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Stratification #1
Reap the Wild Wind
The fascinating debut of the prequel series to "The Trade Pact Universe"
This prequel to "The Trade Pact Universe" series begins in a time before the Clan had learned how to manipulate the M'hir to travel between worlds. Aliens have begun to explore the world of Cersi, upsetting the delicate balance between the Clan and the two other powerful races who coexist by set rules. And one young woman is on the verge of finding the forbidden secret of the M'hir? a discovery that could prove the salvation or ruin of her entire species.
This prequel to "The Trade Pact Universe" series begins in a time before the Clan had learned how to manipulate the M'hir to travel between worlds. Aliens have begun to explore the world of Cersi, upsetting the delicate balance between the Clan and the two other powerful races who coexist by set rules. And one young woman is on the verge of finding the forbidden secret of the M'hir? a discovery that could prove the salvation or ruin of her entire species.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
About the author
Julie E. Czerneda
93 books730 followersHaving written 23 novels (and counting) published by DAW Books, as well as numerous short stories, and editing several anthologies over the past 25 years, Julie E. Czerneda was inducted in the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 2022. Her science fiction and fantasy combines her training and love of biology with a boundless curiosity and optimism, winning multiple awards. Julie's recent releases include the standalone novel To Each This World and her first collection Imaginings.
NEW in September 2024 is A Change of Place, next in her Night's Edge fantasy series.
For more visit czerneda.com Julie is represented by Sara Megibow of Megibow Literary Agency LLC.
NEW in September 2024 is A Change of Place, next in her Night's Edge fantasy series.
For more visit czerneda.com Julie is represented by Sara Megibow of Megibow Literary Agency LLC.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
January 6, 2022
This was another one of my series-sampling audio listens, to see if I might want to pursue it in print someday.
Audio Narration
The narrator is Allyson Johnson. I liked her narration pretty well. There were several characters and she distinguished them well, and there wasn’t anything about her narration that bugged me. She didn’t do anything that particularly stood out to me, but that’s usually a good thing in my book!
Story
The story is set on an alien planet inhabited by three very different races. These races don’t understand each other very well and maintain an uneasy peace by avoiding change. The story focuses on the race that is similar to humans, but with telepathic abilities. Some members of this race have started developing new abilities, and this threatens to upset the balance by bringing change. Meanwhile, the unexpected appearance of an alien flying ship causes a more immediate change.
I thought this was an interesting setting, but more challenging to grasp in audio than it would have been in print. There are a lot of different races and clans and character names and unfamiliar terms. It’s far, far easier for me to understand and retain that type of thing in print. I was several hours into the audio before I really felt like I understood the setting and had solid mental images to go with the different terms.
Despite my audio difficulties, I was interested in the setting and the story and I was never bored while listening. The story focuses on two main characters, and I liked both of them. This is the first book in a prequel trilogy. It told a complete story, but with a definite “what will happen next?” question mark at the end. I’m rating this at 3.5 stars, but rounding down to 3 on Goodreads. If I’d read it in print, I’m pretty sure I would have enjoyed it enough to round up to 4, or possibly I would have given it all 4 stars to begin with.
I hope to revisit this in print someday. When I do, I’ll go in publication order which is my preferred tactic in a situation like this. I listened to this book because it was selected as the January science fiction pick in Goodreads’ SFFBC group, and I wanted to join in. I chose audio instead of print because I didn’t want to “waste” a print read on a book that in my opinion I was not reading in its proper order! This gave me a chance to see if I would like the series well enough to justify taking the time to do it properly in print. And I think I did.
Audio Narration
The narrator is Allyson Johnson. I liked her narration pretty well. There were several characters and she distinguished them well, and there wasn’t anything about her narration that bugged me. She didn’t do anything that particularly stood out to me, but that’s usually a good thing in my book!
Story
The story is set on an alien planet inhabited by three very different races. These races don’t understand each other very well and maintain an uneasy peace by avoiding change. The story focuses on the race that is similar to humans, but with telepathic abilities. Some members of this race have started developing new abilities, and this threatens to upset the balance by bringing change. Meanwhile, the unexpected appearance of an alien flying ship causes a more immediate change.
I thought this was an interesting setting, but more challenging to grasp in audio than it would have been in print. There are a lot of different races and clans and character names and unfamiliar terms. It’s far, far easier for me to understand and retain that type of thing in print. I was several hours into the audio before I really felt like I understood the setting and had solid mental images to go with the different terms.
Despite my audio difficulties, I was interested in the setting and the story and I was never bored while listening. The story focuses on two main characters, and I liked both of them. This is the first book in a prequel trilogy. It told a complete story, but with a definite “what will happen next?” question mark at the end. I’m rating this at 3.5 stars, but rounding down to 3 on Goodreads. If I’d read it in print, I’m pretty sure I would have enjoyed it enough to round up to 4, or possibly I would have given it all 4 stars to begin with.
I hope to revisit this in print someday. When I do, I’ll go in publication order which is my preferred tactic in a situation like this. I listened to this book because it was selected as the January science fiction pick in Goodreads’ SFFBC group, and I wanted to join in. I chose audio instead of print because I didn’t want to “waste” a print read on a book that in my opinion I was not reading in its proper order! This gave me a chance to see if I would like the series well enough to justify taking the time to do it properly in print. And I think I did.
February 17, 2022
I found this a bit too informative in terms of environment and back story, and the strong focus on romantic love as magic power is...have I mentioned I'm allergic to love stories?
CONTENT WARNING:
Things of interest:
-The world. I definitely want to know more. There's a lot happening and hinted at here.
-The mystery. I was expecting we'd learn it!!
Things that were frustrating:
-The exposition. I'd say this was 60% exposition, 20% very stilted dialogue, 10% plot, 5% atmosphere and character building and 5% angst. So I really liked about 15% of it.
-The focus on romantic love. ugh. blech. fleh. When you're an Om'Ray, you have some psychic ability. When you find your Chosen, you partner to a level you lose your sense of self (!!!) because you're so interconnected with their worldview. I liked that we saw this wasn't always healthy, but boy does it leave a lot ot be desired in terms of understanding mammalian group mechanics. And also, UGH.
-No solving of the mystery!!- Not to be crass, but this story is a tease.
Interesting enough I might try the main story next, but I'm not rushing out.
CONTENT WARNING:
Things of interest:
-The world. I definitely want to know more. There's a lot happening and hinted at here.
-The mystery. I was expecting we'd learn it!!
Things that were frustrating:
-The exposition. I'd say this was 60% exposition, 20% very stilted dialogue, 10% plot, 5% atmosphere and character building and 5% angst. So I really liked about 15% of it.
-The focus on romantic love. ugh. blech. fleh. When you're an Om'Ray, you have some psychic ability. When you find your Chosen, you partner to a level you lose your sense of self (!!!) because you're so interconnected with their worldview. I liked that we saw this wasn't always healthy, but boy does it leave a lot ot be desired in terms of understanding mammalian group mechanics. And also, UGH.
-No solving of the mystery!!- Not to be crass, but this story is a tease.
Interesting enough I might try the main story next, but I'm not rushing out.
January 26, 2022
Definitely a bunch of characters, place names and world building to deal with at the beginning. That slowed my attachment to the characters and interest in the world and the story almost ran out of room to snag me. Although redeemed at the end it wasn't enough to encourage me to read any more.
January 20, 2022
I really enjoyed this novel.
Czerneda’s worldbuilding and the different races and societies she populates her world with are fascinating and I really liked the structure she used and . I also liked that the book didn’t over-explain things.
The ending definitely makes we want to know what happens next for these characters.
Czerneda’s worldbuilding and the different races and societies she populates her world with are fascinating and I really liked the structure she used and . I also liked that the book didn’t over-explain things.
The ending definitely makes we want to know what happens next for these characters.
February 4, 2015
Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.nikihawkes.com
This is easily one of the most unique books I’ve ever read, which is no surprise considering it’s by Julie E. Czerneda. The Stratification series was the only main sci-fi trilogy from her that I hadn’t read yet – I’d been kind of saving them for a rainy day because I knew they were going to be top-notch. And you know what? Reap the Wild Wind gave me everything I hoped for and more!
The setting for this one kind of reminded me of the wonders of Pandora in Avatar. Czerneda created a complete ecosystem with all sorts of interesting flora and fauna. The jungle was so vibrant that it almost became a character within itself. The amazing thing is that the jungle is just one aspect of the epic world building within this book. Her descriptions of the world were beautiful, but it was more how the main character interacted with it that really brought it to life. It takes unique skill-sets and strong characters to survive in such unforgiving climates, and I don’t think I would’ve enjoyed reading about the Om’ray quite as much had the setting not been such a big influence on their lifestyles.
The aliens introduced in Czerneda’s books are easily the most memorable things about them. To be honest, I find most of them absolutely delightful, and marvel at how believable and realistic each species is… and there are so many of them! It’s their differences, specifically how un-human they are, that makes them fascinating, hilarious, and sometimes even downright terrifying. Furthermore, the oddities of each species are incredibly well thought out, expanding to include biological influences and cultural histories and norms. It’s so well-conceived it blows my mind! What’s even better is that this is the second series I’ve read from Czerneda where the main protagonist isn’t even human. That’s a tricky thing to do well, but I found her no less relatable, and perhaps even a bit more. The cool part is that it gives readers a unique opportunity to examine our own species through the eyes of others, and really appreciate all wonderful things humanity has to offer. Czerneda manages to do all of that without sugar-coating the depth of depravity to which our species can also sink. It’s all a bit profound, if you ask me…
It just speaks to how good of a writer Czerneda is. All of the wonderful examples of craft aside, my favorite thing about her is her ability to find the humor in any situation. With every one of her books, I find myself laughing constantly even though her complex storylines and emotional conflicts are as far from comedies as you could possibly get. All of her books contain some sort of struggle for survival, and the lengths to which the characters go to to save themselves or their species are what makes these stories feel so epic… but they’re still always funny as shit. Part of it is her amazing way with words, but the other part is her ability to create and capitalize on some very bizarre situations. I love it.
There’s a reason Czerneda is my favorite science fiction author, and I have yet to find anything about her books I don’t love. For the longest time, I couldn’t figure out whether The Beholder’s Eye or Survival was my favorite book from her, but now Reap the Wild Wind is definitely in strong contention!
This is easily one of the most unique books I’ve ever read, which is no surprise considering it’s by Julie E. Czerneda. The Stratification series was the only main sci-fi trilogy from her that I hadn’t read yet – I’d been kind of saving them for a rainy day because I knew they were going to be top-notch. And you know what? Reap the Wild Wind gave me everything I hoped for and more!
The setting for this one kind of reminded me of the wonders of Pandora in Avatar. Czerneda created a complete ecosystem with all sorts of interesting flora and fauna. The jungle was so vibrant that it almost became a character within itself. The amazing thing is that the jungle is just one aspect of the epic world building within this book. Her descriptions of the world were beautiful, but it was more how the main character interacted with it that really brought it to life. It takes unique skill-sets and strong characters to survive in such unforgiving climates, and I don’t think I would’ve enjoyed reading about the Om’ray quite as much had the setting not been such a big influence on their lifestyles.
The aliens introduced in Czerneda’s books are easily the most memorable things about them. To be honest, I find most of them absolutely delightful, and marvel at how believable and realistic each species is… and there are so many of them! It’s their differences, specifically how un-human they are, that makes them fascinating, hilarious, and sometimes even downright terrifying. Furthermore, the oddities of each species are incredibly well thought out, expanding to include biological influences and cultural histories and norms. It’s so well-conceived it blows my mind! What’s even better is that this is the second series I’ve read from Czerneda where the main protagonist isn’t even human. That’s a tricky thing to do well, but I found her no less relatable, and perhaps even a bit more. The cool part is that it gives readers a unique opportunity to examine our own species through the eyes of others, and really appreciate all wonderful things humanity has to offer. Czerneda manages to do all of that without sugar-coating the depth of depravity to which our species can also sink. It’s all a bit profound, if you ask me…
It just speaks to how good of a writer Czerneda is. All of the wonderful examples of craft aside, my favorite thing about her is her ability to find the humor in any situation. With every one of her books, I find myself laughing constantly even though her complex storylines and emotional conflicts are as far from comedies as you could possibly get. All of her books contain some sort of struggle for survival, and the lengths to which the characters go to to save themselves or their species are what makes these stories feel so epic… but they’re still always funny as shit. Part of it is her amazing way with words, but the other part is her ability to create and capitalize on some very bizarre situations. I love it.
There’s a reason Czerneda is my favorite science fiction author, and I have yet to find anything about her books I don’t love. For the longest time, I couldn’t figure out whether The Beholder’s Eye or Survival was my favorite book from her, but now Reap the Wild Wind is definitely in strong contention!
July 10, 2012
The book concerns 3 alien species on a planet being visited by alien 'seekers', exo-archologists made up of several more alien species including a token human or 2.
The books strength lies in the development of the 3 indigenous species, their relationship to the planet's ecosystem and to each other. IMO, Czerneda has the makings of another CJ Cherryh in her ability to create believable alien worlds and species. They are very real and appealing.
The novel has features of hard SF and of Space Opera. The relationship of the aliens to their various ecosystems reminds me somewhat of Hal Clement, though planetary conditions are less extreme than his usually are. The plot is more like epic SF, with vast empires in the far future and plenty of action. Telepathy and other mind powers play a part in the protagonist's species. These are more Space Opera constructs. The SF crossover works well and should please almost any SF fan, except perhaps for HSF purists who miss so much anyway.
There are mysteries galore to be solved in later books of the trilogy, compelling mysteries. I highly recommend this trilogy
The books strength lies in the development of the 3 indigenous species, their relationship to the planet's ecosystem and to each other. IMO, Czerneda has the makings of another CJ Cherryh in her ability to create believable alien worlds and species. They are very real and appealing.
The novel has features of hard SF and of Space Opera. The relationship of the aliens to their various ecosystems reminds me somewhat of Hal Clement, though planetary conditions are less extreme than his usually are. The plot is more like epic SF, with vast empires in the far future and plenty of action. Telepathy and other mind powers play a part in the protagonist's species. These are more Space Opera constructs. The SF crossover works well and should please almost any SF fan, except perhaps for HSF purists who miss so much anyway.
There are mysteries galore to be solved in later books of the trilogy, compelling mysteries. I highly recommend this trilogy
June 15, 2009
When I first added this book to my To-read list on here, I was a little surprised at how many high ratings it had already garnered. Now that I've finished this excellent start to Julie E. Czerneda's latest trilogy, I find these high marks to be completely justified. This first volume in the Stratification trilogy takes place in the same universe as Czerneda's previous Trade Pact series which concerns Sira and Morgan, only centuries before and starring one of Sira's direct ancestors. Czerneda does an excellent job building a unique world full of beauty and danger and three completely different alien species. The plot is strong, the characters likable and relatable for the most part, and all in all I was very impressed. Looking forward to continuing with this trilogy. I'd recommend this one to any sci-fi or fantasy fans who enjoy strange new worlds and peoples. And you don't have to have read the Trade Pact books to understand and enjoy this one, though I do plan to give them a reread once I'm done with their prequels.
January 15, 2022
This is the first volume of the prequel trilogy ‘Stratification’, which was published after the main trilogy, ‘The Trade Pact’. I haven’t read any other book in the series, so quite possibly that I’ve missed something. I read it as a part of monthly reading for January 2022 at SciFi and Fantasy Book Club group.
The story starts with an ordinary day of our protagonist, Aryl Sarc, a teenage girl of a human (or at least humanoid) race, which calls itself Om’ray. While technologically not very sophisticated, they have some psychic powers, quite vague and unspecified at least partially because they are officially banned. This race/species shares the world Cersi with two other races – tech-oriented Oud and bio-wizards Tikitik. Long-long ago the three made the Pact, which keeps peace and trade between them, which happens not very often and allows barter in quite mundane items.
Aryl and her tribe, the Yena Clan, live on the trees in something akin to the Great Banyan, but taller than sequoias, collecting fruits at day and hiding from critters that came from below every night. From the beginning, the reader is fed with a lot of info on plants and creatures living around and for me, listening to the audiobook it was a bit overwhelming.
During a harvest, which should be finished before the M’hir (some kind of cyclical ‘hard time’, wind related) starts, a strange flying object (quite unlike usual Oud flying machines) appears in the sky, closes up and accidentally crushes, leading many harvesters to lose their grips and fall into the black deadly waters of the Lay, a sure death. Aryl only manages to save her paramour Bern by some kind of teleportation. What follows is all three races trying to find out, what was that strange flying object, as well as struggles both within each species and between them. There are travels, a lot of different places and species.
The book is quite interesting and I plan to read others, maybe starting with the main trilogy as the earliest published. It can be seen that the world is quite complex and the first book only touches its surface, but this complexity means that it is not a flowing easy read. It reminded me a little of another big series I’ve started, Foreigner Series by C.J. Cherryh, even if stories and characters are quite different – both don’t enthrall you but are interesting enough to turn page after page and think about what was read later.
The story starts with an ordinary day of our protagonist, Aryl Sarc, a teenage girl of a human (or at least humanoid) race, which calls itself Om’ray. While technologically not very sophisticated, they have some psychic powers, quite vague and unspecified at least partially because they are officially banned. This race/species shares the world Cersi with two other races – tech-oriented Oud and bio-wizards Tikitik. Long-long ago the three made the Pact, which keeps peace and trade between them, which happens not very often and allows barter in quite mundane items.
Aryl and her tribe, the Yena Clan, live on the trees in something akin to the Great Banyan, but taller than sequoias, collecting fruits at day and hiding from critters that came from below every night. From the beginning, the reader is fed with a lot of info on plants and creatures living around and for me, listening to the audiobook it was a bit overwhelming.
During a harvest, which should be finished before the M’hir (some kind of cyclical ‘hard time’, wind related) starts, a strange flying object (quite unlike usual Oud flying machines) appears in the sky, closes up and accidentally crushes, leading many harvesters to lose their grips and fall into the black deadly waters of the Lay, a sure death. Aryl only manages to save her paramour Bern by some kind of teleportation. What follows is all three races trying to find out, what was that strange flying object, as well as struggles both within each species and between them. There are travels, a lot of different places and species.
The book is quite interesting and I plan to read others, maybe starting with the main trilogy as the earliest published. It can be seen that the world is quite complex and the first book only touches its surface, but this complexity means that it is not a flowing easy read. It reminded me a little of another big series I’ve started, Foreigner Series by C.J. Cherryh, even if stories and characters are quite different – both don’t enthrall you but are interesting enough to turn page after page and think about what was read later.
December 26, 2009
One of those books I classify as primitive SF. You know, where some agrarian, technologically backward society comes in contact with far more advanced humans. Here, it's tribes of telepathically gifted people, the descendants of colonists, I presume, who live in precarious harmony with two alien races before they are rediscovered by a galactic exploratory force.
I am always uninspired by primitive SF, and this is no exception. Partly it's just not one of my buttons, and partly I spend the entire time making faces over the way the author invariably fails to grasp the implications of all the most obvious historical parallels. Yarg. I tuned out on this one because I didn't want the mental noise, in that way where I paid just enough attention to keep moving forward, and not enough to have anything in particular to say. Lots of internal tribe politics, adventures of exploration, some romantical machinations with honest-to-God soul-bonds. Pretty much a yawn. A decently-written yawn with mildly interesting gender politics, but still a yawn.
I am always uninspired by primitive SF, and this is no exception. Partly it's just not one of my buttons, and partly I spend the entire time making faces over the way the author invariably fails to grasp the implications of all the most obvious historical parallels. Yarg. I tuned out on this one because I didn't want the mental noise, in that way where I paid just enough attention to keep moving forward, and not enough to have anything in particular to say. Lots of internal tribe politics, adventures of exploration, some romantical machinations with honest-to-God soul-bonds. Pretty much a yawn. A decently-written yawn with mildly interesting gender politics, but still a yawn.
March 7, 2012
This was my first book by Czernada. I loved it. You can read all the other reviews to get a sense of what it's about. It is a good mix of fantasy and science fiction. Czernada paints wonderful and powerful characters. Her unique grammar for her world is entirely readable. I give stars based solely on whether the book compels me to read on... to read another chapter when I should go to bed. Yes. I loved this book and it prompted me without hesitation to purchase the next in the series. I love trilogies and series. Some say that it is a rip off. NO WAY. Once I invest myself into a story line, its characters, and especially a gifted author, I truly enjoy moving to the next.
January 8, 2022
It was a different and Interesting world. A bit confusing at times. This is another book that eye reading might lead to better understanding than listening. I'm also thinking I might enjoy publication order better than chronological order for this series.
December 5, 2018
The characters here never really grabbed me, but the worldbuilding did, and I found myself more gripped by the plot than I expected. Still, I don't feel compelled to finish the trilogy, much less the wider series. It's a perfectly competent book, but it doesn't speak to me.
July 7, 2012
I've discovered that Julie Czerneda doesn't finish a story in one book. Ugh!! Now I have to go buy the next in the series...
Aryl Sarc lives on Cersi with two other races, the Oud and the Tikitik. There is an Agreement between the races that says that nothing changes. The Yena Om'ray (the tribe and race Aryl is a part of) have Power (sort of like psychic power: the ability to move objects without touching them; the ability to tell where the others of their race are, even if they are far away; etc.) New aspects of Power are being discovered with the Yena tribe, at least. This is beginning to upset the Agreement.
Also, some Strangers are visiting Cersi, seeking answers to unknown questions in unknown ruins on the planet. Aryl must deal with the exploding intensity of her Power and the politics of the Agreement in order to attempt to save her tribe from extinction at the hands of those they considered uneasy allies.
Excellent read. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series and the Trade Winds series that comes after chronologically, but before in publication.
Aryl Sarc lives on Cersi with two other races, the Oud and the Tikitik. There is an Agreement between the races that says that nothing changes. The Yena Om'ray (the tribe and race Aryl is a part of) have Power (sort of like psychic power: the ability to move objects without touching them; the ability to tell where the others of their race are, even if they are far away; etc.) New aspects of Power are being discovered with the Yena tribe, at least. This is beginning to upset the Agreement.
Also, some Strangers are visiting Cersi, seeking answers to unknown questions in unknown ruins on the planet. Aryl must deal with the exploding intensity of her Power and the politics of the Agreement in order to attempt to save her tribe from extinction at the hands of those they considered uneasy allies.
Excellent read. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series and the Trade Winds series that comes after chronologically, but before in publication.
May 13, 2012
Book 1 of a prequel trilogy to the Trade Pact series, I found it and its main character more interesting than its predecessor. I attribute it to the increased experience of the author now having written for 10 years and several book since. One thing I like most is while there is a mystery of where the people in this series originated and how knowledge was lost, Czerneda drops enough breadcrumbs to keep it interesting. The details are intriguing and they're keeping me reading to find out what happened to lead the species to where they are now. Plus, it does help knowing where and how they end up having read the first trilogy. A good start.
Shelved as 'xx-dnf-skim-reference'
January 10, 2022for SFFBC group Jan. 2022
I've got to page 50 and going to have to dnf. I keep drifting off into a dream loosely inspired by what's on the page, so there's a lot of world-building from my synapses confusing what the author already put on the page.
I mean, I felt wide awake when I started, but I think the writing is doing things to my mind, and I don't particularly like that.
It also reads both prequel and YA to me, and I'm not in the mood for either
I've got to page 50 and going to have to dnf. I keep drifting off into a dream loosely inspired by what's on the page, so there's a lot of world-building from my synapses confusing what the author already put on the page.
I mean, I felt wide awake when I started, but I think the writing is doing things to my mind, and I don't particularly like that.
It also reads both prequel and YA to me, and I'm not in the mood for either
May 21, 2017
A quite different look at the locals meet the aliens. A bit slow in the beginning but gets interesting about a third of the way in.
Also, there are a lot of examples of locals with no real idea of what they are seeing and what it all means, which was well done.
Also, there are a lot of examples of locals with no real idea of what they are seeing and what it all means, which was well done.
December 31, 2023
I really liked this book because the main character is a strong, independent woman. There are other-world species on the main characters planet, so it took me longer to read. I love reading these current sci-fi novels because they are so different from the books available when I was a young adult or twenty-something. I read this Stratification book after I had read the second one, and now the second one makes so much more sense.
December 12, 2022
4.5 stars, Metaphorosis Reviews
Summary
The planet Cersi is shared by three species - the humanoid Om'ray, the spiderlike Tikitik, and the bulky, taciturn, insectoid Oud. Since the long ago arrival of the Om'ray, they have lived under a strict agreement that forbids change. But now humans have come to visit, and they're disrupting everything.
Review
I’m a sucker for ancient ruins and origin stories. Here, Czerneda pulls off the trick of mixing both together with hints of yet another and more ancient origin story and a prequel that’s perhaps even more engaging than the original. I started my acquaintaince with Czerneda’s writing with A Thousand Words for Stranger, and this prequel trilogy draws on her strengths – credible science, engaging characters, intriguing mysteries.
At some point in the expansions of this broad series – the original Trade Pact, then this prequel Stratification, then the sequel Reunification, I lost track of which books I had and stopped reading until I had them all. Sadly, I didn’t institute a careful check until just recently. When I realized I did have all nine books, I decided to read them all in chronological order – the two trilogies I’d already read and the final trilogy that … I’m not sure how much of I’ve read. It’s been a long time.
I remember this first (chronological) book fondly, and I’m happy to say that it stood the test of time and more. I have a few quibbles here and there, but largely this is a terrific book that I really enjoyed. In fact, it seems I enjoyed it more this time than last. I have it in my records as 3.5 stars, but I’m quite comfortable giving it more now. I think the book deserves it – it’s got adventure, exploration, romance, origins, aliens, science, and, if not actual ruins, at least really old and rediscovered stuff that still works. I remembered this book pretty well and enjoyed rediscovering it too (it still works!). I’m looking forward to all the sequels, and hoping they hold up just as well.
Summary
The planet Cersi is shared by three species - the humanoid Om'ray, the spiderlike Tikitik, and the bulky, taciturn, insectoid Oud. Since the long ago arrival of the Om'ray, they have lived under a strict agreement that forbids change. But now humans have come to visit, and they're disrupting everything.
Review
I’m a sucker for ancient ruins and origin stories. Here, Czerneda pulls off the trick of mixing both together with hints of yet another and more ancient origin story and a prequel that’s perhaps even more engaging than the original. I started my acquaintaince with Czerneda’s writing with A Thousand Words for Stranger, and this prequel trilogy draws on her strengths – credible science, engaging characters, intriguing mysteries.
At some point in the expansions of this broad series – the original Trade Pact, then this prequel Stratification, then the sequel Reunification, I lost track of which books I had and stopped reading until I had them all. Sadly, I didn’t institute a careful check until just recently. When I realized I did have all nine books, I decided to read them all in chronological order – the two trilogies I’d already read and the final trilogy that … I’m not sure how much of I’ve read. It’s been a long time.
I remember this first (chronological) book fondly, and I’m happy to say that it stood the test of time and more. I have a few quibbles here and there, but largely this is a terrific book that I really enjoyed. In fact, it seems I enjoyed it more this time than last. I have it in my records as 3.5 stars, but I’m quite comfortable giving it more now. I think the book deserves it – it’s got adventure, exploration, romance, origins, aliens, science, and, if not actual ruins, at least really old and rediscovered stuff that still works. I remembered this book pretty well and enjoyed rediscovering it too (it still works!). I’m looking forward to all the sequels, and hoping they hold up just as well.
August 3, 2008
Julie Czerneda is always a pleasure, and with the new Stratification series in particular, she returns to the same universe of her first book--still my favorite--A Thousand Words for Stranger. This story is set much earlier in the history of the species called the Clan, on their original homeworld, Cersi. In this timeframe, they are a people called the Om'ray, subservient to the two more powerful species of their world, the Tikitik and the Oud. An Agreement exists between all three species that forbids change of any kind of their cultures, an Agreement that until now the Om'ray of Yena Clan have scrupulously endeavored to keep. But young Aryl Sarc of the Yena Clan is discovering new and frighteningly powerful abilities. And though she tries to hide them at first, she is pushed again and again into using them, for the arrival of offworld explorers on Cersi is throwing the Agreement into peril.
I quite liked this story, and was delighted to see that two of the principle explorers were a human and a Carasian; I remembered the latter species quite vividly from A Thousand Words for Stranger, and it was fun to see one here again. The primary human character, Marcus Bowman, is as likable as you can get through Aryl's eyes, given his lack of speech she can understand, both vocal and mental. We also get an interesting Om'ray male, the metalworker Enris, who has "future mate of Aryl" written all over him. ;)
But there's no sign yet of any romance in this story, which is all to the good. It's interesting to see Aryl's eyes opened to the bigger picture of worlds beyond Cersi, and how the Tikitik and Oud are responding to the presence of the offworlders. There are fascinating hints that the Om'ray were once much more powerful than they are now--and that the offworlders know something about it. I'll definitely enjoy seeing where Book Two takes this. Five stars.
I quite liked this story, and was delighted to see that two of the principle explorers were a human and a Carasian; I remembered the latter species quite vividly from A Thousand Words for Stranger, and it was fun to see one here again. The primary human character, Marcus Bowman, is as likable as you can get through Aryl's eyes, given his lack of speech she can understand, both vocal and mental. We also get an interesting Om'ray male, the metalworker Enris, who has "future mate of Aryl" written all over him. ;)
But there's no sign yet of any romance in this story, which is all to the good. It's interesting to see Aryl's eyes opened to the bigger picture of worlds beyond Cersi, and how the Tikitik and Oud are responding to the presence of the offworlders. There are fascinating hints that the Om'ray were once much more powerful than they are now--and that the offworlders know something about it. I'll definitely enjoy seeing where Book Two takes this. Five stars.
June 20, 2017
Pros: Amazingly detailed worldbuilding through the eyes of Aryl Sarc.
Cons: Amazingly detailed worldbuilding through the eyes of Aryl Sarc.
Czerneda does an outstanding job of putting you in Aryl's position - a young Om'ray whose village is brought to a crisis point by the unwitting mistake of Trade Pact visitors (though this isn't explicitly told to you... Aryl, after all, has no concept of aliens). Everything flows naturally from the initial incident and the pro above is correct - you get an incredibly detailed view of what Aryl's expriencing. But that's a con too, since we know more than she does. The trick of making us expereinces these days and weeks as Aryl does is doomed to fail since we aren't Aryl and can't be. We have more information than she does. The upshot of this for me was a tension between appreciating the lovely writing and wanting things to move faster and for the plot to move a bit.
Cons: Amazingly detailed worldbuilding through the eyes of Aryl Sarc.
Czerneda does an outstanding job of putting you in Aryl's position - a young Om'ray whose village is brought to a crisis point by the unwitting mistake of Trade Pact visitors (though this isn't explicitly told to you... Aryl, after all, has no concept of aliens). Everything flows naturally from the initial incident and the pro above is correct - you get an incredibly detailed view of what Aryl's expriencing. But that's a con too, since we know more than she does. The trick of making us expereinces these days and weeks as Aryl does is doomed to fail since we aren't Aryl and can't be. We have more information than she does. The upshot of this for me was a tension between appreciating the lovely writing and wanting things to move faster and for the plot to move a bit.
September 25, 2008
This was AWESOME. It's not as funny or wacky as some of her others, but that's just fine. It's all rather life and death and struggling to survive. She does a great job of getting you totally hooked on the mystery of the three races sharing the planet and you really empathize with the explorers who've come to try and solve that age-old mystery, while cringing at their ridiculously poor first contact destruction.
She continues to rank as my favorite sci-fi author. Book 2 just came out and it's waiting for me at the book store. Yay!
She continues to rank as my favorite sci-fi author. Book 2 just came out and it's waiting for me at the book store. Yay!
May 31, 2011
I really like Julie Czerneda's books and this series in particular. Difficult to know how it would impact as it is a prequel trilogy to another series set further down the timeline. However the Trade pact universe is one of my favourite trilogies and I was not disappointed with the prequel. Am fascinated to see how it comes full circle when she returns to Morgan and Sira. I would recommend this series, but with the proviso that you might want to read the trade pact universe trilogy first, starting with, 'A Thousand words for Stranger'.
November 8, 2008
I haven't found a Julie Czernada book that I didn't like. It's been a few years since I read the books farther down in this timeline so I don't remember too many of the details but she seems to be doing a great job at creating the history that will shape and motivate the characters in the later series. This is the kind of science-fiction book I love. It's full of details, imagery, sympathetic and competent characters. I recommend it.
June 6, 2010
I enjoy Czerneda's brand of science fiction which avoids cliches and overly predictable plots. This novel starts to provide the basis of the mental prowess of The Clan while featuring engaging characters.
April 22, 2009
This book caught my eye just walking up and down the library aisles. I was pleasantly surprised. I loved it and cant wait to read the rest of the series.
January 29, 2020
First of a trilogy.
This is a modern and more sophisticated version of the classic "planetary adventure" style of science fiction, told from the point of view of the aliens, except that they aren't the aliens at all, they're the native species - well, one of three native sapient species - on the planet Cersi. Humans, and other species of the "trade pact union", have recently arrived on Cersi and are making things complicated.
The Tikitik, biological engineers, live in swamps which they control. The Oud, technicians of another sort, live in tunnels under the ground. And between them, on the surface, live the humanoid Om'ray, forbidden to develop technology - but gifted with Talents and "Power," which are more or less generic psionics. Some Talents are well known and controlled by the Adepts. Others pop up occasionally and must be controlled, because they might lead to change, and the arrangement between the three species, which gives the Om'ray their fragile hold on existence between the others, doesn't allow _anything_ to change. Ever. It has always been thus.
But then, during the annual wind harvest which feeds the Yena clan of Om'ray, a strange object appears in the sky and explodes, killing many of the harvesters. One consequence will be starvation, but, in the short run, the other two races want to know what's happening.
Enter our heroine,Aryl Sarc of the Yena Om'ray. In the great disaster of the harvest, she saved a dear friend, but failed to save her own brother. Worse; she saved her friend by using a new Talent that, first, endangered them both and, second, was all too likely to make the Tikitik curious if they learned of it.
Aryl is, by our standards, a preadolescent, but through the book she takes on larger and larger responsibilities until ... but, no. No spoilers here.
Czerneda writes in a fluent, practical, post-Campbellian style remniscent of writers like Mike Resnick and Jack McDevitt. Nothing in the writing is going to make you sit up and say, wow, _that_ sentence was incredible; but neither will you be distracted from the story by clunkers. I'm definitely continuing with this trilogy.
This is a modern and more sophisticated version of the classic "planetary adventure" style of science fiction, told from the point of view of the aliens, except that they aren't the aliens at all, they're the native species - well, one of three native sapient species - on the planet Cersi. Humans, and other species of the "trade pact union", have recently arrived on Cersi and are making things complicated.
The Tikitik, biological engineers, live in swamps which they control. The Oud, technicians of another sort, live in tunnels under the ground. And between them, on the surface, live the humanoid Om'ray, forbidden to develop technology - but gifted with Talents and "Power," which are more or less generic psionics. Some Talents are well known and controlled by the Adepts. Others pop up occasionally and must be controlled, because they might lead to change, and the arrangement between the three species, which gives the Om'ray their fragile hold on existence between the others, doesn't allow _anything_ to change. Ever. It has always been thus.
But then, during the annual wind harvest which feeds the Yena clan of Om'ray, a strange object appears in the sky and explodes, killing many of the harvesters. One consequence will be starvation, but, in the short run, the other two races want to know what's happening.
Enter our heroine,Aryl Sarc of the Yena Om'ray. In the great disaster of the harvest, she saved a dear friend, but failed to save her own brother. Worse; she saved her friend by using a new Talent that, first, endangered them both and, second, was all too likely to make the Tikitik curious if they learned of it.
Aryl is, by our standards, a preadolescent, but through the book she takes on larger and larger responsibilities until ... but, no. No spoilers here.
Czerneda writes in a fluent, practical, post-Campbellian style remniscent of writers like Mike Resnick and Jack McDevitt. Nothing in the writing is going to make you sit up and say, wow, _that_ sentence was incredible; but neither will you be distracted from the story by clunkers. I'm definitely continuing with this trilogy.
April 17, 2023
Book 1 of what people are saying is a "prequel trilogy," prelude to some other trilogy. Ugh. This author seems to always write her books in threes. I'm embarrassed to admit that I bought this book, because I was thinking she was the author of a book I read many years ago and loved, Door into Ocean. Unfortunately that is Joan Slonczewski. Now that I know what author I am reading, I remember I have read a few of her books. I found them all pretty ordinary, forgettable science fiction. This one is not different.
Her world building is clever, ingenious. She makes a planet that is actually alien not just Earth 2.0 and two quite alien species, plus a telepathic humanoid race. One of the aliens I pictured as a bit like a large walrus, but shaped the same on both ends, so difficult to tell whether it was coming or going. That was kind of entertaining. But it took a lot of exposition to set all this up, complete with geology, geography and climate of her planet (with seasonal monsoon like winds) and the relationships among the three races. It took me a long time to get engaged in this book and it teetered on the edge of becoming a dnf for a good while.
The characters are interesting and likeable, her concept of really intense telepathic pair bonding was interesting. None of it, characters nor plot particularly ever hooked my emotions. It is a book you read with your intellect, not your heart. Three stars is not a terrible rating and this is not a terrible book. It depends on what you read for, how much you will like it. I have no interest in reading the rest of this trilogy, much less the one after that. It seems like writing in threes poses a dilemma. Having done all that world building, it's nice to get more use out of it. If you could assume that all your readers have read and remember Book 1, then you could get the action going much quicker and engage readers better. But of course you can't assume that and books in a trilogy are supposed to be able to be read independently. So then you have to put in a lot of review, which would be even draggier the second time through.
Her world building is clever, ingenious. She makes a planet that is actually alien not just Earth 2.0 and two quite alien species, plus a telepathic humanoid race. One of the aliens I pictured as a bit like a large walrus, but shaped the same on both ends, so difficult to tell whether it was coming or going. That was kind of entertaining. But it took a lot of exposition to set all this up, complete with geology, geography and climate of her planet (with seasonal monsoon like winds) and the relationships among the three races. It took me a long time to get engaged in this book and it teetered on the edge of becoming a dnf for a good while.
The characters are interesting and likeable, her concept of really intense telepathic pair bonding was interesting. None of it, characters nor plot particularly ever hooked my emotions. It is a book you read with your intellect, not your heart. Three stars is not a terrible rating and this is not a terrible book. It depends on what you read for, how much you will like it. I have no interest in reading the rest of this trilogy, much less the one after that. It seems like writing in threes poses a dilemma. Having done all that world building, it's nice to get more use out of it. If you could assume that all your readers have read and remember Book 1, then you could get the action going much quicker and engage readers better. But of course you can't assume that and books in a trilogy are supposed to be able to be read independently. So then you have to put in a lot of review, which would be even draggier the second time through.
March 28, 2018
I think that Julie Czerneda is going to be a new go-to author for me. I really enjoyed her Species Imperative series, and this was just as good. I was a little wary going in, knowing that it's a prequel series (albeit to a series that I haven't read yet), but it was really good! I did get off to a bit of a slow start, but that was also the case with all of the other books I've read by her. She's very good about establishing a world thoroughly, rather than just jumping in to the story. I like that about her writing.
Another thing I really like is her aliens. If you've read the description, you should know that this book features two main characters, neither of whom are humans. They are Om'Ray, a telepathic race that resemble humans in appearance only. I really admire these aliens, I have to say. They are empathetic, but still very recognizably different. The differences in world view that Czerneda gives the Om'Ray make for a very interesting reading experience indeed. She's put such care into creating the culture and beliefs of her aliens. I think it's my absolute favorite thing about her writing.
I also like that although the world-building is thorough, I never really felt like it was infodumping, which was a problem with the other series I've read by her. She's gotten much better at weaving information into the narrative and letting the reader figure things out as the story goes along. I noticed a definite improvement in flow over her first series, which is very nice indeed.
As far as this being a prequel series, I thought it worked very well. I haven't read the later series, but I wasn't lost and the story was compelling without that information. I can only hope that the later series is also enhanced by this one.
In short, I was really happy with this read. It was solidly enjoyable, and I'm now very excited to continue onward with the rest of the series. I'm sure it will only serve to solidify my love for Julie Czerneda's writing even further.
Another thing I really like is her aliens. If you've read the description, you should know that this book features two main characters, neither of whom are humans. They are Om'Ray, a telepathic race that resemble humans in appearance only. I really admire these aliens, I have to say. They are empathetic, but still very recognizably different. The differences in world view that Czerneda gives the Om'Ray make for a very interesting reading experience indeed. She's put such care into creating the culture and beliefs of her aliens. I think it's my absolute favorite thing about her writing.
I also like that although the world-building is thorough, I never really felt like it was infodumping, which was a problem with the other series I've read by her. She's gotten much better at weaving information into the narrative and letting the reader figure things out as the story goes along. I noticed a definite improvement in flow over her first series, which is very nice indeed.
As far as this being a prequel series, I thought it worked very well. I haven't read the later series, but I wasn't lost and the story was compelling without that information. I can only hope that the later series is also enhanced by this one.
In short, I was really happy with this read. It was solidly enjoyable, and I'm now very excited to continue onward with the rest of the series. I'm sure it will only serve to solidify my love for Julie Czerneda's writing even further.
October 5, 2018
I liked this book. I didn’t love it, but the writing was decent, and while it seemed to take forever to finish, I also enjoyed the slow-building plot, the characters, and the world-building involved. The aliens were definitely alien enough for me to have trouble picturing them, and the world was incredible with lots of climbing trees, and avoiding nasty monsters, and just general awesomeness all around.
I really liked this book, but again, it’s not going to be one of my all time favorites I think. I can’t say why for sure, because I don’t know myself. It’s a good book, there’s plenty of action and adventure and survival to be had within, and there’s loads of science as well as fiction too. It’s got everything that a person could want. So I don’t understand why I didn’t love it-perhaps because I just wasn’t connected enough to the characters? Granted, I came to really like them about halfway through the book, when things really started getting interesting, and there was a lot more action going on…
But I don’t know.
I’m giving this a 4.5/5 stars. Perhaps book two will make me like the series even more? I hope so. I plan on requesting it at the local library, since I don’t own a physical copy. I’m glad to have read this one, and knocked it off my tbr shelf. It took me four days to get through 600+pages, something that doesn’t usually happen, but then there was a lot of backstory, describing everything, and characters to get through. I still look forward to book two, however. Let’s hope it’s even better than the first book!
I really liked this book, but again, it’s not going to be one of my all time favorites I think. I can’t say why for sure, because I don’t know myself. It’s a good book, there’s plenty of action and adventure and survival to be had within, and there’s loads of science as well as fiction too. It’s got everything that a person could want. So I don’t understand why I didn’t love it-perhaps because I just wasn’t connected enough to the characters? Granted, I came to really like them about halfway through the book, when things really started getting interesting, and there was a lot more action going on…
But I don’t know.
I’m giving this a 4.5/5 stars. Perhaps book two will make me like the series even more? I hope so. I plan on requesting it at the local library, since I don’t own a physical copy. I’m glad to have read this one, and knocked it off my tbr shelf. It took me four days to get through 600+pages, something that doesn’t usually happen, but then there was a lot of backstory, describing everything, and characters to get through. I still look forward to book two, however. Let’s hope it’s even better than the first book!
May 26, 2021
What a great book. The original Trade Pact trilogy cried out for a prequel and this answers the call perfectly, taking the reader back to a time when the Om'ray where seemingly naive and uninfluential. So here's my summary of what makes this novel "tick":
(1) more fluidity to the writing style and storytelling (compared to the writer's first books);
(2) vividly described world with its alien ecology and fragility of life. The existence of disconnected Om'ray clans and environments and their interactions with the Tikitiki and Oud adds another intriguing dimension;
(3) written primarily from the viewpoint of a young female Om'ray, you share a sense of wonder and discovery as her understanding of the universe and the balance of power is challenged;
(4) story is very much self-contained but also plays gently on the reader's knowledge of the M'hir, Trade Pact and future events;
(5) central characters are well developed and very likeable and there are subtle romantic elements throughout;
(6) sets up well for a couple more books.
(1) more fluidity to the writing style and storytelling (compared to the writer's first books);
(2) vividly described world with its alien ecology and fragility of life. The existence of disconnected Om'ray clans and environments and their interactions with the Tikitiki and Oud adds another intriguing dimension;
(3) written primarily from the viewpoint of a young female Om'ray, you share a sense of wonder and discovery as her understanding of the universe and the balance of power is challenged;
(4) story is very much self-contained but also plays gently on the reader's knowledge of the M'hir, Trade Pact and future events;
(5) central characters are well developed and very likeable and there are subtle romantic elements throughout;
(6) sets up well for a couple more books.
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