Rating: 
Summary: Excellent!
Review: Clan Korval shines and shows once again its ability to make the best out of every situation. Two more members of Korval meet their matches. The aliens are good. The Yxtrang are intriguing. The cat is scary. The villains are properly punished. I cannot wait for more.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Science Fiction
Review: Do NOT start the Liaden Universe with this book! This is the culmination of several books and is really, really, excellent. I recommend instead that you start with the first book in the series "Conflict of Honors." Steve and Sharon blend traditional space opera with deep character development and throw in a dash of fantasy, meditation, and spirituality.These two are in the same league as Asimov, Heinlein, & Tolkein. Highest recommendation for their Liaden Universe books. I like them enough that I have signed hardcovers. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous!
Review: Even though I didn't like the ending either, this book - and indeed the whole series - is FABULOUS! This is a shining example of series that has intelligent plots, wonderful world-building, great, interesting characters that drew me in. As one other reader has said, I never much cared for Pat Rin, either, but once I started the book, I found myself rooting for him, more and more. Lee and Miller have a wonderful ability to evolve their characters without resorting to cliches or stock appearances - their characters are always nuanced, and grow with the series. I also really enjoy the plot twists, although I would have liked to know more about why the Commander of Agents acted as he did. Val Con's reaction at the end of the book threw me - I'd never seen anything in his character that led me to believe that he'd be that happy at the Council decision - but, other than that, a really wonderful story. I hope they write other stories with these characters, because they are wonderful and their world is sublime. (It was delightful to see Daav again, too, since I really liked his character).
Rating:
Summary: A Tale of High Adventure (and lots of fun!)
Review: I read this book last year in pre-press Galley form, and liked it very much then. I just (May 2002) read the hardcover edition (it had been packed for a while), liking it even more. Even though the story was still fresh in my mind, I ejoyed it so much I couldn't wait to find out how it ended. This fun book wraps up the story arc nicely, lets some other characters have their day in the sun, and sets up the next arc.
The whole series is worth reading (and rereading), and given the fast pace and fun story, you'll soon be wanting more!
Rating:
Summary: Not Quite the End...
Review: If you haven't read the following novels, don't read this one: Agent Of Change, Carpe Diem, Plan B. On the other hand, if you plan to read any of those novels, buy this one now! You will be desperate to find out what happens next.... Now for the specifics: As with each of the other novels, a new character is focused upon. This time it is Pat Rin. He shares approximately equal time with Miri and Val Con. We also get to see more of Anthora. The hated Department Of Interior has their final showdown with, well, just about everybody at once. Lots of action. My biggest problem with the novel is the extended Surebleak sequence, which plays out like yet another Dashiel Hammet imitation. We've seen this before, many times. MANY times. It's done reasonably well, but not with enough originality to really justify it. I found myself rereading the novel and just skipping all those chapters. The second biggest problem is that Yxtrang characters get a bit shortchanged. I thought they offered a great potential, which was mostly undeveloped. The third biggest problem is really more of a question: "Why do cat lovers always assume that everyone else buys into their fantasy?" But I guess if you can accept The Tree, you can also accept the cats. Never fear -- the action is intense, the good guys win, and the bad guys turn out to be really evil. In the end, Clan Korval is ready to move on to new and greater adventures. As everyone knows, the reward for a job well done is ... another job. (This is NOT a cliffhanger ending. It is simply a hook on which to hang a new novel or two if the authors desire.)
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best in a Long Time!
Review: It is difficult to talk about "I Dare" without also talking about the rest of the Agent of change series. "I Dare is the conclusion(?) of the present serious, when you read the ending you'll know why I said (?). And a wonderful and brilliant conclusion it is. Just about all the loose ends from Agent of Change Carpe Diem and Plan B are wrapped up in this final chapter. Wonderful story telling, great characters and character development. It's tight, it's right and it definitely hits the home run! The worse thing about this book is that at the end you will be screaming for more and Lee and Miller can only write so fast! DO NOT read this until you have finished the first three, by the way it doesn't hurt to have read the compendium "Pilots Choice" also. But then by all means DO NOT MISS IT! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best in a Long Time!
Review: It is difficult to talk about "I Dare" without also talking about the rest of the Agent of change series. "I Dare is the conclusion(?) of the present serious, when you read the ending you'll know why I said (?). And a wonderful and brilliant conclusion it is. Just about all the loose ends from Agent of Change Carpe Diem and Plan B are wrapped up in this final chapter. Wonderful story telling, great characters and character development. It's tight, it's right and it definitely hits the home run! The worse thing about this book is that at the end you will be screaming for more and Lee and Miller can only write so fast! DO NOT read this until you have finished the first three, by the way it doesn't hurt to have read the compendium "Pilots Choice" also. But then by all means DO NOT MISS IT! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Rating:
Summary: You CANNOT miss this book!
Review: My copy of I Dare hasn't arrived yet, but when it does, I'm absolutely certain that I'll love it. (I'm hoping it'll get here today.) I just wanted to get the word out for those people who are already hooked on the Liaden universe, that there is another place where you can get Liaden stuff. Go to korval.com. That's the official site of the Liaden universe, and you can check out all sorts of interesting things. They also have a catalog where you can order Liaden short fiction and other stuff connected to the Liaden Universe or by Sharon Lee and/or Steve Miller. It's a great site, and I highly recommend it. Check it out, you won't be sorry. But if you AREN'T already a Liaden fanatic, you should definitely become one. These books are too good to miss. Start with Pilot's Choice, then read Partners in Necessity, and then Plan B before you read this one. Or you can skip straight to Partners in Necessity and onward before you read Pilot's Choice. Pilot's Choice is mostly background on the characters in the other books, and you could read the others without it, but you should definitely read it at some point. It's really good. But read them ALL!!!!!!!! Happy reading.
Rating:
Summary: Probably the best Liaden Universe (TM) book yet!!!
Review: Ok, I admit it! I *love* the way Steve & Sharon write books. I have every one they've done (that I know of) - and more than one copy of some ....... well, I need to be able to get others addicted to the Liaden Universe (TM)! and *no-one's* getting my autographed copies!!!!! 8-)). "I Dare" starts where "Plan B" left off - Miri, slowly, recovering from the wounds she suffered through her lifemate link with Val Con - and Val Con in a *much* more serious condition; Daav, Val Con's previously missing father, has arrived on planet - in a ship owned by his dead lifemate - who still talks to him; Edger & Sheather - Clutch Turtles (I hope they don't mind me using the short-form of their names; I would run out of space if I used their full ones ) have arrived on planet, concerned about the way the medics are trying to 'heal' Miri & Val Con, their sister & brother; Pat Rin is heading into *deep* trouble with the Department of the Interior; the Yxtrang are running from Erob....oh - and the Juntaves are about to stick their oar in, too. So.... we've got the Department of the Interior (*really* nasty people) - against - the Clutch (*BIG* turtles, with *LONG* names), the Juntaves (smugglers, interstellar mafia, etc), lots & lots of Mercenaries, the Scouts, the Accountants Guild, seven members of clan Korval (the most infuential clan on Liad) and a couple of Dramliz (really, *really*, *Really* powerful wizards). Boy - are the DoI in it up to their necks!?!?! If you haven't read any of this series - *where* *have* *you* *been*?!? Anne McCaffrey has written some of the forewords for the series (L E Modesitt wrote the foreword for *this* one); do you think she would do that if these were *ordinary* books????? And other authors, who opinions matter to me, have been equally effusive with their praise. The books *are* worth all the praise they have received - Go buy them!!! Great stuff, Sharon & Steve!!! ...
Rating:
Summary: Characters You Care About
Review: Quite often, series books start to go downhill after the fifth or sixth book, but Sharon Lee and Steve Miller are still going strong on book seven! Each episode of the Liaden Universe series reads as good as or better than the last and "I Dare" is no exception. The biggest strength for me of the Liaden novels is the well-detailed sympathetic characters and the newly introduced Pat Rin yos'Phelium continues that tradition when he is thrust into a heart-wrenching situation a struggles to deal with it. All the old favorites make an appearance, from Daav to Val Con, with some additional new friends as well.
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