C.J.Cherryh

Carolyn Janice Cherry, better known as C. J. Cherryh (St. Louis, Missouri, September 1, 1942), is an American writer. She currently resides in Spokane, Washington.

Biography

She studied at the University of Oklahoma where, not content with her training in anthropology, classical history, archeology, and linguistics, she dedicated herself to learning sciences such as physics, genetics, and others. She worked as a Latin professor at that university until in 1976 her successes led her to dedicate herself exclusively to writing.

Cherryh is one of the most prolific science fiction writers today. Since she published her first three novels in 1976, she has written more than fifty works. His books and series generally focus on the alien as the protagonist, and how different his way of thinking is from humans (as in his Chanur saga), or on very subtle concepts of scientific speculation such as psychogenesis ( Cyteen). She also has some forays into fantasy (Paladin).

Since receiving the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Author in 1977, this author's list of awards has grown with various awards, including three Hugo Awards (for the short story Cassandra in 1979 and for the novels Downbelow Station in 1982 and Cyteen in 1989), a Locus Award (for Cyteen in 1989) and a Skylark Award for all his contribution to science fiction. Likewise, she has enjoyed international fame, with her novels being published all over the world. For example, in France she is a highly appreciated author. On the other hand, in Spanish-speaking countries she is not well known due to the lack of translations of much of her work.

Style

Cherryh uses a "strong inner voice" third-person style. In this technique, the writer can only narrate the things that the character knows or thinks. For example, when Captain Chanur arrives at a space station, the narration cannot detail data that the newcomer ignores, no matter how interesting that data may be. for the reader.

Technique

Cherryh works with a fictional universe detailed with great realism thanks to her knowledge of languages, history, archeology and psychology. Writer Andre Norton compares her thoroughness to Tolkien's Cherryh cares a lot about creating cultures, species, and mindsets that make the reader reconsider her ideas about human nature.

Cherryh has said that in order to create an alien race in her novels she asks herself a series of questions and lets the answers dictate the parameters of that alien culture since "culture is how biology responds to the natural environment to improve conditions of life".

Bibliography in Spanish

• Brothers of Earth (1976) Brothers of Earth.
• Downbelow Station (1981) Downbelow Station.
• Paladin, (1988) The Paladin.
• Cyteen, (1989).
• Rimrunners, (1989).
• Dead time, (1991) Heavy Time.
• The Foreigner, (1994) Foreigner.

The Saga of Chanur

• Chanur's pride (1982) The Pride of Chanur.
• The Adventure of Chanur, (1984) Chanur's Venture.
• The Revenge of Chanur, (1985) The Kif Strike Back.
• The Return of Chanur, (1986) Chanur's Homecoming.