My life in books

A Thousand Words for Stranger, Julie E. Czerneda

In A Thousand Words for Stranger, Czerneda introduces us to the Clan, a humanoid species in a galactic spanning civilisation where many species interact, with powerful psionic powers, most notably the ability to travel instantly across interstellar distances. But the Clan have a problem – they’ve been controlling their own breeding, in an attempt to develop even more powerful abilities in themselves. And their powers are connected to their ability to reproduce, and the stronger they become, the less able they are to safely mate and reproduce.

Against this backdrop of biological necessity, A Thousand Words for Stranger tells the story of Sira of Sarc, a powerful clanswoman with an idea that could save her people, and human telepath and space trader Captain Jason Morgan. Adventure, romance, and an interesting alien culture all add up to an enjoyable read. And there are more volumes set in the Trade Pact universe, so there’s more to discover.