What is Lee and Miller's BEST Work? You decide!

[rolanni]

OK! Here's some fun. Far more often than seldom, a review will appear -- either in a professional venue, or in a blog, or on Amazon, which states, "While X is not up to Lee and Miller's BEST work..." (robotech_master, yours is only one in a long line). This sort of thing has always seemed...like a bit of a cheat...to me, because, yanno, here's this reader who knows what Lee and Miller's BEST work is -- and they're not going tell you!

Dirty pool, I say.

So, here's your chance. Below is a list of longer Liaden works. Which is the Best? Choose one and only one, then! Defend your choice in comments.

Have at it.


[Poll #1538793]

Comments

[zola.livejournal.com]

I was torn between Scout's Progress and I Dare. I chose Scout's Progress because I Dare actually does rely to an extent on what has gone before, whereas Scout's Progress is more self-contained. If you asked my FAVORITE, I wouldn't be able to choose between the two because those two are the ones I have re-read most often.

[gryphonlsb.livejournal.com]

I had to choose Conflict of Honors because its what introduced me to Liad, and Ive been hooked ever since

[cailleuch.livejournal.com]

I voted for Agent of Change. I debated between Agent and I Dare but although I have read and liked them all, reading Agent hooked me. I even remember the cover -- giant turtles?! but then I am a visual rememberer.

hard choice

[crochetsarah.livejournal.com]

I chose I Dare because of the lovely conclusion in it but all of the others are on the "save if the house burns" list.

[(Anonymous)]

Count me in as voting for I Dare (or I would if I could figure out how to vote in the poll - I think I have to have an LJ log in for that). I'm not sure it's your "best" work - but it's the one I pull out most often when I want to visit Clan Korval. There were a lot of plot lines to juggle in that one, and I think you did it well. As others have said, I like the development of Pat Rin's character - he really comes into his own in that one. The confrontation with the Department at Liad is classic space opera and rip-roaring fun (once you know it all turns out OK - the first time through it was a bit more hair raising). And I always enjoy the scene near the end when Korval is "called on the carpet" in front of the clans. For some reason, it reminds me of Jane Austen!

The truth, of course, is that I love them all.
Mary

[sleary.livejournal.com]

Scout's Progress is my favorite for the reasons others have stated: it's self-contained (mostly), it's the deepest insight into Liaden culture, and it's the one I reread most often.

But I had to vote without having read Mouse and Dragon, because I am on a deadline and I can't give in to the temptation of the eARC for at least two more weeks. *gnashes teeth*

[darcy807.livejournal.com]

I Dare is my choice over Plan B by a hair. I love to have a least-considered character (an underdog, if you will) triumph. And Pat Rin is that, even more than Anthora - the Clan certainly never underestimated Anthora although they did Pat Rin to a degree. His development as a character was steady until he took his place as a Pilot among the ships as they came in screaming Tree and Dragaon. It gave me chills.

Ciao, Melissa

[berneynator.livejournal.com]

I chose I Dare, but really it's kind of a compendium of Carpe Diem, Plan B, and I Dare. These three I cannot read individually, because I just have to follow the action. AoC was the first I read, and for a long time I didn't realize there were others- so for some reason I can read it alone, because I'm used to the ending. I love the characters, especially Ren Zel/Anthora and Pat Rin/Inas Bhar in I Dare, and my favorite part of Carpe Diem is the relationship development between Miri and Val Con. But I adore Plan B for bringing the story all together, and I always have to reread the Shan/Val Con reunion scene. Aah! So very difficult to decide. Of course, I love all the others too, but the main arc is what first captured my heart.

[(Anonymous)]

I have a eight-way tie for first place so this is definitely not going to work out for me...

First Place: Crystal Dragon = Agent of Change = Scout's Progress = Fledgling = Carpe Diem = Plan B = I Dare = Crystal Soldier

Just based on the amount of times I've read them, those ones are all 15 times plus. Some of the other books are less than 10...

I like them all though!

~Lizah C

[otterb.livejournal.com]

Count me on the list of those who voted for I Dare when forced to choose one, but find it a neck-and-neck finish with Scout's Progress. Plan B comes close behind, only because it suffers from "middle book" syndrome of advancing several plot lines without the closure that comes in I Dare.
Perhaps we should note that I Dare stands on the shoulders of giants.

And I don't want to leave out Balance of Trade either. The sequel to that is now at the top of my "Write this one next, please!" list.

My "best" isn't an available choice...

[andyfunk.org (from livejournal.com)]

'cause I vote for THE NEXT BOOK!

If it can't be all of them...

[meheyjude.livejournal.com]

...let it be "I Dare". I had been hoping for further, better development of Pat Rin and you exceeded my expectations. And now you've done it with Theo too. What more can one ask for except - MORE, give me more!

And, yes, have read the first nine chapters of Mouse and can't wait for the rest. Pre-order is registered with Amazon.

[aspidites.livejournal.com]

Wow, what a question! I love them all! So...

Instead of best work in general, I decided to answer as "book I'd recommend to a friend who's never read a Liaden novel before". My response to that would be "Conflict of Honors", because I feel it is a great introduction to your stories. It was really a tossup between this and "Agent of Change", as both use characters from outside the Liaden culture as an entry to the world you have built.

[laurahcory1.livejournal.com]

With the caveat that I'm a new(ish) Liaden fan and haven't read all of the books yet, of the ones I've read so far, the one that resonates strongest for me is Scout's Progress. I love the story of a young woman overcoming challenges and finding her inner strength.

[orlacarey.livejournal.com]

I answered Scout's Progress because it is my favorite of the books. Aelliana and Daav are my favorite characters and have been from the first. I'm not sure it's the "best" but then I'm not sure how I'd pick that, so I went with my favorite.

I can say I had a couple of issues with Mouse and Dragon, which will keep me from calling it "the best". But still it was good enough that I'll be happy to re-read it many times. And I'd have to re-read it before I was willing to go too far into the likes and dislikes.

You left some out ...

[lordslen.livejournal.com]

Loose Cannon, Shadows and Shades, Quiet Knives, With Stars Underfoot, Necessary Evils, Allies, Two Tales of Korval, Fellow Travelers, Duty Bound, Certain Symmetry, And Trading In Futures, Dragon Tide :-)

Re: You left some out ...

[kinzel.livejournal.com]

That's because the poll only had room for novels and novellas...if the short stories were listed too, we'd need 5 polls

[hapaxnym.livejournal.com]

The one I *love* best (and re-read most frequently) is probably LOCAL CUSTOM, because it's such a perfect little self-contained gem of a book. The one I hand people to hook them is, of course, AGENT OF CHANGE.

But the one I think is technically "best", and voted for, is I DARE, because of the brilliant juggling act of tying up all the loose plot threads, the stunning character development of Pat Rin, the old-fashioned gee-whiztastic thrills of the climactic battle, and the positive corker of a last paragraph (for all the well-deserved praise given the opening line of AoC, is there no love for "It's kind of complicated..."?)

[manywaters.livejournal.com]

Scout's Progress is a book I read when I'm sick. It's a familiar fluffy blanket to my brain. If that's not a favourite, I'm not sure what is.

[pgranzeau.livejournal.com]

Carpe Diem was the first Miller and Lee book I ever read, 'way back in the 20th Century when it was first published. I subtitled the book "Honeymoon on an Interdicted Planet" in my own mind, and loved every word of it. Favorite scene: Miri, who knew damn well those weren't soldiers, holding off attackers, room by room. I found Agent of Change to read, and wondered for the next decade or so what happened; I lost track of finally discovered that Meisha Merlin was publishing those and more and bought everything through I Dare in trade paperback. It's a wonderful, romantic series, and I have been avidly reading everything written by them since then, but I still love Carpe Diem the best.

[lornastutz.livejournal.com]

there should be a category "all of the above"

[melebeth]

I voted for Scouts Progress because it has always been the Liaden book that speaks to me most personally. I was luckier in my family than Aelliana, but I understand being an outcast female scientist/mathematician and her personal journey really hit home in a lot of places. It's also an excellent example of character building. I feel, having read that book, that I know those characters better than I do most others. They're the ones I'm emotionally attached to, and it also gave me a good understanding of local politics.

[joycependle.livejournal.com]

I voted for Agent of Change because of its first line, and because it is where I started reading the books, and because I have it and Carpe Diem in dead-tree and all the others just in e-book. My 3 favorites are AoC, CD, and Plan B (which I hope will be republished in paperback soon). Mouse and Dragon will probably join them when I get it in paperback.

[unwritten-words.livejournal.com]

That's like asking me what my favorite color is... it depends on the day. :P

Today, I picked Plan B because we had to wait so long for it, but it was worth it. I remember reading it over and over again when I first got it.

[growlycub.livejournal.com]

Local Custom. Not only was it the first Liaden book I ever read, but it is such a perfect depiction of the traps cultures and societies spring on their own members, not to talk about members not of a particular culture.

As somebody who is a global nomad the theme of 'not fitting here any longer' but 'never quite fitting there' either really hits home. And it's one of the best romances I've read... sigh. I feel a re-read coming or maybe re-listen as we are going on a 900 mile trip this week... :)

Coming to the main arc after reading SP was not a pleasant surprise because I was so very invested in Anne and Er'Thom and Daav and Aelliana.

I think that's why I so enjoyed Fledgling and am looking forward to Saltation, even though Anne and Er'Thom won't be there. Aelliana and Daav are a bridge. I really loved Mouse and Dragon and found it wonderfully romantic within the constraints of the canon. I can't vote it best because I don't think it can be read in isolation, whereas LC can.

I still mourn Anne and Er'Thom, though, and always will.

[sibylle]

I am just browsing comments and wanted to add I so, so agree. My first book was actually "Conflict of Honors" and then I read on in the series and only read the "Local Custom" after I finished "I Dare" - but it's definitely my favourite book. I wish there was more Er'Thom and anne out there ... . *sighs* *goes of the re-read for the gazillionth time*

[(Anonymous)]

I would vote for I Dare. You have to log into LiveJournal to vote in the poll so I didn't. But that would have been my choice.

Liz