Not Ready to Leave the Tea Table
It is a shame this is where the audiobooks end.
Nineteen books in, this series has managed a rare shift. At the start, I suspect many readers were hanging on to see what would happen with the kyo. By the time we return fully to atevi politics, that thread matters less. The court, the family ties, the rituals, and the slow movements around the throne have become the real draw.
I was ready to settle in for another tea ceremony.
Cherryh has the useful problem of abundance here. Returning to Cajeiri’s uncle opens one path, but there are several old plotlines lying around the throne room waiting to be picked up. Developing Cajeiri’s viewpoint remains one of the best decisions in the series. Watching an alien child grow up is oddly satisfying. His bond with his mother feels earned. And the uncles continue to be one of the pleasures of these books.
I am not sure when I will get to the last three books as there’s much more competition for desk time. If they were on Audible, I I’d be done by now.