Otherwise: The 3rd Vol. in the Others Series

Like its predecessors, The Others and OtherWhere , this third installment of Bonanno's globe-spanning saga takes place on a distant planet called the World, which is inhabited by the Others, a race of rational, pacifistic and technologically advanced aliens, and by the aboriginal People, who are intelligent, but also superstitious and bellicose. Having once befriended the Others, the People have since used the Others' own technology to all but annihilate them. Now the People have turned that same technology on each other in destructive internecine wars. A few remaining Others, including Lingri Inept, Other chronicler and series protagonist, emerge from hiding to help save the World's inhabitants. A cryptic message from an old ally offers hope for both species' survival, sending Lingri and her grown half-People son on a perilous quest into hostile territory at the edge of chaos. Bonanno portrays with vivid poignancy the aftermath of genocide and the decline of a once-glorious civilization. Though the narrative flow occasionally suffers from the overuse of flashbacks, and the resolution is a bit too facile, likable characters and a well-conceived setting contribute to an entertaining and thought-provoking book. (Aug.)