In this tantalizing prequel to Czerneda's Trade Pact Universe trilogy (A Thousand Words for Stranger
, etc.), the roots of the Clan refugees are revealed. On the planet Cersi, the seven Om'ray clans coexist with the technologically superior Tikitik and Oud, who maintain peace by banning change. Aryl Sarc, a young Om'ray of the Yena Clan, hides her forbidden psychic abilities, but when a UFO attacks Yena harvesters, Aryl teleports her best friend, Bern, to safety, while others die, including her brother. The Tikitik then abduct Aryl and set her to spy on the off-world Strangers who may have sent the UFO. Human researcher Marcus Bowman's fact-finding mission on Cersi becomes inextricably linked to Aryl's adolescent rite of passage. Czerneda's world-building flair and fascinating characters set this intricate story well above most SF series prequels. (Sept.)
