (I read them initially back in the early '00s when I discovered them, then re-picked them up and read the series through, not a small feat, in I think 2013-4.)

I don't know that I've reviewed any of them yet, but I decided to review this one. I'm a fanboy, first of CJ Cherryh, and of this series in particular. I love this series, I think more than any science fiction series I've ever read.

I'd read the last book just as it came out last year, so my memory of the situation and environment was a bit rusty. I do think that this book goes more slowly than the others, and I got a little bored - I love that most of the action is internal, or between people - that it's mental and interpersonal - I've always loved that about her books, and I think that's a way that Cherryh has influenced my own writing, and what sets her apart from so much science fiction. But this one was a bit slower than previous books in the series, and a lot less happened, sort of.

85% of the way into the book, she drops a bombshell, and I forgave her the boredom I'd had earlier. I literally sat there in awe and shock for a moment as it unfolded. I won't spoil it, because that would be impolite. But it's a huge bombshell, and she's definitely made her path clear for at least another 20 books!

In some regards, it might be predictable, but it's not really - it was a real surprise. Anyway, it was totally worth the bits of boredom to get to the bombshell, and boy, am I now looking forward to the next book!