The Merchanter novels are several loosely connected novels by

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

and

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...

author

C. J. Cherryh Carolyn Janice Cherry (born September 1, 1942), better known by the pen name C. J. Cherryh, is an American writer of speculative fiction. She has written more than 80 books since the mid-1970s, including the Hugo Award-winning novels '' Downbelo ...

set in her Alliance-Union universe. These science fiction novels explore her merchanter subculture: the extended families that own and operate the

ships A ship is a large watercraft that travels the world's oceans and other sufficiently deep waterways, carrying cargo or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research, and fishing. Ships are generally distinguished ...

that supply goods, transportation, news and trade to the various worlds and

space station A space station is a spacecraft capable of supporting a human crew in orbit for an extended period of time, and is therefore a type of space habitat. It lacks major propulsion or landing systems. An orbital station or an orbital space station i ...

s in the human Earth, Alliance and Union space. The novels are related by a common setting and theme – a misfit (made so by circumstance) who finds his or her proper home – rather than plot and character; none of the books is a direct sequel of another in the conventional sense. Cherryh's merchanter-oriented works include: *''

Merchanter's Luck ''Merchanter's Luck'' is a science fiction novel by American writer C. J. Cherryh. It is set in the author's Alliance-Union universe, in which humanity has split into three major power blocs: Union, the Merchanter's Alliance and Earth. In the ...

'' ( DAW Books, 1982) *''

Rimrunners ''Rimrunners'' is a science fiction novel by American writer C. J. Cherryh, set in her Alliance-Union universe, in which humanity has split into three major power blocs: Union, the Merchanter's Alliance and Earth. Chronologically, the book fo ...

'' ( Warner Books, 1989) *''

Tripoint A tripoint, trijunction, triple point, or tri-border area is a geographical point at which the boundaries of three countries or subnational entities meet. There are 175 international tripoints as of 2020. Nearly half are situated in rivers, l ...

'' (Warner, 1994) *'' Finity's End'' (Warner, 1997) *''

Alliance Rising ''Alliance Rising: The Hinder Stars I'' is a 2019 science fiction novel by American writers C. J. Cherryh and Jane S. Fancher. It is one of Cherryh's Merchanter novels and is set in the author's Alliance–Union universe. It is the first new n ...

'' (DAW, 2019) – credited to C. J. Cherryh and Jane S. Fancher ''Rimrunners'' differs from the other three novels in that the story does not take place aboard a merchanter ship and does not feature merchanter families. All four books were nominated for the

Locus Award The Locus Awards are an annual set of literary awards voted on by readers of the science fiction and fantasy magazine ''Locus'', a monthly magazine based in Oakland, California. The awards are presented at an annual banquet. In addition to the pl ...

for Best Science Fiction Novel in their respective years of eligibility, but only ''Rimrunners'' and ''Finity's End'' were shortlisted. Cherryh's

Hugo Award The Hugo Award is an annual literary award for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year, given at the World Science Fiction Convention and chosen by its members. The Hugo is widely considered the premier a ...

-winning novel ''

Downbelow Station ''Downbelow Station'' is a science fiction novel by American writer C. J. Cherryh, published in 1981 by DAW Books. It won the Hugo Award in 1982, was shortlisted for a Locus Award that same year, and was named by ''Locus'' magazine as one of ...

'' (DAW, 1981), is also closely related to these works, as it covers the conclusion of the Company Wars between the Earth Company Fleet and Union, and the formation of the Merchanter's Alliance itself. The books are works of

space opera Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes space warfare, with use of melodramatic, risk-taking space adventures, relationships, and chivalric romance. Set mainly or entirely in outer space, it features technological and soci ...

, and some also have aspects of military science fiction, particularly ''Rimrunners''.

References

Publication information

*Cherryh, C. J.; Fancher, Jane S. ''Alliance Rising'', DAW Books, 2019. *Cherryh, C. J. ''Downbelow Station'', DAW Books, 1981. *Cherryh, C. J. ''Finity's End'', Warner Aspect, 1997. *Cherryh, C. J. ''Merchanter's Luck'', DAW Books, 1982. *Cherryh, C. J. ''Rimrunners'', Warner Books, 1989. *Cherryh, C. J. ''Tripoint'', Warner Aspect, 1994. Book series introduced in 1982 Science fiction book series by C. J. Cherryh Military science fiction novels Alliance–Union universe {{mil-sf-novel-stub