Sunday, May 23, 2010

The Dragon Variation-Sharon Lee & Steve Miller

The Dragon Variation
Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
Baen, Jun 1 2010, $12.00
ISBN: 9781439133699

“Local Custom”. His Liad clan Korval demands trader Er Thom yos'Galan marry an acceptable bride and sire the heir. Duty comes before desire as he loves unacceptable earthling Anne Davis; whose linguistic research has led to adversaries wanting her dead. He goes to say goodbye but is stunned when he meets his son Shan. Instead he brings his beloved Anne and their hybrid son to his clan where his mom makes it clear the outsider is unwelcome.

“Scout's Progress”. Clan Korval demands master pilot Daav yos Phelium marry a Liaden he dislikes; her feelings are mutual and her clan loathes his for hosting an earthling abomination. At the same time revered mathematician Aelliana Caylon needs to escape the ire of her jealous brother. When she obtains a ship playing the odds, she decides to learn to fly so she can escape. Daav trains the woman worshipped by pilots everywhere due to her life-saving modifications to the ven'Tura Piloting Tables.

“Conflict of Honors”. A decade ago the High Priestess of the Goddess declared teenage Priscilla Delacroix y Mendoza dead. Exiled, she until now she is the cargomaster on the Liaden vessel Daxflan. When she realizes that Captain Sav Rid Olanek has brought on board illegal drugs, she ignores it preferring not to get involved with anyone or anything. That fails to protect her as Olanek dumps her on a backwater planet with no funds and a revised history proclaiming her as a thief. Priscilla obtains help from Liaden Captain Shan yos'Galan of the Dutiful Passage. He teaches her to pilot while pursuing the Daxflan as he has a vendetta too; however Olanek has high level protection.

These first three exciting Liaden romantic science fictions tales contain similar story lines starring a woman unwanted except by a rogue Liaden pilot. Feeling in some ways like a Regency romantic suspense in outer space, fans will enjoy reading the opening acts in the Liaden Universe.

Harriet Klausner

No comments: