Ties of Power is the second book in the Clan Chronicles trilogy, all of which takes place inside of Julie Czerneda’s Trade Pact Universe.

The book follows the characters and storyline introduced in its predecessor, A Thousand Words for Stranger.

I very much enjoyed A Thousand Words for Stranger and was a bit nervous going into Ties of Power as I’d read several reviews where people didn’t care for this second book quite as much. To my relief, I loved it.

Czerneda is a biologist by trade, and that background is readily apparent in Ties of Power thanks to how vividly she describes all of the alien creatures that she’s created for her world.

The main character, Sira, is part of an alien (to humans) group of beings called the Clan. Sira and her fellow Clan members look and talk like humans, but they are all gifted with some level of telepathy. The strongest telepaths can physically transit through time by moving their mind and body into an energy stream that connects all places and things.

Most of the Clan members consider themselves to be superior to all other beings, including humans, but Sira is different. Not only is she the most powerful Clan member to ever exist but she’s gone and partnered up with a human telepath named Jason.

That’s absolutely Not Cool in the Clan’s eyes, as they want Sira to procreate with another Clan member to create even more powerful children.

So, through the course of the book, the Clan’s after Sira. They attack her, they chase her through space; it’s a whole mess. She and Jason take a two-pronged approach to dealing with the people behind these issues, and Sira sets off on her own quest. Along the way, though, she gets mixed up with a curious group of feathered, bug-like creatures called the Drapsk.

I found the Drapsk to be delightful. They’re a weird, weird bunch, but ultimately wind up holding a key to the future and existence of the Clan that Sira didn’t know existed. They seem absurd on the surface but wind up bringing some additional science into the storyline, and as I said, Czerneda’s background as a biologist shines here. She describes the Drapsk in such detail, and with such consistency, that it’s easy to feel as if you’re reading about a real species that someone observed in a remote landscape.

While Ties of Power is definitely the Middle Book in a Trilogy—there’s an ending that remains open for a third book, though it’s not exactly a cliffhanger—it’s a strong story in its own right. It’s not phoned in.

I was enamored the whole way through the book, right up until the end, and am delighted to know that the story continues for four more books (two trilogies in total) plus a prequel trilogy.

If you like sci-fi that’s not too hard but definitely contains science, and a good fantasy-esque romp through space (more interpersonal antics, less time warp stuff on the spaceships), it’s a great read. You’ll definitely need to start with A Thousand Words for Stranger, though. Ties of Power gives a recap of sorts, but to really follow the action, it’s important to read book #1 first.

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