SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

OK, I need some help. A friend tells me I recommended a book series in the 90s and wants to find it.

This is either a spy or sci-fi novel. "A very long time ago you recommended a series of books I believe the protagonist was a spy but more importantly could understand languages down to the dialect from which it could be spoken. The main character in an early chapter he is talking to someone and pinpoints the exact regional dialect and starts speaking in it."

Does this ring a bell with anyone? I have been searching the web all day and can't figure out what I would have recommended. Thanx.

It sounds interesting; if you do find out please update this so I can consider reading it. We do have a thread about books that feature languages, linguistics. I assume you've also tried in the GR group What's the Name of That Book??

I dipped my toe into Google and found The Pledge which seems to fit the key languages hook, and is number one in a series, but it's YA from 2011 so not your book. However, your friend might be interested in it anyway. And maybe some sort of search "books like The Pledge" might help.

Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany could be a candidate?

"Babel-17 is a language that can be used as a weapon by enemy invaders during an interstellar war. Chinese starship captain, linguist, poet, and telepath Rydra Wong begins to learn the language.

After several attacks have been made by the invaders who speak Babel-17, she soon realizes the potential of the language to change one's thought process and provide speakers with certain powers, and she is recruited by her government to discover how the enemy is infiltrating and sabotaging strategic sites."

I am pretty new to GR, so I just stick to this SFFA group. I will try the What's the Name? GR group later today.

Thank all of you for helping, maybe we can figure this out for my friend.

My Wife Found It!

It was Cluster by Piers Anthony.

I will close this thread until the next time my memory fails me.

Thanks for letting us know!

If you need help with another title, it would be better to open a new thread.

Oh, good!