Cherryh, C.J.
CUCKOO'S EGG
C.J. Cherryh
DAW 1985
Pb 319 pages
ISBN#
0-88677-083-1
Are you looking fro a story to give you an intricate human relationship? Do you
like the mentor/student pairing set in the old oriental style? Do you like to
see this student learn to be so good at self-defense that no one on the planet
can beat him in one-on-one combat? --And also become so wise as to know when to
fight and when not to? If you say yes to all of the above, then you might enjoy
this book; for those features it does fulfill. CUCKOOS EGG is also recommended
for beginning writers who want an excellent example of "Show, don't Tell." In
that, Cherryh is very good.
On the other hand--I ask you: do you think a human raised without any contact with other humans would then, as an adult, be able to interpret human non-verbal behavior? Is this an instinctual trait or a learned one? Or both? If you say it is totally instinctual, then this book will not be a problem for you; but, if you are like me and believe a lot of human behavior to be learned, then I do not recommend this book or you will feel cheated by a premise that (for you) is not plausible.
Also--if you are seeking a good alien/human story like Cherryh's wonderful FOREIGNER series, this is not the place to find it. The aliens in CUCKOO'S EGG are just humans in disguise (figuratively speaking). Their behavior and culture are comfortingly human--for those who like that sort of thing. Personally, I found the lack of originality very disappointing.
The story-line: The Shonunin alien called Dunn-hatani takes an infant human male into seclusion on a planet named "earth" and raises him to be hatani--a self-sufficient warrior who can also, if so chosen, be a judge of the people (to Shonunin, that is). The child Thorn learns many things, like: he is different from his benefactor but cannot find out why; Dunn can kill him, and just might one of these days if Thorn doesn't very quickly learn to defend himself; and, governments and big businesses are much more dangerous than Thorn ever could have imagined. The setting is very similar to our time and place: microwave ovens in kitchens and space shuttles that can reach a space station. The human Thorn is being groomed for a very special position in a world of aliens who fear him. And no one will tell him why.
I found the mystery great until the end, which I couldn't buy (see paragraph
two above). I also did not appreciate the use of an earth-type culture without a
good explanation. But the characterization is quite good, per Cherryh's usual
knack, so the read wasn't a total waste. Thorn is a typical teenage boy with a
confusion of emotions and needs. I was kept reading by the fact that he is
surrounded by aliens who suddenly want to kill him, and I really wanted to find
out why (and did find out).
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