Foreigner by C.J. Cherryh is the first book in the Foreigner series. This series came highly recommended from a friend and I couldn’t wait to read it. After having finished it though, I felt it was a mixed bag. It definitely had a lot going for it towards the beginning and that itself got me super hyped! It was a pretty cliché scenario as with how most of these stories go in the beginning but didn’t mind it too much. With this being such a long series to invest in, there are certainly things I’ll be looking out for throughout my reading to gauge how the story itself and the writing will be keeping my attention.

One of the more interesting things is in reading how the Atevi’s culture, while similar, can also differ so much. They don’t understand some of the most basic human emotions and behavior such as love and betrayal. This sets the stage for a political backdrop that is both intriguing and tense at times. However, make no mistake that Foreigner is a slow burner and not something that will get your heart racing. I thought that there could have been more time spent on world building though as it leaves a lot to desire for. We get a sense of the Atevi culture and the world they live but I didn’t get the feeling that it was alive. Foreigner is by no means considered a dark story but there are hints throughout that give it a more darker tone.

One of the more things that irritated me the most happened towards the beginning when the author decided it was a good idea to spend pages after pages with the protagonist’s thoughts on why a specific event would have happened to him. I get that if I put myself in his shoes, I’d wonder why as well but for this to span for so long with obviously no clues as to why at the moment. I found it tiring to read through that section but it did give us insight into how the protagonist thinks and for him to reflect on the world he lives in.

Foreigner in my opinion leaves a lot more to be desired but at the same time kept me engaged due to hints of political intrigue. However, I believe I may have to wait until further books in to the series before I’d get to see that fully blossom. As it stands, it serves only as a mediocre introduction.