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 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.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Challenging, Intriguing,
By
This review is from: Crystal Dragon: Book Two of the Great Migration Duology (Bk. 2) (Paperback)
Some of the criticisms found in other reviews of this book are justified, but as a whole, Crystal Dragon is a worthwhile entry in the Liaden Universe series. It continues the story begun in Crystal Soldier, and lays the groundwork for the books set at a later date (Local Custom, Scout's Progress, Conflict of Honors, etc.). It's important to note that Crystal Soldier and Crystal Dragon actually are among the last of the books written for this series. I would recommend reading them in order of publication rather than in the order of the time periods in which they're set, as I think the whole story unfolds much more effectively this way. Tantalizing bits alluded to in the earlier novels are fleshed out in later ones, and it becomes apparent how masterfully the authors have maintained continuity across a series it's taken them nearly 20 years to write. And quite frankly, readers who don't start with the more accessible earlier novels are probably going to be completely lost through most of Crystal Dragon.
It's unfortunate that sections of the story are written so obliquely that they require several readings, but this narrative style is characteristic of the authors and is often used to good effect in their other novels. The Liaden Universe novels had a small but very devoted following from the late 1980s through the early 2000s. Perhaps both the authors and editors assumed that the fan base would be so familiar with both the Liaden Universe themes and the authors' narrative quirks that the more obscure passages wouldn't pose a problem. (WARNING - Minor Spoiler Follows) Much of Crystal Dragon is occupied with how the protagonists (Cantra and Jela) are to overcome an Enemy that is seemingly unstoppable. Indeed, the authors have created an Enemy so powerful that their victory seems an all but foregone conclusion. The solution of using mathematical equations and physics to engineer an escape is quite ingenious in this non-scientist's opinion. And at heart, the Liaden books are space opera far more than they're hard sci-fi, so the rather tortured explanations for how this is accomplished should be taken with a large grain of salt anyway. Much more affecting are the unfolding of the romance between Jela and Cantra and reading about the earliest seeds of the establishment of Liaden society. And, as usual with the books in this series, there's an entertaining cast of secondary characters that helps to move the plot along.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good, but not excellent, continuation,
By
This review is from: Crystal Dragon: Book Two of the Great Migration Duology (Bk. 2) (Paperback)
The second novel in the Crystal duology nicely completes the story started in Crystal Soldier. There are some odd moments where things don't quite mesh, but in general the story hangs together. It's a "must-read" for Liaden fans because of the background it brings to that universe. In that respect it is similar to Anne McCaffrey's Dragonsdawn, although I believe the writing is superior.
If there are any fan's of Jo Clayton's Skeen series (Skeen's Leap, Skeen's Return), then the female lead Cantra should be a welcome introduction to a similar character.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Origins of the Dragon,
By
This review is from: Crystal Dragon: Book Two of the Great Migration Duology (Bk. 2) (Paperback)
Crystal Dragon (2005) is the second SF novel in the Great Migration duology within the Liaden Universe series, following Crystal Soldier. The initial work in this series is Agent of Change.
In the previous volume, the Sheriekas were destroying humanity and even spacetime itself. High Command was withdrawing into the core worlds. They were also hunting down agents of the consolidated commanders. Jela and his tree have joined Cantra in the Dancer looking for allies against the Sheriekas. Jela and Cantra were ambushed by High Command soldiers, but were rescued by Rool Tiazan and his lady. They were then informed that their rescuers were former agents of the Sheriekas. In this novel, Rool Tiazan is a submissive within a dramliza pair. He was trapped in a human body by his dominant. M Strain Jela Granthor's Guard is a soldier of Humanity. His breed are Generalists, storing more information about various and sundry subjects. He is also a pilot. Jela is shorter than others of the M Strain, but with wide shoulders and a narrow waist. Jela's tree is now taller than Jela himself. It transmits thoughts of dragons and prepares seed pods for his friends. Garen yos'Phelium Clan Torvin was a human and a Dark Trader. She owned the Spiral Dance -- AKA Dancer -- after acquiring it from an Agent of the Sheriekas. She adopted Cantra after her flight from the Directors. Cantra yos'Phelium Clan Torvin is also a Dark Trader and a pilot. She had been born within the Institute and trained as an aelantaza, an assassin. Now she owns and operates the Spiral Dancer. Liad dea'Syl is a human mathematician. He is a Master in Osabel Tower. Tor An yos'Galan is a human and a pilot. He is from the Ring of Stars. In this story, a young aspiring dominant is watching the zaliata flying within an aetherium. They travel along the ley lines feeding on the energy. She moves closer and closer until the containment forces flare. These zaliata display power and grace. They have been captured at the height of their abilities, contained, and exploited by the Iloheen. While it is theoretically impossible for her to perceive the zaliata, she enjoys watching them. An Iloheen shadow falls over the aetherium and she withdraws her senses back to the physical plane. Hiding from the lord, she awakes from her trance in the dormitory room with the other five survivors from her cohort. Then she wills herself to sleep among her sisters. She and her sisters have survived two Dooms. Now they are facing the third -- and last -- Doom. She prepares a vessel for her submissive. When she is called, she steps into the darkness and is told to download a tumzaliat -- a tamer version of the zaliata -- into the vessel. She carefully restrains the vessel on the tile floor. Then she enters the lesser aetherium and herds a tumzaliat down into the vessel. Unlike other birthings that she has witnessed, the downloaded tumzaliat does not scream. She names it Rool Tiazan. She continues to have problems with the submissive. Despite trying all that she was taught and even other things, the tumzaliat refuses to submit. She eventually realizes that her tumzaliat is really a zaliata and a Master of Chance. She doesn't know how it got into the lesser aetherium, but it is definitely more powerful that the tame tumzaliats. She hides her struggles with the submissive from her tutors and the lords. Finally, they agree to partnership. Cantra, Jela and the tree transit to Landomist. She prepares false papers for all, takes Jela to bed with her, and then wakes early to prepare herself. The tree gives her a seed pod, which helps her go into trance. When she awakes, Maelyn tay'Nordif is eager to present her request for a seat in Osabel Tower. She has her kobold Jela carry the tree as they present themselves to the portmaster. He provides them permission for a short-term visit. Then Maelyn goes to the tower and faces the admissions committee. She states her name and specialty. Then she states that she was a student of Liad dea'Syl. Her proof is accepted and she is welcomed to a seat in the tower. Tor An is returning home to the Ring Stars. He sets up the navigation computer and enters transition. The Light Wing stutters and drops back into normal space with an error message. After several attempts and tests over several hours, Tor An accepts the unavailability of the target coordinates and reports the problem to the nearest authorities. A Korak trade master confirms that no ships have come from the Ring of Stars for a few months, but considers the situation to be rather common of late. She suggests that he report the problem to the local garrison. The military already know of the loss and run off Tor An with a few shots. Tor An treats his wounds as best he can and sets the board for another transit. He doesn't know where to go, but his finger set coordinates for Landomist. Tor An arrives and looks for a scholar known to his aunt. He should be in the Osabel Tower. This tale has Rood and his Lady gathering other dramliz to fight their Iloheen masters. Rood manipulates chance to bring Cantra, Jela, Tor An and the tree to Osabel Tower. There they find Liad and an agent of the Sheriekas. Highly recommended for Lee & Miller fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of interstellar combat, covert operations, and willful women. Read and enjoy! -Arthur W. Jordin
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