For some reason I decided to read, in internal chronological order (more or less), every novel and short story in the Liaden Universe of Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. This is the record of my journey.
Having run out of stories to re-read, I am now also reading the new novels and short stories as they come out.
Journey begins here | Jump to a specific work | Acknowledgements
In the Hall of the Mountain King
In which Vertu Dysan greets the new day.
With Toragin’s solution, the authors are doing a thing they’ve done a few times before: establishing the outline of the solution, but leaving the details to be filled in later in case a later story should suggest a particular detail.
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The Tree Court
In which there is a discussion of amends.
The Tree Court is warm and there is no snow on the ground, which is noteworthy because during the storm there was explicit mention of clumps of snow falling from the Tree’s branches and collecting at its base. The Tree has tidied the place up a bit to be hospitable to its guests, and perhaps specifically in response to Toragin telling it earlier that the kittens will need a warm place to sleep.
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In the Hall of the Mountain King
Enter Joey
In which the guests are settled for the night.
Joey, despite being in the stage directions, is not listed in the dramatis personae. But then again, neither are any of the other cats, except Chelada.
Vertu started out the story thinking of the unregulated cab drivers as something that might need to be addressed at some point. Now, having seen how much trouble an untrained driver can get himself and his passengers into, it’s become pressing business for Boss Gotta. Or, no, not quite for Boss Gotta, if we take Boss Gotta as being the person who’s gotta do it because they happen to be present when there’s nobody around whose job it is; as Vertu says to Jemie, in this situation they are the people whose job it is.
The Gate
Enter Nelirikk and Jarome
In which Vertu and her passengers make it within the gate.
Jarome, it turns out, is another character who is in the cast list twice, once for his first appearance in person and once for when he becomes someone known by name to the viewpoint characters.
I don’t know if it’s because she’s in the middle of a conversation between Liadens when it happens, or if she’s still Liaden enough in her head that it would have happened anyway, but I note that when Vertu’s viewpoint refers to Miri it names her as “Miri Tiazan” and not “Miri Robertson”.
In the Hall of the Mountain King
Enter Dragons
In which there is a dance of dragons.
There have been several occasions in recent stories where Val Con, or someone else, has raised the question of how the Tree actually regards the creatures that live under its branches. Part of what this story is about, and particularly this chapter, is giving an answer to that question.
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In the shadow of the Tree
In which the number of Vertu’s passengers increases again.
“Salmo’s Fire” is St. Elmo’s Fire, a weather phenomenon related to lightning; Yulie’s description of what it is and how it happens covers the basics. He doesn’t mention, since it’s outside his experience, but on Earth it’s particularly associated with the masts of ships, which is why it’s named after the patron saint of sailors.
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Exploring Inner Landscapes
In which Toragin doesn’t believe in adventures but does believe in promises.
There’s something going on with Toragin. I’m not sure what it is, but it’s something to do with her having been taught that she’s Not Supposed To Get Angry. And being “not of the usual type”, in a way that’s “barely socially acceptable” and which “the Healers would not heal”. And believing in social bonds as absolutes. And being “good at research”. Something on the autism spectrum, maybe?
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In the Hall of the Mountain King
In which Korval prepares to receive guests.
We have not previously encountered Finifter’s Shave, the ship that brought Toragin and Chelada to Surebleak, but the planet Finifter has been mentioned a couple of times. It’s one of the stops on Tan Sim’s trade route in Trade Secret, and one of the planets discussed in Culture Club in Saltation.
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A Rescue
In which the number of Vertu’s passengers increases.
Toragin’s remonstration at, presumably, the Tree gives us the outline of her cause: Chelada was promised that she could have her kittens under the Tree, which must have seemed an easy thing to promise when Jelaza Kazone was just down the road from Lazmeln’s clanhouse, and then when the distance suddenly became much greater, the promise still existed but was much harder to claim, and the Tree apparently didn’t find it necessary to ease the way at all.
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On a snow-filled road, under a snowy sky
In which Boss Gotta takes stock of the situation.
From the fact that he (or she) got a mention in the dramatis personae, I was expecting Boss Gotta to have a more prominent appearance than just a single name-drop and then never mentioned again. Although I suppose metaphorically Boss Gotta continues to be present and active.
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