In this tantalizing prequel to Czerneda's Trade Pact Universe trilogy (A Thousand Words for Stranger, etc.), the roots of the Clan refugees are revealed. On the planet Cersi, the seven Om'ray clans coexist with the technologically superior Tikitik and Oud, who maintain peace by banning change. Aryl Sarc, a young Om'ray of the Yena Clan, hides her forbidden psychic abilities, but when a UFO attacks Yena harvesters, Aryl teleports her best friend, Bern, to safety, while others die, including her brother. The Tikitik then abduct Aryl and set her to spy on the off-world Strangers who may have sent the UFO. Human researcher Marcus Bowman's fact-finding mission on Cersi becomes inextricably linked to Aryl's adolescent rite of passage. Czerneda's world-building flair and fascinating characters set this intricate story well above most SF series prequels. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

For as long as they can remember, the seven clans of the Om'ray have dwelled under a strict division of society owing to the constraining presence of two superior alien races: the plains-dwelling Oud and the Tikitik, holders of the swamplands. Each clan member must remain at his designated home except for when he makes the mating journey, often across other clans' lands. Despite their aversion to change, the Om'ray stand at a pivotal moment in time: delegations from the Trade Pact worlds have discovered their realm, throwing off the balance. In addition, Aryl Sarc, an adept-in-training of the Yena Clan, has come close to discovering the forbidden secret behind the M'hir, the howling wind that gives both life and death to the planet. Set in the same universe as her "Trade Pact Universe" series (A Thousand Words for Stranger; Ties of Power; To Trade the Stars), Czerneda's latest novel launches a new "Stratification" series that retraces the journey of the clan to a time before they left their home to travel the stars. Fascinating world-building and sympathetic characters make this a good choice for most sf collections. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.