Hunter of Worlds
Encyclopedia
Hunter of Worlds is a 1977 science fiction
novel by science fiction and fantasy
author C. J. Cherryh
. It was published by DAW Books
, first as a Science Fiction Book Club selection through Nelson Doubleday
in March 1977 and then in a DAW paperback edition in August of that year. The work is set in Cherryh's Alliance-Union universe
. In terms of her Alliance-Union timeline, it occurs in the far future during the period of the Hanan Revolution, although the events portrayed in the novel take place in another sector of the galaxy.
Hunter of Worlds was nominated for the 1977 Locus Award
for Best Science Fiction Novel.
In 2003, DAW re-released the book in an omnibus edition along with Cherryh's 1976 novel Brothers of Earth
. The omnibus edition was entitled At the Edge of Space.
Hunter of Worlds has provoked highly mixed reactions (reviews) because of the alien viewpoint and vocabulary. Both the viewpoint character and the main agonists are non-human, not just in having odd shapes and skin but in their viewpoints. And the book introduces bits and pieces of the alien language, so that a first-time reader will spend a lot of time looking up words in the glossary at the end. Some reviewers (see above) criticized Cherryh for this, and yet some of the alien vocabulary represents concepts that are not easily represented as single words in English: vaikka (revenge, but not in the usual English sense), takkhenes (group-consciousness, sort of), arastiethe (the area you are responsible for/in control of).
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel by science fiction and fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
author C. J. Cherryh
C. J. Cherryh
Carolyn Janice Cherry , better known by the pen name C. J. Cherryh, is a United States science fiction and fantasy author...
. It was published by DAW Books
DAW Books
DAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company therefore claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy." The first DAW Book published was...
, first as a Science Fiction Book Club selection through Nelson Doubleday
Nelson Doubleday
Nelson Doubleday was a U.S. book publisher. He was the nephew of author Russell Doubleday, the son of Frank Nelson Doubleday and Neltje Blanchan, and the father of Nelson Doubleday Jr....
in March 1977 and then in a DAW paperback edition in August of that year. The work is set in Cherryh's Alliance-Union universe
Alliance-Union universe
The Alliance-Union universe is a fictional universe created by science fiction and fantasy author C. J. Cherryh. It is the setting for an epic future history series extending from the 21st century out into the far future....
. In terms of her Alliance-Union timeline, it occurs in the far future during the period of the Hanan Revolution, although the events portrayed in the novel take place in another sector of the galaxy.
Hunter of Worlds was nominated for the 1977 Locus Award
Locus Award
The Locus Award is a literary award established in 1971 and presented to winners of Locus magazine's annual readers' poll. Currently, the Locus Awards are presented at an annual banquet...
for Best Science Fiction Novel.
In 2003, DAW re-released the book in an omnibus edition along with Cherryh's 1976 novel Brothers of Earth
Brothers of Earth
Brothers of Earth is a 1976 science fiction novel by science fiction and fantasy author C. J. Cherryh. It was the second of Cherryh's novels to be published, appearing after Gate of Ivrel, although she had completed and submitted Brothers of Earth first. Donald A...
. The omnibus edition was entitled At the Edge of Space.
Hunter of Worlds has provoked highly mixed reactions (reviews) because of the alien viewpoint and vocabulary. Both the viewpoint character and the main agonists are non-human, not just in having odd shapes and skin but in their viewpoints. And the book introduces bits and pieces of the alien language, so that a first-time reader will spend a lot of time looking up words in the glossary at the end. Some reviewers (see above) criticized Cherryh for this, and yet some of the alien vocabulary represents concepts that are not easily represented as single words in English: vaikka (revenge, but not in the usual English sense), takkhenes (group-consciousness, sort of), arastiethe (the area you are responsible for/in control of).