Scout's Progress

Liaden Universe Space Regencies, Book 2

By: Sharon Lee, Steve Miller

Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne

The second novel of the Liaden Universe, Scout's Progress is the story of a young girl who has won a starship, but now must learn to fly if she is to escape her dastardly brother.

©2001 Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

More fun & adventure in the Liaden universe

Aelliana Caylon has a problem, and it's her brother. He's abusive, contemptuous, and heir to the Delm of Clan Meisel. He cares nothing for the fact that she's a brilliant mathematician and revisor of the Ventura tables on which all pilots depend. He feels she's worth nothing except what she'd bring in a contract marriage--and the Delm, their mother, has granted Aelliana's plea that she be allowed to make no more contract marriages.

So brother Ran Eld is looking for other ways to humiliate her. He's also in serious need of funds, as a creditor with no sense of humor is demanding immediate repayment.

Meanwhile, Daav yos'Phelium is having his own problems. He's been negotiating a contract marriage of his own; as Delm Korval, he doesn't even have the option of letting it be someone else's decision. The bride he's found is utterly suitable in every way, except that they have no particular attraction to each other, and Korval's Tree has taken her in serious dislike.

Then Aelliana throws a monkey wrench in everyone's plans, when she accompanies two of her students to a gaming house and wins ownership of a jump ship, Ride the Luck, from the spoiled heir of another house. She starts sneaking off to the port to oversee the refitting of her ship, and to get the training she needs to become a licensed jump pilot. And while spending all that time there, she meets a casual employee of the shipyard where her ship is docked, who goes by the name of Daav. He, like the others at this yard, is an ex-Scout pilot. He's good company, a good teacher, and if he's a little vague about what his House is and other details, it doesn't seem important--right?

This story is a lot of fun, and while it's part of a larger series, it stands on its own well enough to enjoy even if this is your first encounter with the series. The Liaden universe and characters have a fairly rich, textured background, the good guys have solid values, and the bad guys are at least understandable. And did I mention it's a lot of fun?

Recommended.

I bought this book.

Daav and Aelliana

Scout's Progress tells the first half of the story of Aelliana Caylon and Daav yos'Phelium, but is more about Aelliana than Daav. It is _not_ an easy story. Aelliana is abused, both physically and emotionally, by her na'delm. The abuse occurs both prior to the story and during it. That being said, it is still very much a romance. And an excellent read.

Aelliana Caylon is a brilliant Scholar of Mathematics, the reviser of a critical set of tables used by pilots to survive jump. And, unrecognized until this book, a pilot herself of great skill. Scout's Progress tells the story of her awakening and loosening of the scars and constraints that her abuse has created. And of the developing relationship with Daav as her co-pilot.

This book is fairly immediately after the time of Local Custom, but can be read as a stand-alone volume. The reader is Bernadette Dunne, who does her usual outstanding job. It is always a pleasure to listen to a book she reads, and I'm glad she's the narrator for this Regency sequence.

Korval and the Scholar

I simply adored this story of Daav and Alliana. I'm torn as to whether it's my favorite or Er Thom and Anne's story is (Local Custom). I love how the authors managed to blend and support the character's children introduced in previous books (Agent of Change and Conflict of Honors to start) with these back stories, however, left Daav and Alliana (and Er Thom and Anne) to be strong characters in themselves that drive the story without it feeling forced in any way. The Tree steps up to become part of the story and let's it will be known. The narration was enjoyable and I felt that Alliana's cadence was masterfully caught. Long live Korval!

disappointed by the narrator

This book, along with Mouse and Dragon is one of my all time favorites, but the narrator doesn't do it justice. It almost seems like she needed glasses or something, because a number of words were replaced with near neighbors: shoulder vs shudder, though vs through, and many other similar errors that jarred me out of the story.

Another Fantastic Entry

This was a beautiful love story, an intriguing political drama, an exploration of science-fiction elements with a hint of fantasy magic, and a story of escaping abuse and familial oppression. Highly recommended, and one of several excellent books with which to start the Liaden saga.