Liaden fans, help me out

[bfisher]

You may find the back half of the book better, when Theo and her mother go voyaging.

Agent of Change is probably the best entry point - lots of action and some humour.

[CRussel]

Agreed. Also more of Liad. The Fledgling arc is fairly standalone, but less Liaden than the rest of the series.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Also more of Liad.

I don't understand that.

I'll also stick with "Fledgling" for a bit and see how it goes.
I'm really craving some new (to me) sf as engaging as the Vorkosigan books.

[bfisher]

When Theo goes on an interstellar trip, she meets several interesting Liadens, as well as being introduced to some other cultures. In the first half of the book, we see her on a world which is basically a college town - very limited culture and characters, and very inwardly focused.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by ApK

I don't understand that.

I'll also stick with "Fledgling" for a bit and see how it goes.
I'm really craving some new (to me) sf as engaging as the Vorkosigan books.

The first half of the book is set in an essentially human world. That changes when she starts to travel in the middle of the book.

I hope you stick with the Liaden Universe, and I hope you like it. They are my favourite SF books, full-stop.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by CRussel

The first half of the book is set in an essentially human world. That changes when she starts to travel in the middle of the book.

I hope you stick with the Liaden Universe, and I hope you like it. They are my favourite SF books, full-stop.

Hmm. I didn't even realize there were going to be non-humans.
(Everything I know about the series I know from the first page of this thread, and the last few posts....)

I'll stick with it. And maybe it's just as well I'm starting with Fledging. Maybe I'll be able to relate to it since, as it happens, I, too, am set on an essentially human world.

[Xanthe]

The "Fledgling" story arc isn't the best way to enter the series, IMO. Not because it isn't interesting - it is - but because the first book is basically a YA novel since its main character, Theo, is so young at that point. You watch her evolve but you don't truly understand why certain milestones have a much greater importance than they appear. I don't think you can really appreciate certain characters, like Prof. Kiladi, because you don't understand how they fit in the main story arc. You can't really appreciate how circumscribed her life is by the university culture because you don't yet know what her birthright is. You have no reason to wonder how her mother is going to fit into that birthright. There are layers to the story that you are missing simply because of your entry point into the series.

IMO, "Fledgling" is best read after "I Dare" in the Agent of Change story arc, because that's when Theo first appears in the main Liaden story line and when you really need to learn who she is and why she tracks down who she does.

The Theo Waitley stories and the Jela/Cantra (the Crystal books) make a great deal more sense, and are much more satisfying when they are used to fill in the details of people and events mentioned only in passing in the main story arc. Think of the Agent of Change story arc ("Agent of Change", "Conflict of Honors","Carpe Diem", "Plan B" and "I Dare") as the core play-by-play, and all the rest of the books as the color commentary. Another comparison would be to Eric Flint's "1632" universe where the main storyline involves Grantville and the area that is now Germany, while some of the subsequent books are focused on events happening in Italy or the countries bordering the North Sea. You can read the other books, but to really know what's going on you need to start with "1632" and "1633".

The scope of the Agent of Change story arc is much broader and gives a much better understanding of Liaden, Terran and Xtrang culture, which in turn provides many more "a-ha!" moments when the other books fill in the backstories of characters and events.

It's possible that by approaching the series from the "Fledgling" vector, the Agent of Change arc will provide those "a-ha" moments, but it's not the way I would recommend approaching the series. My preferred reading order (slightly out-of-date since it doesn't list the latest books) is https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...44&postcount=2

Just understand that "Local Custom" and "Scout's Progress" are referred to as the Space Regencies for a reason. They detail the courtship of the two sets of parents of the main characters and the customs of Liad and the behaviors of Liadens. They are not, however, lovey-dovey sexfests; just more narrowly focused on the interpersonal relationships - more "opera", less "space", so to speak. Think a Georgette Heyer story set on other planets involved different social mores. They give you a better sense of who and where the later characters come from, and what events shaped them.

Count me as another person for whom this series is my absolute favorite science fiction series.

[ApK]

Wow. Complicated series.

I'm not sure what to do.

[bfisher]

In Fledgling, from chapter 20 and on, most of the action is on the space liner or on other planets. Try jumping to chapter 20, and seeing if you like that more. Frankly, I found the first part of the book a bit difficult until I realized that it was filling in some of the back story of an important character in the Liaden universe.

it is a great series. You just started in one of the blander bits.

[Xanthe]

If you've gotten past the parents meeting, then that's the main "romantic" aspect of the book. Intrigue begins after that.

I'd keep listening.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by bfisher

In Fledgling, from chapter 20 and on, most of the action is on the space liner or on other planets. Try jumping to chapter 20, and seeing if you like that more. Frankly, I found the first part of the book a bit difficult until I realized that it was filling in some of the back story of an important character in the Liaden universe.

it is a great series. You just started in one of the blander bits.

If I'm going to stay with Fledgling, I wouldn't skip!

But now I'm wondering if I should put it on hold and try Agent of Change first.

Man, I need a nice stand alone, non-series book....

[Xanthe]

It's six of one, a half-dozen of the other.

Here, I'll make it easy. The link to the free version of "Agent of Change" at Baen. Just click on the version you need on the page.

http://www.baenebooks.com/p-595-agent-of-change.aspx

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Xanthe

It's six of one, a half-dozen of the other.

Here, I'll make it easy. The link to the free version of "Agent of Change" at Baen. Just click on the version you need on the page.

http://www.baenebooks.com/p-595-agent-of-change.aspx

Ha. Thanks. Actually I'm thinking of the audio book. I do have an Audible credit burning a hole in my pocket.

[CRussel]

The Audible versions are all good, but there are four different narrators. Each Arc gets a different narrator, though they are consistent within the Arc. I've read them all as both e-books and Audible books.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Xanthe

Count me as another person for whom this series is my absolute favorite science fiction series.

Hmm...I may be a little slow on the uptake, but your signature line wouldn't happen to be a Liaden reference, would it?

Anythehoo,
I've been sticking with 'Fledging.' I am indeed enjoying her starship voyage and her first dealings with the pilots. I suspect I'll try Agent of Change next. I don't think I'd enjoy living on Delgato....

There are a number of things I'm not understanding, but I don't want to ask here for fear of spoilers. Maybe it'll make sense by the end.

ApK