Book Reviews, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Short Stories

A Universe Discovered

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liadenconstell

A Liaden Universe Constellation: Volume 1

~Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

—Baen Books, July 2013

–453 pages, trade paperback

“Discovery” is an integral part of the reading process. We pick up a book based upon some signpost, or a series of them, which promise to lead us on a path of discovery. We settle down with a book, turn the page, take that first step, and we discover…

…characters that we love, despise or feel indifferent about; towns or cities or countryside — or even planets — that spark our imagination, or don’t; genres and sub-genres that compel us to read more or make us long for the comfort of more familiar journeys; authors that we we want to get to know personally or those we may never want to try again.

So much is at stake on each journey of literary discovery, yet passionate readers know that the risk of one’s time can yield great rewards.

Such has been the case with my first foray into the expansive Liaden Universe, the creation of writers Sharon Lee and Steve Miller.

For more than two decades Lee and Miller have been populating this science fictional universe with novels and short stories spanning thousands of years that combine adventure and romance in the grand tradition of space opera. With the first volume of A Liaden Universe Constellation, Baen Books brings together a series of 17 short stories that demonstrate the way in which Sharon Lee and Steve Miller defy the common conception that short fiction is devoid of strong characterization or satisfying world-building. Taken as a whole these 17 stories reveal a universe of intrigue, tradition, ceremony, magic, trade, exploration, love and devotion.

With this experience I have been shown a tantalizing glimpse that a vast universe of discovery awaits. My bags are packed and I am raring to go.

My standard practice in reviewing collected volumes of short fiction is to say something about each story. With the inclusion of seventeen stories, that would not only be a burdensome task for me to undertake but would be burdensome for you as a reader and would do an enormous disservice to this treasury of story.

I have been vaguely aware of the work of Lee and Miller for years but, to be frank, was wary of venturing into a series of books that contained so much work–nearly twenty novels and some three dozen shorter works. It was the vocal support of bloggers passionate about the Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold that ultimately paved the way for me to take a journey into the Liaden Universe. By taking a chance with Bujold’s early novels and discovering that I was indeed missing something special by being deterred by sheer volume of work, I opened my mind to the possibility that Sharon Lee and Steve Miller had something similar to offer–and they do, something similar but all their own.

Readers who enjoy space opera will find much to like here and are least likely to have need of a convincing argument to give Lee and Miller a try. In lieu of a story-by-story review I would like to make the case for the Liaden Universe as appealing to a wide range of readers, including those partial to military and political thrillers, those who enjoy the societal intrigue and customs of fantasy, readers who are partial to magic, both the real and illusory kind, and any who prefer stories in which characters and their relationships with one another and with their culture are the primary focus. This is what Sharon Lee and Steve Miller offer readers: variety tied together by a large shared universe.

A Liaden Universe Constellation: Volume 1 offers up stories that feel complete but are part of a greater whole. The reader is introduced to characters and through their adventures and interactions the intricacies of the Liaden Universe are revealed. And believe me, this creation is intricate. Taken in a volume such as this the reader meets characters that he/she likes and instead of being lost to those characters when the story is over, is delighted to meet them again, or relatives of theirs prior to or after their birth, whose own stories endear you to them while adding to the history of the characters you already know and care for.

This volume also showcases several of the different groups of humanity and aliens that populate this universe and in each incidence the reader is introduced to, or finds again, characters who have depth and dimension that reveal their own particular corner of the universe. Lee and Miller have created fascinating cultures, like the Traders who are obliged to follow a detailed code of conduct in relation to one another and to all who trade with them, or the magic-practicing Circle whose society also has its own rules of conduct. There are occupations within these cultures, like pilots who work in concert to ensure travel within and between worlds and scouts who undertake solo journeys to planets that may not yet be technologically advanced to the point of space travel in order to interact with and study those cultures, yet again within a regimented code of behavior.

None of the considerable efforts that Sharon Lee and Steve Miller have put into creating a complex universe with satisfying intricacies detract from the sense-of-wonder adventure, suspenseful storytelling and overall romance present in these 17 short stories. Reflecting back upon my own personal experience with my first literary journey of 2014, I am gratified to have met characters whose relationships with one another and their environment satisfy my romantic side, my cravings for adventurous science fiction and fantasy, and offer me future satisfaction as their stories continue.

I have learned in researching the Liaden Universe that, like this collection of short stories, the novels in the series focus on specific characters or peoples or time periods, thus offering the reader a variety of choices of where to journey next. I enjoyed every story in this collection and was pleased that this volume ends on a particularly emotionally engaging note. The second volume of short stories, appropriately titled A Liaden Universe Constellation: Volume 2, is due for publication January 7th, 2014. I can’t wait.

leemillerpic Sharon Lee and Steve Miller are a married writing team who have been writing novels and short stories in their Liaden Universe for more than two decades. Their latest novel, Trade Secret, has just been published by Baen Books and features a character, novice Terran trader Jethri Gobelyn, who is introduced in a short story in the collection reviewed here. (Photo Credit)

hickstpic Cover art for A Liaden Universe Constellation: Volume 1, is by artist Stephen Hickman. Hickman has won multiple awards including five Chesley awards and two Spectrum Gold awards. His work has graced the covers of classic authors like Robert A. Heinlein and Andre Norton and he continues to create cover paintings for a number of contemporary authors.

I was curious as to whether or not this painting is a reflection of a story in this collection and was pleased to discover that it was and that his rendering is a very accurate imagining of what is described in the story “Breath’s Duty”. (Photo Credit)

42 thoughts on “A Universe Discovered”

  1. Man, someone recommended this series to me ages ago and I own a couple of the books. I am embarrassed to do the math on how long they have gone unread!

    1. Well your embarrassment is shared by many, Kailana, as we all have those long-shelved unread books in our houses. 🙂 I am going to pick up Trade Secret tomorrow and read it along with our read of Abaddon’s Gate because I really liked Jethri from the short story in this collection. I think I’ll “cheat” and start a bit of Abaddon’s Gate tonight before bed.

        1. I actually have Balance of Trade in a collection already…and Trade Secret. 🙂 I bought Trade Secret after reading a short story featuring the protagonist in the first Constellation collection that came out last year.

          1. There’s the short story/novella Balance of Trade, and there is the full novel that goes on from that short story with minor reworkings of the content of that short story. Ideally read the novel version before reading Trade Secret.

            1. Thanks Ariaflame for the info, I’ll make sure to snag a copy of that too. 🙂

  2. I will admit that you have hit me with something I have never heard of. Large universes like this can be intimidating to take the plunge into, something I have been hesitant to do on so many good series, usually to my regret when I finally take on that first book.

    1. They can be intimidating, I completely agree. That is one of the reasons why I am happy to discover some ability with this universe to jump in at various places without being lost.

      I end up having those same regrets, but on the other hand it is so difficult to keep up with all the books that have been and are being written.

  3. This does sound like something different. I have too much backlog of books to commit to it now and I am trying to keep the book purchases down, but I will add it to my list. Maybe for the next Sci Fi experience.

    1. Certainly worth adding to the list. I’m planning on reading some of the novels soon and I know they can usually be found at the library. Just picked up the second collection of these short stories today and cannot wait to get tucked in.

  4. Hmm. I see these periodically at the library, but have steered clear mostly because I don’t trust Baen Books. Or rather, so much of the Baen output is Military SF with overt and disagreeable politics that I don’t try very many outside of the few authors I already know well. (Drake, Bujold, Flint, some Weber.)
    It may be time to add Miller and Lee to the list.

    1. I’ve become more of a fan of Baen over the years, first because they do a lot to keep classic authors in print, like Heinlein, Anderson and Norton, and more recently because of getting hooked on Bujold’s books, really liking the first Honor Harrington book, and now these. This definitely is NOT military SF and though there is political and social intrigue there was nothing in these short stories, at least, that felt as if it was a thinly veiled statement of current politics, which I commend them for.

      1. Agreed on the classics bit. I’ve read several new (to me) olden days authors because of Flint’s editions. (Christopher Anvil in particular.)
        I will definitely take a look at the first Liadem books if they are not just another Ayn Rand worship session.

        1. Haven’t read Rand–never really felt compelled to–but I have serious doubts that any of the Liaden books brook comparison.

          Kudos to any of the companies that are keeping the classics alive.

  5. They wrote 3 books that tied together (character wise) that I read back in the late 80’s and absolutely ADORED! I wonder if they were Liaden verse? hmmm…. I forsee a trip into the icebox that is my garage when I get home to try to find those books.

    …and Stephen Hickman has ALWAYS turned out fantastic, art nouveau feeling covers. Also, an old favorite of mine. Thanks for bringing these back to my attention Carl. I’ll be sure to keep my eye out for the new book. 😀

    1. I would bet that they are Liaden books. Three book arcs appear to be somewhat common from what I’ve looked at. I’ll be curious to see what they are if you track them down.

      I had a good time looking through Hickman’s paintings online while searching for a picture of this cover without text (which I had no luck finding). He has some really nice stuff, and I can definitely see that art nouveau influence in some of them, now that you mention it.

      1. 😀

        art nouveau with a little bit of acid trip added in with the pure, saturated colors he uses!

      2. Those would be the first three books that that they wrote. There was a long -publisher caused -hiatus that was very frustrating to their fans. ‘Plan B’ and ‘I Dare’ are the next two, which have been reissued in a combo volume called ‘Korval’s Game.
        Enjoy. They are good reads.

        1. I’m really enjoying exploring their universe, thanks! Such great storytelling.

    2. Three books tied together from the late ’80s would be the original three Liaden books: Agent of Change, Conflict of Honors, and Carpe Diem.

      1. More that I want to read. I snagged the free copy of Agent of Change off Amazon, so I have that one. I think I might have a collection that has Conflict of Honors in it. Hmm….

  6. I am intrigued. Then I went to search for the first book on Goodreads and noticed that I’d already added it to my to be read list. Well, I guess I’ll look into them in the future!

    1. You were ahead of yourself and you didn’t even know it! Or maybe your are a time traveler with amnesia.

      1. It is a fantastic marketing idea. Certainly sold me on trying this series earlier than I would have otherwise and I’m anxious to continue with Theo’s journey.

          1. Yes it is! A great idea to do that. I just read and reviewed it recently. Such a great book.

  7. Great post, Carl! I must say, I love discovering a new and appealing universe, especially one with a large backlog of books to read.

    In this case, I read the original three novels back in the 1980’s, and then had to wait more than a decade for the authors to discover the Internet and their existing, long-suffering fan-base. (Apparently, the original paperbacks hadn’t sold well enough for the publisher to stay interested.)

    So there’s really something to be said for discovering a series after it’s been around for awhile. And I do like series fiction, because I come to care about the characters, and I always want to find out what happens next.

    1. Thanks for the visit, Bill.

      Yes, that story they tell of how the pre-internet (as we know it) saved their careers is a fascinating one. I wasn’t really into computers back then so that version of the online world is unfamiliar to me but one I enjoy discovering more about.

      I’m torn regarding series, however the way in which they are doing it interests me in that I like that it isn’t one long story, like the Wheel of Time books, for example, but that the universe can be experienced in smaller chunks with various characters. You get the joy of forming relationships with the characters but also avoid some of the agony of next-book syndrome.

      I’m really glad I finally read them and now I have another short story collection and about 5 novels I’ve purchased since Christmas, so that will keep me busy for awhile.

  8. Also free on iBooks. Thanks for the review. It is now next on my reading list.

    1. Check out my review yesterday of Fledgling too, as that is also a great place to start in the Liaden Universe…and it too is free.

  9. I have loved this universe since I discovered it from the original three books and had to suffer with other fans the long wait for a publisher. There is a unique flavor to Lee and Miller’s writing that is compelling and fresh.
    Another thing I like are the quotes for some chapter headings in some of the books. In some, a deeper understanding of events in the universe, especially involving Clan Korval, are revealed in a sparse comment. I particularly like the following from Scout’s Progress:

    Remember who we are. We are not Solcintran. We are not derived from the Old Houses. We are Korval.
    Keep the Contract, protect the Tree, gather ships, survive. But never, never, never let them make you forget who you are.

    —Val Con yos’Phelium, Second Delm of Korval, Entry in the Delm’s Diary for Jeelum Twelfthday in the Fourth Relumma of the Year Named Qin

    1. You definitely did suffer then. So glad I have such a gold mine of work to pull from for awhile.

      I like the quotes as well. The traders and pilots are some of my favorite cultures/peoples thus far.

  10. Well, late to the party and already confused.

    The cover you show says it’s a novel. Yet the book you review is Constellations vol 1 which is the story collection, the one I just finished a few days ago. So there is a novel titled Constellation as well as the story collection with a very, very similar name?

    Not having read the Liaden books in the 1980s (that I remember), the story collection you review here is my first glimpse. I went looking and find the first 9 novels are all available in three omnibus paperbacks (real ink-on-paper, folks, not in an electronic file thingie!). I’ve ordered them, and plan on reading them soon after arrival, library books and other urgencies allowing.

    1. There is not a novel called Constellation. My assumption is that Baen is letting readers know that this is part of the Liaden Universe…but a novel it ain’t! 🙂

      I’ve got two of those omnibus additions, and I like them, but they are huge and I cannot imagine reading them that way. I’ve been tracking down individual versions of the stories at used bookstores and have gotten a few versions via Kindle. I also have the two most recent novels in hardback that I bought as they came out.

      I’m assuming you enjoyed this because you are buying the novels. Work has kicked my butt this past week and I’ve been online precious little (as evidenced by no new posts in a week. I’ve also not finished any books in a week). But I plan on catching up this weekend and I hope you either have a review up or that I’ll see one soon.

      1. For many years Sharon and Steve published a chapbook with one story around xmas. Steve had his own small publishing company for this. Now these stories are being collected in Constellation collections – there are two of them so far. Not sure if all the stories are done. I believe I have them all in chapbooks.

      2. I REALLY liked it. I’ve got the second collection on order at the library, I’ve ordered and received the omnibus volumes The Agent Gambit and The Dragon Variation and I have two more coming. Check this Monday post on Bullhorn for the new arrivals on the first two. Also look for the email with the Liaden Universe information, I sent it this morning.

    2. I envy you having the whole set there to read, one after the other. We mostly waited years for a new fix, although I imagine most of us have reread all of them too more than once. And the chapbooks that are in the Constellation books were our yearly xmas fixes as most years one was released. Have a great time with this collection.

      1. There is a bonus for coming to something later on in its life, Sarah, that is for certain. Being on the other end with some of the stories I like, the waiting game can be agonizing.

    1. WordPress is a bit weird. You did put it in the right spot, but since Sarah also commented underneath that same comment of mine it just puts it there in order published.

      I have those same omnibus editions as well, Richard. Very happy that you enjoyed the stories so much. I plan to do much more reading in this universe as they year progresses.

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