Let me start by saying my blog is not going to be about the latest science fiction. It will be about, as often or not, a book or series which has been out for a while. The exception to that habit will be books by David Weber.
Conquerors' Trilogy by Timothy Zahn consists of Conquerors' Pride (1994), Conquerors' Heritage (1995) and Conquerors' Legacy (1996).
I enjoyed this series of space opera immensely. Conquerors' Pride is the first book of the series begins with a first contact between an earthmen's task force and an alien task force. The earth force is completely destroyed in six minutes after the initial radio contact goes out to the aliens.
One earthman, Commander Pheylan Cavanagh, is captured. The aliens who call themselves Zhirrzh begin to study Commander Cavanagh. The chief scientist studying him is Thrr-gilag: Kee'rr. The alien family and the Cavanagh family are the main focus through out this book and the rest of the series. Through Thrr and other aliens we get to understand an alien civilization and view how they see our civilization. I always enjoy when a writer flushes out an alien culture and civilization.
The series is oddly relevant to recent events. The Zhirrzh learn from a salvaged computer taken from the destroyed task force that we have a weapon of mass destructions called CIRCLE. It burned to a crisp with a single shot an alien armada which was set to attack earth forces some years ago. To hide CIRCLE Earth disassembled the weapon and spreads it among various plants. The Zhirrzh after learning this begin an aggressive attack on many Earth colonies in hopes of preventing Earth from digging up all of the pieces.
The trilogy might seem to be only military science fiction but it is much more then that. The military science fiction is definitely here but the story is more about how trust is created among alien civilizations and how a civilization grows.
A key part of the story is the elders of the Zhirrzh and their affect on the Zhirrzh's civilization. Imagine if your grandparents or your great grandparents were always available to communicate with you. The Zhirrzh elders pass on to a non-corporal form that can communicate with the living.
In addition to the humans and the Zhirrzh are the Yycroma and the Marchanis. The Marchanis call the Zhirrzh "Conquers without reason" which the humans shorten to conquers. The Marchanis are protected by the Commonwealth which also includes the Yycroma even though the Yycroma are perceived as threat to peace and especially to the Marchanis. The intrigue that goes on between the three races keeps the story moving along.
Lastly, there is a sentient computer, Max, that is mainly a part of the story line in the first two books.
Posted by chess_wizard0
at 12:40 PM EDT
