Crystal Dragon

The second novel in the Crystal duology nicely completes the story started in Crystal Soldier. There are some odd moments where things don't quite mesh, but in general the story hangs together. It's a "must-read" for Liaden fans because of the background it brings to that universe. In that respect it is similar to Anne McCaffrey's Dragonsdawn, although I believe the writing is superior. If there are any fan's of Jo Clayton's Skeen series (Skeen's Leap, Skeen's Return), then the female lead Cantra should be a welcome introduction to a similar character.

Some of the criticisms found in other reviews of this book are justified, but as a whole, Crystal Dragon is a worthwhile entry in the Liaden Universe series. It continues the story begun in Crystal Soldier, and lays the groundwork for the books set at a later date (Local Custom, Scout's Progress, Conflict of Honors, etc.). It's important to note that Crystal Soldier and Crystal Dragon actually are among the last of the books written for this series. I would recommend reading them in order of publication rather than in the order of the time periods in which they're set, as I think the whole story unfolds much more effectively this way. Tantalizing bits alluded to in the earlier novels are fleshed out in later ones, and it becomes apparent how masterfully the authors have maintained continuity across a series it's taken them nearly 20 years to write. And quite frankly, readers who don't start with the more accessible earlier novels are probably going to be completely lost through most of Crystal Dragon. It's unfortunate that sections of the story are written so obliquely that they require several readings, but this narrative style is characteristic of the authors and is often used to good effect in their other novels. The Liaden Universe novels had a small but very devoted following from the late 1980s through the early 2000s. Perhaps both the authors and editors assumed that the fan base would be so familiar with both the Liaden Universe themes and the authors' narrative quirks that the more obscure passages wouldn't pose a problem. (WARNING - Minor Spoiler Follows) Much of Crystal Dragon is occupied with how the protagonists (Cantra and Jela) are to overcome an Enemy that is seemingly unstoppable. Indeed, the authors have created an Enemy so powerful that their victory seems an all but foregone conclusion. The solution of using mathematical equations and physics to engineer an escape is quite ingenious in this non-scientist's opinion. And at heart, the Liaden books are space opera far more than they're hard sci-fi, so the rather tortured explanations for how this is accomplished should be taken with a large grain of salt anyway. Much more affecting are the unfolding of the romance between Jela and Cantra and reading about the earliest seeds of the establishment of Liaden society. And, as usual with the books in this series, there's an entertaining cast of secondary characters that helps to move the plot along.

Lee and Miller's Liaden universe never fails to enchant, and this latest book answers all of the reader's questions about the beginnings of the story very satisfactorily. The characters sweep the reader up and take him along on their adventures; sharing along the way their joys and sadness. An excellent read.

It's best to re-read the last book if you haven't recently, as I found the first couple chapters a bit confusing, but then we get to all the wonderful bits that show you the beginning of how Clan Korval got its start. Lovely.

I was a bit nervous about reading a prequel to the Liaden series. Although the Liadan stories are rife with unanswered questions, I sort of expected them to be worked out in the context of the characters and and stories that I was already familiar with. I wasn't sure how I would feel about a completely different set of characters, set in a different time. I needent have worried. Jela and Cantra are every bit as engaging as Lee & Miller's characters from the "mature" Liaden universe. And while the story does answer a lot of questions: Where did the tree come from? How did Jela end up with it? Who the heck was Jela, anyway? Where did the Yxtrang come from? Where did the dramiliza come from? How did Korval get established, and why is it different from the other Houses? ...there is still plenty of the stuff "in the middle" remaining for us to puzzle over, as well as the sense that there is more of Jela's and Cantra's individual histories that might be told at some point. I like not having everything tied up into too neat a bow, because I want there to be more to come. While I think that the Crystal stories would probably stand alone quite well, I do think that reading them after the other Liaden stories is probably best, even though they precede them in the chronology of the Liaden universe. Knowledge of the future of Korval and Liaden certainly enriches the story. So now Lee & Miller have 3 eras to write about--the "modern" Korval era, the early trading era of "Balance of Trade," and the primordial era following the Great Migration. I'm looking forward to more stories in all three series.