I love this book, and I've probably said that here before.
It's Cherryh-dense, it really is. Maxwell doesn't get much credit for it because she adds so much id and angst (whereas Cherryh just wants to tell you about people being exhausted and miserable and terrified, which is still id, but not the romantic kind).
_Timeshadow Rider_ starts with an explanation that the Za'ar civilization is a million years old, and it's collapsing -- and then somewhere along you realize that the Zaarain Cycle that is recalled (as ancient legend) in the Fire Dancer series *hasn't started yet*; those million years were the barbarian prehistory. (Because, let's face it, a civilization which is two pieces of purple crystal away from mass savagery still has a few issues to work out.)
And the extradimensional cat sings in two voices, because -- as Brust would say -- a god is someone who can be in two places at once.
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It's Cherryh-dense, it really is. Maxwell doesn't get much credit for it because she adds so much id and angst (whereas Cherryh just wants to tell you about people being exhausted and miserable and terrified, which is still id, but not the romantic kind).
_Timeshadow Rider_ starts with an explanation that the Za'ar civilization is a million years old, and it's collapsing -- and then somewhere along you realize that the Zaarain Cycle that is recalled (as ancient legend) in the Fire Dancer series *hasn't started yet*; those million years were the barbarian prehistory. (Because, let's face it, a civilization which is two pieces of purple crystal away from mass savagery still has a few issues to work out.)
And the extradimensional cat sings in two voices, because -- as Brust would say -- a god is someone who can be in two places at once.