Reading the Bones

Nebula Award, 1998 - Best Novella
Locus Online Recommended Reading 2001

A struggling linguist, a sheltered debutante, and a strangely silent child are running for their lives, trapped in the violent confluence of three species, only one of which is human.

The Xenolinguist stories are fast-paced, gripping explorations of cross-cultural communication as well as perennial fan favorites. The Nebula Award–winning novella Reading the Bones has now been expanded to novel length, following xenolinguist Ries Danyo and sisters Lita and Jilan Patel to their pivotal roles in shaping the future of the Frehti.

Sheila Finch is the author of more than seven books, including Reading the Bones>/i>, Infinity's Web, and Birds. She is the winner of a Nebula Award and Compton Crook Award. She studied Medieval Literature and Linguistics at Indiana University. Finch is recently retired from her post as a creative writing teacher at El Camino College but continues to work with her former students.