Review: The Aphorisms of Kherishdar

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The Aphorisms of Kherishdar by M.C.A. Hogarth. Catspaw DTP Services, 2008. Paperback with full-color inserts, 58 pages. ISBN: 978-1434891129. Five stars.

John W. Campbell famously said, "Give me something that thinks as well as a human being but not like a human being." Here it is. This collection presents 25 short stories featuring the Ai-Naidar, a race of felinoid aliens. The Ai-Naidar think in terms of family and clan, caste and cooperation – rather than individual choices as humans do. They are different from us, and thus fascinating.

The Ai-Naidar practice Civilization the way humans practice religion. The Emperor of Kherishdar, responsible for overseeing its five worlds and all its people, is believed to be the same soul who first established Civilization – reincarnated time and again to continue guiding His people. The Calligrapher, our narrator, is a Public Servant artist whose calligraphy, illumination, and aphorisms help people to feel secure in their place within the community and to weather the challenges that life presents.

Each of the 25 stories stands alone, and together they create a literary tour through Ai-Naidari culture. Every story begins with a word from the Ai-Naidari language, and includes somewhere within it an aphorism or other nugget of wisdom explaining a certain facet of their lifestyle and culture. Some stories deal with pleasantries like friendship and a game played by families expecting a new baby. Others deal with harsher things like breakups and misbehavior. We get to see how Kherishdar handles challenges in social dynamics – childcare, the disabled, criminals, and incompetents. The stories will leave you thinking about them, and Civilization, and your own society, long after you finish the book.

M.C.A. Hogarth happens to be an artist as well as a writer, so her delicate gouache paintings illustrate this book. The cover and five interior pictures appear in full color. These are rich, warm, flowing images that reveal much of Ai-Naidari culture. Hogarth is skilled at conveying mood through body language and symbolism in art. Also, the general layout of this book supports the “calligraphy” theme – titles are done in swooping serif font, and there are additional flourishes and embellishments elsewhere. The paper is palest ivory, just a shade warmer than white, very fine and smooth; not quite glossy, it holds the bright colors well, and the crisp scent of the ink lingers deliciously. It is very much like a modern version of historic illuminated manuscripts.

The beauty of the collection lies in the construction, the eloquence of the fiction, and the inspiration of its background. It’s rare to find someone with skill both at fiction and art, so the union of delivery is a special treat. Sociological science fiction is challenging to write, but rewarding; the detail and verisimilitude in these stories have made many readers wish to visit Kherishdar again and again. You’ll come to love these strange, splendid people and their Civilization which is so unlike our own, yet still recognizable. And all of this was funded by the community of fans who admire M.C.A. Hogarth’s writing and art – something we treasure, that we helped to make possible, so that others could share it. Come to Kherishdar; you’ll be glad you did.

The Aphorisms of Kherishdar is available through Amazon.com. Fans of science fiction, and especially xenolinguists, will love it. Students of anthropology, sociology, psychology, linguistics, and other human studies will enjoy the close look at an alien culture and how it works, for comparison against your own: it raises many excellent questions that are good for classroom, coffeehouse, or con suite discussions. Art mavens will appreciate not just the art, but the fact that an artist is the main character. Most highly recommended – run out and spend your lunch money on this one!