Carpe Diem by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller - review

Carpe Diem
Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
*****  (5 out of 6 stars)
A Liaden Universe novel
an Omnibus edition - The Agent's Gambit
originally published 1989
SciFi

cover  -  I don't like this one.  She looks odd, he looks very old and he's supposed to be a young man....it's odd.  They look like they belong on the Star Trek series.  The only good thing about this cover is the sky, the background and the spaceship pictured.  Thank goodness for multiple cover releases.  :) (I do realize it's an old cover)

Carpe Diem takes place right where Agent of Change  ended.  At the end of Agent of Change, Val Con yos'Phelium and Miri Robertson had just taken a huge gamble on surviving a last chance jump with a ship that some pace pirates wanted after having first abandoned it post-pirating/murder of the crew.  The ship has damaged parts, and the closest planet they can get to is an interdicted planet.  Interdicted (I just learned this while reading) means that since the planet hasn't achieved space travel yet, star-ships aren't allowed to make contact.  Unfortunately Val and Miri have to land here, so they do.  Crash-landing in a remote area, they walk to a farm and manage to pass as refugees, working for an older widow while learning the language of the area.

Since Val has gone missing from his spy masters, he's being searched for by a super agent, and pretty much is wanted with or without his health.  Both Miri and Val are at first being chased by the mob, then being searched for by the family (the Korval clan family).  This is bad in the case of the dept, his employers and could be great if his family finds him.

Carpe Diem tells the story of Miri and Val learning how to be regular people, building a relationship and making friends on a planet that knows nothing about space travel or other species of planets.  The society is the type where women wear dresses most of the time, tight clothes are unseemly, and yet - though it isn't outright, I had the impression that women had a little more say in things then men did.  Kind of like our nineteen-fifties, only where women are definitely either equal or just a bit more than equal.  Miri and Val happen to land in a country that hasn't been at war for a very, very long time.  There have been rumblings about refugees and vague fears of people coming from another country to invade - even though this country isn't at war, another country has been having problems, which is why it's so believable to the townspeople that Miri and Val are refugees.  Which works for them, if you haven't any frame of reference, why would you think space aliens?

Miri and Val not only have to learn how to assimilate into this culture, but they have to hide their high tech knowledge.  They end up staying with a cranky widow and her goofy dog.  They make friends and build a relationship, biding their time, while planning to eventually be able to send some sort of radio-transmission message that they hope will be heard by the right people.  It the planned message is heard by the wrong people, then they're going to have a lot of trouble...

The lives of the characters flow along - Miri and Val each learning more about each other and themselves.  This particular novel almost reads like regular fiction, except for the occasional reminder of tech, the intervals with Val's family or the 'super-agent' sent after Val.  Miri finds herself  communicating with Val's sister in law through dreaming when she didn't even know she had the talent, and Val finds himself almost losing his humanity after a fight he couldn't avoid.   Then, when things seem to finally be going right, when they're kind of thinking they might be stuck on this planet for good....BLAM!!  there is the run-in of all run-ins. What a fight!

Good story.  The widow's character - so cranky, yet caring.  The dog is pretty cool as is Val's reaction and relationship to the dog.  The friends they make are fun and the friendship itself is a little bittersweet, since Val and Miri end up enjoying their time on this planet, even while they are planning and hoping to be able to get away from the planet and go home.  But it's so tempting just to forget about leaving, to just settle in...

While reading Ghost Ship I found myself wondering about Miri and Val.  Fledgling and Ghost Ship were the first two novels I read by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, the first I heard of this Liaden Universe.  It was good to read about the lives of leaders of the clan before they were the leaders.

Agent of Change by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller - review

Agent of Change
Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
***** (5 out of 6 stars)
A Liaden Universe Novel
from the Agent's Gambit Omnibus edition
Sci/Fi  originally published 1988

Cover - it's okay - for a SciFi cover, a SciFi with a touch of romance. Except neither character resembles these pictured here.  At least the background is very Science/Fiction-y.  It's also important to realize that these books have been around forever, and have probably had numerous covers.  I've seen a couple and just randomly selected this one because I don't know any better.  At all.

Ever since reading Fledgling, I've been suffering from a Science Fiction craving - actually this craving has been hitting me off and on for a few years, it gets very strong, then wanes, then comes back with a vengeance - kind of like bad habit cravings (snicker).  Anyway, at least this habit is reading, which can't be consider bad unless you read total SMUT...and even then, it's all relative, right?  One man's Smut is another man's literary masterpiece and all that....

I've been getting as many of Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's novels as I can.  Some I enjoy way more than others....either way - these two can sure put together a story.

In Agent of Change we meet Theo's half brother (Theo is the main character of Fledgling)  - a relative she didn't even know she had until she was grown.  This novel takes place before Fledgling does and is the story of Val Con yos'Phelium (I am NEVER sure just how to pronounce these names, so I end up using the vowel sounds used in the Spanish language)  and his last mission as a spy.  He's been altered in a non-specified way, giving him the capability of continuously running percentages and odds of survival and mission success.  It can be very distracting and part of his training is a type of brainwashing away of family ties. This isn't the greatest thing, because Val is part of a very close knit clan of a family, a people whose society is built on family ties, clan ties and responsibilities to clan and family.

Part of Val's story intersects with Miri Robertson - a former mercenary soldier who has quite a past, growing up on a planet filled with poor and desperate people.  Miri is on the run from a mob-like sect of people - this mob has far reaching fingers - reaching across the universe to many planets and they are ruthless.  Val accidentally comes across Miri during an attempt on her life very soon after he has escaped his own deadly mission; people involved on the other side of this mission are, of course after Val.  They're not quite sure who, at first, he is or even what he looks like since the tech he uses on his spy missions are so advanced. Think futuristic Mission Impossible disguises.  Very cool.

Even though they at first don't really want to be around each other - for differing reasons - the two have to rely on each other at first for survival because suddenly there are more than one enemy after them, and then it seems that circumstances have them working together against many enemies.  Fortunately for them, they come across allies here and there who help them on their way.

I think that Agent of Change is one of Lee's & Miller's more action packed novels.  Though not full of gore, some of their side characters go through some intense and wicked deaths - they just aren't very graphic about these fights and deaths.  The dialogue between characters is natural, some teasing, some snark and some plain old good conversations.  There are a few characters that have a completely different outlook on everything from time to the length and importance of names and life actions.  A certain turtle like species of people who are very large, live for hundreds of years and therefore ponder and think for some time before making decisions.  Val is an honorary brother of one of these clans, knife growers (seriously they grow some wicked chrystal knives) and by extension, Miri becomes part of their family/clutch (like a clan) - which at first she's not sure is such a good thing.  One of this T'Carais men - young leader has been on a discovery tour for his clutch - has been for 7 years, which is lucky for Val, as this brought them in the same vicinity just when Val and Miri need some help.  His visa name is "Twelfth Shell Fifth hatched knife Clane of Middle River's Spring Spawn of Farmer Greentrees of the Spear-makers Den, The Edger"; being rather young by T'Carais standards at 900plus years, his real name takes three hours to tell, but for the sake of his 'hasty human' brother/friend, he goes by the name Edger.  His clan name for Val is "Val Con yos'Phelium Scout, Artist of the Ephemeral, Slayer of the Eldest Dragon, Knife Clan of the Middle River's Spring Spawn of Farmer Greentrees of the Spearmaker's Den, Tough Guy" (The 'Tough Guy' was added because Miri called Val tough guy, and in the custom of the Clutch, this was added to their version of Val's name - I love this detail of names and naming, adding to your name as your life progresses - just think what some of our names would be...."Mardel, Hasty Human, Mother of Four, Grandmother of Two, Friend to Dogs, Reader of Books, keeper of Library, Herder of Children, of One Working Lung{haha}, Daughter of Many, Player of Castleville"  It would be great, lots of fun, though possibly giving a bit too much info about ourselves, yeah?)  And Miri's Clutch name ended up to be "Miri Robertson Mercenary Soldier, Retired, Personal Bodyguard, Retired, Have Weapon Will Travel" - this is how she introduced herself to Edger, after listening to a long list of names of the turtle Clutch Brothers.

Agent of Change was a fun, satisfying read with adventure, danger, slowly growing romance and a bit of angst - not too much - as well as suspense and a fun array of science fiction gadgets - space ships, thin armor that is like a second skin, lots of planets and a very dangerous enemy to all --the Yx-strange (I might have the spelling wrong).  These guys scare even the mob-like gang of outlaws.  And they are part of a cliff hanger ending which leads to the book titled Carpe Diem - which I read as soon as I finished Agent of Change-  thanks to having the omnibus edition containing both novels in one huge book.

I thing this is good reading for people who enjoy SciFi, a bit of romance, a good story, suspense and danger without lots of gore, and interesting varied characters and worlds.  Though these novels by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller might be tamer than many others, there's a lot to recommend them and you will end up with a good solid story to read.

Saltation by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller - review

Saltation
Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
The Liaden Universe
SciFi/ ppb version

****  4 out of 6 stars 
cover - I like this cover - except the girl is supposed to have this super curly hair that she can't do anything with, and here it's pictured straight.  Whatever - that's minor.  Cool looking little flying machine though.

Basically, Saltation is the story of Theo Waitley's school career.  In the first Theo book, Theo went from a "clumsy" danger to society at large type of kid to a self possessed, graceful young woman who has the potential of becoming a great pilot, and being a pilot is no small thing in these novels.

In Fledgling a pilot scout has offered to sponsor Theo in an elite piloting school - so Theo ends up going.  Problem is, that there's unrest on the planet where the school is situated.  Seems the locals aren't to happy about all the "interlopers" who have the audacity to expect equal treatment.  So the beginning of the book is concerned with Theo finding her way, coming into her own as a leader and keeping her scores up as well as keeping a long distance relationship going.  The second part of the book contains a charge of fighting between Theo and another student, which has even stronger ramications than expected...

Although I did enjoy reading this novel, I didn't enjoy it as much as I liked reading Ghost Ship (the third in Theo's story) or Fledgling.  The book spanned a few years, and Theo did quite a bit growing up but she might come across to some as a pretty strong "mary sue" type of character - the girl is so busy keeping her grades up that she seriously does NO Wrong - ever.  On top of that, she's kind of naiive to human nature and the "evils" that people can get up to.  So she's usually surprised when something bad happens.  I already know that the third book was more enjoyable for me, and I've already read two other Liaden Universe novels or I might have been turned off from the series based on this book alone.  Enjoyable, but not a book that would keep me reading a series without knowing the other books were better.

Dialogue was okay, plot lines pretty simple with the typical boarding school politics; good kids vs stuck up kids; rich kids vs local kids, etc.   There are some fun characters - a certain one armed professor and an old woman professor who is sooooo wrinkled it's amazing she's still standing (and her hourglass!), and the NorBears that are on a space station that Theo befriends (the NorBears, not the spacestation, *g*).

All in all - a decent book, just not very exciting.  Because I have read some other novels concerning other characters in this universe that I've enjoyed, I will keep reading the series

Tuesday Teaser Teaser Tuesday and the Saloon of Doom

Before we get down to The Business of Teasing -- One of my Favorite Authors is releasing a short story in an anthology very soon.  The anthology is going to be called Gunslingers and Ghost Stories and her story is...                                              Saloon of Doom by J.A. Campbell            The book should be out in December 1, 2012 and will be in print. More information available at: Science Fiction Trails.com. I'll be working on getting my own copy, and knowing Campbell's writing, there will be at least one good story in the anthology - mostly likely there will be quite a few interesting shorts to keep her story company.

 It was a hot Monday, leading into a hot Tuesday, a Teaser Tuesday....Hot (snicker, smirk,snicker)

So - here we are.  A Hot Tuesday....Our area went from summer weather to a week of bitter cold and back to the dog days of sum...er fall.  haha

And on to our Teaser Tuesday meme - a meme that I've missed doing the past few weeks because sometimes I'm just exhausted...  MizB of ShouldBeReading is the host of this fun bookish, bloggish meme.

We read, We tease, We visit, We don't post spoilers....

I've been reading vN by Madeline Ashby

from page 58

'Javier's baby popped free of his father's body like a shiny coin from an old rubber purse.  He emerged head first, his wrinkled body wreathed in glimmering smoke, and blinked once at Amy before vomiting everywhere.'

Then, some used books I ordered last week came in the mail - used SciFi novels from the Liaden Universe....(yeay!).... All omnibus editions with two to three novels in each.  Only thing is...can't figure out which one to read first, since they're weren't exactly written in time sequential order.  (like those big words?)  I've decided to start with the first novel in the omnibus titled The Dragon Variation  - 

Local Custom

by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

page 1

 "'No? His Mother echoed, light blue eyes opening wide.

Er Thom yos' Galan bowed hastily: Subordinate Person to Head of Line, seeking to recoup his error.

'Mother,' he began, with all propriety, 'I ask grace...'

She cut him off with a wave of her hand.  'Let us return to "no."  It has the charm of brevity.'

Er Thom took a careful breath, keeping his face smooth, his breath even, his demeanor attentive.  Everything that was proper in a son who had always been dutiful.

After a moment, his mother sighed, walked carefully past him and sat wearily in her special chair.  She frowned up at him, eyes intent.

'Is it your desire, my son, to deniy the clan you genes?'"

How's THAT for an opening page?

That's it for now.  You've had two LOL cats to look at, an announcement on an upcoming book, and two teasers.  

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Monday. yup. Monday

I didn't caption this lol CAT (I always mention when it's my own caption) but I wish I had thought of this one - soooo apt, isn't it?

and now...

Hosted by Sheila of Book Journey - it's time for It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

Click on the picture of the two 'angels' above for a link to Sheila's website, where you can check out her posts and the latest banned book week posts...which reminds me.  I had this plan, all week - to post about banned books, and possibly find one that I've read (I'm sure I've read a few, though a lot of them are actually kind of boring- the older books) but I had this cold all week, and I'm getting lazier and lazier as life goes one....and I'm lucky to have finished at least one novel this week.

But I did - finish a book.  A book I've been reading since last week.  No fault of the writers that it took me so long, because the book is very interesting with interesting fun characters and starships.  But because of my cold, the general health etc., everytime I started to read the book I ended up drifting off to sleep - though I never seemed to sleep for more than a half hour at time....

The book I finished was Ghost Ship by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - and now I really want to find other copies of this series.  Perhaps soon....  Clicking on the book cover will take you to an excerpt...or the page where you can access the excerpt;actually quite a few of the chapters.  I find this exceedingly generous of the publishers - to allow more than one chapter for reading.   Baen Books has been pretty good about free reads for quite a few years, as I remember.  Very cool.

I find that when I end up picking up a Baen book, it's usually an interesting read.

That's really all I have to report about my book reading this week.

I've just finished the novel, am still sick, and wide awake from dozing off all day Sunday....so I'm not really sure what's going to hold my interest at the moment.  I kind of feel like reading Nylon Angel by Marianne de Pierres, a book trilogy I read many years ago...it's been on my mind a lot lately, so maybe I'll just do a few re-reads rather than try to concentrate on new books....

I really wish I had just one more day off....