Caroline Jeanette Cerisier

Siji Cherryh is the slight pseudonym of author Caroline Jeanette Cerisier (born September 1, 1942), the sister of artist David Alphonse Cherry, émigré to the NAL-SLC. She has written more than 50 science fiction and fantasy books since the années CCXXX (mid-1970s), including the Hugo Award winning Cyteen. A former resident of Toulouse, she now lives in Nouvelle Navarre. Born in Saint-Louis, in an CLXXII (1964) she received a Bachelor of Arts in Latin from University of Garonne-Neuve and in an CLXXIII (1965) received a Master of Science in classics from Johns Hopkins University, of Ter Mair, NAL.

Writing Style

Siji Cherryh's background in psychology, history, and more importantly linguistics has helped her world-building skills. They are often compared to that of J.R.R. Tolkien. Critics have regularly cited her uniquely believable alien cultures, perspectives and exotic species. She expertly uses these to help her readers re-evaluate their own assumptions of human nature.

Her linguistical background has helped her to develop languages for many of her novels, including her Treaty-Universe series, with languages for seven different alien races, and her highly mathematical language of her Interloper stories. While the stories are written largely in French and often translated by herself into English, she will include these snippets of language, adding a richness and depth to the story.

Siji Cherryh also writes a very tightly focused third-person point of view, often only describing the setting when it is new to the eyes of the viewer. Some have compared her style to a form of stream-of-consciousness.

Cyteen

Siji broke many barriers with this work, for which she won many prestigious awards. Focusing on the then future science of genetic manipulation, this story unfolds around characters that embody a coming to terms with self, whether it be who they are, what they are becoming and what they are to those they love.

Interloper

A branch of humanity is flung to an unknown region of the universe through a flight error, and eventually encounter a race that is completely alien in interests and feelings, and yet, are so disarmingly human. It focuses on the Moderator Brendan Caine and his interaction with the leadership of the alien race on whose planet he and all the known members of humanity are stranded.

Treaty-Universe

Focusing on a treaty bound area of space, where nine alien species live in close proximity in a highly tenuous peace. The main characters of these stories are a clan of feline aliens.