Customer Reviews

Conflict of Honors: A Novel of the Liaden Universe

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You can now buy this book as part of a 3 novel compilation called "Partners In Necessity."

Conflict of Honors, by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, is another space opera novel set in the Liaden universe. The first book I read, Scout's Progress, was a romance set in a futuristic setting. This book, on the other hand, is a bit more than that, and that's all for the better. It has interesting heroes, vile villains, and a bit of action. I didn't have the same problem getting into it as I did with the first book, but that could be because I was already used to the language used. Still, there wasn't as much of it, and the storyline is a more straightforward. Definitely a keeper.

Back cover blurbs have been known to be wrong about the contents of a book before, but I rarely see one that's misleading like this one is, while still being essentially accurate. If you look at the back cover in the bookstore, you get the impression that once Shan and Priscilla meet up, it's a quest for revenge, with nothing standing in their way. Instead, it's a bit quieter, more subtle. It's too bad, too, because the book is really good for what it is, and doesn't need a punched up cover blurb to sell it. In fact, it may detract from it, as readers finds out they're not getting what they thought.

That doesn't mean that the plot's not interesting, though. It is. The machinations of the bad guys are intriguing, though the First Mate of the Daxflan is a bit too one-dimensionally evil. Still, the master trader of the ship is very good, walking the fine line between evil and insanity. Watching them when their plans come to fruition, and seeing how our heroes ultimately resolve the situation is entertaining, and will keep you turning the pages.

One problem, though, is that the situations are almost too easy. I didn't really get the sense of jeopardy from them, and they seemed too easily dealt with. I enjoyed them because I liked the characters and I wanted to see how they solved the problems, but I didn't get any sense that they were in danger. Even the short action sequences are rather tame, though they provide the most danger of any of them. The flaws in the heroes are personal flaws, and in taking care of these situations, they almost seem too perfect. It brought down the interest level a touch and was ultimately disappointing. The climax of the book, though, is fitting. It's understated, a result of negotiation and talking rather than violence. It's nice that a book like this can end without any real bloodshed, with no shootouts or anything like that. Instead, it fits in with the rest of the book.

The characters in this book (with the exception noted above) are wonderful. Their emotions are real, raw, and heartfelt. Priscilla is reserved, hesitating to let her emotions out because she's scared of having them spurned as they have been since she was exiled. The love she finds on Shan's ship is eye-opening to her, and she learns a great deal about emotional health from the friends she makes. Lina, her first friend on the ship, is very understanding and patient with her. The relationship that develops between them is very touching, especially as it grows deeper with time. Lina is also Shan's lifelong friend, and she feels his pain as he finds himself drawn to Priscilla but can't act on it, due to both how bad it would look as well as the shell that Priscilla is still in.

Shan is probably my favourite character, though. He is so three dimensional, constantly demonstrating different facets to his personality. He has loyalty to his clan, a burning affection for his friends and a heartfelt duty to his crew. He's suave, sophisticated, devious and funny. He's always on the ball and able to think on his feet, which is a good quality as one event after another happens to put Priscilla in jeopardy. Lee and Miller make the reader care about him, and watching him pine for Priscilla is almost heart-wrenching.

Love in Conflict of Honors is very free, and that may put off some readers. A love triangle of sorts does form between these three characters, but there is no jealousy, only caring amongst them. If you have trouble with the idea of same-sex relationships, then steer clear of this book. There isn't anything graphic about it, so if you don't mind the idea but you don't want to see it in action, then you're safe. It's worth reading, though, as you come to care about them and want them to succeed.

This is a book about relationships, and thus it moves kind of slow. It's interesting, though, which means that you won't mind spending the time with Shan, Priscilla and Lina. You get to know them, their deep desires and their outlook on the world. The loving byplay between them is great. Don't expect lots of action, like in some space opera books, because Lee and Miller don't write that (at least judging by the two books I've read). Instead, they write character exploration, what it means to love and what loyalty is.

I said earlier that this isn't a romance, but a bit more. It has some of the trappings of a romance, but the results are much better than that. If you dislike romances, you shouldn't let that keep you away from this book. It's definitely worth reading.

I first found _Conflict of Honors_ because of recommendations given to me by alexlit.com, and hearing about the books by Lee & Miller obliquely on rec.arts.sf.written; happening by the book in a second-hand shop thereafter, I picked it up and started reading. Well, within 24 hours I'd visited seven other used bookshops looking for the other two, had found and read _Carpe Diem_ in addition to _Conflict of Honors_, and had written cheques for _Plan B_ and _Agent of Change_.

_Conflict of Honors_ by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller wasn't my first occasion of reading about themes most often considered in the realm of fantasy being mixed with more hard-SF tropes, but it has become one of the most memorable and amusing for me. The cast of characters are varied, well-depicted, with strong dialogue and interwoven story lines that are woven well with each other throughout the book.

As I personally prefer reviews not entirely composed of platitudes and promises, I do note that in places the pacing does flag, and the story is resolved by two characters realizing a personal commitment to each other; but the characters carry the story over its rough spots, and the love-story aspects are not what guide the development of the characters or the main storyline.

My interest in reading science fiction derives less from liking the exploration of new technical ideas, than enjoying the development of characters in settings different than those possible either historically or contemporarily; and it is at this that Lee & Miller are very strong, being able to develop characters who carry their own weight, bear the burden of their own choices, and interact as fully at the social levels as personal and professional. Shan and Priscilla are intriguing people as presented in _Conflict of Honors_, ones whom it will be delightful to read more of as they reappear in the progress of the Liad world.

Conflict of Honors (1988) is the second SF novel in the Liaden Universe series, following Agent of Change. In the previous volume, Val Con and Miri were caught by the Juntavas, but were released onto a derelict ship. Although damaged by the Yxtrang, the ship was somewhat repairable. Then the Yxtrang came back.

In this novel, Priscilla Delacroix y Mendoza is a Terran, a native of the planet Sintia. She became a spacer at age sixteen. She is now Cargo Master of the Liaden ship Daxflan.

Shan yos'Galan is a Liaden. He is Theodelm of Line Galan and nadelm of Clan Korval, a Master Trader, and Captain of the Liaden ship Dutiful Passage.

Lina Faaldom is a Liaden and Theodelm of Clan Desnol. She is the Librarian on Dutiful Passage.

Sav Rid Olanek is a Liaden of Clan Plemia. He is Trader on the Daxflan, which is owned by his clan.

Dagmar Collier is a Terran. She is second mate on the Daxflan.

In this story, the Terrans on the Daxflan are very disgruntled by their conditions. They are treated as nonpersons and eat disgusting food in an impromptu messhall away from the Liaden crew. Priscilla's friend Shelly has just bought out her contract to get off the Daxflan.

After Shelly leaves, Priscilla saves her file containing suspicions of contraband in the sealed cargo. Then she is unexpectedly assigned to go down to Jankalin. Since the planet is only a dropoff point, she is puzzled about being included within the landing party.

On the world, Dagmar takes her aside to help carry something. Once they get through the recalcitrant door, Priscilla is knocked out and left in the locked room. When she awakes, Priscilla discovers that she has been stranded.

Priscilla gains employment on the Dutiful Passage to overtake her ship. The captain requires her to take a battery of strange tests before hiring her under personal contract. Then he assigns her to Lina as Pet Librarian, with additional duties as needed.

Priscilla does many and varied tasks on the Dutiful Passage. The pet library is the most pleasant, but she also really enjoys the piloting lessons. These are required in her contract, but are without charge to her.

When the Dutiful Passage next encounters the Daxflan, someone tries to murder Shan. Priscilla saves the Captain, but he does not allow her to reveal their suspicions of Dagmar's involvement. Shan does tell her of Dutiful Passage's outstanding complaint against Daxflan. Shan even mentions the conflict between his sister and Sav Rid.

This tale involves Priscilla in a balancing of debts against Sav Rid and the Daxflan. She learns much about Liaden customs and culture during her time on the Dutiful Passage. And the crew of the Dutiful Passage also discover and admire her own talents.

Although this tale has few similarities with the previous novel, it is still about Clan Korval. Shan and Val Con are cousins and are like brothers to each other. This story seems to take place prior to the previous novel, but the Liaden Universe timeline is very confusing.

The story is filled with action and conflict, but also with satisfying interpersonal relationships. The next installment is Carpe Diem. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Lee & Miller fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of alien cultures, social conflicts, and paranormal talents.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Honor and family are the watchwords of the Liaden universe. To be Liaden sounds wonderful and the authors have made a great universe full of interesting characters and an ongoing plot against them. This is one of the original books written many years ago. After the authors could not find a publisher, they stopped writing until the Liaden Universe fan club brought them back. This book, for me, was the start of a love affair with Shan and Val Con. The authors mix humor and thrills in all their novels along with a whole made up way of life for their characters including an honor code! Even if you start with this novel you can be caught up in a great space opera, years in the making.

Priscilla Delacroix y Mendoza left her homeplanet when she was only sixteen, convicted of blasphemy and exiled to be homeless and clanless, but she survived. Ten years later, after working her share of grunt jobs, she was the cargo master on the Daxflan, a Liaden ship captained by Sav Rid Olanek. It wasn't an easy job as Terrans were treated like second-class citizens and the second mate, Dagmar, kept trying to "charm" her into a relationship, but Priscilla could not afford to leave the ship and damage her reputation so she stayed. Then Priscilla discovered that the Captain had taken on a cargo of illegal drugs and passed them off as innocent pharmaceuticals. Priscilla tried to hide her knowledge, but she found herself knocked out and locked up on a second-class planet with no money, no job and a resume that now claimed she was a thief.

Priscilla knew that she had to get off the planet and hunt down the Daxflan, if for nothing else than to reclaim her possessions, so she turned to the only ship in orbit at the time - the Dutiful Passage captained by Shan yos'Galan. Unbelievably, the Captain hired her as a pet librarian and then proceeded to help her with pilot and leadership training. Priscilla did not know quite how to react to the friendship of those aboard the Dutiful Passage, but she slowly started to think of the ship as her home. But Dagmar and Captain Olanek were not going to let Priscilla escape and they had a score to settle against Shan yos'Galan, her beloved Captain and source of protection...

Conflict of Honors (also found in an omnibus edition called Partners in Necessity) is the third book in the Liaden trilogy if you go chronologically, but it was the first book written in the Liaden universe. In it we see Shan yos'Galan again, whom we met as a child in Local Custom (the story of his parents) and it was wonderful to see what he turned out like. I absolutely adored the characters in this book and felt myself cheering Priscilla on whenever she had doubts or faltered, but my favorite was Shan with his irreverent sense of humor and very independent character. The universe is skillfully created with lots of details and clear differentiation between planets and cultures. If you have not yet treated yourself to the Liaden series by Lee and Miller then you are really missing out! They are must reads for any science fiction/space opera fan or anyone who loves to read well-crafted books!

We watch Priscilla cast out from her home world, and learning to make her way as a trading ship crew member. We watch her learn the perils of working for one of the Liaden Traders. Then an act of treachery against her delivers Priscilla to another Liaden, Captain Shan and the trading ship Dutiful Passage.

The wonder of the Dutiful Passage is the honor and respect among the crew with the strangely quirky and utterly captivating Captain. I fell in love with the captain and crew. Back in the 1950's we were told 'A good Science Fiction story is a good People story.' (I believe, Joseph Campbell.) I feel this book is one of the proofs of that observation. The first thing I did when I finished Conflict of Honors, was to turn to the front and start over.

This is a story about an outcast who learns to make friends and believe in herself once again as she signs on as crew aboard a Liaden trade vessel.

Priscilla Mendoza finds herself betrayed and abandoned on a backwater world with no friends, no money and no job. Through an incredible stroke of luck, she comes to the attention of Shan yos'Galen, captain of the Dutiful Passage. Quickly hired and set to training for a fast-track career, Priscilla slowly begins to overcome her negative self-image and her past as she learns to trust and connect with other people. Along the way there is intrigue, romance and adventure as her enemies attempt to slander her and steal the honor she has created for herself.

The Liaden universe is a totally original construct with a well thought out set of social systems and codes of honor that fascinate the reader even as they complicate matters for the characters there. This universe is the true strength of the book. It is this that really has me coming back for more, and I will be getting the next book in this series to see how the plotlines set up in Conflict of Honors are resolved.

I liked this book the first time I read it but I liked it more the second time. I guess now it is my favorite science fiction book next to Witches of Karres by James Schmitz. My original book wore out and I've almost worn out the second one, I read it and lend it so often!

When I think about it, the wit and irony the chracters use with each other, and the way the story flows from the characters instead of the characters feeling pushed around by plot, is why this book is so good. There's what feels like honest romance along with the science fiction --and I first heard about this book when it was suggested in a Romance reader's magazine!

I like the other two Miller and Lee books, too, and I can't wait for the next one.

I snapped up all three books from these authors when they first came out. Alas, my copies wore out from too much re-reading. It's good to hear that the fourth book will be published soon. May one hope that the first three will be reprinted soon?