In which Kishara jit’Luso takes advantage of ambient conditions.
This is an oddity: a story retelling another existing story from another viewpoint. We’ve had stories that crossed paths before (“Quiet Knives” comes to mind), but usually that’s a case of two people on different paths that happen to intersect for a sentence or two. This is a special case, for reasons that are explained in the author’s note.
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In which Can Ith yos’Phelium finds a new seat.
I see an irony in the description of Can Ith’s preferred seating: “with his back against the wall, and most of the room before him”. Presumably, it’s the being able to see most of the room that makes it his favoured way of sitting, but on this particular occasion it suits him because he has his back against the wall in more ways than one.
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Off-Grid
In which Padi discusses her day with a friend.
If the authors do more stories in the Redlands, they have some places they can start.
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Colemeno Port
Great Hall
In which it may be accounted misfortune to lose one kinsperson, but two looks like carelessness.
Betya seelyFaire’s account of her ancestor’s reasons for coming to the Redlands have a noticeable resonance with Dyoli’s reasons for doing likewise.
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Colemeno
Portmaster’s Office
In which the Redlands prepare to welcome visitors.
I can see several potential problems with the Warden’s plans to keep the off-worlders and Civilization at arm’s length.
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Civilization
In which it’s too late to keep hiding under a bush.
This might be the last appearance in the book of the word “vas’dramliz”, the Liaden word for the “small talents”, so I’m going to take this opportunity to share an observation: given that we know what “dramliz” means, vas’ must be the part of the word that signifies “small” or “lesser” — so it’s curious that we know of at least three Liaden surnames with the same prefix. Mae Nir vas’Urbil, in “Degrees of Separation”, is a chef, which might suggest that families with that prefix tend toward lower class jobs. (Menolly vas’Anamac is a scout and Kin Jal vas’Tezin an appendage of the Department, so we don’t have any idea of their families’ social status.)
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Volmer
In which yos’Galan makes connections.
I can’t remember the last book in which we had so many bows in so few chapters. The last few books have either been set on Surebleak or involved people being off having adventures among the Terrans, so there hasn’t been so much opportunity for Liadens interacting.
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Dutiful Passage
Private Meeting Room
In which Dyoli and Mar Tyn consider what’s to do.
Two thirds of the way into the book, and I still don’t know who the people on the cover are, but I’m beginning to consider the possibility that it might be Dyoli and Mar Tyn.
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Dutiful Passage
En Route to Volmer
In which Shan consults several people regarding the future.
We now have the names and descriptions of all three planets of the Redlands system: apart from Colemeno, there is Ukarn, site of a mining operation, and Metlin, site of a scientific research base. (Metlin is the name of one of the Liaden weekdays; I don’t have any insights to offer about the etymology of the others.)
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Dutiful Passage
In which Priscilla receives a history lesson.
Shan’s coaster that was a gift from Ambassador Valeking was introduced in Alliance of Equals and has appeared a couple of times, in that book and then in this one, during scenes where Padi has been meeting her father in his office.
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