Cyteen is a great novel. I recommend it. In general, I love her writing although I think she went overboard with the Foreigner universe. I quit that after six or seven books. Enough already. The Chanur Saga is my favorite of hers. Love the Hani, especially Pyanfar (see icon). She does write non-human characters well; she might be the best. She creates a convincing alien psychology, and alien culture to go with it, and she does it over and over and over again. Her aliens are alien.