Rider at the Gate
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Books |
Rider at the Gate is a science fiction novel authored by American writer C. J. Cherryh, initially released by Warner Books in August 1995. It represents the first installment of a two-book series set within Cherryh's Finisterre universe. The follow-up novel, Cloud's Rider, was published in September 1996. This series delves into the lives of the descendants of settlers who became stranded many generations ago on the hostile world of Finisterre.
Plot summary
At the gates of Shamesey town, three riders arrive to deliver news to border rider Guil Stuart that his partner, Aby Dale, and her nighthorse Moon perished in a truck convoy accident on Tarmin Height caused by a rogue nighthorse. Determined to track down the rogue, Stuart embarks on the dangerous mountain expedition accompanied by junior rider Danny Fisher and rival Ancel Harper, who harbors resentment toward Stuart for his brother’s prior death. With winter looming, their journey through the mountains is fraught with risk.
Stuart makes his way to Anveney, an industrial settlement, where he encounters businessman Lew Cassivey. Dale had been employed by Cassivey and was escorting a gold shipment when the accident occurred. Cassivey commissions Stuart to retrieve the lost gold, providing payment in advance.
In Tarmin village located in the highlands, 13-year-old Brionne Goss responds to a call from a rogue nighthorse and leaves the safety of the gates alone; the horse subsequently bonds with her. Meanwhile, Brionne’s brothers Carlo and Randy are taken into custody following their father’s death after he accused them of forcing Brionne out through the gate. Carlo had shot their abusive father in self-defense. When Brionne returns accompanied by the rogue horse, her mother insists on opening the gates, which results in an onslaught of predators that devastates Tarmin—only rider Tara Chang and the imprisoned brothers survive.
Upon arrival at Tarmin, Fisher finds the village destroyed and releases the Goss brothers from captivity. Stuart reaches Tarmin’s gates but is ambushed by Harper and forced to retreat to a rider shelter, where he is later joined by Chang. The rogue horse with Brionne appears; Stuart identifies it as Moon, Dale’s horse that had gone rogue following Dale’s accident. To protect Brionne, Stuart kills Moon, causing Brionne to fall into a coma from the trauma.
Stuart realizes that Moon had been projecting false images of herself alongside Dale into the ambient to mislead others. Harper attacks Stuart at the shelter but is killed by Chang; Harper’s nighthorse flees without its rider and risks becoming another rogue threat. Fisher escorts Brionne and her brothers to safety while Stuart stays behind to recover from his wounds.
Humans
- Danny Fisher – 17-year-old novice rider from Shamesey town
- Guil Stuart – border rider stationed in Malvey town
- Aby Dale – experienced rider and Stuart's partner
- Ancel Harper – veteran rider
- Lew Cassivey – entrepreneur based in Anveney town
- Tara Chang – senior rider from Tarmin village
- Brionne Goss – 13-year-old daughter of Tarmin village blacksmith
- Carlo Goss – 16-year-old son of Tarmin village blacksmith
- Randy Goss – 14-year-old son of Tarmin village blacksmith
Nighthorses
- Cloud – young nighthorse bonded with Danny Fisher
- Burn – Guil Stuart’s horse
- Flicker – Tara Chang’s horse
- Moon – Aby Dale’s horse
- Spook – Ancel Harper’s horse (nickname; actual name unknown)
See also
References
- Rider at the Gate, C. J. Cherryh, Hodder & Stoughton, first UK edition, 1995.
Further reading
- Roland Green, Critique of Rider at the Gate, Booklist, vol. 91, no. 22, August 1995, p. 1933
- Gerald Jonas, Analysis of Rider at the Gate and Cloud's Rider, The New York Times Book Review, vol. 101, September 15, 1996, pp. 40–51
- Sybil Steinberg, Evaluation of Rider at the Gate, Publishers Weekly, vol. 242, no. 30, July 24, 1995, p. 52