Rider at the Gate / C.J. Cherryh

Rider at the Gate

category: science fiction / fantasy, author:

C.J. Cherryh

book 1 of Nighthorse
original copyright 1995,
read in August 2011

Agamedes' opinion: 8 out of 10

Is there a clear distinction between "fantasy" and "science fiction"? No...

Rider at the Gate is science fiction. I say so, Wikipedia says so, our state library says so. The library has also categorised this book as fantasy -- and I agree.

The author has created a brand new world. A world in which animals -- all of the indigenous animals -- use telepathy. So far -- this is pure fantasy.

The world has been settled by... not a local tribe of dwarfs, not an invading group of orcs... but by non-telepathic humans. Humans from another planet. From another planet? Oh, okay... this book must be "science fiction"... But it's not.

Rider at the Gate is both fantasy and science fiction.

Arthur C. Clarke wrote, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Drop the mention of settlers arriving by space-ship and Rider is fantasy. Provide a pseudo-scientific explanation of the local telepathy and it's science fiction. With space-ship references and telepathy that is simply accepted as part of life -- this book is both science fiction and fantasy.

So... back from the diversion...

Cherryh has created -- as far as I know -- a unique world. A world which is so unusual -- to this staid reader of fantasy & SF -- that it was a real eye-opener: What if this world really existed? What would it be like? How would non-telepathic humans survive?!

Add a cold climate... Nothing unique there; Le Guin famously did that in Left Hand of Darkness. Other authors have probably also taken the cold option.

Where Cherry beats the others -- especially Le Guin -- is in writing a novel which draws us in. A novel which is enjoyable, where we can empathise with the characters. A novel which we can read for pure enjoyment.

This is a book which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. It is also a book which provided a brand new world... A world with unique challenges. Fantastic -- yet believable.

And very, very enjoyable.

..o0o..

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