The Gathering Edge

Liaden Universe: Theo Waitley, Book 5

By: Sharon Lee, Steve Miller

Narrated by: Eileen Stevens

Length: 12 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

A series milestone as we welcome the 20th amazing entry in the nationally best-selling Liaden Universe® series.

The luck runs rough around Theo Waitley. Not only are people trying to kill her and capture the self-aware intelligent ship, Bechimo, to whom Theo is bonded, they're also trying to arrest her crew membersand throw the dignity of an important passenger, the duly constituted norbear ambassador Hevelin, into question.

No wonder Theo and her crew felt the need for a break and retired to what Bechimo refers to as "safe space". Unfortunately, safe space may not be so safe anymore. It seems that things are leaking through from another universe and another time. In fact whole spaceships are coming through. One of those ships is a blasted battleship seemingly fleeing a long-lost war. What's more, its crew may be members of Theo's ancient ancestral line - her relatives. It's certain that they are in dire need of help. Theo has a choice to make. It seems that Bechimo's "safe space" is about to become deadly perilous.

Maine-based writers Sharon Lee and Steve Miller teamed up in the late 1980s to bring the world the story of Kinzel, an inept wizard with a love of cats, a thirst for justice, and a staff of true power. Since then, the husband and wife have written dozens of short stories and more than 20 novels, most set in their star-spanning Liaden Universe®. Before settling down to the serene and stable life of a science fiction and fantasy writer, Steve was a traveling poet, a rock-band reviewer, a reporter, and editor of a string of community newspapers. Sharon, less adventurous, has been an advertising copywriter, a copy editor on night-side news at a small city newspaper, a reporter, a photographer, and a book reviewer. Both credit their newspaper experiences with teaching them the finer points of collaboration. Sharon and Steve passionately believe that fiction ought to be fun and that stories are entertainment.

©2017 Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

Continuation of on going story

Would you try another book from Sharon Lee and Steve Miller and/or Eileen Stevens?

I have read all of their books in this series and will continue to do so. I love the world they have created.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

As normal the authors did not complete any of the story lines only introduced new ones.

Which character – as performed by Eileen Stevens – was your favorite?

She did an excellent job especially in the beginning where a new language was used extensively

Did The Gathering Edge inspire you to do anything?

no

Any additional comments?

If I had not personally met the authors I would swear the books in this series are written by a group of different people. There is such a dichotomy in writing styles between the books. I love the world created and some of the writing. You have the books written with great understanding, feeling and humor: Local Custom, Fledgling and Saltation come to mind. You have the war books like Crystal Dragon where you get to the pinnacle of the book and a main character is nobling sacrificing himself and you yawn as you turn the page because you have no emotional investment in the character. You have Plan B where you are totally committed to the action and the characters. You have really fast paced battle sequences Plan B and Dragon Ship where you are almost dizzy with all the action and techno speak. Finally there are books like Trade Secret where you are put to sleep by minutia.

The Gathering Edge had some moments from several of these styles. It was a very intimate look at life on board ship, Bechimo and the interactions of the crew and some new passengers. In bringing on board the new passengers you had a new language introduced and the authors spent a lot of time with the concept of communication difficulties and learning abilities of the participants. For me the best parts of the book revolved around the 2 ambassadors and the possible story line convergence, alas to be in a future book, hopefully. Finally you see Theo in the role of rescuer again, putting ship, crew and their future in danger to rescue a former mentor.

As normal with these authors in their later books, there is no closure or resolution of any of the threads left to dangle…But the possibilities, oh the possibilities.

A Blast from the Past!

Good narration! Clear and easy to follow. And happily enough the plot didn't leapfrog constantly from one setting to another. Mainly, the story stayed on board the sentient ship Bechimo, with Theo, Clarence, Kara, Win Ton, Havelen the norbear, Joyita, and some guests, rescued from time and space. Some scenes did switch over to a distant star, to Troop ambassador Vepal and his intriguing mission. He reminds me of Nelerikk / Beautiful, and I think I can guess where all this Troop stuff is going. I anticipate its telling.

This story is heartwarming and innocuous (no sex scenes, no swearing, no grisly hatchet scenes). It is mildly amusing and fairly enjoyable, but (sorry) sometimes I felt bored. It's got some great moments, but for a full-length book it's only somewhat eventful. I expect things will accelerate in the sequel, but here, events take a long time to culminate. But it's a good story and the new Troop characters piqued my interest. They should add much to the sequels. Only wish the little tree had more to say (love the trees). Too much time on the cat, not enough time with the sentient sapling. (These authors love cats.)

Character development is coming along nicely, especially within the AI characters. Joyita is becoming more "real" and Bechimo is growing a pair, very gradually losing the fear fostered from centuries of running and hiding. If the authors aren't careful, they will make Theo into a thorough Mary-Sue. I was amused to see Kara shine with her star hammer at The Battle of Minot Dock. The norbear showed his protective colors more than once (cool trick). Clarence is still a favorite, and Win Ton is coming along nicely. Stost and Chernak are new, but they felt credible.

No scenes on Surebleak, and no mention of Daav and Alliana, but prolly we will all meet at Jelaza Kazone, soonest. Sequel or bust. A reunion for Troop Faithful. I hope Beautiful finally is granted a seed pod and the old journals, as promised. Also, I hope to see Jeeve's "daughter" again. And Hazelnut with Tolly. And Shan, with that wizardess he freed from mind control in the previous book. The edge is gathering towards momentum.

Meanwhile, I highly recommend The Spiral Wars series, by Joel Shepherd. It's space opera with great characters, an intriguing conspiracy, and artificial intelligence. There are some battles, but not too many. The first three books are great (after a slow start) and I cannot wait for book 4.

I also recommend Dunstall's Linesman series, of which three books are completed. It's fairly light space opera, but solid. (Not to be confused with the old Lensmen series).

Another exciting Liaden adventure

Theo Waitley and her intelligent, self-aware ship, Bechimo, are still looking for the proper balance between them, even as they try to make the best choices in a galaxy where it seems everyone is out to get them. Both the Scouts and rather darker forces want to seize Bechimo; various powers want to arrest various members of her crew, and of course Theo has learned she has an unlooked-for connection to Clan Korval, a connection which possibly brings her allies, but certainly makes her a target.

So she and Bechimo have temporarily retreated to his "safe space," which has been essentially a dead zone. Now, though, things are leaking through there, from another galaxy, or another universe.

The latest thing to "leak through" is a badly damage, large spaceship. The ship is seemingly a derelict, and there are only three survivors on board.

And two of those survivors may be members of Theo's ancestral line, her own family.

With assorted people after Theo, Bechimo, some of their crew members, and even Hevelin, the duly constituted norbear Ambassador, even Bechimo's "safe space" isn't, very. When the pilot who guided Theo through earning her First Pilot rating gets caught in a trap intended to relieve him of his ship and reputation, Theo has to act.

It's compelling watching Theo and Bechimo work out their relationship, even while those around them, or rather on Bechimo, also work out whether Theo needs support or rescuing. The character development is artfully and effectively done, the world-building is very good, and the plot moves along very effectively.

Recommended.

I bought this audiobook.

Theo and co here

We get back to theo and bechimo in this thrilling episode of the liadien universe.

Not up to the usual standard

15 word minimum? I guess I could do it in 16. Certainly in under a minute. I am not going to though.

In the end this was a 'nice' book. It mainly contains 'nice' characters in 'nice' situations, making 'nice' small talk with the other 'nice' people. Even the bad characters are fairly 'nice'. And useless. The bad people never get within anything like credible range of losing their 'nice' tag.

At the end of the last book we left our heroine in her bonded ship in a bit of dead space just after Spiral Dance turned up with a tree in command. This book didn't advance the tree, didn't advance the Norbear, didn't advance the ship, didn't advance any of the characters, other than a bit of recovery. Introduced two new characters who weren't really developed much. Didn't travel much. Didn't have any real drama or suspense. Included a McGuffin to try to tie the plot together (cargo pod). Sooo... 12 hours. Enough to tell a complete story for many people and I could tell you everything interesting that happened in a couple of minutes and save you the time and money.

I had forgotten how poorly Eileen Stevens voices men, but fair's fair, most men do a horrific job of voicing women. She wasn't horrific. At least she's stopped yelling all the time.

Great Book

Best line, "1st order of business unarm the Norbert." Always enjoy reading Lee and Miller

Finaly this book is on Audible

I have been watching for The Gathering Edge to be put on Audible ever since the book came out in print. And now, I am anticipating the next installment. Good work.

Another great book in the series

A great story well performed. I can't wait for the next one, but I suppose I'll have to.

Rattling good yarn. My favourite parcel of rogues!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Gathering Edge to be better than the print version?

No

Who was your favorite character and why?

Theo Waitley, who is the sun about which the planets revolve

Which scene was your favorite?

Rig Tranza's rescue

Any additional comments?

This is a tightly plotted tale that keeps the listener's attention. It stands well alone while carrying the greater story forward. Theo Waitley's thrilling adventures would make an excellent series of their own.

stupid child in charge

this girl I a little stupid girl who should never be in charge of a cab. other words she is a pathetic stupid child . no way she would ever be a captain of anything. she was told to go home where there is experts does she do it never. don't buy you regret it