Defender, Foreigner Series #5, by C.J.Cherryh. rating= 4

Defender is the second book of the second trilogy of the Foreigner series.

it is perhaps the most psychological and convoluted.

Bren has set himself up on the station to represent the aiji's authority and serve as a mediating presence between the atevi, mospheirans, and Phoenix crew/captains that are working and living in such close quarters. in fact he's gotten quite used to the idea--- in the last installment (Precursor), he felt in danger the whole time he was away from the world; but as of this point, it is precisely going back down to the world that makes him the most worried. he feels so entrenched and secure in his new realm that he completely forgets to look ahead... again... the boy is always doing this. well, one can't be a whiz at everything. Bren is nothing if not fallible.

an inopportunely-leaked secret destablizes the station and prompts the crew to mutiny. Bren is so busy trying to hold everything together and prevent drastic action that he is again blind-sided by Tabini's own drastic action in response. not once, but at least three times. features a memorable series of confrontations between the aiji-dowager (with young Cajeiri in tow; yay, Cajeiri!) and the most xenophobic of the captains, neither of whom is going to back down and only one of whom is going to win. plus, of course, a couple of family crises that Bren can't possibly handle--- the usual.

Jase finally takes on the role, and not merely the title, of Captain, and we finally see the powerful young man that we got to know on the planet (instead of the meekly obedient officer). Kroger is back, much happier, and more in the right of things this time around.

do we have any new characters? surprisingly, not really. only Cajeiri. she's teasing us with Cajeiri. we haven't properly met him yet; we've just gotten a taste. we have to wait until the next book to enjoy him further. think: Tabini, as a child.

Barb, god, can't we get rid of her? no, because his mother dotes on her and Bren's an all-forgiving ENFJ. I rather agree with Jago on this matter (as well as many others). I always think of a certain quote when Barb comes up:

It's not that she's bad... She just makes me want to put my finger through my eye, into my brain, and swirl it around! (Gunter to Rachel, regarding Phoebe's singing, Friends.)

ah, the human psychology discussed when Cherryh starts in on Bren's Family! lol

"Baji-naji," Gin said, meaning, in human terms here goes nothing.

And in atevi---here goes everything. (47)

Fairness and kabiu, p. 115. I agree with the Ragi atevi.
I wonder if the matter on page 187 is ever to be mentioned or to be of importance again.



the cover, however, oh don't get me started!