Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Fans and newcomers alike should thoroughly enjoy Lee & Miller's latest adventure set in their ever-engaging Liaden Universe. Taking a break from all things Korval, they bring us a tale from an earlier time when Terrans and Liadens were still relative strangers to each other. Our young hero is Jethri, from a human trading ship burdened with a cold, distant mother, and an enigmatic, dead father but blessed with a deft hand for trade. He stumbles into a Liaden matter of honor and his own sense of fair play and justice bring him to the regard of Master Trader Norn van'Deen, Clan Ixin. She decides that there is trade and profit to be made by championing him as her apprentice.
Whisked off to learn Liaden ways and trade far from everything he has ever known, he has an uncertain start but gradually finds his footing and his mettle. He conquers Liaden bows, makes friends as well as enemies and for a spacer born and bred, even manages to find his footing living on a planet.
Jethri is a compelling young man, real enough to not be perfect, but with enough integrity and kindness to make you root for him. His tour through Lianden life is interesting, focusing much more on trade than any of the previous books. Fans of the space opera style romance of previous books will be find little of that here, nonetheless they won't be disappointed since Lee & Miller write as great a story as ever. Familiar trademarks also show up: scouts, cats, librarians and dramliza all play a part, but respectfully take a back seat Jethri and his journey.
The only nitpick I had was the book spends so much time building to various plot points - the mystery surrounding Jethri's father, the existence of old tech, his admittance to the Liaden trade guild - that the ending, when it does come, falls somewhat short of satisfying as it just started to get really interesting. If only there had been another 400 pages! As it is, the story provides a very agreeable time and certainly leaves room for more adventures with Jethri. I'll definately look forward to reading more about him.
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