Rating: 
Summary: Extremely enjoyable story.
Review: I just finished this book for the 7th time, and it's still one of the most involving stories I've every read. I couldn't put it down, and my spouse hasn't seen my face in days. I'm so glad I stole the first trilogy from his roommate, back in college! I won't bother to describe the plot or characters, others have done it better than I in previous reviews. I will say that this series of books fired conversations between my husband and I for years before the sequel trilogy was published. I wanted to be Miri, I had a crush on Val Con, and barring all else, I wanted to be adopted by the Clutch Turtles! Needless to say, like so many others, I highly recommend all the Liad books to anyone who appreciates science fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Beg Del Rey to re-release the Liaden series!
Review: I re-read few series but this one I've enjoyed at least five times. I enjoyed it so much the first time, I stole the books from their original owner! Agent of Change and Carpe Diem revolve around Valcon and Miri's adventures primarily, while Conflict of Honors is mostly about Valcon's family, set at the time Valcon becomes an Agent of Change. All the books stand alone but together they are an epic of uncommon balance and scope. I can't wait for the sequel!
Rating: 
Summary: Being Part of Liaden Universe is Saving Grace
Review: If it weren't for its inclusion in a great series, this book would be a dud for me.Rather than reading the Liaden books in the order they were published, I've been able to read them in chronological order (meaning Local Custom was my first). I've enjoyed my run through the books, but I think that things are starting to get a little predictable by the installment of Agent of Change. It's a standard forumla: bad-ass Liaden dude suddenly discovers his softer side when, lo and behold, he discovers the "perfect woman." By this point, I see the plot heading this way and I just go "yawn." The complaint about the characters I've seen mentioned before is that the male characters are a little overly sensitive in the efforts to make them, in my opinion, more appealing to the female audience. Able and willing to defend their woman to the end of the world, but soft and sensitive enough to want to "life-mate" and shout their affections from the rooftops. If I ever find a man half as caring and romantic as these characters I'll be the luckiest woman in the entire world. This deviation from what seems normal detracts from enjoyment, at least for me. They are cookie-cutter versions of the cliche "perfect man." And the women, while typically bold and decisive in their own rights, tend to suffer the "damsel in distress" plot twist at some point in the story - and I mean every one (of the main female characters). I also think the "romance" element is extremely over-played. Now, I know this is space opera and there's supposed to be lovey-dovey elements, but I feel like it's not developed properly. The characters start falling in love and getting married just weeks after being introduced. It's a little unbelievable, especially in this book where I feel like Val Con and Miri were underdeveloped. I never got a feel for these characters the way I did in books like Scout's Progress (my favorite, thus far) and even Conflict of Honors. They hardly trust each other to start out with, but a few weeks later: boy gives girl expensive present of necklance and rings and - gasp - they're in love? Sorry folks, it's just a little hard to swallow. However, on the good side (and there's plenty of good for all my complaining) the Liaden society is one of the best I've ever seen created. It's absolutely fascinating and the political themes foster extremely interesting situations and conflicts. The dialogue, as well, throughout the series, is consistently smart and sharp. Something to be admired and enjoyed. There are really good characters (Priscilla, Shan, Daav) that I really took to heart. So, on a whole, the series is worth checking out. While this particular installment left me about as bored as Local Custom did, I hold faith in the series' improvment along the timeline. Val Con and Miri don't impress me what-so-ever, but that may just be because I'm comparing them to the team of Shan (who is massively entertaining on his own) and Priscilla or Daav and Aelianna.
Rating: 
Summary: Great fun -- Bonnie and Clyde in space!
Review: Now this is what everyone needs at the end of a long day, to escape into an action-and-romance romp across the galaxy. The plot of this book (apparently part of a series that has become an underground hit while I wasn't looking): Val Con, spy and so much more for Liad, gets an unexpected pang of chivalry and saves Miri Robertson, cute little redhead, from an attack by a gang of thugs. Turns out Miri is a tough former Merc with a past that is coming after her big time in the form of the Juntavas -- a galactic mafia. Now Val Con and Miri are on the run together from varioius annoyed parties, having each made enemies of their own for all the right reasons, and they must learn to trust each other to survive. Along the way they enlist the help of some turtle-like aliens, who as chance would have it had adopted Val Con as a sort of blood brother and now take up his and Miri's cause as their own. I found this installment of the Liaden Universe novels very different in tone and characterization from the first, Conflict of Honors; it also has some of the most original elements in space opera. For starters, the aliens have the feel of much-beloved relatives as opposed to weird creatures. And rather than focusing on hardware and technology (which is definitely a factor here, make no mistake) the authors engage us with the quirky, yet believable personalities they have created. All this, and well-timed action, too!
Rating:
Summary: An excellent read, you could reread it over and over again.
Review: Steve Miller and Sharon Lee have produced a work that borders on epic, but with out the dull parts. Val Con yos'Phelium and Miri Robertson are two people that though you might not be able to identify with them, you would like to. Their story is one filled with all the ingredients of a great story. They are both brave and compitent people who are highly skilled in their professions. Val Con is a scout turned Agent of Change and Miri is a solder for hire. Both are very different personilities, yet these two hard professionals learn that there is more to life than just survival. Together they learn to laugh, to cry, to love, and to trust, and also that sometimes it takes two to survive. I have read "Agent of Change" and "Carpe Diem" but regret that I have not been able to find "Conflict of Honors" which I assume is the last book of the series. END
Rating:
Summary: prepare for insomnia
Review: The first book in Lee and Miller's (although the cover says "Miller & Lee") Liaden series. Witty, intelligent, and fun -- the only problems with this book and the others in the series is that you can't "read a few pages before going to sleep," because next thing you know you've read 200 pages and the dawn is beginning to peak through the curtains.
Rating:
Summary: One of my all time favorite series
Review: The Korval saga is one of the series that I get off my shelves, dust off and re-read at least once a year! These books are going to be re published by Misha Merlin, so you haven't missed your chance to read them yourself.
Rating:
Summary: Try to find a copy - You'll want to re-read this one often.
Review: This hard to find book will be reprinted in 2000 - but that's a long wait for such a great read! It's a rare treasure to find the wit and romance of a Georgette Heyer novel in a fast-paced space opera. SF fans - particulary those who like Janet Kagen or Lois McMaster Bujold - will appreciate the well-drawn characters, while the intricate back-story and universe will bring you back to the book again and again. Hard to find, as I said, (at least until 2000) - but worth the hunt.
Rating:
Summary: A happy ending-- more books are on the way!!
Review: This is a wonderful series that includes Agent of Change, Conflict of Honors, and Carpe Diem. Unfortunately, the series is out of print, but not for long. A three-in-one edition is due to be published in February of 2000 and more books in the series are being planned (says so in the author website). But the next book in the series, Plan B, is available to order now! It's supposed to be out in the next two months or so. What's all the fuss? The series has memorable, likeable characters and is funny, touching, and engrossing. The universe the authors have created is intricate and fully-realized. You can't read it just once...
Rating:
Summary: Being Part of Liaden Universe is Saving Grace
Review: Val Con yos'Phelium, Clan Korval, future Delm and Second Speaker, was just doing a routine mission on some backwater planet in the middle of the universe when his life changed. After completing his mission, he encountered a small spitfire of a woman and saved her life, for which she promptly repaid him by bashing his head in. When Val Con woke up, the spitfire dumped him, but Val Con was intrigued, so he followed her and saved her life again. Now Miri Robertson, whose life he had saved twice, was forced to deal with Val Con, honor demanded it. She was intrigued by Val Con, whom she nicknamed "Tough Guy", but definitely didn't want a partner. As a former mercenary and bodyguard, she could handle herself and, as a target for the powerful Juntavas crime ring, she couldn't trust anyone... However, both Val Con and Miri, both of whom were used to working alone, soon found that they worked well as partners, at least they would if Miri would stop trying to ditch Val Con at every opportunity. Val Con knew that Miri was something special, she made him feel things that he hadn't felt in years, she made him feel alive again. Miri didn't know what was wrong with Val Con, but she knew it had something to do with what he called The Loop, some kind of brain implant that gave him the odds of success on every mission/action he made. As they grew closer together, both Val Con and Miri realized that the Department of the Interior, who had trained Val Con as an agent, must have some ulterior motive in plan. But in order to find out what it was, they had to stay alive... Agent of Change is the 4th book in the Liaden series if you read them chronologically (which I recommend). As with the other books, I simply loved Lee & Miller's characters and world building. They spend time on the details and it shows that they have carefully thought out and executed another masterpiece. I really feel as if I know the Korval family and am taking a remedial course on Liaden etiquette, these books are that well written! If you enjoy any kind of science fiction or space opera then this book has something for you - great characters, lots of action, enemies on all sides, high tech battle sequences, romance, family relations, honor, and much, much more! You can read this book as a stand-alone novel, but I would not recommend it as you will miss a lot of background, even though you should be able to follow the plot without too much trouble. Also, you definitely should not miss out on any book in the wonderful Liaden universe - all of them are very highly recommended!
|
