Chanur is a
hani clan, from the
Compact universe by
C.J. Cherryh. The following books contain tales of the
Chanur clan:
- The Pride of Chanur
- Chanur's Venture
- The Kif Strike Back
- Chanur's Homecoming
- Chanur's Legacy
This is top-notch science fiction, IMHO. The Compact is a fully-realized multispecies society, with its own peculiar politics and stresses. Cherryh does an absolutely unbelievable job of telling an entire series of stories about alien cultures from the POV of one of those alien cultural groups.
Not to suggest it's all politics! The series contains some serious action as well; vividly-described and imaged starship (jumpship) combat, as well as more strategic maneuvering. All of these stories follow a thorough and consistent set of rules regarding the species and their motivations, set down early and subtly by the author.