BOOK 2 in The First Liaden Universe® Collection. Fifteen short tales of the Liaden Universe® brought together for the first time. Space opera and romance on a grand scale in a galaxy full of interstellar trading clans.

Thirty-three shorter tales of the Liaden Universe® brought together for the first time in two mega-volumes. Fifteen tales complete Volume Two!

The nationally best-selling Liaden Universe® novels are treasured by space opera aficionados for their wit, world-building, strong characterizations, tender romance, and edge-of-the-chair action.

Since 1995, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller also created shorter tales, illuminating additional facets of the Liaden experience. Here is a vast tapestry of tales of the scouts, artists, traders, priestesses, sleight of hand magicians, and pilots who fill the Liaden Universe® with the excitement, action, and romance that readers of the hit series have come to adore.

Celebrating 25 Years of the Liaden Universe®


Listen to the authors discuss the book here on the Baen Free Radio Hour.

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  1. Very Good (but rebundled)
    Quality
    80%
    This collection includes 16 short stories. Most were published previously (*in = Liaden Unibus II). Some are quite good, adding richness to the Liaden saga. See list below:

    *Veil of the Dancer: (Good backstory. It describes why 14-year-old Inas Bhar became Natessa the Assassin, a judge for the Juntavas. We see her love for her wise father, etc.
    •••Excerpt: "In the city of Iravati on the world of Skardu, there lived a scholar who had three daughters, and they were the light and comfort of his elder years."

    *Quiet Knives (Captain Rolanni — mentioned in Carpe Diem, along with her ship Skeedaddle — is called upon to answer a promise she made to her partner Kore Zar years ago. This story also includes Juntavas chairman Grom Trogar, Sambra Reallen, and our favorite Clutch. It sheds light on the system of judges and how the Juntavas cleaned up their act a bit)

    *This House (cannot recall this one, I skimmed it, because it didn't include any known characters)

    *Lord of the Dance (set on Surebleak, with Clan Korval at Audrey's house. A good story, but it doesn't quite fit the timeline, and I think I've read somewhere that the authors removed it from the official cannon, for various reasons)

    *The Beggar King (set on Liad, when a younger Daav must collaborate with the local Juntavas boss Clarence O'Berin, who shows up later in Ghost Ship. Daav's mother Chi plays a role, too.)

    *Necessary Evils (Set long before the migration. Ceramic beads are sewn under the skin, to control a human being. Old Tech. Set in a vineyard, human-plant hybrids play a major role. Spooky good.

    *Fighting Chance (The authors describe Miri Robertson's youth on Surebleak. She is about 14 years old, and fiercely devoted to those she loves. We meet Liz Lizardi and others.)

    *Prodigal Son (set on planet Vandar, featuring Nelirikk, Val Con, Kem, Haken, Zhena Trulu, and the Dept of Interior. The story replicates some scenes in Ghost Ship, but offers more.)

    Daughter of Dragons (A vivid adventure! Kareen yos'Phelium escapes enemies of Korval in Solcintra. Set during Plan B)

    Dragon Tide (The long-awaited backstory to Tree, the sentient Ssussdriad. This is set more than a millennium ago, pre-exodus, when Tree's planet was thriving. See Crystal Soldier.)

    Shadow Partner: (Set on Liad, featuring Val Con as a young Scout. Clonak calls him Shadow. I liked seeing Val Con before the evil Department got their mitts on him. (Two stories in Constellation Volume 1 dovetail with this one. See "A Day at the Races" and "Certain Symmetry")

    Persistence (Set just before Pat Rin, Cheever, and Natessa first arrive on Surebleak. The story portrays how Pat Rin purchased The Sinner's Rug (see I Dare) on a planet named Bazaar)

    Misfits: (This excellent piece is set mostly on planet Klamath and also on Liad. It reveals how Miri, as Redhead in mercenary unit Gyrfalks, first met meteorologist Ichliad Brunner. We learn how Brunner came to work with Korval on Surebleak.)

    Hidden Resources (Another superb short sorry, telling how the children of Korval were hidden from the DoI on Runig's Rock and how they came to Surebleak. It doesn't jive fully with Necessity's Child, in terms of the description of how and when Syl Vor first met Daav)

    Moon on the Hills (Set on Surebleak soon after I Dare and immediately before Ghost Ship, this story provides an introduction to a favorite character, Yulie Shaper. We see how he agreed to let Pat Rin / Korval place the house and tree in the quarry. Some aspects of this story differ from the clan's arrival on Surebleak, in Ghost Ship.

    Skyblaze (An excellent adventure on the unsafe streets of Surebleak! This one tells how a taxi driver from a respected clan-house on Liad ended up on Surebleak, featuring Andy Mack and Cheever McFarland.)

    All said, a good collection!

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  2. Product Review
    Quality
    100%
    I get a kick out of watching both writers and their characters evolve, this is a fun read!

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  3. Product Review
    Quality
    60%
    I have recently begun to read Sharon lee and steve miller books, I love the Liaden Universe. I really hope they write a new one to continue where it ended. Theo Found the long lost ship of the Cantra's with a new fledgling tree on board. I want to see what the Korval family makes of it on Surebreak. I hope she keeps the tree with the norbears. The last book was good, but I want more of the Korvals. The Constellations are good in answering questions on how meetings between certain people started I have both volumes. Please continue the books soon:)

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  4. Product Review
    Quality
    60%
    Contains following stories: Veil of the Dancer *, Quiet Knives *, This House *, Lord of the Dance *, The Beggar King *, Necessary Evils *, Fighting Chance *, Prodigal Son *, Daughter of Dragons, Dragon Tide, Shadow Partner, Persistence, Misfits, Hidden Resources, Moon on the Hills, Skyblaze [* these stories are also in the Liaden Unibus II (which has other stories which are not contained in this collection :-( )]

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