Customer Reviews

Agent of Change (Liaden, Book 1)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Now this is what everyone needs at the end of a long day, to escape into an action-and-romance romp across the galaxy.

The plot of this book (apparently part of a series that has become an underground hit while I wasn't looking): Val Con, spy and so much more for Liad, gets an unexpected pang of chivalry and saves Miri Robertson, cute little redhead, from an attack by a gang of thugs. Turns out Miri is a tough former Merc with a past that is coming after her big time in the form of the Juntavas -- a galactic mafia. Now Val Con and Miri are on the run together from varioius annoyed parties, having each made enemies of their own for all the right reasons, and they must learn to trust each other to survive. Along the way they enlist the help of some turtle-like aliens, who as chance would have it had adopted Val Con as a sort of blood brother and now take up his and Miri's cause as their own.

I found this installment of the Liaden Universe novels very different in tone and characterization from the first, Conflict of Honors; it also has some of the most original elements in space opera. For starters, the aliens have the feel of much-beloved relatives as opposed to weird creatures. And rather than focusing on hardware and technology (which is definitely a factor here, make no mistake) the authors engage us with the quirky, yet believable personalities they have created. All this, and well-timed action, too!

You can now buy this book as part of the three novel compilation "Partners in Necessity."

Val Con yos'Phelium, Clan Korval, future Delm and Second Speaker, was just doing a routine mission on some backwater planet in the middle of the universe when his life changed. After completing his mission, he encountered a small spitfire of a woman and saved her life, for which she promptly repaid him by bashing his head in. When Val Con woke up, the spitfire dumped him, but Val Con was intrigued, so he followed her and saved her life again. Now Miri Robertson, whose life he had saved twice, was forced to deal with Val Con, honor demanded it. She was intrigued by Val Con, whom she nicknamed "Tough Guy", but definitely didn't want a partner. As a former mercenary and bodyguard, she could handle herself and, as a target for the powerful Juntavas crime ring, she couldn't trust anyone...

However, both Val Con and Miri, both of whom were used to working alone, soon found that they worked well as partners, at least they would if Miri would stop trying to ditch Val Con at every opportunity. Val Con knew that Miri was something special, she made him feel things that he hadn't felt in years, she made him feel alive again. Miri didn't know what was wrong with Val Con, but she knew it had something to do with what he called The Loop, some kind of brain implant that gave him the odds of success on every mission/action he made. As they grew closer together, both Val Con and Miri realized that the Department of the Interior, who had trained Val Con as an agent, must have some ulterior motive in plan. But in order to find out what it was, they had to stay alive...

Agent of Change is the 4th book in the Liaden series if you read them chronologically (which I recommend). As with the other books, I simply loved Lee & Miller's characters and world building. They spend time on the details and it shows that they have carefully thought out and executed another masterpiece. I really feel as if I know the Korval family and am taking a remedial course on Liaden etiquette, these books are that well written! If you enjoy any kind of science fiction or space opera then this book has something for you - great characters, lots of action, enemies on all sides, high tech battle sequences, romance, family relations, honor, and much, much more! You can read this book as a stand-alone novel, but I would not recommend it as you will miss a lot of background, even though you should be able to follow the plot without too much trouble. Also, you definitely should not miss out on any book in the wonderful Liaden universe - all of them are very highly recommended!

this book is "Agent of Change" (not chance!) and was the first published of what is know a 6 or 7 book series.
The authors now have a different publisher than originally.
The series (in chronological order)
Pilots Choice (2 stories in one); Conflict of Honors (Shan's story); Agent of Change (Val Con and Miri); Carpe Diem (immediadely next) Plan B and I Dare
A Really Good series
Frances Morrison

I just finished this book for the 7th time, and it's still one of the most involving stories I've every read. I couldn't put it down, and my spouse hasn't seen my face in days. I'm so glad I stole the first trilogy from his roommate, back in college! I won't bother to describe the plot or characters, others have done it better than I in previous reviews. I will say that this series of books fired conversations between my husband and I for years before the sequel trilogy was published. I wanted to be Miri, I had a crush on Val Con, and barring all else, I wanted to be adopted by the Clutch Turtles! Needless to say, like so many others, I highly recommend all the Liad books to anyone who appreciates science fiction.

I first found this book years ago and have re-read it many times. It is a good action-adventure story with a touch of romance (just enough to spice - NO goo!) Val Con is cool and polished as the "agent of change" and Miri, the red-haired firebrand of a mercenary adds a good dose of hard-headed practicality to the mix. Add in some large turtle-like, extremely likeable aliens and some nasty criminal types and you have a first-rate, fast paced story. Here you also get introduced to the Liaden world in general, where humans have branched into at least three subcultures. I would highly recommend this book for any science fiction fan!

This is a wonderful series that includes Agent of Change, Conflict of Honors, and Carpe Diem. Unfortunately, the series is out of print, but not for long. A three-in-one edition is due to be published in February of 2000 and more books in the series are being planned (says so in the author website). But the next book in the series, Plan B, is available to order now! It's supposed to be out in the next two months or so.

What's all the fuss? The series has memorable, likeable characters and is funny, touching, and engrossing. The universe the authors have created is intricate and fully-realized. You can't read it just once...

Agent of Change (1988) is the first SF novel in the Liaden Universe series. It is set in a future where there are several known variations of Man and a few truly alien species. The Liaden are organized into Family Lines and these Lines into Clans. The Council of Clans rules all Liadens, but the Captain serves all Clans.

In this novel, Val Con yos'Phelium is a Liaden. He had been a First-in Scout, but now is a spy.

Miri Robertson is a Terran. She had been a mercenary, serving with the Gyrfalks. Then she left to become a bodyguard. Now she running from the Juntavas.

Twelfth Shell Fifth Hatched Knife Clan of Middle River's Spring Spawn of Farmer Greentrees of The Spearmakers Den, The Edger is a Clutch. He is about seven hundred years old and is a T'carais of his people. Val Con is the adopted and younger brother of Edger.

In this story, Terrence O'Grady is brought before Jaeger of the Terran Party and accused of being an impostor. He is beaten a little and loses his glasses. When the glasses are returned to him, Terrence throws them to Jaeger and jumps out the window.

Behind him, Val Con hears an explosion. He hurries even faster away from party headquarters. On the way, he notices five men firing at a woman.

Val Con takes out three of the men and Miri shoots the others. They both leave the area before the police arrive. Miri takes Val Con to her safehouse.

Miri tells him that the men were Juntavas. Her former employer had left the organization with embezzled funds and the Juntavas are trying to terminate him. Naturally, Sire Baldwin didn't explain his situation in quite this way.

When the Juntavas attacked the house, her employer fled the scene. Only a few of the staff survived the attack. Now Miri is also being hunted by the Juntavas and both she and the criminals would dearly like to get their hands on Sire Baldwin.

They recuperate overnight, but Miri doesn't want Val Con hanging around with her. He leaves, but soon notices the men surrounding the house. He returns to find Miri again under attack. This time Val Con takes Miri to his safehouse.

This time the Juntavas come looking for recent arrivals to the planet. Val Con and Miri get away again and find Edger and his brothers in the lobby of the building enjoying the entertainment. They all return to Edger's hotel.

This tale involves Val Con and Miri in various efforts by the Juntavas and the police to capture them. They find other friends in unexpected places. Then they flee the planet.

Val Con is an agent for Liaden in this novel. His personality has been overlaid by a pattern called the Loop. It displays the chances of achieving his mission and of surviving. But it also drives him against his will.

This volume is the first in the series by publication date, but it is something like the fifth by internal chronology. The Liaden Universe timeline is confusing. Moreover, this novel should -- but does not -- have a direct sequel!

Val Con finds himself loving Miri and she reluctantly feels the same. The next installment in this series -- Conflict of Honors -- concerns another within the Clan Korval. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Lee & Miller fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of armed conflict, paranormal talents, and true romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

This is another fine book in the Liaden series by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. In this book, Liaden Val Con rescues mercenary Miri Robertson and the two of them go on the run together, although for different reasons. The romantic tension between them is palpable, but it never detracts from the compelling plot. The authors continually find new ways to depict culture clash as with each new book they bring a different outsider into Liaden society. This is a good, fun book in a good, fun series.

Agent of Change was the first book by Steve Miller and Sharon Lee that I ever came across. I re-read my copy of that and Conflict of Honors for years before I finally found them on the web and learned they had more books. I've read all their books and stories and love them all. I can't recommend them highly enough.