City of Pearl

Karen Traviss

Mar 2009 · The Wess'har Wars Book 1 · Sold by Harper Collins

About this ebook

Three separate alien societies have claimson Cavanagh's Star. But the new arrivals -- the gethes from Earth -- now threaten thetenuous balance of a coveted world.

Environmental Hazard Enforcement officer Shan Frankland agreed to lead a mission to Cavanagh's Star, knowing that 150 years would elapse before she could finally return home. But her landing, with a small group of scientists and Marines, has not gone unnoticed by Aras, the planet's designated guardian. An eternally evolving world himself, this sad, powerful being has already obliterated millions of alien interlopers and their great cities to protect the fragile native population. Now Shan and her party -- plus the small colony of fundamentalist humans who preceded them -- could face a similar annihilation . . . or a fate far worse. Because Aras possesses a secret of the blood that would be disastrous if it fell into human hands -- if the gethes survive the impending war their coming has inadvertently hastened.

Ratings and reviews

It was a little slow for the first couple of chapters but once it picked up it didn't let up. The tense situations and dialog are very gripping. The only minor issue I have is that there are quite a few British phrases and slang used throughout this book/series. Some that non-Brits/Aussies/Kiwis might get like "bloke" or "copper". But some are a little more difficult to understand. It's easy to just use a "your language-here" equivalent word/phrase over them and press on though.

I'm all for saving the environment, but this read like a story written for Greenpeace. You have to be a hardcore environmentalist to enjoy this book. Also, every character seemed the same, even the aliens.

decent book. my teenage daughter enjoyed it but i found it targetted more to her demographic than mine.

About the author

Karen Traviss is a former defense correspondent and TV and newspaper journalist. She has worked in public relations for the police and local government, and has served in the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service and the Territorial Army. The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of City of Pearl, Crossing the Line, The World Before, Matriarch, Star Wars-Republic Commando: Hard Contact, Triple Zero, and Star Wars-Legacy of the Force: Bloodlines, she lives in Wiltshire, England.