Where to start when reading C.J. Cherryh's books

>Date: Tue, 8 Dec 92 08:35:34 -0800
>From: seth@cie.uoregon.edu (Seth Scott)
>Subject: azi, and a question:

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A question, to whoever wants to field it: having read only the _Chanur_ books, and being of a mind to read the rest of Cherryh's work, where 'should' I start? Is there a particular chronological order that I might find helpful, or a particular order that I should avoid...?

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			Seth

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>From: Lesley Grant <lgrant>
>Subject: cherryhlist
>Date: Wed, 9 Dec 92 10:14:23 GMT

> >From: seth@cie.uoregon.edu (Seth Scott)
> A question, to whoever wants to field it:  having read only the _Chanur_ books
> and being of a mind to read the rest of Cherryh's work, where 'should' I start?
> Is there a particular chronological order that I might find helpful, or a 
> particular order that I should avoid...?

The Union/Alliance books in chronological order are:
Heavy Time ---Fleet
Hellburners ---Fleet
Downbelow Station ---Fleet/Alliance
Rimrunners ---Fleet
Merchanter's Luck ---Alliance
Voyager in Night ---Alliance
40 000 in Gehenna ---Union
Cyteen ---Union
Serpent's Reach ---Union

I'd read them in the order: Downbelow station, Merchanter's Luck, Rimrunners, 40 000, Cyteen, Heavy Time, Hellburners (these two get a lot of impact from knowing their 'future'), Voyager, Serpent's Reach.

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				Lesley

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>From: nancy ott <ott@ansoft.com>
>Subject: cherryhlist - more cherryh books
>Date: Thu, 10 Dec 92 11:08:48 EST

>>:From: seth@cie.uoregon.edu (Seth Scott)
>>:A question, to whoever wants to field it:  having read only the _Chanur_ books
>>:and being of a mind to read the rest of Cherryh's work, where 'should' I start?
>>:Is there a particular chronological order that I might find helpful, or a 
>>:particular order that I should avoid...?
(...)

I'd also recommend:

1. Gate series

These novels are tangentially related to Cyteen and the Company War novels (Downbelow Station, etc.). They tell the story of Morgaine, who is single-handedly trying to shut down a network of time/space gates in order to avert future catastrophe, and her servant/sidekick Vanye. They are:
Gate of Ivrel
Well of Shiuan
Fires of Azeroth
Exile's Gate
Read them in order if at all possible.

2. Faded Sun series

These novels are about a war between Alliance and the alien Mri and Regul, and its aftermath. They are:
The Faded Sun: Kesrith
The Faded Sun: Shon Jir
The Faded Sun: Kutath
Read them in order.

3. Merovingen Nights

This group consists of a novel ("Angel with the Sword") and a number of "shared universe" anthologies with stories by Cherryh and other writers. They are all set in Merovingen -- a city that seems to be a lot like Renaissance Venice, only on an abandoned Union colony. I liked the novel, but thought the stories were pretty uneven (the usual fate of shared universe anthologies).

A timeline of the Cherryh future is in the back of "Angel with the Sword".

4. Miscellaneous SF

Most of Cherryh's SF novels are set in the universe that's described in Downbelow Station, Cyteen, etc. These novels fit loosely into this future, but don't seem to be part of any specific chain of events (like the Company War) or series (like the Chanur novels). Several of them deal with human reactions to being raised in or immersed in an alien society.

Port Eternity -- A retelling of King Arthur's court with azi and humans trapped in hyperspace (Union)

Wave without a Shore -- An artist and the State (Alliance)

Cuckoo's Egg -- Human raised by aliens

Brothers of Earth -- Human lands on alien planet (Alliance)

Hunter of Worlds -- Aliens and a human in search of an interstellar outlaw

Visible Light -- short story collection

I have no idea how many of these books are still in print, but I've had decent luck finding Cherryh novels in the library and used bookstores.

- nancy

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>Date: Fri, 10 Sep 1993 11:44:44 EDT
>From: davis@licre.ludwig.edu.au
>Subject: cherryhlist

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>I am peregrinating slowly through PRIDE, endeavoring to notice Important
>Points, and doubtless missing every future topic of discussion.

The Chanur series was the first Cherryh I ever read. It was an overwhelming experience in many senses of the word. I enjoyed it immensely, but it was not until I had read some Union/Alliance books that I began to understand some of the subtleties; I think there is still much that I am missing. I am continually amazed by the depth of insight expressed in this list, so I decided to go back and reread the series. The plan was to finish this in time for my birthday when I expect to get a copy of _Chanur's Legacy_, now in paperback in Australia!!

(...)

Ian Davis                                    davis@licre.ludwig.edu.au

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>Date: Sun, 12 Sep 93 02:06:18 PST
>From: dac@prolix.apana.org.au (Andrew Clayton)
>Subject: C. J. CherryhList

(...)

:The Chanur series was the first Cherryh I ever read.  It was an 
:overwhelming experience in many senses of the word.  I enjoyed it

I'm on a Cherryh jag too. Started _Downbelow Station_, couldn't get into it [shame!], and picked up the sequel to _Heavy Time_ -- _Hellburner_.

_Hellburner_ proved to be intense, much better than Heavy, and as well as dealing with Ben, Meg, Dekker and Abouje (?sp), it also showed Graff, Porey, Keo and other fleet members back when the Union/Companny war was only just starting. Downbelow was set after this, but had some of the same characters. After finishing H, I went back and finished Downbelow -- and entered my question into r.a.sf-written about Mallory's percieved backdown.

Just finished re-reading _The Pride of Chanur_, which is a replacement copy for one I lent out years ago, and never got back. I've decided to continue, and I've got Venture/Kif/ Homecoming sitting in my bedside bookshelf, ready to be re-devoured. One of my all time favourites.

David Andrew Clayton (...)