If you have not read the book being discussed, you’ll be happier not reading further.
Book Discussion: all books: spoiler alert in effect…
134 Comments
Submit a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
There was a Star Trek novel somewhere that said coffee was the only human food Klingons liked…
Prune juice, certainly!
Worf proclaimed prune juice was a warrior’s drink in one episode.
In an ep of TNG, Guinan claimed prune juice was a warrior’s drink, as basically a joke. Worf, however, naturally took this as a challenge. He drank the prune juice. One presumes it had similar effects on Klingon physiology as on humans. Thereafter, however, he would periodically proclaim it a warrior’s drink, either sharing the joke or believing it so, on TNG and further on DS9.
This spacer has no intention of getting between a Klingon and the bathroom….
No, Guinan just told him it was prune juice. Worf said, “A warrior’s drink.” after he drank it. Guinan just kind of looked at him in a funny way.
Even when Kern was on the Enterprise, he thought it was strange that humans would “burn their bird” for “Thanksgiving” dinner. Two things strike me funny, 1) the Enterprise isn’t an American ship, it’s a multi-species ship, so Thanksgiving wouldn’t apply, and besides, Picard is French. 2) Are Klingons susceptible to salmonella poisoning like humans? Otherwise, if they’ve not got the resistance to salmonella, they wouldn’t know that cooking the turkey was essential to prevent poisoning……oh heck…..
Humans aren’t susceptible to all forms of Salmonella. It’s all about cell-surface receptors. It would be surprising if Klingons were susceptible.
I suppose any species that could eat ga’ak would have salmonella as the least of their worries…..LOL.
Maybe it’s a different thanksgiving, maybe it’s about the end of WW III, or maybe it’s to do with First Contact, with the Vulcans.
Hah! I think hani would simply look at smaller cats much like we’d look at monkeys. How hani would see *lions* and other great cats, or cougars (also Felis like housecats) would be worth listening in on that translator com chatter.
Huh, I wonder: Given how the human translator tapes were made, I suppose all those were input in Tully’s, Hilfy’s, and Pyanfar’s voices. Would they be output that way, or run back through a simulator voice using Tully for the human side and a standard hani female voice for the hani side?
On the breeches, I hadn’t thought of why Hilfy wore black silk. I’d thought, like Py’s preference for deep red silk breeches with gold (Chanur clan colors) it was a personal choice. I’d think hani would have a variety, would like fashion but tend to be practical. Py wearing ordinary spacer blues (something like denim blue jeans or indigo chinos) at the end, I took that she still works like any spacer, or dresses as she likes, when not being captain or president on formal business.
Hmm… what about hani children, girls and boys of whatever ages? I’d expect a few differences based on gender expectations. (That is, hani girls are supposedly the practical workers, leaders, traders, warriors; while hani boys are supposedly too overly excitable with all those aggressive male hormones. 😉 ) But possibly there’d be a lot of variation. Very girly or very tomboy girls; very sporty or very bookish boys; or based on task and occasion.)
Gfi — I’ve always thought it would taste somewhere between coffee and tea, perhaps spiced and herbal, and possibly, given hani, slightly cinnamon or more minty or … catnippy? How it would taste to a human? Maybe stronger or more pungent?
I would always love to see another story in the Compact. The hani, the mahendo’sat, the stsho, the kif, knnn, t’ca, chi, humans pushing into it unheeding of consequences. Internal social change among hani. Stsho physiology and their alien genders and psychology. And who knows what else is out there, not just humans who might encroach. For that matter, what if another species encroaches on humans from another part of space?
I have a friend who reads mostly classic literature, not a strong reader of science fiction, but has read a few novels and graphic novels.
I was describing Cherryh’s “intense third person” style of writing and he was really intrigued. What would be a good novel to start him off on? Downbelow Station? Foreigner? Perhaps Hammerfall? (I am a big fan of the Gene Wars stuff) oh oh, no, wait! Angel with the Sword!(huge Merovingen Nights fan)
I can’t decide. Suggestions?
I started with Merchanter’s Luck, just a lucky find in the second-hand bookshop ….. I would think Chanur might be a leap too far for a non-science-fiction reader. any of the alliance union novels are a great read with lots of characterisation, but yes, save Downbelow station for when the curiosity has really been aroused.
I believe my first discovery was Downbelow Station; but having read of Mallory & the crew of Norway, how could you Not hit the decks running upon sighting a new cherryh publication?
kiloech, I think Downbelow Station might be to dense for a first timer, and while I love the Foreigner books it is a long series to start on. Maybe Faded Sun, or Chanur?
Why not some of the stand alones? The Paladin, Wave Without a Shore, Cuckoo’s Egg….for example.
Cuckoo’s Egg, oh lorr how I loved that book. Thorn, I wept for you.
I would love to see the Chanur series republished as e-books. It was the first series of CJ’s I read and I loved them. They have are sadly in need of replacement. Thanks for the enjoyment.
I just noticed that (as of last November) CJ’s translation (from French) of Henneberg’s The Green Gods is back in print. See http://www.amazon.com/The-Green-Gods-C-J-Cherryh/dp/1935558471/ref=sr_1_60?ie=UTF8&qid=1332354577&sr=8-60 It’s available in paperback or Kindle.
Are you getting any royalties for this CJ? Or was it work-for-hire?
Well, it was odd—DAW even forgot to pay me until the book came out: it was funny really: DAW *never* forgets such things—they’re VERY good about prompt payment. And I think technically I get a bit, but it’s very small. I did it as a favor to Don (Wollheim) and because it was a challenge. It’s almost like reading, only with the fingers engaged, —and then a scramble for a dictionary as it gets weird. I did change the species of many plants and butterflies for ones familiar to Americans: that was the most research it took. Alas, my French is a bit rustier, now.
Apropos of nothing else (and not having a better place to stick this), I saw this webcomic and immediately thought of OSG:
http://www.grrlpowercomic.com/archives/660
Wow! The proper use of the word “apropos”, I am impressed, Xheralt! Most people use that word in place of “appropriate”, when it’s not quite the same. hehe!
Reading random webpages, I found some recipes I think Ilisidi might like. I’m not sure atevi name their dishes, but if they do I think they might like the name ‘moonshine eggs’. 🙂
http://www.theoldfoodie.com/2012/05/making-moonshine.html
Has anyone got a copy of Protector yet?
Just finished Protector. Can’t believe you left us on the bus! do I have to wait a year to find out if they make it “home”? oh and thanks for a good read, as usual.
The thing that concerns me most is that fact that though we now have a steward-Lord for Geigi’s earthly holdings, and provision for an heir (even though its still strictly speaking a hypothetical), three “friendly” estates (and one “enemy”) estates are NOT so provided for at the ecurrent time:
(1) ‘Sidi-ma, though one still anticipates Malguri will pass to Cajeiri as his “starter” holding and entree to the tashrid — may that day NOT be soon!
(2) Uncle – one seems to recall a note in Protector to this effect.
(3) Machigi – maybe still too unsettled to make a target of some poor girl by favoring her.
and the infelicitous #4, Ajuri, which could give us the “scattering the problem” situation Tabini typically tries to avoid.
One does not quite understand why, as presumably one of the “five heraldries” Cajeiri is entitled to wear (at a dinner party, a line from Intruder?) — Ragi, Malguri, Atageini, Ajuri, ??? — he is apparently NOT eligible (according to a line somewhere in Protector, haven’t relocated it yet) to take over Ajuri, as Damiri-daja theoretically could. Better claimants ahead of him, in order of precedence, maybe?
I hope Damiri’s new staff will be from Dur, once someone can actually *approach* her with the idea; it’s a sensible compromise. The hairdresser would be a good start.
I remember being ‘aircraft carrier’ pregnant; a back scrubber and masseuse wold be more useful! Illisidi probably has such a person tucked in beside her lace hankie.
Xheralt, you are getting good at atevi politics… 😉
One has striven to learn, and is gratified by your expression.
A good point made on yahoo’s cherryhlist helped me understand why Cajeiri is ineligible for Ajuri — while he has the bloodline, he has spent zero time in Ajuri territory, making zero social (and hence leadership) connections. Damiri-daja did spend at least part of her formative years.
Thought I’d share this and wasn’t sure where 🙂
Fred Gallager of the Megatokyo online comic, while recovering from heart surgery, posted a mashup drawing. His commentary said Pride of Chanur was one of his favorite sci-fi series. http://fredrin.tumblr.com/post/50703420033/as-promised-a-rough-crack-at-the-pride-of
Neat!