Saltation (The Liaden Universe)

"Saltation" is the sequel to "Fledgling," the first in a series of novels about heroine and pilot Theo Waitley. If you haven't yet read Fledging, by all means do so first. It's a very good story and provides essential background information. You won't make heads or tails out of Saltation if you haven't read Fledgling.

The first half of Saltation seemed very much a matter of "let's follow Theo's continuing adventures." Theo, after her experiences and growth in Fledgling, now is at Anglindin Piloting Academy, and we experience her new life with her. But for half the book, that's all we do.

There has been a lot of demand in fandom for more about Theo, and with good reason. She's an engaging, well-drawn character, with enough flaws to be real and believable, yet with enough going for her to be downright fascinating. Unfortunately that's not quite enough to carry about 180 pages of text without any sort of real plot. If you're a fan, you'll find it all interesting, as I did, but it leaves you wanting a little more.

A plot does begin to slowly develop in the second half of the book, and by the very end it's in full swing and of great interest. Then the book ends. It just drops you off a cliff. You reach the last page and it stops.

Now, there's nothing wrong with a cliffhanger, and there's nothing wrong with sequels and continuations, and I, as do many others, look forward to the next book in the series. But this is more like falling off the edge than it is a real cliffhanger. The book takes far too long to develop a compelling plot, and then fails to satisfy with an ending that seems based more on page count than it does on choosing a good breakpoint for the story.

It all speaks to me of rush: a rush to follow on the heels of a successful start of the series, a rush to get the next book into print. The loyal fans--- and they are loyal with good reason, and I am now one of them--- deserve a quality effort from the authors, even if that takes some extra time.

Should you read this book? As a fan of the series, of course you should, and you'll like it. I liked it a great deal. I just hope that the authors put more effort into the third book. Please don't push it out the door; take the time to produce the top quality writing craftsmanship of which we all know you are capable.

Saltation (2010) is the second SF novel in the Liaden Universe subseries, following [[ASIN:1439132879 Fledgling]]. In the previous volume, Theo accompanied Kamele to Melchiza on the Vashtara. Other Delgado scholars also went with them to check some resources.

Theo met Win Ton and Captain sig'Radia on the ship. Win Ton introduced her to the arcade dance machine and bowli ball games. The Captain sponsored Theo at Arlingdin Piloting Academy on Eylot.

In this novel, Theo Waitley is the daughter of Kamele Waitley. Her House Father is Jen Sar Kiladi. She is on her way to the Academy at Eylot.

Kamele Waitley is a tenured professor in the University of Delgado. She was recently promoted within the History of Education Department.

Jen Sar Kiladi is Liaden. He is a Full Professor of Cultural Genetics at the University of Delgado. He is Kamele's onagrata and Theo's biological father. He is also a former pilot.

Cho Sig'Radia is a Liaden and Senior Scout. She is a master pilot.

Win Ton yo'Vala is a Liaden and Scout trainee. He is also a pilot.

Asu diamon Dayez is a new trainee at Arlingdin Piloting Academy. Her family owns a fleet of cargo ships.

Chelly Frosher is a student at Arlingdin Piloting Academy. He has been there for nine semesters.

In this story, Theo is on the shuttle approaching the landing field at the Academy. Several student pilots are harassing the student at the shuttle controls. Theo doesn't much care for the vociferous student pilots and wishes that they would leave the shuttle pilot alone.

When they finally touch down, Theo waits for her baggage with the other newbies. She notices another trainee with a green jacket and two bags still waiting for other luggage. Theo sees her bag on the next luggage cart.

One student throws the bag toward the floor. Theo jumps for it, but another student catches it in midair. When she claims the bag, Theo is asked if she is a pilot. The bag has a pilot's tag on it and baggage handler is unwilling to release it to her.

Another student signals a game of keep away in finger talk and Theo flicks back a "Stop All" sign. Theo then produces the claim strip that she got on Melchiza and demands the bag. The obstinate student throws the bag at her and she signals "receipt acknowledged" as she turns away.

The trainee in the green jacket is after a box on the same cart. As Theo's bag flies through the air, this trainee ducks under it and grabs her box. Then she and Theo both run for the Registration jitney.

At Registration, the newbies receive a briefing from Commander Ronagy. First, she tells them that anyone who doesn't want to be there is welcome to leave at any time. They don't want anybody who doesn't want them.

Then the Commander warns them that pilot training is risky. They will be studying some classical errors committed in the air and space. And they will probably make some mistakes of their own.

After the welcoming speech -- if that is what it is -- and a buffet dinner, the students are released to quarters. Theo discovers that the trainee in the green jacket is living with her. Then Chelly walks in and Asu finds that she is not getting the senior alcove.

This tale involves Theo in various incidents that alarm administrators, but increase her reputation among pilots. She does many favors for Asu that are not necessarily wise, but that is the way she was raised on Delgado. She makes some friends among the offworld students and a few within the Eylot students.

Theo progresses much faster than most other students at the Academy. This causes problems with certain students, but the pilots understand that she has inherent abilities that surpass most human skills. It must be her Liaden heritage.

This is the concluding volume in the duology. Yet it leaves Theo in a stressful situation. Surely there must be more tales in the minds of these authors about Theo Waitley. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Lee & Miller fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of Liaden culture, political intrigue, and born pilots. If anyone is not familiar with this series, the initial volume is [[ASIN:0345348281 Agent of Change]].

-Arthur W. Jordin

As a fan of Miller and Lee's Liaden books since Agent of Change I have looked forward to each new release because the stories are exciting and well written. Saltation and for the most part, Fledgling, fall far short of the standard of writing I have come to expect from this talented duo.

Where Fledgeling started off slow with a lot of background and scene-setting, getting into the story about halfway through, Saltation is probably 70% introduction and 30% story. I think if you took the 2nd half of each book and edited the rest we'd have one decent novel, and it might approach the quality of the earlier Liaden books. In Saltation the main character goes through the first 200 pages meeting people and having small experiences, which I'm sure will twist into future storyline somewhere. However it does little for the reader of the book who has to slog through meaningless daily life along with the character. It's darned slow reading, and if it hadn't been Miller and Lee I might have not finished it. They're capable of more interesting, faster paced stories and I wish they'd write them.

The main character is not entirely unlikable, though she is stubborn and naive despite her supposed intelligence, as only story-book heroines can be. The rest of the characters in the book are two dimensional, which is a shame, as the authors spend so many pages writing descriptions of the world and culture, and yet there is so little effort in the characters. There are several events surrounding the main character which, seen through her eyes, are never expounded on or explained. Though she expresses confusion regarding them, she never follows up these events or tries to find more information, just shrugs them off and leaves the reader hanging. There's obviously the bigger picture of the Liaden universe in the background, but the glimpses we get only serve to frustrate, not excite the reader.

If you're a Liaden fan and you loved the early books, do yourself a favor and skip this new series. It will only disappoint.

As a fan of Miller and Lee's Liaden books since Agent of Change I have looked forward to each new release because the stories are exciting and well written. Saltation and for the most part, Fledgling, fall far short of the standard of writing I have come to expect from this talented duo.

Where Fledgeling started off slow with a lot of background and scene-setting, getting into the story about halfway through, Saltation is probably 70% introduction and 30% story. I think if you took the 2nd half of each book and edited the rest we'd have one decent novel, and it might approach the quality of the earlier Liaden books. In Saltation the main character goes through the first 200 pages meeting people and having small experiences, which I'm sure will twist into future storyline somewhere. However it does little for the reader of the book who has to slog through meaningless daily life along with the character. It's darned slow reading, and if it hadn't been Miller and Lee I might have not finished it. They're capable of more interesting, faster paced stories and I wish they'd write them.

The main character is not entirely unlikable, though she is stubborn and naive despite her supposed intelligence, as only story-book heroines can be. The rest of the characters in the book are two dimensional, which is a shame, as the authors spend so many pages writing descriptions of the world and culture, and yet there is so little effort in the characters. There are several events surrounding the main character which, seen through her eyes, are never expounded on or explained. Though she expresses confusion regarding them, she never follows up these events or tries to find more information, just shrugs them off and leaves the reader hanging. There's obviously the bigger picture of the Liaden universe in the background, but the glimpses we get only serve to frustrate, not excite the reader.

If you're a Liaden fan and you loved the early books, do yourself a favor and skip this new series. It will only disappoint.

Fledgling was the first Liaden book that I had ever read and I loved it. Then I read a few more Liaden novels and realized that this series has been evolving for a long time and Fledgling was just the latest chapter.

Saltation is the continuation of Theo Waitley's story but it is considerably different from Fledgling. Where Fledgling was a relatively straightforward coming-of-age story, Saltation fits Theo into the rest of the Liaden universe and she has to continually deal with events and people that feel threatening but that she doesn't fully understand yet.

This is a very well-told story. The heroine grows up fast but at a believable pace, which is a good thing because the situation around her is deteriorating quickly.

I was continually impressed with how the authors presented so many interesting supporting characters that had multiple aspects to their personalities. From Theo's roommate, Asu to her lover Win Ton (a remarkably talented young man who makes just one little mistake...), these people act like real people and add considerable depth and interest to the story.

Space Opera is a tricky realm to write in. Too much detail and the story slows to a crawl, too little detail and suspension of disbelief falls away. In my opinion, the authors have, in the past, tended a little too heavily towards the action and not enough on building the basis for suspension of disbelief and the supporting characters haven't been as solid as I have seen in Bujold or Cherryh's novels.

This book nicely fills in all previous weaknesses and shows even greater promise for the authors in the future.

Disclaimer: I am reviewing an advance unproofread copy that I received for free through the Vine program.

Well I didn't get a whole lot out of this book, I'm sorry to say. Just a little bit too cute. Neither did I enjoy its predecessor "Fledgling" either, for the same reason.

I did however enjoy the "Partners In Necessity" novels ("Conflict of Honors", "Agent of Change", and "Carpe Diem", gathered together as "Partners In Necessity"; plus "Plan B" and "I Dare"), which were written earlier by the authors, even though they take place years later, in the same "Liaden" universe. They had some cuteness but it was tempered by a sharp edge, and some eternal humor, which isn't so much in evidence in this set of prequels, in my opinion.

So I had high hopes when I started "Fledgling", but it just wasn't so interesting to me, nor was its followup "Saltation". I want Turtles, more Turtles! (which you'd only understand if you read the books that take place later).

My wife on the other hand did enjoy both "Fledgling" and "Saltation", after she'd previously enjoyed the other novels that come later. So maybe you will want to go by her recommendation, instead of mine, and try these prequels...

This is a book, if ever there was one, that is written *only* for fans of its series. Newcomers need not apply. Having read _Fledgling_ alone won't do the trick; if you haven't read _Scout's Progress_, you'll miss important nuances. If you haven't read _I Dare_, a good bit of the ending won't make sense. If you haven't read the rest of the main sequence you'll probably find _I Dare_ confusing too. That's at least five, maybe six books you need behind you to get the most enjoyment of _Saltation_. Fortunately the series is no chore to read, and that's all the more reason to start elsewhere! It'd be a loss if coming into it at an awkward point turned you off the Liaden Universe.

It's interesting to me that if I listed pros and cons on paper, I'd expect to like this less than I did _Fledgling_. Mainly because there isn't a plot. To sum up: Theo Waitley goes to piloting school, excels in everything she does, and is in the middle of everything important. That's... pretty much it. Theo's arrival at the school provides a beginning, but there isn't exactly a *story*--various things happen to Theo and we follow along as they do. There's no climax, and there's no resolution. The book ends just as a plot is beginning to form. It's sort of like _Saltation_ is a three-hundred-page prologue to the next novel, _Ghost Ship_, and that's frustrating; by no means does it stand alone.

Theo is more exceptional than ever and the 'attitude problem' she supposedly has, which causes most of her conflicts at school, is a matter of opinion. By the end I sort of saw what 'attitude' the book was getting at, but--see, Theo is at her most 'problematic' when she's prepared to defend herself against a boy who tries to bully or cheat her when she won't go to bed with him. And nobody ever suggests that the boy, or the students who taunt her, or any of the others who give her a hard time also have attitude problems, leading me to wonder: is everyone at the pilot academy a jerk, or just crazy?

All of that sounds bad--and yet I did like _Saltation_ more than _Fledgling_! For the simple reason it's more *fun*, and in a series like this, one I keep coming back to for its ability to entertain, fun trumps all. Kamele doesn't take the spotlight away from Theo this time, and Delgado doesn't clip her wings. She's an intelligent, competent adult transforming into a master of her craft as we watch. There's something about school stories: when a young protagonist leaves his or her old life behind to learn something exciting and exotic, that has special appeal. This was a good one. At a little past the midway point the story picked up energy and speed and I forgot to be annoyed by questions of attitude. I even started to like Win Ton! And once Theo leaves Anlingdin behind there's a tantalizing glimpse of her life among the stars. I really do wish there'd been *some* kind of resolution, but I admit I'll snap the next book up the first chance I get.

Of course you should read _Saltation_ if you're a Liaden fan, particularly if you read and liked _Fledgling_. Warts and all, I'd rate it middling-high among the series for its fun factor. I'm more interested than ever in continuing Theo's adventures. I can't stress enough, though, that it's not something I can recommend to Liaden newcomers at *all*; the series, yes, but this book as an introduction, no.

This is one of the books that features 'Theo Waitley', set in the 'Liaden Universe', which are in order: 'Fledgling', 'Saltation', 'Ghost Ship' and 'Dragon Ship'. I have loved most every book I've read in the Liaden world, by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, but the ones that feature Theo Waitley are my favorites. Apparently, Theo Waitley was originally featured in an online live journal and her development encouraged by avid fans. Perhaps this is why she seems such a very real character to me? Whatever, I sure hope they write more books with her in it! I've read a Lot of Science Fiction and Fantasy and rate this writing duo at the top of my list of writers. I believe these books are best described as 'Space Operas', combining a mix of drama, action, mystery and romance in futuristic fantasy worlds, including people from our 'Terran' world. Lee and Miller's writing is dynamic and emotive, with incredibly well designed societies and characters. An added benefit of reading Lee & Miller's writing is you can join their 'Korval' clan (a clan featured in the books) for real in Facebook, and actually speak to the writers. Lee & Miller have been cultivating close association with their readers since the 80's, which I find very special though I came late to knowing their writing and their books. They of-course also have a web-site, and you can look the Liaden Universe up on Wikipedia to decide which order is best for you to read their books. I personally started with Fledgling, and went back to read other books and fill in gaps, and didn't feel like I was completely lost. I love their Liaden Universe series, and highly recommend these books!

This is the continuation of the story begun in Fledgling of Theo Waitley. Fledgling having been the only other book in the Liaden universe I have read, I am somewhat hampered by a lack of background but do not feel that impacted my enjoyment or understanding of the book, nor would it for anyone else not familiar with the universe.

The book follows Theo through her pilot academy, and through her journeyman period of being a jump pilot. She naturally excels at the piloting academy, earning the ire of less talented students, and the admiration of her teachers. Theo faces a series of minor confrontations and trials here, none of which are very dramatically satisfying or challenging. 2nd rate bullies primarily along with 2nd rate racists/xenophobes. Eventually the xenophobia of the planet leads to Theo needing to leave the academy before graduation and take up a piloting job.

The major problem with the academy section is the chapter length. Very short chapters, it is hard to create dramatic continuity and crises when every 3 to 5 pages a chapter is ending.

Eventually the sinister threads of the Liaden universe coalesce in the last 5th of the book, which redeems it somewhat for the rather staid first 4 5ths which were really just marking time. Win Ton appears as Theo is having a contractual crises, her father, who even I knew was not what he seemed and a person of importance, disappears and we figure out why a mysterious ghost ship has been dogging Theo's steps. At this point, more or less, the book ends leaving it quite clear there will be at least one more in her story. A story from the hints given in the plot developments of the last fifth of the book will be of much greater import than the first two.

This book was not, in my opinion, quite as good as the first one which was a sweet science fiction version of the Ugly Duckling. Theo is far too talented in her studies, masters her trials and opposition too easily to create any believable sustained tension and the short chapters make it much more difficult to become engrossed in the story. The hints at depth which finally start to become realized at the end of the story pull it up to average and make it a worthwhile, if easy, read.

A good sci-fi story needs a good plot, entertaining characters, and enough differences from real life to seem unique. Saltation has the makings of the first two, but fall flat on the third.

I was unable to get even halfway through this due to the sheer amount of convolution introduced by the universe and character lingo. Turns of phrase and invented swears are laughable and distracting to the point that I can only really recall them out of the plot of the story. As this is the continuation of a prior volume, this is forgivable and even expected, but to recreate half of the character dialogue doesn't show originality, its just confusing and annoying to try to translate from english to real english.

A recap of prior plot, even after the in medias res beginning, a thesaurus and a one or two page intro would go a long way to making this a far better read. As it is, you can't get into the story because you can barely understand what the characters are talking about.