First published 1980
The Mri face extinction. These proud warrior-mercenaries once served the regul in exchange for a homeworld, but human forces have driven them to the brink with overwhelming numbers and technology. Humans fight without the honor codes that define Mri warfare, treating them as mere killers who take no prisoners and fear no death. The regul, their former employers, see them the same way. Both species know the Mri only as warriors accompanied by dangerous beasts, missing the deeper truths that lie beneath their culture. One human makes direct contact with the surviving Mri, discovering that their warrior caste represents only the surface of their civilization. Hidden knowledge exists within Mri society that even their own fighters have never learned. To grasp these secrets and understand what the Mri truly are, this human must transform himself completely, becoming more Mri than human in his thinking and being.
Genres: science-fiction, military-fiction, adventure, fantasy
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, transformation
Setting: Kutath
256 pages · Mass Market Paperback · DAW
Content warnings: violence