Pretender

Foreigner Sequence 3, Book 2

By: C. J. Cherryh

Narrated by: Daniel May

Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's Summary

C.J. Cherryh delivers the eighth book in her Foreigner series and the second book in the new Foreigner trilogy - the epic tale of the survivors of a lost spacecraft who crash-land on a planet inhabited by a hostile, sentient race. From its beginnings as a human-alien story of first contact, the Foreigner series has become a true science fiction odyssey.

Exhausted from a two-year rescue mission to a distant sector of space, and with resources strained by four thousand extra mouths to feed, the crew of the starship Phoenix yearns for the luxuries of home. But when the ship makes the final jump into atevi space, they learn the worst: supplies to their home station have been cut off; civil war has broken out on the atevi mainland; the powerful Western Association has been overthrown; and Tabini-aiji is missing and may be dead.

©2005 C.J. Cherryh (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Lord of Heavens.

Lord of High Heavens is getting dirty with earthly business .
Great homecoming for Bren Cameron

A wonderfully engaging series

What made the experience of listening to Pretender the most enjoyable?

I am 8 books into this series as I write this. And I have enjoyed them one after the other, not wishing to leave the flow of the story as it unfolds.

How much more of an endorsement can I provide? And it is hard to say exactly what it is that draw me into the story line so strongly that I have already purchased the next book and am eager to start it.

Half of the book, each book in the series occurs inside the head of Bren Cameron, the main character. We hear his thoughts and the struggle he faces as he tries to reconcile his human self with the foreign, alien society that has become his home an his world.

Perhaps that is the attraction. I find myself projecting myself into his position. I am engaged in the situation, not just an observer, and perhaps that is what has me so eager to continue the story.

Politics and intrigue based on a set of social norms and societal imperatives that are familiar but not exactly the same as what we experience or understand as human. This near miss understanding, this near miss alignment is really the thrust of the entire series and I am thoroughly enjoying it.

If you are looking for a lot of action and explosions and battles the this might not be a series for you. But if you enjoy being intellectually engaged in the story, wondering how you would respond, then you should find yourself as addicted as I am.

What did you like best about this story?

I care about the characters and for me, that is the key to great story telling. They have become very real to me.

Have you listened to any of Daniel May’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not but his performance is wonderful. Characters are very distinct. This is not a reading it is a true performance and I will look for other books that feature his talent.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When they were tring to figure out how to communicate with a new species.

Any additional comments?

I can't wait to start the next book in the series.

too short

each book in the series becomes both shorter & more predictable

this will be the last 'sequence' for me. 😕

book 2 in the 3rd sequence

this is just sorta a mini review because the full review is in the first book of the sequence so go there and read that if you are reading this.

As these books are sorta 1 book per sequence just split up into 3 books they are sorta different but all end with cliff hangers so if you start a sequence you want to finish it.

The series keeps getting better...

The story leaves off right where the previous book ended. Our hero returns to earth with his bodyguards, the dowager, and the young heir to turmoil and revolt in the Atevi government. Plenty of intrigue and suspense. I continue to enjoy the story, which not only is well narrated, it is extremely well written. The characters are reasonably complex and continue to evolve over time. Seeing the young heir apparent mature well beyond his years but still showing his tender age is especially well done. The humorous moments are quite entertaining, especially those surrounding the "young master" or the heir. As I've said in earlier books in this series, it keeps getting better.

another good book in the series

another good book for fans of the Foreigner series.... it's hard to see if you could just read one of these books out of context, I would really recommend a lot of the other earlier books in this series to gain some understanding of the conceptual characters and all that. it's about understanding cultures language and differences in people which is always a good thing to think about. most of us are happy with our own little worlds with our own families and friends and they're certainly nothing wrong with that but it's good to have some kindness and compassion for others who may not think or act like we do or eat like we do or behave like we do.

Amazing

The book was truly amazing and can't wait to read the next one in this continuing saga.

Maybe my favorite ending of the series

Bren at his most fun, second guessing himself, coming through on conjecture and canyness. Maybe my favorite ending of the series.

love,love, love these books

I have loved reading this series and listening to it even more. I am trying to make them last as long as possible as I don't want to come to the end5

back from the heavens

The Paidi Been Cameron has returned to the Atevi world, and finds it in turmoil. Impossible to preview this one without spoilers. Lets just say that it is seat of the pants action all the way through.

Another exceptional book

Well told and gripping book, struggled at times to put it down. Very good book