Review of Peacemaker by C.J. Cherryh

It's here—I think. The wheels within wheels, conspiracy wrapped in conspiracy wrapped in conspiracy that began with the space mission's return to Ateva in Conspirator, has moved, wandered, excited, summarized, and sometimes repeated itself through eight novels to Protector. But with Peacemaker (2014), I think we have an end to the plot eight novels in the making.

And what grander place to end matters than with an exceptional set piece? Events taking place over the course of two days, in Peacemaker the shadow guild is finally confronted—in their home. Bren and his entourage tasked with the confrontation, bullets fly, blood flows, and ultimately a society must reset its views to security and leadership.

If there were a Foreigner series reader who complained of the lack of 'excitement' or 'action', firstly, I highly doubt they would have made it to novel 15 in the series. But in the case they did, Peacemaker delivers. Another way of saying this is, peace in this case is only possible after the bullets fly. Cherryh takes a portion of the intro to build the scene, but once she does

Perhaps the most interesting thing about Peacemaker is that it leaves itself wide open. Now that usurpation of Taibini is defeated and the crisi in the shadow guild resolved, what's next? Was Jace a preview and we go to the space station? Will the Kyo return? Will Cajeri and Bren work together to build unity in the atevi? In the next novel, Tracker, it seems readers will be reminded what a new, overarching plot line feels like. After nine novels in the same arc, time for new wheels (within wheels).