"
Finity's End" is the most recent
novel set in the "
Company"
series by
prolific science fiction author C.J. Cherryh. The
novel was first published in
1997 by
Warner Books.
"
Finity's End" is set towards the end of the
Alliance/
Union war. Even though the
Mazianni Fleet is still lurking in the shadows, the
Alliance and
Union are actually moving towards
peace. One of the main contributors to the
peace effort is the
Merchanter ship Finity's End, one of the oldest and most respected
Merchanters. Its Captain,
James Robert Neihart, who already played a significant role in the development of the political situation, now tries to
unite the
Merchanters to reduce the
black market goods which support the
Mazianni Fleet.
If neither of this makes sense to you, rest assured that this
novel can easily be read without prior knowledge of the other books in the series. Even though it helps to have read at least "
Downbelow Station" and some of the other
Merchanter novels (such as "
Tripoint" and "
Merchanter's Luck"), it's not necessary to do so to enjoy the story.
Cherryh structures this novel around
Fletcher Neihart, who also appeared in "
Downbelow Station" as a young boy. In "
Finity's End", Fletcher has grown up on
Pell Station. His dreams of studying the native
hisa, the only other
intelligent life humanity has discovered, will not come true as his former
ship,
Finity's End, comes to claim him as one of their own. Initially against his will, Fletcher becomes part of a
traditional Merchanter family-run ship.
In one sense, this is a classic
coming of age story, told from the
point of view of a rather
bratty adolescent. At the same time, however, this novel describes some very
intricate and interesting changes in the
political situation of the
Alliance/
Union universe. All in all, this is an excellent and
captivating read which can be enjoyed by long-time
C.J. Cherryh fans and new readers alike. Recommended.