Kevin's Watch

Years ago I read a lot of sci-fi/fantasy from a massive variety of authors from Donaldson, Edding, Cherryh, Modessitt Jnr, Elliott and Kerr to name but a few. There was one book I read which was part of a series but I can't for the life of me think what it was called!

From what I can remember, it was one of those where humans are space-faring and find themselves orbitting a planet which knows nothing about the surrounding universe. The inhabitants I think were some kind of man-sized feline who could speak etc and I remember in particular they had a penchant for silk clothing (very fine silk which bruised at the slightest touch) and had much in-fighting. The humans found themselves on the planet after some kind of treachery (as usual) and some of them sided with the 'goodies' and some with the 'baddies'. The bad humans were trying to basically line their own pockets (as they do) and provided guns and things so their side could win.

Anyway enough waffling, but i only ever read the first book of the series and would like to complete it but can't remember what it was called or who it was by. Any ideas from my very vague description? I seem to remember the name may have bee something like Children of the Sun

This is nothing but a guess, but C. J. Cherryh wrote a series featuring lionlike humanoids. I never read one, but I loved the Michael Whelan artwork on the covers.

Was it the Man-Tzun books? Humanistic tigers?

Thanks for the suggestions. I have checked out C J Cherryh's and I don't think it is those books. I don't think they were tigers either, I seem to remember they had extremely long claws and were quite warriorlike. I think they were nomadic or desert people or something and as I said, these human characters arrived on the planet and one group seperated itself and joined up with the wrong crowd, provided guns and I think holed up in some city somewhere to start a war.

Very vague I know and I will have a look at the Man-Tzun books, but I don't think they were the ones.

Are you sure it wasn't my autobiography?

Hee hee could be!

Heh. There is another possibility; you tell us the name of every book you ever read, and we'll tell you which one it was.

Cherryh also wrote a trilogy called The Faded Sun, which featured nomadic warriors called the mri.

It seems to me that it might have been The Faded Sun, but its been a million years since I read that. Didn't Anne McCaffrey also have a feline-humanoid type of being in a science fiction series? I seem to vaguely remember that, but none of the details.

She did, but they were technologically advanced.

"Freedom" series, IIRC. Freedoms Landing etc.

--A

KAY1 wrote: From what I can remember, it was one of those where humans are space-faring and find themselves orbitting a planet which knows nothing about the surrounding universe. The inhabitants I think were some kind of man-sized feline who could speak etc and I remember in particular they had a penchant for silk clothing (very fine silk which bruised at the slightest touch) and had much in-fighting. The humans found themselves on the planet after some kind of treachery (as usual) and some of them sided with the 'goodies' and some with the 'baddies'. The bad humans were trying to basically line their own pockets (as they do) and provided guns and things so their side could win.

I know you said you don't think it's Cherryh, but it sounds an awful lot like the Chanur series (The Pride of Chanur being the first book). The series definitely features a cat-like race who has a "thing" about silk (can't be too many of those around! )

There's nothing for it I am going to have to get these Cherryh books. It is entirely possible you are right as I did read Morgaine at about the same time as well, but I ate up a lot of sci-fi/fantasy at that time

I also read Last Legends of Earth then as well (great book) and didn't even realise until recently that it was part of a series.