Crystal Dragon (The Great Migration Duology, Book 2) (Bk. 2) [Hardcover]

Sharon Lee (Author), Steve Miller (Author), Donato Giancola (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Great Migration Duology, Book 2 | Publication Date: April 5, 2006

You can't go home again... What do you do when home is a conspiracy that's been discovered and destroyed? When home is a planet in a star system that's gone missing? When home means working for the destroyers of galaxies? When home is a spaceship that's calling out to the enemy? Cantra 'yos Phelium isn't a quitter, but she has more than a little problem: the Enemy has accelerated its attacks and how do you fight an Enemy whose major form of attack is the de-crystallization of everything around itself? A smuggler with a rogue soldier for a co-pilot, and a tree with an attitude for crew, Cantra's the only one who can get close to the man who holds equations that might, that just might - thwart the Enemy. All she has to do is help a young pilot from a missing world, juggle a slippery promise she never quite made to a pair of wizards, and then forget who she is along with everything, and everyone, she's ever known.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Meisha Merlin Publishing, Inc.; 1st MM Pub. Ed edition (April 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592220878
• ISBN-13: 978-1592220878
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #846,056 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When is the end of the universe just a beginning?, March 6, 2006

By 

'nother Mike "cutratepersona" (Nara, Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crystal Dragon (The Great Migration Duology, Book 2) (Bk. 2) (Hardcover)

Do I think you should buy Crystal Dragon? Of course!

Now, let me be honest. I really think you should buy Crystal Soldier AND Crystal Dragon, since they are a duology. And I recommend that if you haven't read any other Liaden Universe (tm) novels, you should consider getting some of the other fine ones and starting with them. If you like romance, try Local Custom or Scout's Progress. If you want young adult SF, try Balance of Trade (the Hal Clement Award winner!). If you want space opera with intelligence, try Agent of Change or Conflict of Honors. Be prepared, you will want the rest of the novels, too. And then you will want to read Crystal Soldier and Crystal Dragon no matter what I say. But get them now, because the way the book industry works, they may not be available when you want them.

Let's see. In the other Liaden Universe (tm) books, there are often hints and glimpses of something catastrophic that happened back then. The Crystal Duology tells the story of that catastrophe, and of the people who (mostly) lived through it. It is a little bit like reading stories about the Irish in America, and then going back to read a story about the potato famine. It doesn't change your admiration for the Irish, but it may help explain their background a bit more. So where do you want to start, with the potato famine or with the Irish?

Now, let's consider Crystal Dragon by itself. First, even if you have read Crystal Soldier and especially if you have taken a sneak peek at the previews available, let me warn you to keep reading. There is a prologue story in Crystal Dragon that has been known to convince people that they picked up the wrong book - but keep reading, it will make sense. If you really have to, skip the prologue and go right to the first chapter, but plan to come back again and read that prologue later. It adds a rich patina of meanings to the doings of the . . . well, that would be telling.

I won't try to summarize the plot, except to note that there are at least three threads going at the beginning and you need to keep track as they weave around. The man who has lost his home, the soldier and the pilot trying to find a way to save the universe, and of course, the wizards who know they cannot succeed - and the luck, the luck that strings a golden thread of daring through the end of everything into the future. Frankly, I envy you, simply because you haven't read it yet.

So? Get your copy of Crystal Dragon. Read it. Then go back and read Crystal Soldier and Crystal Dragon together. Then go read the rest of the novels that give us glimpses into the Liaden Universe (tm). You will be glad you did.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cantra's Tale, April 28, 2006

By 

Mike Garrison (Covington, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Crystal Dragon (The Great Migration Duology, Book 2) (Bk. 2) (Hardcover)

This is the second half of a story that starts with Crystal Soldier (which is required reading before starting this book), and as the name implies this is more about Cantra (the dragon) than Jela (the soldier). It mostly serves as a character development study -- how does a burned out smuggler with nothing to live for end up being the person who creates Clan Korval and leaves such a profound legacy?

A big chunk of the plot involves Cantra turning herself into someone else for the purpose of going undercover, but really that just highlights Cantra's remaking of herself from loner drifter to the head of what will become the most powerful shipping clan in the galaxy.

Along the way many questions are answered about the nature and origin of the tree, the dramliz, the Liadens, and other aspects of the Liaden Universe. However, these are occasionally given short shrift.

The main problem with the book is that the plot does not progress at the same pace as the underlying story of Cantra's development. This leads to some parts of the plot feeling drawn out, while others (especially the ending) feel quite rushed. But the authors had to choose whether to write the book about the plot or about Cantra, and they chose the latter.

We do see some more of Jela, but his development is already complete by the end of the previous book. Accordingly, in this one he is more of a support character for Cantra. He also serves as the main force which brings Cantra out of her retreat and back into human society.

The other slight flaw of the book is that a few too many cameo appearances are made by characters for no really good reason. In particular, Lute and Moonhawk must have some deep meaning to the authors but their appearance here really just disrupted things. There is no need for The Uncle to show up again, since he does nothing. And the timely arrival of dea'Gauss is almost a little too cute.

Nevertheless, fans of the Liaden Universe will find this to be a must-read story for the background explanation. Fans of Crystal Soldier will want to read it to find out how that tale ends. But both sets of fans should understand that this book is not quite a Liaden story, nor is it quite like Crystal Dragon. Above all it is a character study of Cantra, and in that respect it works very well.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Come along for the ride..., March 30, 2006

By 

Catherine M. Anderson "Cathy" (Durham, NC USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Crystal Dragon (The Great Migration Duology, Book 2) (Bk. 2) (Hardcover)

Very enjoyable - especially if you've read the rest of the series. (If you haven't, go out now and start with Conflict of Honors. Or Carpe Diem. Or, well, there really isn't a bad choice.) I love seeing how the Liaden universe came together. However, be forewarned that the style of the first chapter is very different than the rest of the book. Be patient and enjoy the first section as a short story (there is important background information in there), then enjoy the remainder, which is written in the classic Lee/Miller style. Definitely goes in the re-read stack!