It's a poll! It's an essay test!

[rolanni]

[Poll #1767102]

Comments

I wanted to click about half of them

[masgramondou.livejournal.com]

I picked Balance of Trade because it is a nice self-contained tale that has all the things I like about the Lidaen universe in it in one place, but it was after a lot of thinking.

[marniferous.livejournal.com]

Extremely hard to choose as i love them all so very much! Pressed to pick one, i went with I Dare, because there is something about both Pat Rin's profound character growth, and the way all the different threads of the story come together and advance the plot in such a complex weave of perfection... really shows Sharon and Steve's mastery on so many levels. That may be the one i've re-read the most times of all.

[keristor.livejournal.com]

What I actually wanted to put was "the one I'm reading or have read most recently". But looking at my preferences, I do notice a pattern:

Scout's Progress
Saltation
Conflict of Honors
I Dare

What have they got in common? Learning to fly and pilot (Aelliana, Theo, Priscilla, Pat Rin). SP wins out because of Aelliana (I have a thing for all of yuour women with names starting with A).

[abwarwick.livejournal.com]

Really hard to answer. However, I Dare is the one I have re-read most often lately. Perhaps because it shows more of the growth of a character in hard times (Pat Rin)?
I love them all!

Poll

[claire774.livejournal.com]

I was too late for the poll. Anyhoo....I would have voted for "I Dare" which was the most popular as it turned out. Coming in second for me: Mouse and Dragon which was a gem of a novel.

60 comments: not too shabby.
C..

[hellspark72.livejournal.com]

Carpe Diem. It is a very difficult choice because my favorite scenes are scattered through all of them. I like Carpe Diem because it is a bit like a moment of quiet (only it isn't really) in which Miri and Val Con learn to be together.

[(Anonymous)]

I couldn't vote as I'm not a member of LJ, but then I couldn't have picked just one anyway. I started with CoH, AoC and CD in Partners in Necessity so they are special because I re-read them so many times waiting for another instalment. But then there are all the rest that I enjoy so much as well and now re-read regularly. I know I can always pick up any one and get absorbed in the story all over again no matter how many times I've read it before. There are very few books I can say the same about. They are magic.

Melvyn in Darlington UK

[rdmasters.livejournal.com]

Conflict of Honors - It was my introduction to the Liaden universe, and still holds a soft spot for me.

Second choice would have been Fledgling...

[otaku-tetsuko.livejournal.com]

Hard choice! I see that I Dare is in the lead and I almost ticked that, but AoC was where you really caught and held me. I love Miri so much, she resonates with the way I think and feel a great deal. Her take on what is funny, her voracious appetite for printed words...I just love her. And hey! 10 foot tall talking turtles, for Pete's sake! What's not to love?

Favorite story - I Dare

[capricchio.livejournal.com]

I think the reason I go back and re-read I Dare again and again is that I liked the character development on Pat Rin from 'one with the appearance of a flutterhead' (untrue but his chosen appearance) to someone whoo did what he believed was necessary. Tryly the epitome of "Necessity exists." And of course, seeing how the action progressed to get to the end of that particular series didn't hurt either. :)

Favorite Liaden novel

[smcvey.livejournal.com]

It wasn't easy or painless but I selected "I Dare." It has so many elements--the shift of the struggle with the Department of Interior to a public battle, the development of previously secondary characters such as Ren Zel, Inas Bhar, Pat Rin, the reappearence of Daav, and the completely unexpected culmination of Korval leaving Liad. Pat Rin's development alone would probably make it my favorite but there is so much more. The role of Merlin in the battle is another highlight.

[joycependle.livejournal.com]

My favorite character is Miri, so the books she is in are my favorites. I'm waiting for Theo to grow up and be like Miri; I think it will happen.

[paw3pals.livejournal.com]

Right now I think Theo is more like Pat Rin was at the beginning of I Dare - still in development.

I can't wait to see what her Korval genes will show (helped by the Tree).

Favorite?

[(Anonymous)]

I can't make a choice, since they feel, to me, like one long serialized story. Suffice it to say that the entire LU series is one of my favorite universes in the entire multiverse.

Favorite

[(Anonymous)]

If I *have* to pick one: Agent of Change -- It was the first, it was great fun & romantic & I love Val Con & Miri & the turtles!

Shan is cool, but I've never had as close a feeling for him & Priscilla, as for Val Con & Miri -- maybe the former couple need more exposure.

Other favorites are: Plan B - the comeback book & wonderful Beautiful!; Crystal Soldier - Jela & Cantra & the tree!; Fledling - It is just wonderful to see Theo's development.

(I didn't see anything to *click* on to choose a book, so I'm assuming you do so, based on this comment? Thanks

Barbara K. in Baltimore

[(Anonymous)]

Like many others, I am having a VERY hard time choosing. I Dare, probably, 'cause it's got everybody. Scout's Progress, because I love stories of people realizing that they are more than they thought they were. Agent of Change, next, maybe, because I love the mayhem. Balance of Trade, for a look at someone who is not a pilot or of Korval (although I love pilots and Korval). I see I'm picking the older ones, but that's probably because I've had time to love them more. Although I really like Mouse and Dragon and Ghost Ship. And, wait, the Crystal books answer so many questions. And I like CoH, LC, CD for the relationship development...and Theo stories for the weirdly dangerous "safe" world and ... OK, sorry, can't vote. I like'em all. For different reasons. At different times.
mf

[growlycub.livejournal.com]

Local Custom. My first Liaden story and best loved. I'm still so sad we didn't get to see more Er Thom and Anne. As said above, just the perfect book and such insight into cultural 'otherness'.

Favorites

[(Anonymous)]

I Dare is my favoriate, but Conflict of Honors is a close second.

[(Anonymous)]

I love them all. It's interesting what people go back and re-read - I do that too, but I
hit scenes not so much whole books. My all-time fave re-read is Breath's Duty, but
the scene where Pat Rin chases the Dept away from Surebleak ranks about 2nd. It's
funny - I HATED Pat Rin at the beginning of I Dare. It didn't matter that Nova liked
him, I thought he was an arrogant ass. I Dare completely turned that feeling around
and the character development was done so organically, I didn't notice until he
kicked the Dept's butt.

Lauretta@ConstellationBooks

Favorite Story

[(Anonymous)]

All of them - And the chap books, too. Especially Changeling, and then finding Ren Zel finding happiness with Anthora. The clan expands.

Of course the way grandmother Cantra tied up Liad in the contract, Do you think Cantra ever thought about becoming a grandmother? I know I didn't!

I have thought that the story of Daav's return should have been part of the book in which he returned and met them on Liad. Then Mouse and Dragon explained where Kiladi came from. And when I read about Aelianna's death, I have to cry. Sometimes I wonder about her daughter from her first marriage. And her younger sister, who must be Delm of that clan by now.

Still reading Ghost Ship, and hoping for Win Ton to win back to health. Those people are alive in so many minds. Balance of Trade is so good - how many noticed that the ship Uncle loaned to Theo is named Arin's Toss? Wasn't Arin the name of Jethri's father?

Joan C

[sevigny7.livejournal.com]

I love them all, but the first three have a special place on my shelf and in my heart because they were the only ones to be had for soooo long. Of the three, since I had to pick one, I chose CoH just because. But I could have closed my eyes and pointed and been happy with any one of the Liaden Universe stories.

[hapaxnym.livejournal.com]

I *hated* having to pick just one! And why isn't there an option for "The next one, of course!"

AGENT OF CHANGE is probably the most sheer fun; PLAN B has the best lines; I DARE has the most Scenes of Awesome; but if I *have* to pick just one [pouts] then I have to go with LOCAL CUSTOM, because it is my automatic "go to" book when I am sad, or sick, or stressed.

(Yes, I have it practically memorized by now...)

[eoma-p.livejournal.com]

I love them all, reread them regularly, and do everything in my power to hook others on my drug of choice. That said, I particularly like Scout's Progress because I have a soft spot for characters like Aelliana who find their inner strength during the course of a story. It doesn't hurt that Daav's a hottie.

Crystal Dragon

[(Anonymous)]

Love 'em ALL, but Crystal Dragon's where the Liaden Universe really starts as Liad dea'Syl and M. Jela Granthor's Guard enable Cantra to get the dramliza, the other "sensitives" (I forget how you had them describing themselves), and the Clans moved there safely.

Don't get me wrong, I Dare is wonderful, but Scout's Progress is just as wonderful. I just can't choose my favorite, so I choose to go back to the beginning (in story-time) with Crystal Dragon. Crystal Soldier's essential too, but Crystal Dragon's where they enter the aptly-named Liaden Universe, and first land on the planet Cantra named Liad. Grunge. They're ALL essential. Why do you do this to me, trying to get me to choose? ;-)

Favorite volumes

[mary cay martin (from livejournal.com)]

I LOVE them all but want to put in a word for Crystal Dragon.Last winter, I had less than five minutes to pick reading material to take to a distant hospital to be with a desperately sick husband. I grabbed Crystal Soldier and Crystal Dragon, which I consider one book in two volumes,to keep me from completely losing my sanity!The scene where the papers are signed for the founding of Korval takes my breath away every time I read it!Lesser honors go to Cantra's discussion with the Tree about unintended consequenses and Lucky the cat.Your friend from Sioux City, Mary Martin

Favourite

[draconis1234.livejournal.com]

I read Agent of Change first. Found Friends of Liaden and went out and bought Crystal Soldier, Crystal Dragon, Balance of Trade, and all the rest. I have most of the chapbooks and several compendiums. My favourite is the Liaden Universe.