May 2020 READER Mouse and Dragon

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

The May 2020 Reader Pick is Mouse and Dragon by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. Please use this thread to post questions, comments, and reviews, at any time.

This book follows immediately after Scout's Progress which we discussed last year:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Official description:
Aelliana Caylon has endured much, and finally, she appears to have won all: a spaceship, comrades, friends -- and the love of a pilot she adores.

Even better that her lover—the man who was destined for her, a man as much a loner as she—is also the Delm of Korval, arguably the most powerful person on all of Liad. He has the power to remove her and protect her from the toxic environment of her home Clan. Best of all, he agrees to sit as her co-pilot and her partner in a courier business.

Even happy endings sometimes show a few flaws. Such as Aelliana's home clan being not as agreeable to letting her go as it had first seemed. And the fact that someone is stealing pilots in the Low Port, which falls within the Delm of Korval's honor. Oh, and the revelation that the man she loves—the man who is destined for her—isn't entirely the man she thought he was. And finally, she discovers that even the lift from Liad she'd so fervently desired, is part of a larger plan, a plan requiring her to be someone she never thought she was, or could be.

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

I have read this book several times and look forward to rereading and the discussion. I tend to reread Scout’s Progress more often than Mouse and Dragon.

[Audrey]

I have started my reread. Aelliana is just learning what was done to heal her after being in that Learning Module for too long. It occurs to me that, properly used, a sleep learner would be a great invention.

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Sleep learner would be awesome for anything requiring memorization! The info would need to be exercised in the waking mind to get it to stick, but it would really help with learning vocabulary, etc.

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

I haven’t yet started my reread, but I wanted to mention that Sharon Lee recently recorded herself reading chapters 30, 31, and 32 of this book. She is posting them on her Patreon page, with chapter 30 already up. Eventually these recordings will make their way to Splinter Universe where they are free for everyone. I don’t know whether they are unlocked on Patreon for those who are not patrons.

Here’s the link. Let me know if you are allowed to play the recording.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/36830229

[L J]

Teresa wrote: "I haven’t yet started my reread, but I wanted to mention that Sharon Lee recently recorded herself reading chapters 30, 31, and 32 of this book. She is posting them on her Patreon page, with chapte... Let me know if you are allowed to play the recording..."

It says "Unlock this post by becoming a patron"

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Ah well. Thanks for testing it. Eventually it should be available for free on the Splinter Universe website.

[Audrey]

I found myself reading and laughing. Hevelin really seems to get around. He is definitely a recurring character in this series. I want a norbear!

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Oh yes please! Norbears sound even better than cats!

[Charlie]

Teresa wrote: "Oh yes please! Norbears sound even better than cats!"

Tough one, especially the cats in this series! How about a few of both?

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

The month is half over and I still haven’t started my reread of this book, although I tried a few times. I’ve read it enough times to talk about it though.

The first part of the book is interesting, showing a lot of insights into the Liaden culture plus the stress of a life mated couple being forced to stay separate. Going by memory the middle part has some good scenes from the two of them doing courier work. (It is possible that some of what I’m remembering is stories from chapbooks though.)

The last part of the book is the main reason I don’t reread this book as often as other Liaden books. Even the first time I read it I knew the basics of what was going to happen, because this book is chronologically before several other Liaden books that were published before this one.

Hopefully none of this is a spoiler. It’s a good book and worth rereading, but I don’t think I’m emotionally stable enough to do that this month.

[Trike]

What’s a good place to start with Liaden? My libraries have zero books by Lee and Miller.

Edit: actually, Ohio has Fledgling, which is noted as #12 in the series.

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

IMO both Fledgling and Agent of Change are excellent entry points, and they are perma free ebooks too.

[Trike]

Cool, thanks. :)

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Fledgling is a YA book. Agent of Change is the first published book, lots of action. If you prefer chronological order then the Crystal books are where to start, but I don’t like to reread those as often.

[Audrey]

I read this when it first came out, but not again until now because of the second half. I think it was mostly for me this time because I knew of more recent events with those characters.

[Elaine]

Trike wrote: "What’s a good place to start with Liaden? My libraries have zero books by Lee and Miller.

Edit: actually, Ohio has Fledgling, which is noted as #12 in the series."

Korval.com has correct reading order. Check the links on the right. Baen offers a couple of free books from the series.

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Sharon Lee reading chapter 30 is now unlocked for everyone, and she says on May 18th when she posts chapter 32 for patrons she will unlock chapter 31.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/mouse-a...

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Chapter 31 read by Sharon Lee has now been unlocked so everyone can listen.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/37045680

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Chapter 32 read by Sharon Lee is now open to the public
https://www.patreon.com/posts/37272002