This entry in the Liaden series overlaps with "Dragon Ship" and "Dragon in Exile" but begins a bit later than those - maybe halfway through? - so it is best if those 2 are read before this one.

This book focuses on the events from the perspective of the trade ship Dutiful Passage, particularly from the view of the apprentice trader Padi yos'Galan (daughter of Shan), and that of Daav & Aelliana. The plotline involving Daav & Aelliana has some repetition from previous books - enough to fill in readers who had not read "Dragon in Exile" - and adds in details and further developments. ( )

Fun addition to the series. I enjoyed being back in the trading world. I particularly enjoyed that the cast of characters was kept rather smaller here. A few old favorites and a younger member of the clan to get to know. I’m happy that a whole bunch of new characters weren’t thrown at me in the one like in a couple of the recent volumes. The story was pretty straight forward, easy to follow and fun to read. ( )

The main focus of this Liaden book is Padi, Shan’s heir and a trader in training. There are two other story threads woven in but for the most part this feels like Padi’s story. All three threads are not set on either Surebleak or Liad. Padi is working on becoming a master trader and hits a few bumps along the way due to the fallout of leaving Liad and being hunted by the Department. Of course with most of Clan Korval there is more to Padi than meets the eye but her family knows this and for the most part help guide her on the path of becoming an adult using all her talents. The other plotline has to do with what Theo woke up and how to handle that situation. The other one I don’t want to mention at all to leave as a surprise to the reader. For the most part this book deals with the themes of growing up and becoming an adult in the Liaden universe and how people go about it. Is this the best book to start with, no but after 19 books there are enough ways to start the series without having to read them all in chronological order.

I love these books and I’ll be picking up more of them as they come out.


Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss ( )

This entry in the Liaden series overlaps with "Dragon Ship" and "Dragon in Exile" but begins a bit later than those - maybe halfway through? - so it is best if those 2 are read before this one.

This book focuses on the events from the perspective of the trade ship Dutiful Passage, particularly from the view of the apprentice trader Padi yos'Galan (daughter of Shan), and that of Daav & Aelliana. The plotline involving Daav & Aelliana has some repetition from previous books - enough to fill in readers who had not read "Dragon in Exile" - and adds in details and further developments. ( )

Clan Korval is still in the process of recovering and rebuilding from the their abrupt relocation from Liad to Surebleak. The Department of the Interior is still out to destroy them. Daav and Aelliana are still caught between life and death in the not yet fully stabilized new bodies Uncle has made for them.

Padi yos'Galen, Shan's halfling daughter, is working as apprentice Trader on Dutiful Passage, She's lost time due to the disruptive effects of Plan B on everyone in the Clan, but she wants her full Trader's license as soon after her eighteenth name day as possible. It's just a little tougher because formerly friendly ports no longer are, and some don't reveal themselves until the Passage is in port and has started trying to trade.

Meanwhile, Tolly Berik-Jones, Hazenthull Explorer, and Pilot Tocohl are en route to resolve the problems resulting from Theo Waitley's emergency creation of the autonomous intelligence Admiral Bunter, residing in seven outdated and decaying ships, with no mentoring or socialization. This mission is complicated by the fact that the space station Theo set Bunter to protect has decided, not without reason, that he's become a major threat.

It's Padi and Shan, though, who wind up tangling with the Department of the Interior's latest effort to destroy Korval, complicated by the symptoms of Padi's emerging dramliza powers, and her determination to resist those powers because she doesn't want to be like her admittedly rather odd Aunt Anthora.

And that refusal to accept and embrace her gift is a danger in itself.

Lee and Miller, as always, give us a nice blend of action and character development, unfolding more and more of the Liaden universe, and the people that inhabit it, especially, but not exclusively, Clan Korval.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Audible, in exchange for an honest review. ( )