Plan B [Paperback]

Steve Miller (Author), Sharon Lee (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 30, 2002

Pursued across space by the ultra-secret Department of the Interior, hunted by the galaxy-wide Juntavas syndicate, former Agent of Change Val Con yos' Phelium and his ex-soldier lifemate Miri Robertson have commandeered the only spaceship on Vandar and fled, seeking help from Miri's newly discovered kin on Lytaxin. Elsewhere, Clan Korval is in action. Scattered across space by the newly invoked Plan B, certain clan members pursue the search for the long-missing Val Con. First Speaker Nova yos'Galan returns to Lufkit, seeking clues, as Dutiful Passage, Korval's premier tradeship, arms itself for war - and discovers treachery. Back on Lytaxin, Miri's homecoming is interrupted by a full-scale Yxtrang planetary invasion. Then things start to get really interesting...

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

How can a series with terrific character development, witty dialogue, and high adventure fail? Lee, Miller, and dedicated fans refused to believe it could, and after 10 years, the Liaden Universe has returned from book limbo! If you can find them, look for other books in the series: Partners in Necessity, an omnibus of the first three novels, another omnibus containing two prequels, and the fifth book, I Dare. But feel free to start here: Plan B stands alone, though previous books provide rich back-story.

Meet Val Con yos'Phelium of Clan Korval. Val Con was once an "agent of change": recruited by Liad's Department of Interior (DOI) and redesigned--his memories blocked, his emotions suppressed--into a precision killing device. Val Con's sanity was saved by his lifemate, Miri Robertson. She's a half-Terran former mercenary sergeant even shorter than Val Con, and almost as deadly in combat. Miri also has Liaden dramliza (wizard) blood from her mother's family, Clan Erob. In Liaden society, one's melant'i (roughly: reputation, or face) is preserved by appropriate speech and behavior, including honor duels when a Balance is owed. Miri is nervous but Val Con says: "'Together, cha'trez, we are--' he bent his head, put his mouth next to her ear and breathed '--hell on wheels.'"

DOI has plotted to destroy Korval; Korval now invokes Plan B: retreat strategically, trust no one, prepare for all-out war. Val Con and Miri are trapped by an invasion force of the militaristic Yxtrang as they await Val Con's foster siblings, who are arming the clan. And of course their adopted Clutch brothers, Edger and Sheather, who resemble giant turtles, are also on their way. Somewhat more slowly. Can everybody stay alive long enough to reunite?

If you love Lois McMaster Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan books, visit Liad. This is space opera at its best. --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. Presently, she is executive director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc.

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.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Meisha Merlin Publishing, Inc.; 1st MM Pub. Ed edition (May 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892065002
• ISBN-13: 978-1892065001
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,134,569 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, Adventure, Intrigue, Action, Romance, August 16, 1999

By 

James W. Morris "jamie" (Daphne, AL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Plan B (Paperback)

After a long wait, I am delighted to report that this book is an excellent continuation of one of my all time favorite series. I read the 3 earlier books years ago and have been on the lookout for this one ever since. I often reread those three earlier books (they are being republished early next year BTW)and am pleased to add Plan B to my list of all time favorites.

While this book does build on the earlier novels it can be read & enjoyed entirely on its own merit. Of course I strongly recommend picking up the other three as they become available, I know I will be picking up additional copies. :-)

Warning this book can be hazardous to your job. Do not pick it up unless you have the time to read it in one sitting. Everyone I have talked to or loaned my copy has been unable to put it down.

Happy reading!

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Plan B rates an A, October 22, 1999

By 

David Carrico (Somewhere in Oklahoma) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Plan B (Paperback)

I waited for 10 years for this book to be published. I have been a fan of Lee and Miller since the first three books in the series were published in the late 80's, and being left in mid-crisis at the end of Carpe Diem was torture. Finding Plan B a week or so ago was like rain in the desert. I've read it three times now, cover to cover, in 5 days, and can honestly say that the book is an excellent read. The characters are developing nicely, and the background of the universe is also starting to fill in very well. It's paced well, has a lot of humor in it, and still has all the "golly - gosh - gee whiz" that good space opera should have.

If you're a fan of Moon, Weber or Brust, this should be right up your alley.

If you haven't read Lee and Miller before, do it now. (I envy you your first taste!) If you do know them, but haven't read Plan B, do it now. (I've read it and you haven't, nanny-nanny-boo-boo!)

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Speak to me of danger, do!, June 12, 2001

By 

"reedekullervo" (Edina, MN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Plan B (Paperback)

The biggest danger posed by this book will be your inability to put it down and the immediate need for another fix of Liaden Universe novels! I don't know how this series escaped my attention back in the 80's, but I started with Partner's In Necessity (omnibus of the first three novels, Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change and Carpe Diem) and was instantly in love. I read the whole book in under a week and immediately had purchase all the available books, including Plan B, which follows hard on the heels of Carpe Diem. I spent a weekend reading them all together in order, and even though I think Plan B is well-crafted enough to be read on its own, the background information and hints that you pick up in the earlier books makes it worth your while to start at the beginning and work your way to Plan B.

I was impressed that Plan B fit so seamlessly with the previous novels. The action picks up right where it left off, and the characters words and deeds are so consistant with what has been written before you never would have guessed there was a ten year publishing gap between them. The strengths of these books is in the wonderful cast of characters. Val Con, Shan, Nova, Anthora, Priscilla, Miri, Edger...they are all so well drawn with their own mannerisms and speech. Part of the dramatic tension in Plan B is getting the various members of Clan Korval all in the same place/space at same time since many of them haven't even met each other. You just know that Shan will approve of Val Con's lifemate Miri, but you want them to meet and talk to each other and interact, though perhaps it would be better to save Aunt Kareen for later...

While Plan B isn't strong on technological details, it is big on heart. The driving force is to preserve Clan Korval from the evil Department of the Interior, a xenophobic and power-hungry shadow organization within the Liaden government. They fear and resent Clan Korval's power and influence and the current clan members' partial Terran heritage. This sets the stage for planetary invasion, conspiracy, sabatoge, family reunions, long-lost heirs, galatic mobs, eccentric ancestors, talking tress, truces with enemies and a host of other difficulties to be overcome and it all makes for great reading.

By my measure, any book that makes you want to buy the sequel and/or prequel(s) sight unseen must have something going for it, and for all the faithful readers who had to wait 10 years (!) to get Plan B in their hands, well, they have my deepest sympathy. Right now I'll be re-reading my copies until I Dare makes its appearance. Thanks to Meisha Merlin Publishing for picking up this series, and let's hope there will be many more adventures yet to come!