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The Merchanter novels are several loosely connected novels by science fiction and fantasy author C. J. Cherryh set in her Alliance-Union universe. These science fiction novels explore her merchanter subculture: the extended families that own and operate the ships that supply goods, transportation, news and trade to the various worlds and space stations in the human Earth, Alliance and Union space. The novels are related by a common setting and theme – a misfit (made so by circumstance) who finds his or her proper home – rather than plot and character; none of the books is a direct sequel of another in the conventional sense.

Cherryh's merchanter-oriented works include:

• Merchanter's Luck (DAW Books, 1982)
• Rimrunners (Warner Books, 1989)
• Tripoint (Warner, 1994)
• Finity's End (Warner, 1997)
• Alliance Rising (DAW, 2019) – credited to C. J. Cherryh and Jane S. Fancher

Rimrunners differs from the other three novels in that the story does not take place aboard a merchanter ship and does not feature merchanter families.

All four books were nominated for the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel in their respective years of eligibility, but only Rimrunners and Finity's End were shortlisted. Cherryh's Hugo Award-winning novel Downbelow Station (DAW, 1981), is also closely related to these works, as it covers the conclusion of the Company Wars between the Earth Company Fleet and Union, and the formation of the Merchanter's Alliance itself.

The books are works of space opera, and some also have aspects of military science fiction, particularly Rimrunners.

References

1. "1990 Award Winners & Nominees". Worlds Without End. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
2. "1998 Award Winners & Nominees". Worlds Without End. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
3. "1982 Award Winners & Nominees". Worlds Without End. Retrieved 2009-07-15.

Publication information

• Cherryh, C. J.; Fancher, Jane S. Alliance Rising, DAW Books, 2019.
• Cherryh, C. J. Downbelow Station, DAW Books, 1981.
• Cherryh, C. J. Finity's End, Warner Aspect, 1997.
• Cherryh, C. J. Merchanter's Luck, DAW Books, 1982.
• Cherryh, C. J. Rimrunners, Warner Books, 1989.
• Cherryh, C. J. Tripoint, Warner Aspect, 1994.

v t e C. J. Cherryh
Bibliography
Science fiction series	Alliance–Union universe The Faded Sun Trilogy Alternate Realities The Chanur novels The Merchanter novels Devil to the Belt Foreigner series Finisterre universe
Fantasy series	The Morgaine Stories Ealdwood Stories The Russian Stories The Fortress Series
Science fiction novels	Brothers of Earth Hunter of Worlds Hestia Serpent's Reach Downbelow Station Merchanter's Luck Forty Thousand in Gehenna Angel with the Sword Cuckoo's Egg Cyteen Rimrunners Tripoint Rider at the Gate Cloud's Rider Finity's End Hammerfall Forge of Heaven Regenesis Alliance Rising (with Jane S. Fancher) Alliance Unbound (with Fancher)
Fantasy novels	Gate of Ivrel Well of Shiuan Fires of Azeroth Exile's Gate Ealdwood The Dreamstone The Tree of Swords and Jewels The Paladin Rusalka Chernevog Yvgenie The Goblin Mirror Faery in Shadow Lois & Clark: A Superman Novel
Short fiction collections	Glass and Amber The Collected Short Fiction of C. J. Cherryh
Short fiction	"Cassandra" "The Scapegoat" "The Brothers"
Related	Jane Fancher (spouse) David A. Cherry (brother) Heroes in Hell Merovingen Nights Azi Mri Themes of C. J. Cherryh's works The Cherryh Odyssey The Company War 77185 Cherryh
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• Book series introduced in 1982
• Science fiction book series by C. J. Cherryh
• Military science fiction novels
• Alliance–Union universe
• Military science fiction novel stubs