The Pride of Chanur: Chanur, Book 1

A good story--one I've read several times in the paperback. Nice, exciting space opera--various species, shoot 'em ups--lots of fun, setting up future tales with these characters. While this volume ends with a complete tale, I'm aware that the next couple of books in the series end with cliff-hangers.

But there are problems with narration in this one--insufficient distinction between character voices, and frequent misread words: operation for option, relegated for related, etc. (And in cases where the wrong word is so completely out of place, it should have been noticed: "Whether they were relegated or not she could not determine.") Also, misplaced pauses in narration, such as "He walked the corridor narrowly (pause) avoiding..." rather than "He walked the corridor (pause) narrowly avoiding..." I won't actually avoid books with this narrator, but I certainly won't seek them out. Unfortunately for me, this narrator reads the rest of the series; if I want the series, I'll have to put up with the reading. Here's hoping it improves.

I'm delighted to be able to get Cherryh's books in audio format, so I'm willing to put up with this narration. But better narration would have made a more enjoyable listen.

Science fiction classics in new light of Dina Pearlman.
It is worth listening for Chanur affairs

I have many favorites among the numerous genres that I read (listen to) This book is one of the best of its genre. C. J. Cherryh is one of my favorite sf writers. There are enough clues as to how other races may have developed, their society and rules to keep the reader thinking and imagining how a human would react if he/she was in Tully's position. The narrator has a talent for projecting the voices of the different characters without being laughable in her efforts. I'll definitely listen to the other books in this series.

The Captain of the Pride was of course my favorite character. She dominated the story and her viewpoint drives the tale.

So many to choose from that I can't select my one favorite scene. The on planet activity toward the end was attention getting as much as the station scenes and the shipboard activities.

Meow!!!

You get caught up in the story and forget you are in your own house!

Characters, Story, and Excitement.

Goldtooth. A Smooth Operator.

No I haven't, but she was a great reader.

Just very happy to have this entire series on as Audio.

Dina Pearlman is a great reader. Please Audible Frontiers have her read the C. J. Cherryh Merchanter Books 'Merchanter's Luck', 'Tripoint', 'Rimrunners' and 'Finity'd End' . More wonderful books that deserve to be in audio.

This series is in many ways Cherryh's most accessible one. She takes on one species after another and makes them real as a dime. And comprehensible by their own lights. Without ever making them into humans with fur or feathers. It's a wonderful space opera, which I normally hate. But here, when the alliens are so alien and yet, somehow people you know, how can you resist?
Some whiny bits in the dialog. Listen to it and see what you think. It didn't ruin my enjoyment of the books.But you might feel differently.

Best Series EVER.

Minor Spoliers! Cherryh's Foreigner series has a lot similarities to Chanur - Lone human surrounded by strange aliens he only somewhat understands, although in Chanur you never are from the PoV of Tully and are very much so in Bren in the Foreigner series. Also the Lone human and Alien female romance, although it's not much delved into or explored in Chanur between HIlfy and Tully.

Well...she was good...various voices and accents for the characters. Overall she was very good except in ONE glaring aspect that annoyed me every time she did it. The character voices are always delivered in the same way. For example, there's one crew member,Chur, who is badly hurt and during her recovery she's often noted as speaking in a whisper or other pained voice...but Pearlman reads it like they were just standing there with nothing wrong. Other than that she did an excellent job, I especially liked her portrayal of Jik and Goldtooth.

The aborted romance between Tully and HIlfy (In later books in the series)

Hard not to rave about this series. I've read the hardbacks at least 5 times over the years and I am thrilled Audible is going through the backlog of older series like this and putting them up. Like I said in the review title, it's like seeing old friends after being long absent..the kind of story that makes your heart ache when it's all over because you want so badly for the story to continue.

I have loved this series since my youth. I literally read the covers off of my copies ~ and there were numerous copies!

The only complaint I can offer is that the narrator pronounces Pyanfars name ( in my opinion) incorrectly. Her mate gives a hint at the correct pronunciation when he calls her "Py" (as in Pie) The narrator consisstantly calls her "Pee - ann - far " instead of "Pie -an-far" I found myself whispering my pronunciation over hers as it consistantly bothered me. I know it is a minor complaint, but it does take a minute measure of enjoyment out of the book.

Yes, definitely. I read this back in the 80's after I was intrigued by the cover. Seeing human Tully looking out from behind the feline Hani captured my imagination and Cherryh's storytelling surprised and captivated me. Having the story from Pyanfar's perspective as she figures out just what escaped on Meetpoint, and all that leads to, is great.Cherryh's ability to tell a story from an alien's perspective is to me, unequaled.The reader does a fine job too, capturing Pyanfar's attitude quite well.

The entire premise and introduction of the races of the Compact. Much of the experience thus far from this first book is superficial except for the Hani, but the foundation is there and I remember how Cherryh builds on it in later books, where we even get to think like a Kif. The unfathomable methane breathers who perplex and surprise us and the oxygen breathers alike. She did a fabulous job having distinctive alien races that aren't just sterotypes.

Tough to say because many are memorable and I don't want to give anything important away, but one sequence stands out and can be kept sort of generic. I liked the tension when the Pride was trying to stay silent as the Kif searched for them, then Pyanfar's surprise for them with the food, and the description of the breakfast the crew shared after they finished preparing the "surprise." It was enjoyable to hear what Pyanfar thought about through the entire sequence, and how the crew conducted itself.The other was a very simple answer Tully gave Pyanfar that said so much in a few words, "Your crew laughed." That probably makes no sense out of context, but it captured so much of his experience on the station, and also gave me a great mental image of how the Pride crew acted before everything goes crazy and the story takes off.

Laugh. There was plenty of tension but there was gallow's humor at times (including when I realized what Pyanfar was doing with the "surprise" mentioned above) or the behavior of the Kynnn's "trades" that made me laugh a couple times and smile a few others.

This is the first of five "Chanur" books. It is a standalone book and is wonderful by itself. I recall enjoying the trilogy (books 2-4) even more back in the 80's, but it is very important listeners realize that the next books are a trilogy. I remember reading the first or second of the trilogy and it was just such a hanging ending that my reaction was, "Oh no!" with the realization that I'd have to wait a while for the next book.I remember author C.J.Cherryh had an afterword (or maybe introduction?) thanking the publisher for allowing her to do that as she feared they would insist on her making it two books (and leaving out some parts of the story) or introducing/adding an artificial end to that book. Although it was tough on the reader, it allowed her to tell the story as she thought it should be told. Remembering that, I will purchase and download books 2, 3, and 4 all together when I have 3 credits saved up. For listeners of book 1 who like it, keep that in mind if/when you get book 2. The trilogy is one big story. Hey Audible, how about giving us the option to get the Chanur trilogy for one or two credits?

Years ago I fell in love with this series. Now as a audio book it has a new life, and that life is pure fun. The book is among my top ten of all time.

The captain of a trader that must make the basic choice of all beings - go along known path or step out and effect or change the people they care about.

When humans find the rest of the life in space will there be friends?