Mastodawn

Mark Gritter May 12, 2025

I'm reading "Alliance Unbound", by CJ Cherryh and Jane S. Fancher -- the newest entry in the Alliance-Union universe. It somewhat rewrites what we know of previous history: the Merchanter's Alliance is introduced earlier than the events of Downbelow Station would suggest.

The book is an engaging political (and economic) thriller, and foreboding if you know what is to come.

But it's making me think about the implied (and not, as far as I can tell, explicit) context of the Company Wars: what is the Earth Company's grand strategy?

1. Build a massive fleet of FTL warships
2. Re-establish control over the EC's breakaway stations
3. ...

... commit genocide on Cyteen and all its azi population?

We have a Sol that is scared shitless of Cyteen's cloning technologies and autonomy. We have an EC nursing grudges about centuries-old actions and dreaming of empire. But what would winning the war actually look like to the EC? Is there anything in their strategy other than outright slaughter? Where is the re-establishment of administration?

(It's not simple xenophobia -- the same Sol is portrayed as actively reaching out to the Compact in the Chanur books! It's their conflict with the Alliance and Union -- and local interests too -- that has the Compact shut the door on them.)

#ScienceFiction #AllianceUnion #Cherryh

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AlsoPaisleyCat 🇨🇦Feb 11, 2024

@not_gagarin

My own recommendation is to start Cherryh’s #AllianceUnion books with her 1980 Hugo winner ‘Downbelow Station’ which is somewhat mid timeline but also the book that really kicked things off.

There also very deep prequel ‘Alliance Rising’ with her partner Jane Fancher which is the most recent edition, and could be a good entry point.

The huge novel ‘Cyteen’ is often recommended as a starting point, but it’s also a huge spoiler for ‘Downbelow Station as it dives deep into the Union side society, and takes place after the turning point that is the focus of that book.

The Chanur books exist in the same universe it seems, but don’t really interact with the Alliance-Union ones.

Then there is another very long running ‘Foreigner’ series, separate again, which is focused on a human colony marooned on planet inhabited by in indigenous sentient civilization. It’s focused on diplomacy and social interactions.

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AlsoPaisleyCat 🇨🇦Oct 17, 2023

@jpaskaruk While it comes somewhat in the middle of her timeline, I recommend ‘Downbelow Station’ as a great starting point.

It was really the book that kicked off the #AllianceUnion universe, & won the Hugo. She’s written forward and back in the timeline, but #DownbelowStation is a big complex lynchpin book that you won’t want spoiled by later ones.