They're gender neutral, except once a month when they go into heat (called "kemmer") and become male or female, and mate with another of their species who is also in kemmer. The people of Winter are people - they're humans, with one significant difference. It tells the story of a human emissary to an alien world, sent there alone so as not to pose a threat, to invite the inhabitants of the planet - called Winter, for reasons that will become obvious - to join an intergalactic federation of worlds, called the Ekumen. And I'm very glad I did because, although I was convinced I'd read the book years ago, it turns out that every word of it was new to me. I was prompted to read this science fiction classic by the appearance of a recent Radio 4 adaptation.
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