Title: Matriarch
Author: Karen Traviss
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Publisher: Eos
Copyright: 2006
ISBN: 006088231X
Pages: 387
Keywords: SF
Reading period: 20-30 December, 2006

The fourth installment in Traviss's series about the wess'har, which began with City of Pearl. The plot is too complex to summarize here, and would make little sense if you haven't read the preceding books.

This is intelligent, character-driven SF, written for adults. A small cast of humans interact with four very different alien races, far from home. These aliens are not Americans with green skin; they live by different rules. The humans are flawed people who struggle with complex issues.

Traviss's themes include ecology, ethics, and responsibility. She also throws in some action and enough plot twists to keep things unpredictable.

The books take a little getting used to, but pull me along. I look forward to the projected remaining two books in the series.