Julie E. Czerneda, Rift in the Sky

On the planet Cersi lives three different sentient species. The Oud resides under the ground tunneling to where they want to go and have the ability to restore clan lands; the impoverished Om'Ray can pass as human and have psi power so that all in a clan are interconnected; finally the Tikitik are by far the most feral. All three species adhere to the Agreement, which demands they keep their society stagnant and stay inside their assigned areas except during the Passage. In spite of their efforts change has come in the form of Marcus Bowman and his Trade Pact traders have arrived seeking Hoveny Concentrix artifacts.

Sona clan member Aryl was thrown out of her own clan for displaying a new power that breaks the peace accord as she can transport from one point to another using the forbidden M'hir. She and her followers upset the Balance further by repopulating the abandoned Sona clan. Children born to the Sona Clan have the ability to transport. Space pirates destroy the work of Marcus and kill his people; as he dies he gives the artifacts to Aryl and her Chosen male Enris. They teleport to the planet Stoneham III with the artifacts so that she and her M'hiray (as they now call themselves) have something to barter with the traders so they can live peacefully in the Trade Pact worlds. However, the cost is not remembering their lives on Cersi or their former clan mates the Om'Ray.

Fans will enjoy how the M'hiray clan first formed, left their homeworld and scattered amidst the Trade Pact worlds. Julie E. Czerneda is a first class world builder as she creates a distinct culture (for that matter enhances all three co-existing cultures on Cersi as well) Aryl remains a strong person who shows her fortitude as she wants to save her clan and those of the others. Fans will enjoy the earlier years on and off Cersi with characters from three differing species and diverse cultures living in peaceful coexistence when the Trade Pact humans arrive. The Stratification saga is simply stupendous (see RIDERS OF THE STORM and REAP THE WILD WIND)