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46th out of 294 books
—
345 voters
Fledgling (Theo Waitley, #1) (Liaden Universe #12)
by
Sharon Lee (Goodreads Author),
Steve Miller
Theo Waitley has lived all her young life on Delgado, a Safe World that is home to one of the galaxy's premier institutions of higher learning. Both Theo's mother, Kamele, and Kamele's onagrata Jen Sar Kiladi, are professors at the university, and they all live comfortably together, just like they have for all of Theo's life, in Jen Sar's house at the outskirts of town. Su...more
Hardcover, 384 pages
Published
September 8th 2009
by Baen
(first published September 1st 2009)
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Genre: Space Opera
The first draft of this book was published on-line. I am enough of a Liaden fan to have read that version. It is amazing the difference between that version and the newly published book! The original draft had some interesting characters, but the plot made no sense - it kept jumping around and you weren't really sure what was happening. The narration of Fledgling still jumps around, cycling between Theo, her mother Kamele, and her father Jen Sar (aka Daav to long-time Liaden fa...more
The first draft of this book was published on-line. I am enough of a Liaden fan to have read that version. It is amazing the difference between that version and the newly published book! The original draft had some interesting characters, but the plot made no sense - it kept jumping around and you weren't really sure what was happening. The narration of Fledgling still jumps around, cycling between Theo, her mother Kamele, and her father Jen Sar (aka Daav to long-time Liaden fa...more
Fledgling is the first in a loveable series of coming-of-age spinoff novels set in Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Liaden Universe. I've never read any of the earlier Liaden novels, but I adored Theo and her parents (and their cats). Character-driven, non-military space opera is hard to find! Even rarer is their mix of adolescent and adult perspectives, all with different strengths and blind spots. Lee and Miller are also masters of the walk-on -- glimpses of characters and culture that skim into...more
I half-listened to part of this book as Sam Chupp podcast it, chapter by chapter. For some reason, it just didn't catch my fancy back then. I think I didn't let it catch my fancy, because of knowing that I would have to wait for each chapter to be released. Now, though, having it all finished and edited, it's clearly a polished Lee and Miller novel of the Liaden Universe, and I love those.
It's also something of a young adult novel, but don't let that put you off. Theo is an interesting character...more
It's also something of a young adult novel, but don't let that put you off. Theo is an interesting character...more
This is the background story of Theo Waitley, who has a walk-on at the end of I DARE. It's kind of a YA, though we also get the ongoing mystery from the POVs of her parents. It's also half a story; the second half will come in SALTATION. Theo lives on a very restrictive world, and is in constant trouble at school, until her mother takes her on an investigative cruise, then her life drastically changes.
Slightly spoilery below:
I adore Liaden, always have. Miller and Lee know how to do space opera-...more
Slightly spoilery below:
I adore Liaden, always have. Miller and Lee know how to do space opera-...more
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The Liaden story continues, from an angle. Young Theo Waitley is in her early teenage years. She is smart, friendly but slightly socially awkward (aren't we all at that age?), and at that adolescent stage where she is having trouble with a body and brain that know almost how to move together, but keep bouncing off of doorframes nonetheless. Her mother is an honorable scholar who has discovered severe meddling in academic resources: the basic texts upon which scholarly work is built have been alt...more
For years, the team of Sharon Lee and Steve Miller have been turning out character-oriented science fiction in what is termed the "Liaden Universe", a future space opera universe where alien species and several factions of humanity jostle against each other. In such a universe, there is limitless room for characters and stories, and the writing team has been filling in that universe eagerly.
Fledgling is the latest effort in this vein and a bit different than some of their previous work. Fledglin...more
Fledgling is the latest effort in this vein and a bit different than some of their previous work. Fledglin...more
I waited so long for this book and I was somewhat disappointed. I am used to enjoying every word on every page of a Liaden novel. The first 180 pages or so of this one was just miserable stuff I had to slog through to get to the better half of the story. It was just to show that Theo was a misfit and came from a big brother type planet. It could have been done in much fewer pages. Also the entire story about the bad scholarship was just plain boring. Didn't care a bit, only interested in Theo an...more
First of the Theo Waitley sequence, which is up to three volumes with another one on the way (Sept '12). Here Theo is a 14 year old whose adolescent clumsiness coalesces into the terrific skills that will serve her well in her career as a Pilot when she accompanies her mother (who uncovers some profound academic chicanery) to another planet. Though Theo is saddled with an outstandingly uncommunicative pair of parents the characters here are all engaging and memorable---and the perceptive depicti...more
Maybe giving this book 5 stars is a bit much. But since I was one of the Web Readers when the first draft was serialized online, I sort of feel like an aunt. The kind who pinches cheeks.
She grew up so well.
I was delighted to see that the familiar story made it through the revision process in a recognizable fashion. That the confusing parts were filled out and elaborated upon, and the loose ends tied up.
Fledgling waves with the silky language and amusing asides that drew me in when I picked up my...more
She grew up so well.
I was delighted to see that the familiar story made it through the revision process in a recognizable fashion. That the confusing parts were filled out and elaborated upon, and the loose ends tied up.
Fledgling waves with the silky language and amusing asides that drew me in when I picked up my...more
Right up front, I'll say I love the Liaden Universe. Definitely a series I'm happy to reread at least every few years, so of course I really like this. With Dragon Ship just released it was time to go back and reread the prior Theo books.
Theo Waitley is dismayed when her scholar mother Kamele decides to move the two of them to faculty housing, leaving Kamele's onagrata Jen Sar Kiladi behind. Living on Safe World Delgado, where everyone is monitored for their own good, Theo already has a note in...more
Theo Waitley is dismayed when her scholar mother Kamele decides to move the two of them to faculty housing, leaving Kamele's onagrata Jen Sar Kiladi behind. Living on Safe World Delgado, where everyone is monitored for their own good, Theo already has a note in...more
If you're already a fan of Clan Korval and the Liaden Universe, you'll recognize Fledgling as a worthy addition to the stories. If you're new to this world, please run to the nearest bookstore. It's a fascinating universe with a deeply textured setting, fascinating characters that you would love to know, and page-turning plots.
This was originally published as an online novel [and yes, I read it then:] but this is a more polished version. Some of the story strands have been more tightly woven in...more
This was originally published as an online novel [and yes, I read it then:] but this is a more polished version. Some of the story strands have been more tightly woven in...more
Theo Waitley is a young girl on the world called Delgado who has been suddenly relocated to faculty housing with her mother, Professor Kamele Waitley following a mysterious upheaval in the rigid academic community of their world. Theo is understandably troubled at having been removed from the comfortable home that she and her mother shared with Kamele's onagrata, Jen Sar Kiladi, and she is already operating under the stigma of being labeled "clumsy". Mysterious undercurrents are active below the...more
I probably read should have read this before Saltation which is the second book in the subseries set in the popular Liaden universe. Basically this is Theo’s life before going to space academy. Her mother separates from her father for reasons of academic politics. Her clumsiness makes the medical authorities want to drug her even though her father says it is a family trait. And Theo goes with her mother when an academic investigation takes her to another world and on the journey and planet, ever...more
I'm glad that Lee & Miller are back in Liaden, because their excursion into an origin story was disappointing.
Unfortunately, this book is for devotees only, maybe a side effect of the on-line publishing and revision by subscription.
It is great to be back in this world, but I wish we had a story. We follow Theo through the school day and various experiences (not quite "adventures") until she gets back. She makes a few decisions to defy her mother, but those turn out to be reasonable choices....more
Unfortunately, this book is for devotees only, maybe a side effect of the on-line publishing and revision by subscription.
It is great to be back in this world, but I wish we had a story. We follow Theo through the school day and various experiences (not quite "adventures") until she gets back. She makes a few decisions to defy her mother, but those turn out to be reasonable choices....more
I read the first draft of this book published weekly on the authors' website. I enjoyed it very much, but was a little worried about the overall quality of the book, despite the authors' frequent reminders that it was just a first draft, folks!
Although it hasn't changed significantly since the first draft so far, all the changes have been enriching and helped tie the different narratives together. And I have hope that some of the loose ends that bugged me will ultimately be resolved. I also feel...more
Although it hasn't changed significantly since the first draft so far, all the changes have been enriching and helped tie the different narratives together. And I have hope that some of the loose ends that bugged me will ultimately be resolved. I also feel...more
At first I wasn't so enthused with this story because it takes place on a different planet, with characters totally new, it soon becomes apparent that this is the ongoing story of Daav, Delm of Korval, who disappeared after the death of his wife Aelliana in Mouse and Dragon. He is living on a different world and has taken a wife. It is really their daughter, Thea, who is the main character. The world, Delgado, is focused on university learning, but it soon becomes apparent that it is only learni...more
"Fledgling" is a side-book in the Liaden Universe, set after the events of the latest main series book, "I Dare." It's an SF story about a 15 year old daughter of one of the main characters in the main series, a bit of light adventure, a little intrigue, and a little romance.
It's a decent book, but what makes it really interesting to me is that it's a rough draft. They posted the book in weekly chapters on their website--I think the deal was for every $300 of donations, they posted another chap...more
It's a decent book, but what makes it really interesting to me is that it's a rough draft. They posted the book in weekly chapters on their website--I think the deal was for every $300 of donations, they posted another chap...more
I found a really good list (by Jo Walton!) of books that fans of Lois McMaster Bujold might like (with great comments and suggestions as well) , and Lee's Liaden series was one of them. This one was noted as a good starting point. What I cannot figure out is - how did I miss these? I'm a SD/space opera fan, and these have been around for ages! A very enjoyable coming-of-age story of a girl brought up on an academic world who discovers that she is is far more than she thought she was.
Another supremely wonderful Liaden universe novel from these amazing world-builders! I read the book chapter by chapter as they were posting it on their website, and I gotta say that the final, edited version is SOOOO much better. It's taut, involving, with dangers that feel real and characters that have complex motivations.
I'm amused by Lee/Miller's fascination with rugs... or perhaps just appreciation for rugs, but this is the second book from them with a detailed description of rug-buying - a...more
I'm amused by Lee/Miller's fascination with rugs... or perhaps just appreciation for rugs, but this is the second book from them with a detailed description of rug-buying - a...more
I enjoy reading stories from the Liaden universe, but this one was a little slow-going for me. It may be because the book starts with the main character as a child having trouble adjusting to a new environment, which wasn't the kind of book I was looking for. However, for those who persevere past this part (which I actually would have adored when I was younger), the storyline does dip into the more familiar patterns of Liaden Universe speech/interactions/intrigue as time goes on.
A science fiction adventure novel set in the Liaden universe about the greater good vs. individuality and self-discovery. Theo Waitley is labeled "physically challenged" and it is captivating to watch her mature and gain confidence. Her parents have a mission of their own, to prove that historical documents are being manipulated, juggling duty and necessity. The novel is the result of a unique Internet serialization experiment supported by reader/fan donations.
A lovely return to the Liaden universe and a long break. Theo is a delightful protagonist and I enjoyed watcing her grow.
It took me a little while to get back into the swing of thing, but once I did the book was a delight.
It did feel a little unfinished though. The overall mystery was never properly put to rest. Sure, a satisfying conclusion was reached, but the reader was left to figure out a lot of the details by inference rather that because it was written into the book.
A couple of characters...more
It took me a little while to get back into the swing of thing, but once I did the book was a delight.
It did feel a little unfinished though. The overall mystery was never properly put to rest. Sure, a satisfying conclusion was reached, but the reader was left to figure out a lot of the details by inference rather that because it was written into the book.
A couple of characters...more
Theo Waitley is considered "physically challenged" on her overprotective, highly-academic world of Delgado. When her mother starts investigating some academic shenanigans and moves out of her lover's house, Theo's life changes in some previously-unimaginable ways. I really enjoyed this, it was almost like a YA as we see Theo coming of age and into her own. Some familiar characters are also here from the other Liaden books, in incognito.
This was an interesting one since Lee and Miller wrote the first draft online in front of God and everybody and did a bang up job. I was sated (I get hungry for Liaden a LOT) and quite content with their initial offering and snapped up the print version as soon as it came out in paperback, promptly burying it in my TBR ziggurat (a single stack is never enough). Since I was happy with what I'd read before, there wasn't a lot of impetus to pick up this newer, shinier version. Until a string of ran...more
I loved Theo, her parents and the cats, not forgetting all the other fascinating characters in this tale of a girl's coming of age. The contrast between the home place of Theo (rigidly matriarchal and scholastic) and the freedom Theo encounters on the ship are a major part of what made the story so interesting for me. I look forward to the continuation of this story in Salutations as soon as possible.
4/5; 4 stars; A-
I enjoyed meeting Daav's daughter Theo and Coyster the cat. I didn't enjoy her mother Kamele or many other characters from Delgado!
This book has a different feel from the last ones I read. Its a step back from the conflict between Clan Korval and the Department of the Interior. For the overall story to go on, the book is necessary so the reader can get to know and understand Theo, her background, her motivators, her inhibitors, etc. It lays the groundwork the the next books in th...more
I enjoyed meeting Daav's daughter Theo and Coyster the cat. I didn't enjoy her mother Kamele or many other characters from Delgado!
This book has a different feel from the last ones I read. Its a step back from the conflict between Clan Korval and the Department of the Interior. For the overall story to go on, the book is necessary so the reader can get to know and understand Theo, her background, her motivators, her inhibitors, etc. It lays the groundwork the the next books in th...more
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At the end of I Dare a young woman staggers in, and hails Daav as Father.
What?? Who IS this? Fledgling is the first part of the answer.
This is the story of Theo Waitley--young, awkward, looking for a way to fit in--
It is charming, witty and just a delight of a story. This book is a great treat for fans of the Liaden Universe stories and a very nice intro to the world for new readers.
What?? Who IS this? Fledgling is the first part of the answer.
This is the story of Theo Waitley--young, awkward, looking for a way to fit in--
It is charming, witty and just a delight of a story. This book is a great treat for fans of the Liaden Universe stories and a very nice intro to the world for new readers.
As usual for Lee and Miller, a fast, fun read. Unusually, they let us see the first draft, and it's amazing how they tightened up a rather loose story into this much more coherent version. It's a coming of age tale of Theo, who's clumsy and socially inept in one constricting environment, but learns to spread her wings when released into a new arena, and also the story of how her mother lets her grow up. Space opera with good characters.
After re-reading the older Liaden books, I decided to read the new ones: Fledgling and Saltation. I liked Fledgling a little less than the prior books, both because the plot seemed relatively diffuse and because I found the scholars of Delgado to sometimes be insufferable. I still stayed up past my bedtime to read it, though.
Interesting young adult novel set in the Liaden universe. Takes a while to get to the obviously Liaden aspects which added a subtle level of mystery/suspense. Also a tale of the strictures, sacrifices and politics as found in academia. And the usual negotiations between well-meaning (and less well-meaning) people from different cultures.
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Sharon Lee has been married to her first husband for more than half her lifetime; she is a friend to cats, a member of the National Carousel Association, and oversees the dubious investment schemes of an improbable number of stuffed animals.
Despite having been born in a year of the dragon, Sharon is an introvert. She lives in Maine because she likes it there. In fact, she likes it so much that she...more
More about Sharon Lee...
Despite having been born in a year of the dragon, Sharon is an introvert. She lives in Maine because she likes it there. In fact, she likes it so much that she...more
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