Reviews

Scout's Progress by Sharon Lee, Steve Miller

max_pink's review against another edition

5.0

Not my personal favorite in the series., but this might be the best-written of the Liaden universe books that I've read so far. Romantic, tense, interesting worldbuilding, lovely side characters. It also manages to have an ex-love interest who isn't terrible.

I will say, HUGE content warning for domestic abuse (not between our two leads).

megmcardle's review against another edition

5.0

After reading Local Custom and thinking maybe I had rose-colored glasses on when I remembered these so fondly, I picked up the next book in the Liaden Universe, Scout's Progress, and was in love again! The amazing ability that the authors have of putting their hero and heroine through hell to be together is sadistic and effective. I tore through this book in a day, and rooted for the happy ending so strongly that I almost couldn't bear the tension as it looked like the heroine's evil (EVIL!) brother would win. The abused and nearly broken Aelliana is a character to cherish. I actually teared up a little at the end. Sigh. So happy now!

wynwicket's review against another edition

5.0

Review from 2020: Yep -- still delightful.

Review from 2011: I'm falling in love with this series -- space opera with a romantic twist and some excellent female characters (and I adore Daav). Science fiction meets Victorian manners. Reminded me a lot of Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series (minus the delightfully manic Miles). Good stuff.

glyneth's review against another edition

5.0

A reread, this time I wasn't sure I could actually make it through, considering Aelliana's family. I was planning on skimming the hard parts. But they were fewer than I remembered, and I only had to skim the final one.

Spoiler

Ran Eld deserved a harsher punishment than he got, imo. And Voni, who enabled him. As well as his Delm. Sinit is the only one who perhaps needed little punishment, but she was content to sit and read and not pay attention to what went on around her. Though, I will note, it was mentioned she tried to tell the Delm and was ignored.

I do wish there was more in this beyond the end, but my husband tells me a novella picks up right after this, and I don't know if I read it. I'll have to go looking!

cj_jones's review against another edition

4.0

This novel's romance was more believable and less overwrought than Local Custom, the first Liaden novel I read. It's still a romance, and is unapologetic about it. And that's okay. It's also a good story, and some very clever conflict solutions. I am imagining now that every Liaden novel is about a Dragon finding hir lifemate.

codexmendoza's review against another edition

4.0

If [Book: Local Custom] had a secret baby plot, this one has the secret prince plot (an amalgamation of King Thrushbeard and Cinderella if you may). That said this book more fully explores the disturbing parts of Liaden clan culture, but the appeal of the book was definitely Aelliana coming into her own and learning piloting and self-suffiency in order to escape from her clan. I will say that her skills were a little unbelievable (brilliant mathematician and natural pilot?) and the ending lacked the dramatic reckoning I had hoped for, but this book has a direct sequel so I'm going to withhold judgement for now and move on to the next.

scribal's review against another edition

4.0

This is one of my favorites in the series. I found both Aelliana and Daav to be very compelling characters. There's just something very satisfying about the balance of character and plot in this volume. The pace is never choppy as it can be in some of the other books. And even though it's a romance, the other plot elements are very strong so that doesn't bother me as it might.

squirrelfish's review against another edition

5.0

This series is a favorite and this is a good installment of it - this reread was a perfect escape from the news. In this space opera set in another galaxy, maybe another universe, written in 2002 Lee & Miller accurately predict the frustration of dating apps. A central piece of this story is Daav looking for a wife and being so frustrated by sorting through the apps that he's unwilling to give up on a clearly failing match because he'd have to go back to the painful search. Of course it's not termed that way, but that's the very relatable feeling which underpins part of the book. Then there's Aelliana - a brilliant mathematician with a precarious home life. In the course of a literal desperate gamble they find each other and the book progresses. This book is a low of world building, setting the scene for further adventures in Liad. There's also further development of the Scouts, Anne Davis's scholarly research into the shared origins of Terrans, Liaden & Yxtrang language.

pedanther's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail

One of the protagonists is attempting to escape an abusive family; several instances of abuse and the resulting trauma are described as part of the story. There are also allusions to her first husband being abusive, though this is not described in as much detail.

jaclynder's review against another edition

4.0

This is the second time I've attempted the Liaden Universe (I don't think I finished Local Custom?) and it was a completely different reading experience. This Universe is dense and the authors simply sink you into this world and the strict social conventions that dictate it. The first time I tried reading this, I found the world boring and restrictive, but this time, I appreciated the complexity of Liaden society (very reminiscent of historical fiction - the marriage mart, anyone?). Can't wait to dive deeper into this world!