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Before Miri Robertson met Val Con yos'Phelium she was an acclaimed mercenary soldier. Before she was an acclaimed mercenary soldier with the Gyrfalks, she was "Redhead," a young recruit in Lizardi's Lunatics. Meanwhile, there was a weatherman, Ichliad Brunner. A weatherman's job is to observe and predict. What else can an honorable Liaden do, but his duty? A space-based Liaden meteorologist can only observe the trials of a mercenary troop abandoned in place during a world war fueled by hate and superstition. The young soldier who carries the station's weather equipment to the surface, is cheerful, bright, and going to die. The station commander isn't concerned because the data on weapons used to gas populations and destroy cities is priceless, while the soldiers below are only misfits. Misfits like Miri Robertson, who doesn't know quite when to give up.
The framing story is set immediately after the novel "I Dare", and ties those early characters back into the main intentions/plot direction laid out at the end of "I Dare".
The framing story is set immediately after the novel "I Dare", and ties those early characters back into the main intentions/plot direction laid out at the end of "I Dare".
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First published June 1, 2008
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171 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Lee
166 books788 followersSharon 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 has written five novels set in Maine; contemporary fantasy trilogy Carousel Tides, Carousel Sun, Carousel Seas, and mysteries Barnburner and Gunshy.
With the aforementioned first husband, Steve Miller, Sharon has written twenty novels of science fiction and fantasy — many of them set in the Liaden Universe® — and numerous short stories. She has occasionally been an advertising copywriter, a reporter, photographer, book reviewer, and secretary. She was for three years Executive Director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc., and was subsequently elected vice president and then president of that organization.
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 has written five novels set in Maine; contemporary fantasy trilogy Carousel Tides, Carousel Sun, Carousel Seas, and mysteries Barnburner and Gunshy.
With the aforementioned first husband, Steve Miller, Sharon has written twenty novels of science fiction and fantasy — many of them set in the Liaden Universe® — and numerous short stories. She has occasionally been an advertising copywriter, a reporter, photographer, book reviewer, and secretary. She was for three years Executive Director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc., and was subsequently elected vice president and then president of that organization.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 17, 2012
4.5/5; 5 stars; A
Throughout the Liaden Universe books there are periodic references to Miri's experiences on Klamath when she was with the mercenaries. The overall impression one gets is that it was horrendous, it was amazing that she survived, it led to her near fatal addiction to Cloud (nobody gets off Cloud, and she lost some very dear comrades.
Misfits is the story that fills in a lot of the blanks about this time in Miri's life. Its told from the POV of The Weatherman, who was stationed in orbit around the planet, as he tried to help her and her troop survive. He broke a lot of rules in order to do the right thing and was severely punished by his clan.
However, he survived, Miri, survived and they carried on and met again, years later, shortly after Korval was evicted from Liad.
Hopefully future Liaden universe books will show them making some progress in fixing the godawful weather on Surebleak!
Throughout the Liaden Universe books there are periodic references to Miri's experiences on Klamath when she was with the mercenaries. The overall impression one gets is that it was horrendous, it was amazing that she survived, it led to her near fatal addiction to Cloud (nobody gets off Cloud, and she lost some very dear comrades.
Misfits is the story that fills in a lot of the blanks about this time in Miri's life. Its told from the POV of The Weatherman, who was stationed in orbit around the planet, as he tried to help her and her troop survive. He broke a lot of rules in order to do the right thing and was severely punished by his clan.
However, he survived, Miri, survived and they carried on and met again, years later, shortly after Korval was evicted from Liad.
Hopefully future Liaden universe books will show them making some progress in fixing the godawful weather on Surebleak!
May 2, 2016
Good story, in anthology Constellation II
Before Miri Robertson met Val Con yos'Phelium, she was a member of Lizardi's Mercenaries. Most of their elite clients could care less about these misfit mercenaries, and want only to use them — not to offer full disclosure, not to warn them, or help them. Thus, Miri and the Mercs are vulnerable to lethal radiation exposure on Klamath.
Our noble meteorologist, a member of Clan Lystra from Liad, is another story. Ichliad Brunner puts himself at risk on several levels to do right by Miri and others. He pays a big price for it, too. Sad. Dimrod delm.
However, ten years later, the wheel turns again. Miri re-enters his life, Val Con at her side.
Recommended to Liaden Universe fans. Satisfying. Coherent. Filling in some blanks, connecting Miri's past to the present, and offering hope that Surebleak truly can be warmed (perhaps like Bujold's Komarr is heated, with huge orbiting mirrors).
FREE, via Baen: http://www.baenebooks.com/chapters/19...
Ps. Meteorologist Brunner is briefly mentioned again in Necessity's Child (great book). Ren Zel meets with him to discuss ways to heat the chilly planet.
Before Miri Robertson met Val Con yos'Phelium, she was a member of Lizardi's Mercenaries. Most of their elite clients could care less about these misfit mercenaries, and want only to use them — not to offer full disclosure, not to warn them, or help them. Thus, Miri and the Mercs are vulnerable to lethal radiation exposure on Klamath.
Our noble meteorologist, a member of Clan Lystra from Liad, is another story. Ichliad Brunner puts himself at risk on several levels to do right by Miri and others. He pays a big price for it, too. Sad. Dimrod delm.
However, ten years later, the wheel turns again. Miri re-enters his life, Val Con at her side.
Recommended to Liaden Universe fans. Satisfying. Coherent. Filling in some blanks, connecting Miri's past to the present, and offering hope that Surebleak truly can be warmed (perhaps like Bujold's Komarr is heated, with huge orbiting mirrors).
FREE, via Baen: http://www.baenebooks.com/chapters/19...
Ps. Meteorologist Brunner is briefly mentioned again in Necessity's Child (great book). Ren Zel meets with him to discuss ways to heat the chilly planet.
June 20, 2018
Loved it.
October 27, 2008
This was a complete sigh of contentment. Miri had always wondered what happened to the weatherman on Klamath. This is his side of the story, from back before Klamath shook apart all the way to his belated re-acquaintance with Miri after Liad itself suffered liberation.
I can't explain it. You need to go read Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change, Carpe Diem, Plan B, and I Dare. Then you'll understand how incredibly satisfying this short story is to Liaden fans.
I can't explain it. You need to go read Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change, Carpe Diem, Plan B, and I Dare. Then you'll understand how incredibly satisfying this short story is to Liaden fans.
October 28, 2014
Oooh, I liked this one. It was lovely to see the other side of what happened on Klamath, and the ending, where Brunner and Miri are reunited (not a spoiler, I don't think) was lovely.
Reading these chapbooks has artificially upped my reading count for the year as they are all short, but this is how I'm reading them, as individual books, so I'm adding them. And they have been lovely fun.
I shall now go back to Fledgling and try out using Wispersync on my phone as I also have the audiobook. I'm looking forward to it.
Reading these chapbooks has artificially upped my reading count for the year as they are all short, but this is how I'm reading them, as individual books, so I'm adding them. And they have been lovely fun.
I shall now go back to Fledgling and try out using Wispersync on my phone as I also have the audiobook. I'm looking forward to it.
July 9, 2011
This is my favorite of all of the Liaden short-stories/novellas – it tells the story of Miri’s time on Klamath, from the perspective of the Liaden weatherman (Ichliad Brunner) assigned to liaise with Miri who is assigned to ferry around the sensitive and necessary weather detection equipment Ichliad needs to monitor Klamath’s confusing and dangerous weather. Ichliad is a good weatherman, but not an important person – and he pays the price for choosing to provide aid to those on Klamath rather than guard his employer’s interests.
December 3, 2017
4 stars.
This story gives us a solid glimpse into Miri as a young mercenary and the first time she met Brunner the weatherman. Another really good backstory filler.
This story gives us a solid glimpse into Miri as a young mercenary and the first time she met Brunner the weatherman. Another really good backstory filler.
December 29, 2021
Ichliad Brunner is a member of a minor line of Clan Lysta, a meteorologist, and for most of the events of this story, working under contract at a space station orbing the planet Klamath, which is unfortunately engaged in a nasty war.
Miri Robertson, at this point, is not yet Val Con's lifemate and one half of Delm Korval. In fact, she hasn't met him, is still hardly more than a kid, and is a corporal in Liz Lizardi's Lizardi's Lunatics mercenary company.
When a Scout arrives with an advanced piece of meteorological tracking and reporting device, and a proposal to deploy it with the Lizardi Lunatics, and have the station, specifically Brunner, in charge of receiving and handling the information. After some back and forth on the station, this is agreed to, and Brunner is introduced to Corporal Robertson, teaches her the use of the equipment, and begins an intermittent friendship at long distance. And as the conflict on the planet gets worse, Robertson is in extreme danger, even as the space station commander gets more worried about the political ramifications of being in contact with one of the military units involved in the conflict.
Brunner is ordered to stop, and has a fateful decision to make. Obey orders, or follow his own professional ethics and personal commitment to Robertson?
He makes a decision.
Ten years later, in a different crisis on a different planet, it comes back to bite him.
This is a good story with good characters. Much of the action is in fact the characters confronting moral, ethical, and intellectual conflicts, but Robertson is down on the planet, facing combat, severe weather, and unusually active tectonic plates.
I really enjoyed it.
I bought this book.
Miri Robertson, at this point, is not yet Val Con's lifemate and one half of Delm Korval. In fact, she hasn't met him, is still hardly more than a kid, and is a corporal in Liz Lizardi's Lizardi's Lunatics mercenary company.
When a Scout arrives with an advanced piece of meteorological tracking and reporting device, and a proposal to deploy it with the Lizardi Lunatics, and have the station, specifically Brunner, in charge of receiving and handling the information. After some back and forth on the station, this is agreed to, and Brunner is introduced to Corporal Robertson, teaches her the use of the equipment, and begins an intermittent friendship at long distance. And as the conflict on the planet gets worse, Robertson is in extreme danger, even as the space station commander gets more worried about the political ramifications of being in contact with one of the military units involved in the conflict.
Brunner is ordered to stop, and has a fateful decision to make. Obey orders, or follow his own professional ethics and personal commitment to Robertson?
He makes a decision.
Ten years later, in a different crisis on a different planet, it comes back to bite him.
This is a good story with good characters. Much of the action is in fact the characters confronting moral, ethical, and intellectual conflicts, but Robertson is down on the planet, facing combat, severe weather, and unusually active tectonic plates.
I really enjoyed it.
I bought this book.
October 19, 2025
A story about weather?
This was a strange story about weather and friendship, with limited info about a war-torn planet.
But a nice introduction of Miri Robertson, which is what I was looking for.
This was a strange story about weather and friendship, with limited info about a war-torn planet.
But a nice introduction of Miri Robertson, which is what I was looking for.
December 12, 2020
This review is an easy one. The story was confusing and boring. Nuff said.
December 3, 2015
The best of the Adventures in the Liaden Universe chapbooks I have read so far - 68 pages all focused on one story instead of the normal two. Set directly after "I Dare", this backstory fills some important holes in Miri Robertson's history, although the POV character is the Weatherman, not Miri.
Miri's time on Klamath has impacted her life and is mentioned many times in the main novels as a dark, dark time. When a world at war crumbled around her. Usually when an author shines a spotlight on such times, it never quite reaches the horror better left imagined. Not in this case. The weather on Kalmath is a living entity. Layers upon layers of worldbuilding happen as the situation of war and weather spiral into the "Dark Night of the Soul" situation.
Necessary of duty drives the misfits - from the Scout located above the situation he is trying to fix, to the Weatherman who can only watch and predict, and the young merc on the ground tasked with, of all things, carrying a weather station in a war zone. All of them have a duty just to observe, but in the end, they all choose to go beyond their duty and act.
Great story.
Miri's time on Klamath has impacted her life and is mentioned many times in the main novels as a dark, dark time. When a world at war crumbled around her. Usually when an author shines a spotlight on such times, it never quite reaches the horror better left imagined. Not in this case. The weather on Kalmath is a living entity. Layers upon layers of worldbuilding happen as the situation of war and weather spiral into the "Dark Night of the Soul" situation.
Necessary of duty drives the misfits - from the Scout located above the situation he is trying to fix, to the Weatherman who can only watch and predict, and the young merc on the ground tasked with, of all things, carrying a weather station in a war zone. All of them have a duty just to observe, but in the end, they all choose to go beyond their duty and act.
Great story.
April 29, 2011
I read this first for free at BAEN's Webscription site, because it was written for their online magazine. It's quite a long novella detailling the story of what happened to the Lizardi mercenaries on Klamath, what Miri Robertson's role was in that attack and what all of this had to do with a Liaden weatherman who put his professional ethics before his clan pride. It all has a happy end, but very dire situations in the middle.
Certainly one of the strongest Liaden Tales I've read so far.
Certainly one of the strongest Liaden Tales I've read so far.
December 13, 2022
Everthing.
There isn't much these two write that isn't perfect for the story. Misfits is, as always, a great story and such a easy read. I truly admire writers their imagination and abilities to put their stories on the page. This story is such an easy read. If you haven't read any other Lee and Miller books, I suggest you make a serious effort to correct that oversite. As always, it's a really good story.
There isn't much these two write that isn't perfect for the story. Misfits is, as always, a great story and such a easy read. I truly admire writers their imagination and abilities to put their stories on the page. This story is such an easy read. If you haven't read any other Lee and Miller books, I suggest you make a serious effort to correct that oversite. As always, it's a really good story.
April 22, 2011
I am loving the fact that Sharon Lee & Steve Miller are releasing their Liaden Universe chapbooks in ebook format.
This one was another great "fill-in-the-gaps"-type short story - we get to see Miri from another person's perspective, and it had a totally satisfying ending.
This one was another great "fill-in-the-gaps"-type short story - we get to see Miri from another person's perspective, and it had a totally satisfying ending.
February 26, 2013
Great Miri story - but the highlight is the character of the weatherman. I'd like to read more about him.
December 14, 2020
Directly connected to Miri, and a very good story. :)
March 29, 2017
Just my personal thoughts
A Liaden novella
Grade: A
This novella neatly ties up a lot of pieces from the Liaden books. It could be read as a standalone, I guess, but, as with all of these shorts, is best read in context with the bigger picture.
Throughout the books, there are a lot of references to a terrible battle on Klamath that Miri (Redhead) fought in as a member of Lizardi's Lunatics. We knew that Miri survived, but at a terrible cost. She lost friends, one in particular who gave his life for hers, and was terribly wounded before Lizardi herself broke her cardinal rule and returned for her. To cope with her physical and mental injuries, Miri turned to drugs and was a serious addict before she was able to turn herself around. This novella fills in some of the details and is told from the POV of both Miri herself and a weatherman on an orbiting station.
Lizardi's mercs have a job on Klamath, which was a big mistake as all the local factions seem to be antisocial, hyper religious, homicidal nut jobs intent on killing each other--and the mercs--regardless of the cost. In addition to the political/military situation, the planet itself is unstable, with the tectonic plates being very mobile, and bizarre/extreme weather patterns. When the locals start deploying their entire nuclear arsenals, everything goes to hell in a handbasket with unstable land masses, earthquakes, tsunamis, radiation, etc. Unfortunately, the mercs don't have a ride off the planet. The space station has a strict non-interference policy and even the local Scout has his hands tied. They've sent calls for assistance but the other planets in the vicinity have had bad relations with Klamath and are steering clear. The only hope is for outside help to arrive in time.
The weatherman on the station is a Liaden with the very Terran name of Ichliad Brunner (the reasons why are explained). He's a bit of an odd bird and doesn't really fit in with his clan or his coworkers. Brunner meets Lizardi and Miri when they borrow a portable weather monitoring unit that Miri will carry on her back and transmit data back to the station, in return getting detailed weather reports and analysis for the merc. Brunner is perplexed by Miri/Redhead as she looks Liaden but doesn't speak the language, conversing only in a rough, backworld Terran. Despite some missteps, Redhead and Brunner get along well during her quick training session with the Stubbs device.
One Miri is deployed on planet, Brunner actually starts to like her and look forward to their interactions. When things start to go wrong for the mercs on Klamath, he becomes distraught with concern and is very invested in doing everything possible to assist Redhead and gang with their mission and, later, escape. When the Scout and the station engineer (? clear what Jacumbra "Jack" Edgil's job description is) are taken into custody for overstepping, it falls on Brunner to direct the rescue vessel that has finally arrived to the designated location on his own authority.
This action has dire consequences for Brunner. He is fired and returned to his clan in shame, where he is place under a form of house arrest by his delm for a period of 10 years, with no outside communication allowed, and only being permitted to tend the house's gardens. Brunner is almost at the end of his "sentence" when Korval bombs the Department's HQ in Solcintra on Liaden. Brunner is concerned about the meteorological effects of the blast and dust plume and breaks his enforced silence to warn the local Scouts (one of whom is the Scout from the Klamath station). Brunner's delm is livid and is the middle of reaming him out when visitors arrive at the clanhouse, none other than Redhead and Val Con. Brunner is stunned as he has thought Miri dead for the past 10 years--she was sent directly to a medical facility and not listed with the other survivors. But now she has arrived with an offer for Brunner to throw his lot in with his fellow misfits and accompany them to Surebleak as their meteorologist (we hear about his work in other books). Brunner thinks he'll fit in just fine and it falls to Val Con to smooth things over with the delm.
Despite the somewhat wrenching storyline, this was a lovely Liaden story. Learning more about young Miri's experiences on Klamath was a treat, but it was made more special by weaving it together with Brunner's tale. This one was a jewel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews