elusivity's review against another edition
3.0
An extremely quick and pleasant read, polished off in a day.
This is space opera without melodrama, sf light on science (no more than a handful of science-babble words tossed around, actually), and a lighthearted romance between two intelligent people in a future world that is very careful to present gender equality. Faster-than-light space travel occurs with the equivalent of Hey Presto! and some fancy-sounding labels. The assassin assassinated, yet we are given no information on why he did what he did nor the political background that warrants his profession. Social organization for two of the four species (I do not yet know about the other two) seem to be Clans, but not much exploration into either. The one true alien race spoke in flowing periods like Victorian gentlemen, with manners to match, and account for much of the low-key humor in the story.
The good guys are good and noble, the bad guys are not, but neither are they particularly evil.
All this is to say, fluffy!!! soft!!! light!!! like a cloud-soft pillow to rest a pummeled brain after a hard day. Recommended.
This is space opera without melodrama, sf light on science (no more than a handful of science-babble words tossed around, actually), and a lighthearted romance between two intelligent people in a future world that is very careful to present gender equality. Faster-than-light space travel occurs with the equivalent of Hey Presto! and some fancy-sounding labels. The assassin assassinated, yet we are given no information on why he did what he did nor the political background that warrants his profession. Social organization for two of the four species (I do not yet know about the other two) seem to be Clans, but not much exploration into either. The one true alien race spoke in flowing periods like Victorian gentlemen, with manners to match, and account for much of the low-key humor in the story.
The good guys are good and noble, the bad guys are not, but neither are they particularly evil.
All this is to say, fluffy!!! soft!!! light!!! like a cloud-soft pillow to rest a pummeled brain after a hard day. Recommended.
titusfortner's review against another edition
3.0
This is a light, fun space opera. I enjoyed the alien characters, and look forward to more stories set in this universe.
needleclicker's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
al27caro's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.75
Good enough to read more in the series, not great.
ancillary_reader's review against another edition
3.0
While some of this I enjoyed, overall I found it lacking depth. But there were enough hints of a fascinating universe and character development that I'm willing to read some more in the series.
iffer's review against another edition
2.0
The best part about this book is definitely the turtles.
This wasn't bad, but I wouldn't recommend it, unless you're hankering, like I was, for something reminiscent of entertaining-but-somewhat-campy late 80s and early 90s sci-fi TV. I could just imagine the fashion of that time while reading this book. I could see myself falling in love with this universe and reading the bunches of books that exist in its universe when I was younger, though.
The main characters are thrown together after fleeing from different threats to their lives, and the story alternates between the action of them being chased and downtime that I think is supposed to be romantic? I never felt much chemistry between the characters, and I never really bought the love-at-first-sight as portrayed in the book. However, I did appreciate that the characters were presumably supposed to grow closer together through talking and learning more about each other. There are also no sex scenes despite the aphrodisiac space ship drive (yes, this is really a thing), which I appreciated, but which other readers might be disappointed by.
I also didn't like how the male lead was an expert odds calculator/advance alien scout/assassin/spy, and the female lead...had nice hair? The characters weren't super deeply developed, but I think that the authors were trying to portray the characters as two-of-a-kind in the sense that they were both kind of cool, self-reliant, improvise-out-of-tough-situations people, but Miri came off as the young, unpolished country girl while Val Con is the cultured angsty experienced guy.
This wasn't bad, but I wouldn't recommend it, unless you're hankering, like I was, for something reminiscent of entertaining-but-somewhat-campy late 80s and early 90s sci-fi TV. I could just imagine the fashion of that time while reading this book. I could see myself falling in love with this universe and reading the bunches of books that exist in its universe when I was younger, though.
The main characters are thrown together after fleeing from different threats to their lives, and the story alternates between the action of them being chased and downtime that I think is supposed to be romantic? I never felt much chemistry between the characters, and I never really bought the love-at-first-sight as portrayed in the book. However, I did appreciate that the characters were presumably supposed to grow closer together through talking and learning more about each other. There are also no sex scenes despite the aphrodisiac space ship drive (yes, this is really a thing), which I appreciated, but which other readers might be disappointed by.
I also didn't like how the male lead was an expert odds calculator/advance alien scout/assassin/spy, and the female lead...had nice hair? The characters weren't super deeply developed, but I think that the authors were trying to portray the characters as two-of-a-kind in the sense that they were both kind of cool, self-reliant, improvise-out-of-tough-situations people, but Miri came off as the young, unpolished country girl while Val Con is the cultured angsty experienced guy.
thinde's review against another edition
5.0
Originally published in 1988 it took twelve more years for a commercial following to gather for the Liaden Universe. During the mild aftermath of their first being published, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller continued to write but, I think, mostly for themselves. If the general public didn't embrace what they wrote, at least they enjoyed writing it. The strange thing is that the initial three novels were excellent. It's a mystery to me why it took so long for them to succeed. The book market can be an unpredictable battleground. If it weren't for all the positive ratings awarded on Amazon.com, they may have slipped passed me.
Written in the vein of space opera, each of the Liaden Universe books, six so far, center on the Liaden clan Korval. A nonterrestrial but human family that ensures its survival in a universe of cut-throat politics with commercial acumen, a fleet of ships and a generations-long breeding program aimed at producing pilots, (a rare bread of individual that has the reflexes of a cat and courage to match).
Each book tends to concentrate on one couple, typically as they meet, fall in love and life-bond. All this tends to happen under adverse circumstances; running from secret government agents, dueling with mad ship captains, targeted by a futuristic crime family, or just being attacked by a mindless race of aggressive aliens known as the Yxtrang.
The Clan Korval does not always have to fight alone. One of their more fascinating allies is the Clutch Turtles, linked to Korval through an unspecified and mysterious adoption. These aliens are an old race, long-lived, slow to act, fascinated by art and possibly the most deadly creatures in known space. There are so many factions, families, races, and species involved in the Liaden universe that we need every book these talented authors can produce, just to scratch the surface. I just hope their growing popularity gives them enough reasons to continue writing.
Written in the vein of space opera, each of the Liaden Universe books, six so far, center on the Liaden clan Korval. A nonterrestrial but human family that ensures its survival in a universe of cut-throat politics with commercial acumen, a fleet of ships and a generations-long breeding program aimed at producing pilots, (a rare bread of individual that has the reflexes of a cat and courage to match).
Each book tends to concentrate on one couple, typically as they meet, fall in love and life-bond. All this tends to happen under adverse circumstances; running from secret government agents, dueling with mad ship captains, targeted by a futuristic crime family, or just being attacked by a mindless race of aggressive aliens known as the Yxtrang.
The Clan Korval does not always have to fight alone. One of their more fascinating allies is the Clutch Turtles, linked to Korval through an unspecified and mysterious adoption. These aliens are an old race, long-lived, slow to act, fascinated by art and possibly the most deadly creatures in known space. There are so many factions, families, races, and species involved in the Liaden universe that we need every book these talented authors can produce, just to scratch the surface. I just hope their growing popularity gives them enough reasons to continue writing.
fbone's review against another edition
2.0
Can't say I enjoyed it but I didn't hate it either. The science was a little inconsistent. We have FTL spaceships but no sensors or mobile devices. A couple of amateur mistakes made by a supposed top scout and agent. The story continues in the next book but this one ends at a good stopping point.
majabwds's review against another edition
2.0
What did I just read?! Giant alien turtles, meandering plot, sort of insta-lust/love but nothing really happens till the end of the story. The world-building was interesting. 2.5 stars