For the C.J. Cherryh one it's definitely become one of my favourite books which is why I'm re-reading it I really like how it treats the different groups that are met as being incredibly different and alien to each other. The omnibus doesn't have all the books attached to the series there are 2 more Chanur's Homecoming and Chanur's Legacy with Chanur's Homecoming picking up on the cliff-hanger that the Omnibus ends you on which I did not know when I first picked up the omnibus.

I was really interested in the pre-Islamic section of the book and I have to say it was quite enjoyable it's a shame that it can't go too in-depth on the topics presented in that time period I'm assuming both because of lack of source materials but also because it is reviewing such a vast period of time. But I think as an overview of everything it does a really good job at the point that I'm at at giving you nice starting points to dig deep into if you want to and you can find stuff on. Like introducing the Arab vassal kingdoms of Rome and Persia and how they are different from the South Arabian kingdoms of the time but the two groups become inextricably linked because of wars and migration and such.