Pilots Choice Liaden Universe Adventures [Paperback]

Sharon Lee (Author), Steve Miller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2001

Lee and Miller mix a compelling fictional society governed by a strict code of honor with romantic, funny, touchingly real characters and great storytelling in "Pilots Choice". Its two tales are prequels to "Partners in Necessity", the long-awaited reprinting of their first three novels, Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change, and Carpe Diem. You need not have read their other books before diving into this one. But be warned: you may read straight through until you've finished the sequel to Partners, "Plan B". In Local Custom, Er Thom yos'Galen is at odds with his duty: to match with a proper Liaden bride and provide clan Korval with an heir. His mother observes, "You have consistently refused every contract-alliance the head of your line has brought to your attention for the past three years. Permit me to wonder why." Er Thom can't forget Terran scholar Anne Davis, though they agreed to part. Revisiting her one last time he finds Shan yos'Galen, his son. Shan needs Liaden training and Korval needs his skills. Anne loves Er Thom and knows he risks his melant'i (honor, reputation) if he takes a Terran wife. But she won't be parted from her son. Er Thom and Anne are aided by Er Thom's cousin and foster brother, the Delm (head) of Korval, Daav yos'Phelium. Scout's Progress finds Daav facing contract-marriage himself. Then he meets Aelliana Caylon, a gifted mathematician who needs a pilot's license. Daav becomes her copilot and instructor. Aelliana begins to plan a future far from Liad and her sadistic older brother, Ran Eld, heir to the Delm of her clan. She doesn't know that her friend Daav can't leave with her, and is promised to another woman.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Lee and Miller mix a compelling fictional society governed by a strict code of honor with romantic, funny, touchingly real characters and great storytelling in Pilots Choice. Its two tales are prequels to Partners in Necessity, the long-awaited reprinting of their first three novels, Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change, and Carpe Diem. You need not have read their other books before diving into this one. But be warned: you may read straight through until you've finished the sequel to Partners, Plan B.

In Local Custom, Er Thom yos'Galen is at odds with his duty: to match with a proper Liaden bride and provide clan Korval with an heir. His mother observes, "You have consistently refused every contract-alliance the head of your line has brought to your attention for the past three years. Permit me to wonder why."

Er Thom can't forget Terran scholar Anne Davis, though they agreed to part. Revisiting her one last time he finds Shan yos'Galen, his son. Shan needs Liaden training and Korval needs his skills. Anne loves Er Thom and knows he risks his melant'i (honor, reputation) if he takes a Terran wife. But she won't be parted from her son.

Er Thom and Anne are aided by Er Thom's cousin and foster brother, the Delm (head) of Korval, Daav yos'Phelium. Scout's Progress finds Daav facing contract-marriage himself. Then he meets Aelliana Caylon, a gifted mathematician who needs a pilot's license. Daav becomes her copilot and instructor. Aelliana begins to plan a future far from Liad and her sadistic older brother, Ran Eld, heir to the Delm of her clan. She doesn't know that her friend Daav can't leave with her, and is promised to another woman.

These are SF and fantasy books. Lee and Miller are master world-builders: the pilot culture, the intricate web of Liaden custom, the portrayals of the "three" races (Liaden, Terran, and Yxtrang), and the detailed history gradually revealed all attest to their skills. Moreover, there's plenty of action and adventure here, and no painfully graphic sex scenes. If you enjoy witty banter between characters, social and political intrigue, and "tales of love and glory" set in intergalactic space, don't miss these books. --Nona Vero

About the Author

Sharon Lee

Sharon Lee was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1952. She graduated high school in 1970, attended University of Maryland Baltimore County as a mild-mannered night student while simultaneously cutting a fearsome swath through the secretarial field by day.

In 1978, she decided life was too tame and predictable and left her plush job as administrative aide to the Dean of the University of Maryland's School of Social Work and Community Planning. Shortly thereafter, she engineered her first adventure by opening a genre bookstore, using the money from her retirement fund as her seed.

After Book Castle went bankrupt, she worked a series of odd and odder jobs, the most memorable of which was delivering tractor trailers, though selling cider at the Baltimore City Sunday Farmer's Market was fun, too. On the odder side, she was an advertising copy writer, both in-house and freelance.

Since her first professional sale, in 1980, Sharon's professional output has included reviews, features, short stories; TV, radio and print ads, as well as her contribution to the Liaden Universe.

She and Steve Miller married in 1980. In 1988 they migrated to Maine, where they can be found to this day, sharing life with four stalwart cats and a large cast of characters..

Steve Miller

Steve Miller was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1950. He graduated high school in 1968, attended University of Maryland Baltimore County a couple times, where he was news editor of the campus newspaper, The Retriever, active in the chess club and founding president of the Infinity Circle, the school's first science fiction club. In between bouts of being a student, he was curator of the Albin O. Kuhn Library's science fiction collection.

In no particular order he has been a reviewer -- of music, of books and of typewriters -- a reporter, an editor, a professional chess tournament director, a librarian, an editor, a sysop, an editor and a resource specialist for a statewide electronic bulletin board system.

In 1973 he attended the Clarion West Writing Workshop in Seattle.

Since his first publication in 1968, Steve has accumulated credits in well over 100 newspapers, magazines and journals. In addition to reviews and poetry, Steve's professional output has included short stories, TV and radio commercials, greeting cards, as well as his contribution to the Liaden Universe.

He and Sharon Lee married in 1980. In 1988 they migrated to Maine, where they can be found to this day, sharing life with four stalwart cats and a large cast of characters. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Meisha Merlin Publishing, Inc.; 1 edition (February 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892065029
• ISBN-13: 978-1892065025
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,212,244 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Explorations of a unique culture, March 6, 2001

By 

H.J. Rakestraw (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pilots Choice Liaden Universe Adventures (Paperback)

Pilot's Choice is a book in the Liaden Universe series. It takes place prior to all the previously published novels, and focuses on the parents of the main characters in Agent of Change, Conflict of Honors, Carpe Diem (available in the omnibus Partners of Necessity), and Plan B.

I was most struck by the tone of the stories. Local Custom explores the romance between Anne Davis, human linguist, and Er Thom yos'Galen, Liaden pilot and master trader. They love each other deeply, but differences between their culture make it very difficult to come to a happy resolution. The sense of helplessness and frustration is palpable through the story, as both main characters are rocked by actions of others with power over them. While reading this first story I was drawn deeply into the lives of the characters and the hope that they could end up happily together.

Scout's Progress is the story of the independence of Aelliana Caylon. She is a mathematical genius whose independence and grace has been stunted by the cruelty of her brother. A series of circumstances leads her to believe early on that she must leave Liad. Daav yos'Phelium (foster-brother and clan head to Er Thom, introduced in the first story) is longing for a place where he can lay all his clan responsibilities to rest. The two meet up at a Liaden shipyard where Daav's true identity is known but not spoken of. Watching Aelliana gain confidence and Daav wrestle with the frustrations of his position was truly heartbreaking yet exhilerating.

This book has quickly became my favorite in the Liaden Universe series. I believe it would be a good introduction for someone who has not read any of the other books, as it takes place a generation before them. Anyone who likes well written fiction, who likes romance, or who likes character-driven and culturally-focused science fiction would be well pleased by the stories in this book. I'm planning to introduce several of my friends to this volume.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two great books in one, March 6, 2001

By 

Adina Reeve - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pilots Choice (Hardcover)

A wonderful read! I finished it at three o'clock in the morning, then stayed up another hour re-reading "the best bits".

The book is actually two novels under one cover. The first, Local Custom, is about two cultures in conflict, revolving around the parentage and custody of a child of mixed lineage. The second, Scout's Progress, is one woman in conflict with her own culture. Don't look for great space battles or the trappings of action/adventure. This is well-drawn, likeable, *believable* characters interacting within the bounds of equally well-drawn and believable cultures.

I confess that the second novel, Scout's Progress, is my favorite of the two. Aelliana Caylon is a fascinating and complex character. Her mathematical genius is respected, even honored, among the pilots and scouts to whom she teaches "math for survival", yet it does her no good against her abusive brother and the restrictive social conventions that give him power over her. It does provide her with a tantalizing hope--escape by fleeing the planet. But to survive she needs to learn to pilot a ship and operate in cultures not her own. The scouts are masters at piloting--and flouting convention....

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Like Regency Romance? Like Science Fiction?, April 8, 2001

By 

LeeAnn Balbirona (Washington state) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pilots Choice Liaden Universe Adventures (Paperback)

...then this duo is for you! The Regency roots are showing here; much more than in the original three Liaden books, but still these two novels in one are interesting and fun. The second story especially starts to sound like Sense & Sensibility after a while! All that witty repartee and heroines that are too shy (or abused) to make their true feelings known and wicked elder brothers plotting revenge. Truly Austen-ian. Or Georgette Heyer-ish.

With Lee & Miller, you always feel there are a few sentences and scenes missing. There's a joke you're not getting here somewhere. The story sometimes jumps and especially the conversations between characters. It's a little disconcerting. The Liaden traditions and explorations of its language and matters are still interesting. How do all those bows look different, one wonders?

"Local Custom" is about Shan's parents, Terran Anne Davis and Liaden Er Thom yos'Galan. Lots of interesting background about Liad here and a truly horrific Aunt Petronella and a young Aunt Kareen make for a compelling read. In feel, very similar to Lois McMaster Bujold's book, "Shards of Honor," in which a sophisticated Terran woman meets and falls in love with a "barbarian" or provincial man from a world of Byzantine social codes. The twist to this is that from the start of "Local Custom," Shan has already been born!

The Aelliana/Daav yos'Phelium story ("Scout's Progress") does have quite a bit about Jump ship piloting and mathematics, so don't despair if romance isn't quite your thing. I do get quite tired of that old formula of brilliant herione hiding all her skills because of the mental and physical abuse of others. It just doesn't make sense at some points why Aelliana would allow this sort of treatment to continue when her mother is neither stupid nor weak and is totally capable of protecting her. Plus, Aelliana is a math genius and her family is totally oblivious of her worth to the Clan. Seems a little odd. This was a much stronger and richer story than the first despite that. The secondary characters (Scouts, Daav's intended bride, the pirates) all made you want to look for them in future books. (Or were they already there and we missed them?) The ending sort of leaves you hanging though!

If you've enjoyed Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change, Carpe Diem and Plan B already, then sit back and relax with these two romance stories for a change of pace.