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Liaden Universe Publication Order #24
Fair Trade
THE LIADEN UNIVERSE® SERIES CONTINUES
Jethri Gobelyn has risen from despised youngest on a Terran family Loop ship to second trader on premier Liaden tradeship Elthoria under the guidance of his unlikely foster-mother Norn ven'Deelin Clan Ixin. Master Trader ven'Deelin has taught Jethri much, and she expects great things from him. Indeed, one might say she demands them.
Jethri has inherited a mission from his father, a plan that will allow family Loop ships like the one he grew up on to survive the encroachment of Rostov’s Dust. In this, he’s backed by several prominent Looper families who are scheduled to meet and plan at the South Axis Trade Fair.
In what seems to be a fortunate pairing of missions, Master Trader ven'Deelin sees Jethri become lead trader on his own small ship, which is scheduled to arrive at the South Axis Fair.
Unfortunately, that “fortunate coincidence” may instead be a test of Jethri’s loyalties, as he’s thrust into a tangle of grey-trading, mistaken identity, misinformation, and galactic politics. . . .
About the Liaden Universe®
“Every now and then you come across an author, or in this case, a pair, who write exactly what you want to read, the characters and personalities that make you enjoy meeting them. . . . I rarely rave on and on about stories, but I am devoted to Lee and Miller novels and stories.”—Anne McCaffrey
“These authors consistently deliver stories with a rich, textured setting, intricate plotting, and vivid, interesting characters from fully-realized cultures, both human and alien, and each book gets better.”—Elizabeth Moon
“. . . delightful stories of adventure and romance set in a far future . . . space opera milieu. It’s all a rather heady mix of Gordon R. Dickson, the Forsythe Saga, and Victoria Holt, with Lee and Miller’s own unique touches making it all sparkle and sizzle. Anyone whose taste runs toward SF in the true romantic tradition can’t help but like the Liaden Universe.”— Analog
“. . . the many fans of the Liaden universe will welcome the latest . . . continuing young pilot Theo Waitley’s adventures.”— Booklist on Saltation
“. . . aficionados of intelligent space opera will be thoroughly entertained . . . the authors’ craftsmanship is top-notch.”— Publishers Weekly on Lee and Miller’s popular Liaden Universe® thriller I Dare
Jethri Gobelyn has risen from despised youngest on a Terran family Loop ship to second trader on premier Liaden tradeship Elthoria under the guidance of his unlikely foster-mother Norn ven'Deelin Clan Ixin. Master Trader ven'Deelin has taught Jethri much, and she expects great things from him. Indeed, one might say she demands them.
Jethri has inherited a mission from his father, a plan that will allow family Loop ships like the one he grew up on to survive the encroachment of Rostov’s Dust. In this, he’s backed by several prominent Looper families who are scheduled to meet and plan at the South Axis Trade Fair.
In what seems to be a fortunate pairing of missions, Master Trader ven'Deelin sees Jethri become lead trader on his own small ship, which is scheduled to arrive at the South Axis Fair.
Unfortunately, that “fortunate coincidence” may instead be a test of Jethri’s loyalties, as he’s thrust into a tangle of grey-trading, mistaken identity, misinformation, and galactic politics. . . .
About the Liaden Universe®
“Every now and then you come across an author, or in this case, a pair, who write exactly what you want to read, the characters and personalities that make you enjoy meeting them. . . . I rarely rave on and on about stories, but I am devoted to Lee and Miller novels and stories.”—Anne McCaffrey
“These authors consistently deliver stories with a rich, textured setting, intricate plotting, and vivid, interesting characters from fully-realized cultures, both human and alien, and each book gets better.”—Elizabeth Moon
“. . . delightful stories of adventure and romance set in a far future . . . space opera milieu. It’s all a rather heady mix of Gordon R. Dickson, the Forsythe Saga, and Victoria Holt, with Lee and Miller’s own unique touches making it all sparkle and sizzle. Anyone whose taste runs toward SF in the true romantic tradition can’t help but like the Liaden Universe.”— Analog
“. . . the many fans of the Liaden universe will welcome the latest . . . continuing young pilot Theo Waitley’s adventures.”— Booklist on Saltation
“. . . aficionados of intelligent space opera will be thoroughly entertained . . . the authors’ craftsmanship is top-notch.”— Publishers Weekly on Lee and Miller’s popular Liaden Universe® thriller I Dare
374 pages, Hardcover
First published May 3, 2022
82 people are currently reading
217 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 - 30 of 80 reviews
April 8, 2024
Book number 517 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project
It is always a pleasure to spend time with Jethri Gobelyn van'Deelin, especially when he is dealing with twisty and ticklish situations. He can see that the Dust clouds moving in certain parts of space are wreaking havoc with ship navigation and that delivery of necessary goods to planets within the Dust is tricky and getting trickier. However, the big trade associations don't seem to understand the urgency of the situation. Jethri, young as he is, seems to be the Ambassador for his father's plan to cope with Dust, at the South Axis Trade Fair.
If that was not enough, someone in the Liaden ranks is playing dirty tricks to prevent him from gaining Master Trader status. He is lead trader on his ship, but is saddled with a pilot who is set in his ways and not inclined to be flexible. And how does one pursue a promising relationship when one's time is scheduled down to the bathroom breaks?
Meanwhile, there are complications aboard the Dulcimer, the ship that lent Jethri assistance when he was challenged to a duel in a previous installment. A neurodivergent young woman is coming into her own, possibly with the assistance of a posse of norbears, those fuzzy telepathic beings who cause consternation among some in the galaxy. The new captain is trying to extricate himself from the less-than-legal patterns of the previous management and facing opposition from one crew member who is determined to make trouble (and who intensely dislikes norbears and the young woman).
These two story lines intersect at the trade conference, along with a stash of forbidden Old Tech, drawing the Uncle into the mix. As I understand it, this subseries is set in between the Great Migration (of books 1 & 2) and the much later adventures of Clan Korval. There are enough loose ends that I am certain that the authors planned more Jethri in future.
Sadly, however, I learned that co-author Steve Miller died in February of this year. It's anyone's guess whether Sharon Lee will continue to write, with her husband and co-conspirator gone. I wouldn't blame her if she declared herself unwilling to go on. I love the universe that this pair created and I will undoubtedly continue to reread the published material long into the future. I will treasure the books that I have not yet read (rapidly decreasing) and have my fingers crossed that maybe one was left in the hopper before Miller's passing. Good lift, Mr Miller, and safe landing. 💔😭
It is always a pleasure to spend time with Jethri Gobelyn van'Deelin, especially when he is dealing with twisty and ticklish situations. He can see that the Dust clouds moving in certain parts of space are wreaking havoc with ship navigation and that delivery of necessary goods to planets within the Dust is tricky and getting trickier. However, the big trade associations don't seem to understand the urgency of the situation. Jethri, young as he is, seems to be the Ambassador for his father's plan to cope with Dust, at the South Axis Trade Fair.
If that was not enough, someone in the Liaden ranks is playing dirty tricks to prevent him from gaining Master Trader status. He is lead trader on his ship, but is saddled with a pilot who is set in his ways and not inclined to be flexible. And how does one pursue a promising relationship when one's time is scheduled down to the bathroom breaks?
Meanwhile, there are complications aboard the Dulcimer, the ship that lent Jethri assistance when he was challenged to a duel in a previous installment. A neurodivergent young woman is coming into her own, possibly with the assistance of a posse of norbears, those fuzzy telepathic beings who cause consternation among some in the galaxy. The new captain is trying to extricate himself from the less-than-legal patterns of the previous management and facing opposition from one crew member who is determined to make trouble (and who intensely dislikes norbears and the young woman).
These two story lines intersect at the trade conference, along with a stash of forbidden Old Tech, drawing the Uncle into the mix. As I understand it, this subseries is set in between the Great Migration (of books 1 & 2) and the much later adventures of Clan Korval. There are enough loose ends that I am certain that the authors planned more Jethri in future.
Sadly, however, I learned that co-author Steve Miller died in February of this year. It's anyone's guess whether Sharon Lee will continue to write, with her husband and co-conspirator gone. I wouldn't blame her if she declared herself unwilling to go on. I love the universe that this pair created and I will undoubtedly continue to reread the published material long into the future. I will treasure the books that I have not yet read (rapidly decreasing) and have my fingers crossed that maybe one was left in the hopper before Miller's passing. Good lift, Mr Miller, and safe landing. 💔😭
May 27, 2022
I absolutely adore the Liaden universe. And I've enjoyed Jethri's on going adventures. This book, however, felt almost unfinished - as though it were the first half of a two parter.
Does that mean I didn't like it? Of course not. I do hope there's some sort of conclusion, however.
Does that mean I didn't like it? Of course not. I do hope there's some sort of conclusion, however.
May 8, 2022
While I appreciated seeing Jethri progress professionally and personally, too many threads are left dangling. It felt like 2/3 of a complete story. In fact, not one story line came to any sort of completion.
February 1, 2022
This is the third book starring Jethri Gobelyn ven'Deelin who has come far from being an unwanted extra on his birth ship to becoming a fully trained and competent trader. This story sees Jethri gaining his own ship through the offices of his mother foster Master Trader Norn ven'Deelin Clan Ixin and Master Trader pin'Aker Clan Midys who both expect great things of him.
They send him to the South Axis Trade Fair which is a gathering of Terran traders. This is an ideal location for him to talk about the Envidaria - a document talking about the future of trade which was first written by Jethri's father Arin who died when Jethri was a child.
But the Envidaria is not a universally popular document. Members of the Combine and TerraTrade don't want anything to upset their very comfortable current situation. And, after all, the coming of Rostov's Dust won't affect very many worlds. Jethri disagrees and needs to get very political if he is going to be able to save the Loopers, and family ships, and the planets who will be disrupted by the coming Dust.
Jethri has allies. Freza and Brabham from the Balrog have been working on Arin's plan since long before Jethri even knew about it. And other Loopers are also signing on to make the changes needed to survive the coming of Rostov's Dust. He also has enemies at the Trade Fair including Senior Technical Administrator Bory Borygard of TerraTrade who knew Jethri's father and disliked the Envidaria because it would disrupt his comfortable life.
Jethri has obstacles outside the congress too. While his master and mentor want him to be raised to the rank of Master Trader, the Liaden Trade Guild has enough members who don't want a Terran to be admitted to their ranks to throw a number of obstacles in Jethri's way.
Outside this main story of Jethri at the Trade Fair, we have the story of Dulcimer and her crew. They used to trade on the dark side with contacts who look like earlier versions of the Juntavas. But with the death of their parents, the new captain wants to shift their focus to the clean, legal side of trade. They also have a pod of norbears onboard which is causing conflict between those who want to keep them there and those who want to space the animals. Squithen Patel is the one who communicates best with the norbears but is otherwise a very low-ranked member of the crew. She was a very interesting character. The hints at the story of how the norbears came to be on Dulcimer is a story I want to know.
There is also another plot line concerning the Elsavair and her crew who seem to be earlier versions of the Bedel. They trade in Old Tech and have deals with the Uncle who happens to be Jethri's actual uncle being the brother of his father Arin. Jethri is particularly sensitive to Old Tech, a tweak his uncle and father built into his genetics, and ends up buying some disturbing devices from the Elsavair including a device worn like a hood which is a teaching tool that almost overwhelms him.
My only complaint about this story was that, while progress was made on a number of fronts, nothing was finished. It does make me eager for the fourth book in Jethri's story which is still mainly residing in the authors' brains as I finish this book.
They send him to the South Axis Trade Fair which is a gathering of Terran traders. This is an ideal location for him to talk about the Envidaria - a document talking about the future of trade which was first written by Jethri's father Arin who died when Jethri was a child.
But the Envidaria is not a universally popular document. Members of the Combine and TerraTrade don't want anything to upset their very comfortable current situation. And, after all, the coming of Rostov's Dust won't affect very many worlds. Jethri disagrees and needs to get very political if he is going to be able to save the Loopers, and family ships, and the planets who will be disrupted by the coming Dust.
Jethri has allies. Freza and Brabham from the Balrog have been working on Arin's plan since long before Jethri even knew about it. And other Loopers are also signing on to make the changes needed to survive the coming of Rostov's Dust. He also has enemies at the Trade Fair including Senior Technical Administrator Bory Borygard of TerraTrade who knew Jethri's father and disliked the Envidaria because it would disrupt his comfortable life.
Jethri has obstacles outside the congress too. While his master and mentor want him to be raised to the rank of Master Trader, the Liaden Trade Guild has enough members who don't want a Terran to be admitted to their ranks to throw a number of obstacles in Jethri's way.
Outside this main story of Jethri at the Trade Fair, we have the story of Dulcimer and her crew. They used to trade on the dark side with contacts who look like earlier versions of the Juntavas. But with the death of their parents, the new captain wants to shift their focus to the clean, legal side of trade. They also have a pod of norbears onboard which is causing conflict between those who want to keep them there and those who want to space the animals. Squithen Patel is the one who communicates best with the norbears but is otherwise a very low-ranked member of the crew. She was a very interesting character. The hints at the story of how the norbears came to be on Dulcimer is a story I want to know.
There is also another plot line concerning the Elsavair and her crew who seem to be earlier versions of the Bedel. They trade in Old Tech and have deals with the Uncle who happens to be Jethri's actual uncle being the brother of his father Arin. Jethri is particularly sensitive to Old Tech, a tweak his uncle and father built into his genetics, and ends up buying some disturbing devices from the Elsavair including a device worn like a hood which is a teaching tool that almost overwhelms him.
My only complaint about this story was that, while progress was made on a number of fronts, nothing was finished. It does make me eager for the fourth book in Jethri's story which is still mainly residing in the authors' brains as I finish this book.
September 13, 2023
Kind of a filler book. Expanding what we know a smidgen of Uncle and the people of the ship who fleez 😅. Doesn't really tie off it's own plot thread aside from gathering allies and firming their goals/ character choices.
April 14, 2023
I still love Jethri, the focus on micro and macro trading, his connection to the Terran and Liaden worlds, the Uncle and Old Tech. So many interesting angles in this time in the universe’s history!
The particular book was intriguing enough, with big shifts in the trading world, and Jethri coming to the big stage as a VIP, and the introduction of some norbears. I am still waiting to see how this ties into the books at a later era, other than some small associations in characters.
The even bigger question is how the overall Jethri arc fits together.
Jethri’s books form a strange story, I feel. There was a really big gap between the publishing of the first two books, and then to the third one, and it had an impact I saw when rereading. A clear direction is somewhat lacking, threads abandoned with some side characters and stories, characterization shifted slightly, etc. I am hopeful that future related books will have more consistency.
The particular book was intriguing enough, with big shifts in the trading world, and Jethri coming to the big stage as a VIP, and the introduction of some norbears. I am still waiting to see how this ties into the books at a later era, other than some small associations in characters.
The even bigger question is how the overall Jethri arc fits together.
Jethri’s books form a strange story, I feel. There was a really big gap between the publishing of the first two books, and then to the third one, and it had an impact I saw when rereading. A clear direction is somewhat lacking, threads abandoned with some side characters and stories, characterization shifted slightly, etc. I am hopeful that future related books will have more consistency.
March 9, 2024
An enjoyable entry in the series with the whimsical elements that make this universe so much fun. The ark of these characters seems unfinished, and with the death of one of the authors we will have to see what transpires going forward. I do hope we eventually get to know what comes next in the lives of these characters.
April 24, 2025
I hope the authors outlive me because it would be nice to visit this universe every year.
June 17, 2022
The Liaden Universe books are among my favorites. I would have enjoyed this entry a great deal more if I had reread the previous two books in the Jethri arc. I kept being distracted by trying to remember what had happened before. There were a LOT of characters to keep track of. I loved the story about Squithy and the norbears, and will happily read the next book, whichever story arc the authors decide to write about next!
August 25, 2025
Note: I read an ARC (advance reader copy) of Fair Trade, so it will likely differ slightly from the final version.
Fair Trade is the 24th novel in the Liaden Universe, and I'll begin by general remarks about the Liaden Universe as a whole. It's a sprawling science-fiction setting that spans a large expanse of time, many characters, and many plot threads, with a wealth of short fiction in addition to the novels. The stories are character-centered, and the characters are wonderful: likable, distinctive, engaging, and, best of all, connected by their care for each other. Reading the stories makes me feel part of their collective found family. The Liaden Universe is a prime example of science fiction that makes me feel happier, and, taken as a whole, I would give the Liaden Universe 5 out of 5 stars.
Moving to Fair Trade in particular. Mild spoilers ahead....
Update 8/25/2025. Read for the second time (this time the hardcover edition). Still very enjoyable. As noted before, the book ends with matters incomplete and a sequel is planned down the line. Also as noted before, I loved the sections with Squithy.
Overall: 4 out of 5 fairly traded stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
Fair Trade is the 24th novel in the Liaden Universe, and I'll begin by general remarks about the Liaden Universe as a whole. It's a sprawling science-fiction setting that spans a large expanse of time, many characters, and many plot threads, with a wealth of short fiction in addition to the novels. The stories are character-centered, and the characters are wonderful: likable, distinctive, engaging, and, best of all, connected by their care for each other. Reading the stories makes me feel part of their collective found family. The Liaden Universe is a prime example of science fiction that makes me feel happier, and, taken as a whole, I would give the Liaden Universe 5 out of 5 stars.
Moving to Fair Trade in particular. Mild spoilers ahead....
Update 8/25/2025. Read for the second time (this time the hardcover edition). Still very enjoyable. As noted before, the book ends with matters incomplete and a sequel is planned down the line. Also as noted before, I loved the sections with Squithy.
Overall: 4 out of 5 fairly traded stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
May 22, 2022
Split into two, Fair Trade follows the adventures of the ship, Dulcimer, on one hand - and the rather less interesting exploits of Jethri, now a full on Trader. The story set on Dulcimer is by far the most interesting and exciting and ends much too quickly. I love, love, love Norbears - I imagine them looking rather like Koala bears but with empathy/telepathy. Unfortunately, I found most of Jethi’s section clunky and overly political and heavy going. Again there were a lot of open endings and I get the impression that this is acting as Part 1, with Part 2 to come. Not a favourite, unfortunately- and, whatever you do - don’t start here to get a feel for the Liaden/ Terra worlds.
May 23, 2022
2022 bk 148. Hmm. That was my first thought when I reached the end of the book. Hmm. I love the Liaden Universe and have enjoyed the other Jethri Gobelyn Van'Deelin books. This book is of lives in transition with no real conclusion - leaving me a little frustrated and in hopes that a sequel is not far behind. I loved the inclusion of the ship and its characters from an earlier novel. I loved the Norbears, Uncle was his normal "my way is the only way" and disappeared too quickly. I gave it four stars because of the bringing together of characters I had missed and will have to read it again, perhaps when its sequel comes out, in order to feel more comfortable with the story.
May 11, 2022
Newest in a long-ago line of story, very important to the whole work of Lee & Miller. Good development, stops too soon (of course!). I went back and re-read the previous books, from when Jethri was first thrown off his birth ship, and, by doing the Right Thing, found himself joined with a Major Liaden House as a fosterling. Previous full books were *Balance of Trade* and *Trade Secret*.
fwiw, if you really want to get into the Liaden books, imo, THIS is the best way to parse the intersections and storylines. It has been updated to reflect this published-last-week book.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liaden_...
fwiw, if you really want to get into the Liaden books, imo, THIS is the best way to parse the intersections and storylines. It has been updated to reflect this published-last-week book.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liaden_...
July 22, 2022
This was really disappointing. I usually enjoy the leaden books but this was mostly all talk and no action. Won’t be reading the next one.
July 10, 2022
3.5 stars.
This was a bit of a strange one for me. I liked the story but I guess I'm missing the action as this was very trading heavy. Jethri has definitely come into his own though and from the way this ended, we will be seeing more of him and his trading adventures.
I have difficulties placing Dulcimer and her crew except for what happened on Port Chavvy where they lend him their tool box for the duel. But I'm pretty glad to see the norbears. So cute! I discovered there is a short story Out of True that has some of Dulcimer's history. Will have to go back and read that again.
I would also suggest a refresh of Jethri's story-arc by reading his first two books Balance of Trade and Trade Secret before reading this one as there are so many characters and associations to keep track of.
This was a bit of a strange one for me. I liked the story but I guess I'm missing the action as this was very trading heavy. Jethri has definitely come into his own though and from the way this ended, we will be seeing more of him and his trading adventures.
I have difficulties placing Dulcimer and her crew except for what happened on Port Chavvy where they lend him their tool box for the duel. But I'm pretty glad to see the norbears. So cute! I discovered there is a short story Out of True that has some of Dulcimer's history. Will have to go back and read that again.
I would also suggest a refresh of Jethri's story-arc by reading his first two books Balance of Trade and Trade Secret before reading this one as there are so many characters and associations to keep track of.
July 20, 2022
Big disappointment
Just politics, if I had wanted to be dragged down by back biting political nonsense I would have just turned the real news on. I have never been disappointed by a Liaden book, I have them all. I reread them all before reading the latest novel. If the next book has anything to do with Jethri, I will be saving my money and waiting for a return of Surebleak and assorted relatives . Sad.
Just politics, if I had wanted to be dragged down by back biting political nonsense I would have just turned the real news on. I have never been disappointed by a Liaden book, I have them all. I reread them all before reading the latest novel. If the next book has anything to do with Jethri, I will be saving my money and waiting for a return of Surebleak and assorted relatives . Sad.
March 20, 2023
I love all Lee and Miller books, but
This one was not satisfying. The norbear piece was not well rooted. I’ve read the story, but it wasn’t well integrated into this one. Also, the ending was rather abrupt. Hopefully the next book will clean up loose ends. I would also like a better understanding of why the dust and Envidaria are so important. Maybe that’s a lack on my part, but I don’t feel the authors have made that clear.
This one was not satisfying. The norbear piece was not well rooted. I’ve read the story, but it wasn’t well integrated into this one. Also, the ending was rather abrupt. Hopefully the next book will clean up loose ends. I would also like a better understanding of why the dust and Envidaria are so important. Maybe that’s a lack on my part, but I don’t feel the authors have made that clear.
February 19, 2022
Excellent, superbly crafted as always.
May 16, 2022
I have been reading about Jethri Gobelyn's adventures since his first Liaden Universe novel Balance of Trade in 2004. I had definitely NOT realized that Jethri's first book was that long ago.
No, Jethri is not a Pilot nor does he have any paranormal powers (particularly telepathy) but he is an honest Trader-in-training and Trade is important in the Liaden Universe. Some people might want to skip the Jethri books if all they want to read about is the derring-do of the Pilots and the Korval clan at the heart of this series. I decided that I liked Terran Jethri enough to see what his world looks like as he studies to become a Liaden Trader someday.
Jethri had been the youngest in his large Terran family Loop ship (meaning that the ship had an established route and conducted trade at each stop on a reliable schedule). He had risen to Assistant Trader on his home ship Gobelyn's Market by the time of the first book. Mishaps/misadventure occurs and he finds himself taken under the wing of Liaden Master Trader Norn ven’Deelin Clan Ixin, his foster mother. In fact, he is adopted into the clan and Norn fully considers Jethri to be her son and he considers her to be his mother.
So, Balance of Trade came out in 2004. The next book in Jethri's story was Trade Secret in 2013. Then we had to wait until 2022 for Fair Trade.
By the time of Fair Trade, Jethri is Trader Jethri Gobelyn ven'Deelin, Second Trader on the premier Liaden tradeship Elthoria, where he had studied his craft under his Master Trader mother. As this book opens, however, Jethri is made a Liaden Trader in his own right. He is also provided with a small ship where he is to be the Lead Trader. (Trader is the first step to eventually achieving the status as Master Trader.)
Jethri's father Arin Gobelyn had been a Terran Trade Commissioner and had also come up with a plan to deal with a new space hazard called Rostov’s Dust.
This Dust messes with starship engines and navigation in a serious enough fashion that Trade is definitely affected. (Ships overshoot their marks, undershoot their marks, and one is even prevented from jumping into a particular solar system altogether.) So far, it has mostly affected the Terran Looper ships and their routes but the Dust is just as much a hazard for the Liaden ships (who have the same engines & navigation systems).
Arin died some years ago so now it is up to Jethri with his dual Terran/Liaden heritage to try to get his father's plan accepted at the South Axis Trade Fair/Congress. Yes, a huge organization with PLENTY of galactic politics involved as to who the leaders are and how it is run.
But Jethri & his friends are trying to bring the Dust management plan to the largest "stage" that they can so that the most traders can benefit by whatever Dust mitigation strategies might be developed.
Jethri needs all his wits about him and help from his friends if he is to survive the South Axis Trade Fair/Congress!
No, Jethri is not a Pilot nor does he have any paranormal powers (particularly telepathy) but he is an honest Trader-in-training and Trade is important in the Liaden Universe. Some people might want to skip the Jethri books if all they want to read about is the derring-do of the Pilots and the Korval clan at the heart of this series. I decided that I liked Terran Jethri enough to see what his world looks like as he studies to become a Liaden Trader someday.
Jethri had been the youngest in his large Terran family Loop ship (meaning that the ship had an established route and conducted trade at each stop on a reliable schedule). He had risen to Assistant Trader on his home ship Gobelyn's Market by the time of the first book. Mishaps/misadventure occurs and he finds himself taken under the wing of Liaden Master Trader Norn ven’Deelin Clan Ixin, his foster mother. In fact, he is adopted into the clan and Norn fully considers Jethri to be her son and he considers her to be his mother.
So, Balance of Trade came out in 2004. The next book in Jethri's story was Trade Secret in 2013. Then we had to wait until 2022 for Fair Trade.
By the time of Fair Trade, Jethri is Trader Jethri Gobelyn ven'Deelin, Second Trader on the premier Liaden tradeship Elthoria, where he had studied his craft under his Master Trader mother. As this book opens, however, Jethri is made a Liaden Trader in his own right. He is also provided with a small ship where he is to be the Lead Trader. (Trader is the first step to eventually achieving the status as Master Trader.)
Jethri's father Arin Gobelyn had been a Terran Trade Commissioner and had also come up with a plan to deal with a new space hazard called Rostov’s Dust.
This Dust messes with starship engines and navigation in a serious enough fashion that Trade is definitely affected. (Ships overshoot their marks, undershoot their marks, and one is even prevented from jumping into a particular solar system altogether.) So far, it has mostly affected the Terran Looper ships and their routes but the Dust is just as much a hazard for the Liaden ships (who have the same engines & navigation systems).
Arin died some years ago so now it is up to Jethri with his dual Terran/Liaden heritage to try to get his father's plan accepted at the South Axis Trade Fair/Congress. Yes, a huge organization with PLENTY of galactic politics involved as to who the leaders are and how it is run.
But Jethri & his friends are trying to bring the Dust management plan to the largest "stage" that they can so that the most traders can benefit by whatever Dust mitigation strategies might be developed.
Jethri needs all his wits about him and help from his friends if he is to survive the South Axis Trade Fair/Congress!
March 14, 2025
3.5 stars.
March 2025 - listened. I didn't take my own advice below and revisit Jethri's previous books so it was a bit hard trying to figure out all the associations. But I'm thinking this particular arc will tell us how Jethri became a legend of trade and we also get more context on the gases impacting the Redlands.
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July 2022 - read
This was a bit of a strange one for me. I liked the story but I guess I'm missing the action as this was very trading heavy. Jethri has definitely come into his own though and from the way this ended, we will be seeing more of him and his trading adventures.
I have difficulties placing Dulcimer and her crew except for what happened on Port Chavvy where they lend him their tool box for the duel. But I'm pretty glad to see the norbears. So cute! I discovered there is a short story Out of True that has some of Dulcimer's history. Will have to go back and read that again.
I would also suggest a refresh of Jethri's story-arc by reading his first two books Balance of Trade and Trade Secret before reading this one as there are so many characters and associations to keep track of.
March 2025 - listened. I didn't take my own advice below and revisit Jethri's previous books so it was a bit hard trying to figure out all the associations. But I'm thinking this particular arc will tell us how Jethri became a legend of trade and we also get more context on the gases impacting the Redlands.
____________________
July 2022 - read
This was a bit of a strange one for me. I liked the story but I guess I'm missing the action as this was very trading heavy. Jethri has definitely come into his own though and from the way this ended, we will be seeing more of him and his trading adventures.
I have difficulties placing Dulcimer and her crew except for what happened on Port Chavvy where they lend him their tool box for the duel. But I'm pretty glad to see the norbears. So cute! I discovered there is a short story Out of True that has some of Dulcimer's history. Will have to go back and read that again.
I would also suggest a refresh of Jethri's story-arc by reading his first two books Balance of Trade and Trade Secret before reading this one as there are so many characters and associations to keep track of.
Read
May 22, 2022I Care!
I have been following this series since I picked up an interesting looking paperback and read the blurb on the back cover. This was in the eighties, and was my introduction to Val Con and Miri in Agent of Changr. The story fascinated me, because of the singular quality of the story that made me care about these characters, want to know what happens next.
This, in my experience does not happen nearly enough in prose. While there are writers aplenty on the scene, it is notable that there are few master level wordsmiths that can create a universe with characters that catch your heart and attention. As I said, since the Eighties. I STILL care. I want to KNOW what happens next! It's not just Val Con and Miri, but a veritable cornucopia of characters - Edger and his family, Pat Rin and his Natessa, Scout ter Alden, and so many more. Over I've lost track of how many books, chapbooks, anthologies. I STILL care about the the characters. This is very rare. Very few, even Master Level Wordsmiths can sustain this kind of devotion by their readers over an extended period of time and series of stories.
I still breathlessly snap up stories as I find them. I wait, not so patiently, for the next story. Sharon Lee and Steve Miller have earned their place in the Pantheon. Normally one has to pass from this life before achieving accolades at this level. They are still here . So are we, their readers.
I've never liked spoilers. I will tell you this - Lee and Miller are WORTH every cent you spend on their stories. The ONLY regret you will ever have is when they stop.
I have been following this series since I picked up an interesting looking paperback and read the blurb on the back cover. This was in the eighties, and was my introduction to Val Con and Miri in Agent of Changr. The story fascinated me, because of the singular quality of the story that made me care about these characters, want to know what happens next.
This, in my experience does not happen nearly enough in prose. While there are writers aplenty on the scene, it is notable that there are few master level wordsmiths that can create a universe with characters that catch your heart and attention. As I said, since the Eighties. I STILL care. I want to KNOW what happens next! It's not just Val Con and Miri, but a veritable cornucopia of characters - Edger and his family, Pat Rin and his Natessa, Scout ter Alden, and so many more. Over I've lost track of how many books, chapbooks, anthologies. I STILL care about the the characters. This is very rare. Very few, even Master Level Wordsmiths can sustain this kind of devotion by their readers over an extended period of time and series of stories.
I still breathlessly snap up stories as I find them. I wait, not so patiently, for the next story. Sharon Lee and Steve Miller have earned their place in the Pantheon. Normally one has to pass from this life before achieving accolades at this level. They are still here . So are we, their readers.
I've never liked spoilers. I will tell you this - Lee and Miller are WORTH every cent you spend on their stories. The ONLY regret you will ever have is when they stop.
August 28, 2022
Yet another delightful Liaden science fiction adventure! Jethri, the Terran adopted son of a Liaden trader, acquires his first ship and has interesting adventures at a regional trade conference. He is trying to organize traders to help 17 solar systems whose access to trade is about to cut off for generations by strange dust that interferes with interstellar Jumps. We also spend time with another ship, the Dulcimer, and their difficulties going straight after being a black market trader under previous management, and the challenge of their hosting norbears.
This Liaden novel is not the place to start the series, however. You would be wondering about the differences between Terran and Liaden, what is a norbear, and who the Uncle is. But if you are already a fan, the appearance of both norbears and the Uncle can only be terrific. I adore the norbears, who are aliens that communicate telepathically. They look so harmless, yet there was a scene a few books ago with the norbear ambassador holding a blaster aimed at a crowd rioting on the docks outside the ship it was on. The Uncle is more mysterious, a human (I think) with unknown origins and goals and immense technological capabilities. If you want to start at the beginning, go with Agent of Change. Or one could start at the beginning of Jethri’s story, a few novels back.
This Liaden novel is not the place to start the series, however. You would be wondering about the differences between Terran and Liaden, what is a norbear, and who the Uncle is. But if you are already a fan, the appearance of both norbears and the Uncle can only be terrific. I adore the norbears, who are aliens that communicate telepathically. They look so harmless, yet there was a scene a few books ago with the norbear ambassador holding a blaster aimed at a crowd rioting on the docks outside the ship it was on. The Uncle is more mysterious, a human (I think) with unknown origins and goals and immense technological capabilities. If you want to start at the beginning, go with Agent of Change. Or one could start at the beginning of Jethri’s story, a few novels back.
August 26, 2022
[25 Aug 2022]
I had to force myself to finish this book. Through most of it I was very frustrated, feeling that I had no idea what was going on. It is a continuation of the story of Jethri Gobelyn van'Deelin and assumes that you have read the previous books. Well, I had read those previous books, but it had been a couple years and I didn't remember much about them. And the authors, unlike most authors I read, made practically no effort to refresh my memory. Not only that, I'm absolutely sure that some of what happens in the early part of this book -- about the norbears -- is a continuation of something that they must have written about in one of their short stories that are published separately. One that I definitely had not read. I don't like short stories and a resent being expected to read everything an author publishes just on the off chance that it may start a plot thread that will show up in a later work.
So I felt like I spent at least two thirds of the book at a loss. After I finally figured out what was going on, it got better, but not much. It seemed to be mostly political wrangling and not much action. And it certainly did not come to a resolution.
So, not my favorite Liaden book.
I had to force myself to finish this book. Through most of it I was very frustrated, feeling that I had no idea what was going on. It is a continuation of the story of Jethri Gobelyn van'Deelin and assumes that you have read the previous books. Well, I had read those previous books, but it had been a couple years and I didn't remember much about them. And the authors, unlike most authors I read, made practically no effort to refresh my memory. Not only that, I'm absolutely sure that some of what happens in the early part of this book -- about the norbears -- is a continuation of something that they must have written about in one of their short stories that are published separately. One that I definitely had not read. I don't like short stories and a resent being expected to read everything an author publishes just on the off chance that it may start a plot thread that will show up in a later work.
So I felt like I spent at least two thirds of the book at a loss. After I finally figured out what was going on, it got better, but not much. It seemed to be mostly political wrangling and not much action. And it certainly did not come to a resolution.
So, not my favorite Liaden book.
May 13, 2022
Like politics?
If you like political drama, you may like this book better than I did (even though I did like it). It starts with Jethri getting a new Liaden Trader ring. Jethri is a hard working guy, and nice enough, but he lacks depth and attachments. His task is interesting, to change trade to accommodate new travel conditions.
Jethri is related to earlier stories through the Uncle, whom he calls uncle I'm truth.
There is a secondary plot about a small family trade ship changing from gray trade to legit, focusing on a girl with an anxiety disorder and a pilot who likes her. They have rescued and taken care of a group of norbears, and Jethri was tangentially involved in that. Dorsey is involved in this side-plot, and I found it a lot more fun and interesting than Jethri's story.
There is no real resolution to either plot line. Our lovers are separated at the end. Trade is up in the air, and Jethri is still in danger. He has to make some decisions of great import at the end. He does, and that's it. Wait for the next book. If you don't like cliffhangers, maybe wait for the next book to come out.
If you like political drama, you may like this book better than I did (even though I did like it). It starts with Jethri getting a new Liaden Trader ring. Jethri is a hard working guy, and nice enough, but he lacks depth and attachments. His task is interesting, to change trade to accommodate new travel conditions.
Jethri is related to earlier stories through the Uncle, whom he calls uncle I'm truth.
There is a secondary plot about a small family trade ship changing from gray trade to legit, focusing on a girl with an anxiety disorder and a pilot who likes her. They have rescued and taken care of a group of norbears, and Jethri was tangentially involved in that. Dorsey is involved in this side-plot, and I found it a lot more fun and interesting than Jethri's story.
There is no real resolution to either plot line. Our lovers are separated at the end. Trade is up in the air, and Jethri is still in danger. He has to make some decisions of great import at the end. He does, and that's it. Wait for the next book. If you don't like cliffhangers, maybe wait for the next book to come out.
May 27, 2022
I still love the Liaden Universe, but this one felt like a bit of a chore and an unfinished chore at that. There were three story lines - Jethri (now on his own ship) who is lobbying at a trade fair for his father's plan for dealing with the coming dust storm that will effect trading, the second follows the ship Dulcimer and their crew which includes Norbears and one bad apple, and the final one involves the ship Elsavair and a crew that reminded me a lot of the Bedel. The three threads kinda, sorta meet at the fair. At the last minute some Liaden pair shows up. I'm not sure if I was supposed to recognize them from some earlier story (I did not.)
The book might have been helped if I'd reread the two earlier Jethri books, and whatever the relevant short stories might have been. But Jethri is probably my least favorite character in this universe. He's nice enough, just not very interesting. So I didn't. There are tones of loose ends, so I am sure we will see more of him.
The book might have been helped if I'd reread the two earlier Jethri books, and whatever the relevant short stories might have been. But Jethri is probably my least favorite character in this universe. He's nice enough, just not very interesting. So I didn't. There are tones of loose ends, so I am sure we will see more of him.
May 31, 2022
This book follows Balance of Trade and Trade Secret to continue the story of Jethri Gobelyn ven'Deelin. Not only is he learning new things and becoming a better Trader, he is helping to facilitate new growth in the trading systems in the universe. I found this book a bit slow moving with less action, as perhaps is characteristic of a trader versus a Scout or a pilot lifestyle. I enjoyed more the chapters featuring young Squithy, who we've met before, and the telepathic race of furry creatures (later known as norbears). Once Squithy's ship and crew meet up with Jethri, their story takes a back seat. I hope and suspect it will be picked up in the next book in this group: Trade Lanes, due to come out in 2023. Since these stories take place much earlier in the Liaden Universe, it is fun to see ideas and races and events that foreshadow later developments (for instance, Malu and Vally reminded me of the the Bedel).
September 18, 2022
Jethri Gobelyn was born and raised on a Terran family Loop ship, where he was an unfavored junior, resented by the Captain for reasons of family history. Unexpected events led to him being taken aboard the Liaden tradeship Elthoria, and rising to the rank of second trader under his foster mother, Norn ven'Deelin Clan Ixin.
Now new changes are coming into his life. He's being transferred to be Lead Trader on a smaller Liaden ship, attending his first big Terran trade conference, and taking the lead position in pushing for the adoption of his late father's plan to revamp the trade loops to enable the small Looper ships like the one he grew up on to survive the encroachment of Rostov's Dust.
While he has allies in that last project, including some very influential Looper families, he also has quite dedicated opponents. These include TerraTrade itself, which favors remaking the trade routes to have Loopers acting as feeder ships to the big trade ships, not directly to the planets in the Rostov's Dust region. And this is utterly logical and reasonable, if your main concern is profit and stability. The big ships can't jump as far into the Dust, or as reliably, as small ships, and skipping a planet for a cycle or two would be just a business decision for the big ships, not the abandonment of trusted trade partners, as it is for the small ships. People would die because getting to them cost too much for the big ships.
Meanwhile, Jethri has a mistaken-identify problem. He looks just like his father, who looked just like the enigmatic figure called the Uncle, for the very simple reason that in fact they are all clones. This causes some actually quite reasonable small traders who unfortunately trade mostly in salvaged bits of the banned "old tech." and assume Jethri is a connection to Uncle, who generally buys it readily.
Another small ship on the edges of Looper society has its own problems, as the previous captain and first officer have died, and the younger generation are trying to break out of their elders' own fondness for crooked trading with a nasty small-time criminal gang leader. When the gang leader tries to hijack their ship and get the ship's recently acquired family of norbears--still largely unknown in this earlier time in Liaden Universe history--seized as dangerous, diseased animals, Jethri and his Looper allies get caught up in that, too...
Even as some snootier members of the Liaden Trade Guild are trying to get Jethri blocked from promotion to Master Trader because they don't like the fact that he's Terran.
There's culture clash, old friends, new friends, the first norbears in Liaden space, unsuspected minor populations including descendants of Liadens who opted out of the rigid society on Liad, Jethri facing challenges he feels inadequately trained for at best, and a lot of fun.
Recommended.
I believe I got this book as a gift. In any case, I'm reviewing it voluntarily.
Now new changes are coming into his life. He's being transferred to be Lead Trader on a smaller Liaden ship, attending his first big Terran trade conference, and taking the lead position in pushing for the adoption of his late father's plan to revamp the trade loops to enable the small Looper ships like the one he grew up on to survive the encroachment of Rostov's Dust.
While he has allies in that last project, including some very influential Looper families, he also has quite dedicated opponents. These include TerraTrade itself, which favors remaking the trade routes to have Loopers acting as feeder ships to the big trade ships, not directly to the planets in the Rostov's Dust region. And this is utterly logical and reasonable, if your main concern is profit and stability. The big ships can't jump as far into the Dust, or as reliably, as small ships, and skipping a planet for a cycle or two would be just a business decision for the big ships, not the abandonment of trusted trade partners, as it is for the small ships. People would die because getting to them cost too much for the big ships.
Meanwhile, Jethri has a mistaken-identify problem. He looks just like his father, who looked just like the enigmatic figure called the Uncle, for the very simple reason that in fact they are all clones. This causes some actually quite reasonable small traders who unfortunately trade mostly in salvaged bits of the banned "old tech." and assume Jethri is a connection to Uncle, who generally buys it readily.
Another small ship on the edges of Looper society has its own problems, as the previous captain and first officer have died, and the younger generation are trying to break out of their elders' own fondness for crooked trading with a nasty small-time criminal gang leader. When the gang leader tries to hijack their ship and get the ship's recently acquired family of norbears--still largely unknown in this earlier time in Liaden Universe history--seized as dangerous, diseased animals, Jethri and his Looper allies get caught up in that, too...
Even as some snootier members of the Liaden Trade Guild are trying to get Jethri blocked from promotion to Master Trader because they don't like the fact that he's Terran.
There's culture clash, old friends, new friends, the first norbears in Liaden space, unsuspected minor populations including descendants of Liadens who opted out of the rigid society on Liad, Jethri facing challenges he feels inadequately trained for at best, and a lot of fun.
Recommended.
I believe I got this book as a gift. In any case, I'm reviewing it voluntarily.
August 7, 2023
I love the Liaden universe, but this book was a largely boring slog. I know better, but it almost seems like Lee & Miller had to deliver a book with a certain wordcount, and they just filled it with page after page about rings, romance, and polite chit-chat. The story arcs were left grossly unfinished; nearly abandoned. I hope it was more fun to write than it was to read.
Jethri's a nepo baby, and I got super tired about hearing the adulation for him being Arin's son. I was also mighty confused as how he could accept "citizenship" (or the equivalent) on behalf of a ship for which he was no longer on the crew roster.
I did like learning more about the Uncle and Jethri's background.
I hope Lee & Miller find a graceful way to end Jethri's story arcs, because this third entry was a dud.
Jethri's a nepo baby, and I got super tired about hearing the adulation for him being Arin's son. I was also mighty confused as how he could accept "citizenship" (or the equivalent) on behalf of a ship for which he was no longer on the crew roster.
I did like learning more about the Uncle and Jethri's background.
I hope Lee & Miller find a graceful way to end Jethri's story arcs, because this third entry was a dud.
October 16, 2025
Business conferences, spaceships, a looming disaster, warring factions, alien species, families, a bit of romance... All these come together in Fair Trade. The Liaden series has many parts that create its own universe (yes, there are also "Terrans"). This volume in the series, one of the newest published, but earlier in the chronological order, does not really have big action, but we do get to know more about the politics between various traders while they are attending a large conference and attempting to plan for the problem of "Dust" and how it is going to affect trade routes and the planets relying on receiving trade goods. It's the third in a row (chonologically) hightlighting Jethri Gobelyn Ven'Deelin, a trader with both Terran and Liandin family ties.
I have been reading this series for over a decade and will continuing with another!
I have been reading this series for over a decade and will continuing with another!
September 8, 2025
A good addition to Jethri's story, but I'm not sure it needed to be as long as it was. The frustrations of Jethri's many meetings and appointments started to feel a bit too realistic for my SciFi reading! Be aware that the conflicts here are largely negotiations-based, whether it be trade routes or Old Tech. I do appreciate the relative calmness of Jethri's stories compared to the larger Liaden Universe sometimes. It's nice to take a break from world-ending catastrophes to follow along someone adjusting to a new culture and learning trade. This one just got a bit too calm in places. I still enjoyed the story, and the door is left open for more of Jethri's tale to be told, which I hope it is.
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