Jaran (Paperback)

That being said, I will try not to spoil anything. Jaran is not a fantasy book. There is no magic here, no wands or sourcery or incantations. It is pure science fiction, but without the monotonous and cliché use of outer space and starships as a setting. Rather, it is set on a "primitive" planet, where technology is sorely behind the times and the major cultural center surrounds a university. Tribes of Jaran roam the plains, and the Jahar, bands of Jaran warriors, war and explore in their beloved home. They've their own laws, myths, songs and stories, and ways of life, entirely different from those in more developed regions. Though the Jaran come from regions that are not technologically developed, they are still extremely intelligent. Definitely not the "brutes of the north" that some writers are so fond of! The book occasionally switches locations, focusing briefly on Tess' brother, the Duke, but this simply offers a bit of insight into why Tess does some of the things she does. It also offers characters a reason to appear later, so they don't simply drop out of nowhere with no readily apparent reason for their appearance.

Romance is at the heart of Jaran, where the intelligent, confident, university-educated leader of a Jaran tribe (Ilyakoria Bahktiian) meets the heir of a planetary Dukedom (Tess Sorensen). However, the story is not about them alone, and the plot is supported by a host of interesting and well-developed supporting characters (Yuri, Kirill, and Nikolai, to name but a scant few). Traveling is not done in a haphazard way, but to seamlessly advance the plot. Each move has a point, and is not done simply to get characters from one place to another without explanation. There are no characters that are granted immunity, either. Many get injured, and friends, foes and family alike are all subject to death. Dialogue is executed very well, too, at times touching, at times witty, at times passionate and at others downright hilarious. Like the Jaran themselves, it varies with the moods of the speakers and the situations.

Elliott's writing is absolutely superb, and of a quality that one rarely finds anymore. It's the writing of someone who takes her time, not someone who churns out book after book in order to satisfy the demands of publishers for more money and the public for more books. Settings are beautifully described, and the characters are developed very well. Not only are they remarkable to begin with, they grow as the story progresses. Though other books follow it, Jaran can easily stand on its own as a remarkable work.

Several reviewers have said that this is a "gay book," or that Ms. Elliott has an "obsession with gay themes." This is not true. While homosexual attractions are included as a very minor part of her Crown of Stars series, they are not the focus of it. The same is true for Jaran. Yes, there *is* a tribe of gay men, who have forsaken their tribes and people because they do not conform to the idea of getting married to women and having children. Yes, they would far rather sleep with each other. Yes, their leader is in love with Bahktiian. But this does *not* make Jaran a gay story! Again, that group of people who are different merely serves to enrich the world (and in a romance, the presence of gay characters is rare indeed... such tales usually revolve around heterosexual ideals alone). Do not let the label of "gay fiction" given to this work by some deter you from reading an amazing story. Even if you are uncomfortable with homosexuality, you won't mind this. There are no graphic sexual descriptions, or depictions of men kissing or touching other men sexually. It's simply an interesting little plot twist, not a major storyline. (I would not, however, object if Ms. Elliott wished to write a Jaran installment about the gay tribe in particular. I *adore* gay sci-fi and fantasy, thank you very much, and I only wish that there were more of it! If Ms. Elliott happens to find this, I register a plea: more Ivar and Baldwin! I was most engrossed and appreciative, and hope to see more.)

Simply put, Jaran is a wonderful sci-fi romance. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will undoubtedly leave you changed, even if only a little bit. *This* is high sci-fi, what every author should strive for: a unique world, well-developed and unique characters, and such wonder that readers will gladly return to the realm of the Jaran time and time again.