I Dare [Paperback]

It's a good idea, if you're not familiar with the series, to read them all; while this is a rousing good space opera in its own right, it is even better if you have followed the series. You could get by without the _Pilot's Choice_ volume, but you really need, at the very least, _Agent of Change_, _Carpe Diem_, and _Plan B_ to get the most out of _I Dare_. Agent and Carpe are two of the three novels in the _Partners in Necessity_ volume, so if you get that, you'll get _Conflict of Honors_ too. That's the first one I ever read of the series, initially published as individual paperbacks.

The series starts with Er Thom yos'Galen and Daav yos'Phelium, in _Local Custom_ and _Scout's Progress_. _Conflict_ takes up with Shan yos'Galen, Er Thom and Anne's son. _Agent_ takes up Val Con yos'Phelium, Daav and Aelliana's son. The rest of the books so far, including _I Dare_, continue to follow Shan and Val Con, and the various employees, friends and lifemates they drag into the ongoing story of Clan Korval. In _I Dare_ many of the separate threads from the previous volumes come together. We have the Juntavas, the interstellar Mob who actively appeared in _Agent_; we have the return of Daav; we have also Shan and Val Con's cousin Pat Rin as a major character. (That's Val Con and Pat Rin on the cover.) Surebleak, the planet Miri Robertson was born on, suddenly shows up again. Korval has already noticed that the Department of the Interior is trying to take over Liad and eliminate their family; in this book, Korval actively confronts the Department.

A large chunk of the book is taken up with battles and battle strategy; however, this didn't turn me off, even though I'm not that gung-ho on war stories. And there's a larger element of fantasy in this book than in the previous ones, in that more and more people turn out to have psychic powers. I'm not that much of a fan of psychic powers, but I didn't mind them here- it's just one element that keeps the story moving right along. The plot is extremely brisk; don't skip a page!

The end of the book does contain what seems to be a clear lead-in to a next book, since a new character shows up... I won't give away the details. One of the nice things about this book, and this whole series, is that there could be short stories written about it for years to come, because there are so many interesting characters. What exactly was Daav doing all those years at a Terran university? Whatever happened to Aelliana Caylon's younger sister? Can we find out more about Richard Davis, Anne's brother and Shan's uncle? Did Vin Sin chel'Mara ever reform after being exiled? More about Clonak ter'Muelen! Oh, and Nova yos'Galen - by the end of this book, all the current generation are lifemated save her; does she ever get true love? There are a few short stories that were only ever published in chapbooks; if Miller and Lee would write a couple more short stories, there'd be enough for an anthology, and I'd be sure to read it.

It's difficult to convey how much I like this series, and I like this book the best so far. If you like humor, romance, and battle in your science fiction - if, say, you already like Miles VorKosigan (Lois Bujold) - then I'm sure you'll like the Liadens!

These two are in the same league as Asimov, Heinlein, & Tolkein. Highest recommendation for their Liaden Universe books. I like them enough that I have signed hardcovers.

Enjoy!