Acquired Book By: I was chosen to participate in Julie E. Czerneda’s #timeandstarstour on behalf of the seventh volume of The Clan Chronicles ‘This Gulf of Time and Stars’. Ahead of reading that installment, I reached out to the author to sort out a way to read her entire series spilt between two trilogies: a prequel and the inaugural trilogy which launched the series as a whole. She offered to have DAW Books send me the series in paperback editions to help me sort out the hours I would need to read them as I could only use inter-library loan which has a built-in delay from receiving books via your local library.

Thus a book parcel from her publicist at DAW arrived forthwith and gave me the two trilogies ahead of ‘This Gulf of Time and Stars’. I received a complimentary copy of the 10th Anniversary Edition of ‘A Thousand Words for Stranger’ which includes the novella “Brothers Bound” and a complimentary copy of ‘Reap the Wild Wind’ which starts the prequel trilogy better known as Stratification. I was not obliged to post a review or share my impressions or opinions on behalf of these stories. I am posting my thoughts for my own edification and to help encourage new readers to meet the characters Czerneda created especially if like me, they are discovering The Clan Chronicles for the first time!

My interest in reading The Clan Chronicles:

When my path originally crossed with Ms Czerneda I wasn’t quite sure which of her series (of science fiction or fantasy) I wanted to read first as she has such a wonderfully diverse collection of stories I could choose amongst. I decided to ask Ms Czerneda last November what her Top 5 selections would be for a new reader of her collective works, to which she responded by saying: A Thousand Words for Stranger; Beholder’s Eye; In the Company of Others; Species Imperative; and A Turn of the Light.

From these selections, I was quite overjoyed in finding my local library held within it’s ILL (inter-library loan) database A Turn of Light – of which I must have requested at least four times over the past year, and each month it arrived, I was unfortunately unable to read it. Survival the first novel of Species Imperative was found quite accidentally at a local thrift store where I picked up the hardback edition. It’s gently read and will happily be read during this year’s Sci Fi Experience – the sci-fi event which follows Sci Fi November! As for A Turn of Light I want to focus on Fantasy after my science fiction readings, and thereby tentatively plan to read it in February.

I hadn’t known the title of the novel I would reviewing for Ms Czerneda for her upcoming November blog tour until mid-September 2015 when we both reconnected with each other to knit my participation together. I had originally focused on her fantasy writings as I have come to realise how much I love the world-building in fantasy the past few years. I used to read quite a heap of sci-fi and fantasy more than two decades ago, but hadn’t picked up a renewal of interest until two years ago when I discovered Jackie Gamber’s Leland Dragon series.

Fearing I might not have time enough to read the first six books of The Clan Chronicles ahead of my tour stop on the 11th of November, I asked which books I should attempt to ILL from my library ahead of reading the seventh in the series. Ms Czerneda offered to have the books sent to me giving me the chance to read them at my leisure and not worry about the time delays seeking them through inter-library loan services, for which I was quite grateful. When the book parcel arrived from DAW Books, I had the biggest smile on my face you could imagine as I carefully pulled out the six books which set the foundation of The Clan Chronicles.

Leading up to my tour stop on Wednesday, I will be tweeting and blogging my impressions of the six books prior to when we meet This Gulf of Time and Stars. I am looking forward to hearing readers thoughts on behalf of this series if they have already read the trilogies as much as seeking comments from readers who might be watching my readings during #RRSciFiMonth. It’s going to be an adventurous few days here on Jorie Loves A Story!

Reap the Wild Wind
by Julie E. Czerneda
Illustrator/Cover Designer: Luis Royo
Source: Direct from Publisher

Synopsis on the Back Cover:

A Thousand Words for Stranger, the first novel in The Trade Pact Universe trilogy, introduced the Clan, refugees from the world of Cersi who built an empire few people even knew existed.

Reap the Wild Wind turns to an earlier period in the Clan's history, before they left Cersi. At this time they are known as the Om'ray, and are divided into widely scattered tribal Clans, each of which must remain in its own allotted portion of Cersi, constrained from advancing beyond a certain point by two powerful races - Oud and the Tikitik - that have technological and scientific advantages over them. The three races coexist based on three individual principes: 1) the world has always been divided this way and must remain so; 2) Passage - a once in a lifetime event when individual Om'ray are permitted to cross all territorial boundaries in search of a mate - must be honored by all; 3) nothing on Cersi can be allowed to change.

Reap the Wild Wind opens at a pivotal moment where beings from the Trade Post have begun to explore Cersi, upsetting the balance between the three races. It is a time, too, when young Aryl Sarc of the Yena Clan is on the verse of mastering the forbidden secret of the M'hir - a secret that could prove the salvation or ruin of her entire species...

Genres: Science Fiction

Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9780756404567

Also by this author: Riders of the Storm, Rift in the Sky, A Thousand Words for Stranger, Ties of Power, To Trade the Stars, This Gulf of Time and Stars, Julie E. Czerneda Interview (#futurespasttour), The Gate to Futures Past, Guest Post (Web Shifters series) by Julie E. Czerneda, Guest Post: Julie E. Czerneda (Clan Chronicles Finale Tour), To Guard Against the Dark

Published by DAW Books

on 4th September 2007

Format: Paperback Edition

Pages: 464

 Published By: DAW Books (@DAWBooks)
an imprint of Penguin Group USA

The Clan Chronicles:

• Reap the Wild Wind (Stratification trilogy, No.1)
• Riders of the Storm (Stratification trilogy, No.2)
• Rift in the Sky (Stratification trilogy, No.3)
• A Thousand Words for Stranger (Trade Pact Universe, No.1)
• Ties of Power (Trade Pact Universe, No.2)
• To Trade the Stars (Trade Pact Universe, No.3)
• This Gulf of Time and Stars (Reunification, No.1)

Available Formats: Paperback and Ebook

My Review of Brothers Bound:

Originally I hadn’t fully grasped how to read The Clan Chronicles, and I was thankful to the author to help me work out the appropriate order for a first-time reader! She suggested I begin with this novella ahead of reading ‘Reap the Wild Wind’ as it is a precursor to that story.

It’s an interesting premise, where you are attached through a biometric interface to a dog and presumably the dog can also ascertain your thoughts and feelings as much as you can his through this device. Vasi isn’t openly gracious in being chosen for this task, as he’s still a bit uncertain how he feels about dogs and the tethered existence he has with said dog; he’s forever complaining a bit about how tied down he feels whilst put in a position of guardian and protector at the same time.

This interface is a method of trying to gain closer access to resolving a mystery that no one else has had a chance to make head-way against. Teams of three different originating species are placed in ‘triads’ to form the best plan of attack in regards to where they should search next as they are attempting to finally put a measure of understanding on the unknown. Their mission is full of hazards, the least of which is scaling a mountain at the peak of winter when the snow pack is at it’s deadliest load. I had a sense there was going to be an avalanche even before the snow shifted it’s weight and encased the triad under it’s buckling of ice and snow.

This short story is a lesson in understanding differences and for finding a commonality of acceptance and tolerance for each other through a unique set of means set to give advantage to those seeking what is not yet found. The advantage in this case was the uniqueness of Vasi’s direct communication with the dog and how both dog and he were able to communicate their feelings. Vasi is of a race where this communication is limited to those outside his species; yet with the biometric interface he felt as though the dog understood him on equal terms. This experience led Vasi to seek out the humans who had perfected the interface as a method of continuing to align himself with someone who might accept him as he is instead of trying to work with someone they do not understand.

One of the best moments is towards the end where Vasi and the humans learn an important gift is being open to the possibilities of connection without prejudice and disregard for what is not yet understood. Differences do not have to be a reason not to get along with each other but sometimes, it’s helpful that those who work together come from different backgrounds in order to gain the most return. Read More