Invader
★★★★★
Invader is the direct sequel to Foreigner, picking up the story as the world of the Aveti is shaken by the return of the human starship after two centuries missing. A hard-won and delicate power balance between planet-bound humans and Aveti is now upturned by this third power, and new alliances must be forged. As with the first book the narrative is dominated by political intrigue, experienced through the internal monologue of the human-atevi translator, Bren, capped by an action-packed denouement.
Bren’s character continues to develop as we see him go native, struggling with retaining his humanity as his emotional ties are severed and his behaviour is shaped by thinking in the language of the Atevi. His relationships with the Atevi feel deep and meaningful, but he can’t trust his anthropocentric interpretation, leaving him uncertain of his status; often vulnerable and isolated as his assumptions are laid bare. Bren yearns for, but will never truly understand the Atevi - he can’t feel it, only build an outward facsimile as he searches desperately for understanding.
I don’t know why I love this so much. A couple of hundred pages in, and all we’ve done is follow Bren’s ruminations on the situation, but I’m gripped. I love the depths Cherryh is exploring as she dives into the alien culture and psychology. Depths which can’t be simply explained, only experienced, as the gestalt emerges after pages and pages of analysis and dialogue.
This is not a series for most readers - it’s an unapologetic deep study of an alien culture and politics that needs sustained focus. An ideal holiday book, but for many, there’s the risk of getting mired in interminable internal monologues. In an age where few of us truly take the time to sit and think away from our devices, this is a love letter to rumination.
