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Liaden Universe, Chronological #13
Fledgling
Theo Waitley has lived all her young life on Delgado, a Safe World that is home to one of the galaxy's premier institutions of higher learning. Both Theo's mother, Kamele, and Kamele's onagrata Jen Sar Kiladi, are professors at the university, and they all live comfortably together, just like they have for all of Theo's life, in Jen Sar's house at the outskirts of town.
Suddenly, though, Theo's life changes. Kamele leaves Jen Sar and moves herself and Theo back into faculty housing, which is not what Theo is used to. Once settled back inside the Wall, Kamele becomes embroiled in faculty politics, and is appointed sub-chair of her department. Meanwhile, Theo who has a notation in her file indicating that she is "physically challenged," has a series of misadventures, including pulling her best friend down on the belt-ride to class, and hurting a teammate during a scavage game.
With notes piling up in her file, Theo only wants to go "home", to the house in the suburbs, and have everything just like it used to be.
Then, Kamele uncovers evidence of possible dishonest scholarship inside of her department. In order to clear the department, she and a team of senior professord must go off-world to perform a forensic document search. Theo hopes this will mean that she'll be left in the care of the man she calls "Father", Professor Kiladi, and is horrified to learn that Kamele means to bring Theo with her!
384 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2009
120 people are currently reading
1,170 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Lee
210Ìýbooks786ÌýfollowersSharon Lee has been married to her first husband for more than half her lifetime; she is a friend to cats, a member of the National Carousel Association, and oversees the dubious investment schemes of an improbable number of stuffed animals.
Despite having been born in a year of the dragon, Sharon is an introvert. She lives in Maine because she likes it there. In fact, she likes it so much that she has written five novels set in Maine; contemporary fantasy trilogy Carousel Tides, Carousel Sun, Carousel Seas, and mysteries Barnburner and Gunshy.
With the aforementioned first husband, Steve Miller, Sharon has written twenty novels of science fiction and fantasy � many of them set in the Liaden Universe® � and numerous short stories. She has occasionally been an advertising copywriter, a reporter, photographer, book reviewer, and secretary. She was for three years Executive Director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc., and was subsequently elected vice president and then president of that organization.
Despite having been born in a year of the dragon, Sharon is an introvert. She lives in Maine because she likes it there. In fact, she likes it so much that she has written five novels set in Maine; contemporary fantasy trilogy Carousel Tides, Carousel Sun, Carousel Seas, and mysteries Barnburner and Gunshy.
With the aforementioned first husband, Steve Miller, Sharon has written twenty novels of science fiction and fantasy � many of them set in the Liaden Universe® � and numerous short stories. She has occasionally been an advertising copywriter, a reporter, photographer, book reviewer, and secretary. She was for three years Executive Director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc., and was subsequently elected vice president and then president of that organization.
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June 12, 2023
***100 Days of Summer 2023***
Reading prompt: Bildungsroman/coming of age story
Virtual 12 sided dice roll: 9
Do you ever have neatly laid out plans (first I'll finish this book, then that one) and something just calls out to you, “No, me first!� That's what happened with Fledgling and me. I just couldn't resist the siren call of the Liaden universe.
At first, I wondered if I would enjoy the book, as Theo seemed so young and Delgado (a Safe World) seemed determined to wrap her in cotton batten and stifle her in its political correctness. A warning perhaps about taking all the risks and adventure out of life. But as Theo strives to grow up, her mother Kamele is struggling with a thorny academic situation. Someone has been tampering with the Archives, editing documents, the originals of which are on another planet. Kamele must go off-world to view the originals and Theo is dismayed when her mother elects to have her daughter accompany her on this mission.
Theo, the clumsy child, has just recently discovered dance and her own aptitude for it. She meets new friends and dance partners while in transit and learns to face life and its challenges with poise. A charming coming of age story, Theo and Kamele reaching a new stage in their relationship and setting things up for further adventures for Theo (and maybe a certain young pilot she meets along the way). I don't know how long I'll be able to wait before requesting the next book!
Book number 487 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project
Reading prompt: Bildungsroman/coming of age story
Virtual 12 sided dice roll: 9
Do you ever have neatly laid out plans (first I'll finish this book, then that one) and something just calls out to you, “No, me first!� That's what happened with Fledgling and me. I just couldn't resist the siren call of the Liaden universe.
At first, I wondered if I would enjoy the book, as Theo seemed so young and Delgado (a Safe World) seemed determined to wrap her in cotton batten and stifle her in its political correctness. A warning perhaps about taking all the risks and adventure out of life. But as Theo strives to grow up, her mother Kamele is struggling with a thorny academic situation. Someone has been tampering with the Archives, editing documents, the originals of which are on another planet. Kamele must go off-world to view the originals and Theo is dismayed when her mother elects to have her daughter accompany her on this mission.
Theo, the clumsy child, has just recently discovered dance and her own aptitude for it. She meets new friends and dance partners while in transit and learns to face life and its challenges with poise. A charming coming of age story, Theo and Kamele reaching a new stage in their relationship and setting things up for further adventures for Theo (and maybe a certain young pilot she meets along the way). I don't know how long I'll be able to wait before requesting the next book!
Book number 487 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project
January 26, 2022
January 2022 update:
This time I read this book directly after , following along the life path of Daav/Jen Sar. It made a difference because the first time I read this book, I had come at it after reading the Agent of Change story arc so was more in Val Con’s world. I enjoyed getting to know Kamele from a different context and found her a much more sympathetic character, even though Delgado is still an uncomfortable world for me to consider.
2015 review:
4/5; 4 stars; A-
I enjoyed meeting Daav's daughter Theo and Coyster the cat. I didn't enjoy her mother Kamele or many other characters from Delgado!
This book has a different feel from the last ones I read. Its a step back from the conflict between Clan Korval and the Department of the Interior. For the overall story to go on, the book is necessary so the reader can get to know and understand Theo, her background, her motivators, her inhibitors, etc. It lays the groundwork the the next books in the series and her integration into the whole.
Theo's journey on Vashtara and her introduction to Win Ton and the other pilots was fun.
I know that the authors have introduced the Delgado culture as somewhat different that we're used to but it didn't stop me from feeling pretty hostile toward Theo's mother for her crappy parenting and poor communication.
This time I read this book directly after , following along the life path of Daav/Jen Sar. It made a difference because the first time I read this book, I had come at it after reading the Agent of Change story arc so was more in Val Con’s world. I enjoyed getting to know Kamele from a different context and found her a much more sympathetic character, even though Delgado is still an uncomfortable world for me to consider.
2015 review:
4/5; 4 stars; A-
I enjoyed meeting Daav's daughter Theo and Coyster the cat. I didn't enjoy her mother Kamele or many other characters from Delgado!
This book has a different feel from the last ones I read. Its a step back from the conflict between Clan Korval and the Department of the Interior. For the overall story to go on, the book is necessary so the reader can get to know and understand Theo, her background, her motivators, her inhibitors, etc. It lays the groundwork the the next books in the series and her integration into the whole.
Theo's journey on Vashtara and her introduction to Win Ton and the other pilots was fun.
I know that the authors have introduced the Delgado culture as somewhat different that we're used to but it didn't stop me from feeling pretty hostile toward Theo's mother for her crappy parenting and poor communication.
November 17, 2016
Fledgling is a coming of age story set in Lee’s and Miller’s Liaden universe. It follows Theo Waitley, a clumsy, awkward teenager raised in a strict academic setting who learns it is her destiny to become a starship pilot.
Despite boasting an adolescent protagonist, Fledgling does not follow the usual tropes of today’s YA novels, and can hardly be considered such. Much of the novel’s business involves Theo’s parents investigating a conspiracy in the university to commit academic fraud, and Theo herself spends most of the novel just trying to negotiate a world of adult motives and behaviors, torn between what the world expects of her and what she wants herself.
This novel is my second entry point into the Liaden books, as recommended by a friend after I mentioned that I read but didn’t care for the earliest Liaden novel, Agent of Change. I found Fledgling and its heroine likeable, and particularly appreciated the well-wrought character work and lived-in feel. But the pace was a little too relaxed; there was only an occasional sense of danger - usually too quickly and easily resolved � and there was very little doubt that the obstacles in Theo’s way couldn’t be overcome.
I will give this novel’s direct sequel � Saltation - a try, though. Perhaps it will deliver a more complete experience.
Despite boasting an adolescent protagonist, Fledgling does not follow the usual tropes of today’s YA novels, and can hardly be considered such. Much of the novel’s business involves Theo’s parents investigating a conspiracy in the university to commit academic fraud, and Theo herself spends most of the novel just trying to negotiate a world of adult motives and behaviors, torn between what the world expects of her and what she wants herself.
This novel is my second entry point into the Liaden books, as recommended by a friend after I mentioned that I read but didn’t care for the earliest Liaden novel, Agent of Change. I found Fledgling and its heroine likeable, and particularly appreciated the well-wrought character work and lived-in feel. But the pace was a little too relaxed; there was only an occasional sense of danger - usually too quickly and easily resolved � and there was very little doubt that the obstacles in Theo’s way couldn’t be overcome.
I will give this novel’s direct sequel � Saltation - a try, though. Perhaps it will deliver a more complete experience.
March 5, 2015
4/5; 4 stars; A-
This is a review of the audiobook.
I enjoyed Fledgling much more this time than when I read the paperback. I think Theo and Kamele's characters came across more clearly. Kamele was a more sympathetic character to me than the first time met her!
This book is not critical to the Agent of Change arc but Theo shows up at the end of that story arc so its good to get to know her. The Theo Waitey story arc starts here and is follwed by , , and .
This time I read the four books one after another and got a lot more out of the story and characters. The story arc intersects with the main Liaden Universe stories in several locations and the character of Bechimo is one to look out for, along with Win Ton.
This book was Narrated by Eileen Stevens who did a good job.
This is a review of the audiobook.
I enjoyed Fledgling much more this time than when I read the paperback. I think Theo and Kamele's characters came across more clearly. Kamele was a more sympathetic character to me than the first time met her!
This book is not critical to the Agent of Change arc but Theo shows up at the end of that story arc so its good to get to know her. The Theo Waitey story arc starts here and is follwed by , , and .
This time I read the four books one after another and got a lot more out of the story and characters. The story arc intersects with the main Liaden Universe stories in several locations and the character of Bechimo is one to look out for, along with Win Ton.
This book was Narrated by Eileen Stevens who did a good job.
November 5, 2012
Fledgling is the first in a loveable series of coming-of-age spinoff novels set in Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Liaden Universe. I've never read any of the earlier Liaden novels, but I adored Theo and her parents (and their cats). Character-driven, non-military space opera is hard to find! Even rarer is their mix of adolescent and adult perspectives, all with different strengths and blind spots. Lee and Miller are also masters of the walk-on -- glimpses of characters and culture that skim into the story, without too much explanation. It gives the impression that their universe is teeming with people going about their own lives. There's lots to enjoy about Delgado - the city that's academic to the extreme, and the fascist behavioral control of a "Safe World" make a comic and chilling mix. My only complaint with Delgado is a common issue in SF- that one city was treated like the whole planet. If characters are going to claim that interfering with one major university could crash the economy of the whole planet, I'd prefer more explanation as to why that's true (economy, geography..something). There's also a whiff of plot convenience here and there, but not so much to detract from the fun. Recommended for fans of Elizabeth Moon and Anne McCaffrey.
February 13, 2018
Excellent free book, and a fine entry-point into the Liaden universe
I've had very mixed luck with my previous tries in this long-running series, but seem to have finally hit one to my taste. Aside from the story itself, a charming coming-of-age for Theo Waitley, I like the sense of the larger Liaden Universe beneath the surface. There are cats in Theo's life, the Liaden Professor who may be her father has hidden depths, her mother is a harried academic who is dealing with an academic-misconduct scandal.....
The conceit of Delgado University wears a little thin, but the academic politics are well drawn. Delgado itself has hidden, unpleasant depths, and an interesting, female-dominant culture.
Note that this is a free ebook download from the Baen Free Library, or from Amazon.
I've had very mixed luck with my previous tries in this long-running series, but seem to have finally hit one to my taste. Aside from the story itself, a charming coming-of-age for Theo Waitley, I like the sense of the larger Liaden Universe beneath the surface. There are cats in Theo's life, the Liaden Professor who may be her father has hidden depths, her mother is a harried academic who is dealing with an academic-misconduct scandal.....
The conceit of Delgado University wears a little thin, but the academic politics are well drawn. Delgado itself has hidden, unpleasant depths, and an interesting, female-dominant culture.
Note that this is a free ebook download from the Baen Free Library, or from Amazon.
March 31, 2010
I waited so long for this book and I was somewhat disappointed. I am used to enjoying every word on every page of a Liaden novel. The first 180 pages or so of this one was just miserable stuff I had to slog through to get to the better half of the story. It was just to show that Theo was a misfit and came from a big brother type planet. It could have been done in much fewer pages. Also the entire story about the bad scholarship was just plain boring. Didn't care a bit, only interested in Theo and pilots. Jen Sar/Daav was a bit of an ass here. His character seemed odd compared to how it was in the other books. I never did understand the whole go off and leave your five year old son to achieve balance by teaching cultural diversity to humans thing anyway. Also how does that work? Having a mistress/lover while your true love/lifemate is sharing your head? The part of the story with the Simples and the plot to destroy the university seemed contrived. But again I wasn't interested and the authors didn't make me interested. It just seemed to take time away from Theo. Hoping the next one will be more focused. I want pilots and Korval.
Read
January 5, 2010This is the background story of Theo Waitley, who has a walk-on at the end of I DARE. It's kind of a YA, though we also get the ongoing mystery from the POVs of her parents. It's also half a story; the second half will come in SALTATION. Theo lives on a very restrictive world, and is in constant trouble at school, until her mother takes her on an investigative cruise, then her life drastically changes.
Slightly spoilery below:
I adore Liaden, always have. Miller and Lee know how to do space opera--their Liads are just a bit prettier, and smarter, and move better, than humans, which works so well in sf adventure that has a mannered, swashbuckling, and romantic overlay.
I suspect that new readers might think Theo a touch of a Mary Sue, especially as she's presented as "clumsy" like a certain other well-known book, but it turns out she's more graceful than anybody else, and without much effort, but those of us who know Liaden know why--it fits perfectly into the world.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I'm always thrilled when a new Liaden novel comes out.
Slightly spoilery below:
I adore Liaden, always have. Miller and Lee know how to do space opera--their Liads are just a bit prettier, and smarter, and move better, than humans, which works so well in sf adventure that has a mannered, swashbuckling, and romantic overlay.
I suspect that new readers might think Theo a touch of a Mary Sue, especially as she's presented as "clumsy" like a certain other well-known book, but it turns out she's more graceful than anybody else, and without much effort, but those of us who know Liaden know why--it fits perfectly into the world.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I'm always thrilled when a new Liaden novel comes out.
March 10, 2019
This book served as my official introduction to all things Liaden. To my enjoyment and edification.
It is a story of soaring. 4/24/16 re-read: Just as good each time I read it!
The ebook version is available for free in the Baen free library:
It is a story of soaring. 4/24/16 re-read: Just as good each time I read it!
The ebook version is available for free in the Baen free library:
June 4, 2017
If one is
advertent,
one will sample this book FREE on Baen Books Online (and almost free thru Amazon Kindle). The audiobook is also nearly free, if you get the kindle e-book companion.
This is a coming-of-age book for Theo Waitley, approaching 15 years � adulthood � marked by a "Gigneri" ceremony. She must deal with her clumsiness, a seriously protective "safety board" and her mother's inexplicable breakup with her "onagrata" (Theo's father, Professsor Jen Sar Kiladi, The Gallowglass Chair, aka Daav). Meanwhile, her mother (Professor Kamele Waitley) is leading an investigation into false scholarship at the highest levels of academia. Conducting the academic investigation, Kamele, her colleagues, and Theo journey across space to distant Malchiza. During the long flight, Theo meets friendly norbears and Liaden Scouts. Binjali! Meanwhile, on Delgado campus, Jen Sar engages to investigate a conspiracy involving The Serpent AI.
If anything had happened to Theo on ugly Malchiza, how could Kamele live with herself? A loving mother would put her child's safety first.
Also, sexual induction � as part of a societal rite of passage � at age 15 is somewhat discordant in an advanced society. Glad it didn't occur in this book. But I expect it will play out in the sequel, Saltation.
The setting is interesting, contrasting Jen Sar's comfortable country home and garden with the university's sterile and insular campus, surrounded by THE WALL, watched by THE EYES, etc. Theo must make a home for herself, despite her colorless new quarters, with ivory walls and floors of slippery ceramic.
So, I was hasty. Fledgling isn't as bad as it seemed, the first time I picked it up, and admittedly skimmed, speed reading. I was annoyed, wanting Daav with Val Con, not this interloper family. Maybe the audio helps. Or maybe it helps that this time around I know Kamele and Theo from Ghost Ship, Dragon Ship, Dragon in Exile, Alliance of Equals, and The Gathering Edge. And here we meet a young scout, Win Ton yo'Vala.
It's not wonderfully exciting and there is little real tension, but I enjoyed it, in a relaxed frame of mind. The pace is absurdly slow, but not quite boring. As one reader wrote about the mystery plot: "It was like drinking flat coke. It should have been fizzing and popping, but it just... wasn't."
So I guess flat coke can be okay, occasionally.
This is a coming-of-age book for Theo Waitley, approaching 15 years � adulthood � marked by a "Gigneri" ceremony. She must deal with her clumsiness, a seriously protective "safety board" and her mother's inexplicable breakup with her "onagrata" (Theo's father, Professsor Jen Sar Kiladi, The Gallowglass Chair, aka Daav). Meanwhile, her mother (Professor Kamele Waitley) is leading an investigation into false scholarship at the highest levels of academia. Conducting the academic investigation, Kamele, her colleagues, and Theo journey across space to distant Malchiza. During the long flight, Theo meets friendly norbears and Liaden Scouts. Binjali! Meanwhile, on Delgado campus, Jen Sar engages to investigate a conspiracy involving The Serpent AI.
If anything had happened to Theo on ugly Malchiza, how could Kamele live with herself? A loving mother would put her child's safety first.
Also, sexual induction � as part of a societal rite of passage � at age 15 is somewhat discordant in an advanced society. Glad it didn't occur in this book. But I expect it will play out in the sequel, Saltation.
The setting is interesting, contrasting Jen Sar's comfortable country home and garden with the university's sterile and insular campus, surrounded by THE WALL, watched by THE EYES, etc. Theo must make a home for herself, despite her colorless new quarters, with ivory walls and floors of slippery ceramic.
So, I was hasty. Fledgling isn't as bad as it seemed, the first time I picked it up, and admittedly skimmed, speed reading. I was annoyed, wanting Daav with Val Con, not this interloper family. Maybe the audio helps. Or maybe it helps that this time around I know Kamele and Theo from Ghost Ship, Dragon Ship, Dragon in Exile, Alliance of Equals, and The Gathering Edge. And here we meet a young scout, Win Ton yo'Vala.
It's not wonderfully exciting and there is little real tension, but I enjoyed it, in a relaxed frame of mind. The pace is absurdly slow, but not quite boring. As one reader wrote about the mystery plot: "It was like drinking flat coke. It should have been fizzing and popping, but it just... wasn't."
So I guess flat coke can be okay, occasionally.
October 28, 2010
Theo Waitley is considered "physically challenged" on her overprotective, highly-academic world of Delgado. When her mother starts investigating some academic shenanigans and moves out of her lover's house, Theo's life changes in some previously-unimaginable ways. I really enjoyed this, it was almost like a YA as we see Theo coming of age and into her own. Some familiar characters are also here from the other Liaden books, in incognito.
January 5, 2010
Genre: Space Opera
The first draft of this book was published on-line. I am enough of a Liaden fan to have read that version. It is amazing the difference between that version and the newly published book! The original draft had some interesting characters, but the plot made no sense - it kept jumping around and you weren't really sure what was happening. The narration of Fledgling still jumps around, cycling between Theo, her mother Kamele, and her father Jen Sar (aka Daav to long-time Liaden fans). The book never answers why Delgado University has been targeted by un-disclosed foreign agents, but based on the rest of the Korval books one can make an educated guess. Plus, leaving it unexplained gives opportunities in the next book for developing that angle.
Overall, this is a rather sweet coming-of-age tale for Theo, as she stretches her wings and discovers that while her talents may not be appreciated on her home world, that they are useful and appreciated elsewhere.
I think this is the first book in the Liaden universe that spends a significant amount of time describing and defining a non-Liaden world. Delgado is odd. It's a "Safe World" - meaning its obsessive about safety - from reckless driving to having issues with flashing neon lights. It's also a deeply bigoted world, think 1950s gender relations, but it's the women in the positions of power. It's a cultural faux pas for a man to ask if he's a child's father. The normal mode is for a woman to decide that it's time to have a child, and go to the fertility clinic and fix it. Leaves me wondering what a man who wanted to be a father would do. Anyway, for all I found the society unsettling (which is something I think the authors intended), it is nice to see a matriarchal society depicted as seriously less-than-perfect, given the history of the science fiction and fantasy genres on the subject.
The first draft of this book was published on-line. I am enough of a Liaden fan to have read that version. It is amazing the difference between that version and the newly published book! The original draft had some interesting characters, but the plot made no sense - it kept jumping around and you weren't really sure what was happening. The narration of Fledgling still jumps around, cycling between Theo, her mother Kamele, and her father Jen Sar (aka Daav to long-time Liaden fans). The book never answers why Delgado University has been targeted by un-disclosed foreign agents, but based on the rest of the Korval books one can make an educated guess. Plus, leaving it unexplained gives opportunities in the next book for developing that angle.
Overall, this is a rather sweet coming-of-age tale for Theo, as she stretches her wings and discovers that while her talents may not be appreciated on her home world, that they are useful and appreciated elsewhere.
I think this is the first book in the Liaden universe that spends a significant amount of time describing and defining a non-Liaden world. Delgado is odd. It's a "Safe World" - meaning its obsessive about safety - from reckless driving to having issues with flashing neon lights. It's also a deeply bigoted world, think 1950s gender relations, but it's the women in the positions of power. It's a cultural faux pas for a man to ask if he's a child's father. The normal mode is for a woman to decide that it's time to have a child, and go to the fertility clinic and fix it. Leaves me wondering what a man who wanted to be a father would do. Anyway, for all I found the society unsettling (which is something I think the authors intended), it is nice to see a matriarchal society depicted as seriously less-than-perfect, given the history of the science fiction and fantasy genres on the subject.
December 30, 2017
I was surprised at my enjoyment of this story. Again I have proof of how much sf can be my thing, something I did not realize for a long time.
It is quite hard for me to explain how compelling the plot was, when in truth everything is so subtle and the real action is minimal. I certainly liked the writing. How the way people in this book speak makes the world(s) real.
There is also some humor - although very understated - and some fast switches between POVs, which drove the story forward in a satisfying way.
I understand now that for me good sf excels the same way good fantasy does: with convincing world building and fascinating characters.
It is quite hard for me to explain how compelling the plot was, when in truth everything is so subtle and the real action is minimal. I certainly liked the writing. How the way people in this book speak makes the world(s) real.
There is also some humor - although very understated - and some fast switches between POVs, which drove the story forward in a satisfying way.
I understand now that for me good sf excels the same way good fantasy does: with convincing world building and fascinating characters.
January 22, 2020
Fledgling is my introduction to the Liaden Universe. The A plot is a coming-of-age story that introduces the reader to the universe alongside the protagonist. The B plot is a mystery about an academic conspiracy that hints at greater depths to the setting. The characters are round and relatable, the cultures are alien and believable, and the technology is interesting. The result is an accessible entry point for a fascinating universe with many books to explore.
It is hard to describe the plot of Fledgling in detail as it is complex, and so much of it is mundane. In broad strokes, young Theo Waitley is an intelligent but awkward teenage girl on Delgado. She is struggling with “physical limitations� and social interactions. However, her mother Kamele’s investigation of academic misdeeds takes her off-world. On the trip, she discovers that she’s not really clumsy; she’s a natural pilot with speed and reflexes she was never taught to handle. It’s an ugly duckling story in space, driven in part by a thriller in a university setting.
Fledgling stands out in how compelling it makes mundane motivations. Recently, it was pointed out to me that the vast majority of science fiction relies on death or the threat of death to establish stakes and motivate the characters. However, most people are not normally motivated by death or the threat of death. We’re motivated by academic success and friendships - like Theo - or personal reputation and career stability - like Kamele. I cannot think of another science fiction novel that made such everyday concerns so engaging. I cared about Theo’s classes. I was concerned about the academic malfeasance that threatens the accreditation of the University of Delgado. It is so refreshing to read a science fiction book whose characters have normal motivations and relatable challenges.
Using a teenager coming of age to explore a fictional universe is brilliant. Theo is exactly that age when people realize the world is bigger and more diverse than their home and school. She is transitioning to adulthood, and she is learning along with the reader. It makes the necessary exposition feel wonderfully natural. The only other novel I can recall using a similar approach is The Giver, and I wish more authors followed suit.
The Liaden Universe offers much to explore and examine. So often, science fiction worlds are flat and simple - one language, one simplified belief system, one exaggerated subset of human traits. Not so here. Even before Theo leaves Delgado, the book reveals a unique and believable culture with multiple institutions and differing beliefs. It is alien and uncomfortable, but feels like an alternative to current human cultures. Then Theo and Kamele leave Delgado, and the curtain is pulled back on an even bigger universe with competing cultures. I am confident a reader could spend dozens of books investigating all the Liaden Universe has to offer.
Fledgling heavily relies on its strong characters. Since so much of the story is about the personal concerns of the main characters, they must be interesting enough to carry the reader through dance class and academic meetings. Thankfully, they are positively engrossing. There is Jen Sar (charming, intelligent, mysterious), Kamele (focused, determined, responsible), and Theo (intelligent, inquisitive, sincere). Each of these characters feels real and likable. Around them is a cast of believable characters with depth beyond their page time (some only appear for a page or two, but feel more important). It adds another layer to this already complex story.
My one complaint is that Fledgling barely scratches the surface of this universe and the ongoing story. There is clearly more going on. It hints at greater stakes and more secrets. The B plot is not even finished. Furthermore, the book uses jargon without providing definitions. The reader is expected to find the meanings from context, which is natural but not always sufficient. I think this book requires further reading to complete the story, which is a major sin in my book.
A friend worked hard to convince me to read Fledgling, and I am glad she did. I definitely want to read more in the Liaden Universe. I want to get to Saltation soon. Maybe I’ll get a signed copy from the authors at Boskone.
CHARACTER LIST (abridged)
It is hard to describe the plot of Fledgling in detail as it is complex, and so much of it is mundane. In broad strokes, young Theo Waitley is an intelligent but awkward teenage girl on Delgado. She is struggling with “physical limitations� and social interactions. However, her mother Kamele’s investigation of academic misdeeds takes her off-world. On the trip, she discovers that she’s not really clumsy; she’s a natural pilot with speed and reflexes she was never taught to handle. It’s an ugly duckling story in space, driven in part by a thriller in a university setting.
Fledgling stands out in how compelling it makes mundane motivations. Recently, it was pointed out to me that the vast majority of science fiction relies on death or the threat of death to establish stakes and motivate the characters. However, most people are not normally motivated by death or the threat of death. We’re motivated by academic success and friendships - like Theo - or personal reputation and career stability - like Kamele. I cannot think of another science fiction novel that made such everyday concerns so engaging. I cared about Theo’s classes. I was concerned about the academic malfeasance that threatens the accreditation of the University of Delgado. It is so refreshing to read a science fiction book whose characters have normal motivations and relatable challenges.
Using a teenager coming of age to explore a fictional universe is brilliant. Theo is exactly that age when people realize the world is bigger and more diverse than their home and school. She is transitioning to adulthood, and she is learning along with the reader. It makes the necessary exposition feel wonderfully natural. The only other novel I can recall using a similar approach is The Giver, and I wish more authors followed suit.
The Liaden Universe offers much to explore and examine. So often, science fiction worlds are flat and simple - one language, one simplified belief system, one exaggerated subset of human traits. Not so here. Even before Theo leaves Delgado, the book reveals a unique and believable culture with multiple institutions and differing beliefs. It is alien and uncomfortable, but feels like an alternative to current human cultures. Then Theo and Kamele leave Delgado, and the curtain is pulled back on an even bigger universe with competing cultures. I am confident a reader could spend dozens of books investigating all the Liaden Universe has to offer.
Fledgling heavily relies on its strong characters. Since so much of the story is about the personal concerns of the main characters, they must be interesting enough to carry the reader through dance class and academic meetings. Thankfully, they are positively engrossing. There is Jen Sar (charming, intelligent, mysterious), Kamele (focused, determined, responsible), and Theo (intelligent, inquisitive, sincere). Each of these characters feels real and likable. Around them is a cast of believable characters with depth beyond their page time (some only appear for a page or two, but feel more important). It adds another layer to this already complex story.
My one complaint is that Fledgling barely scratches the surface of this universe and the ongoing story. There is clearly more going on. It hints at greater stakes and more secrets. The B plot is not even finished. Furthermore, the book uses jargon without providing definitions. The reader is expected to find the meanings from context, which is natural but not always sufficient. I think this book requires further reading to complete the story, which is a major sin in my book.
A friend worked hard to convince me to read Fledgling, and I am glad she did. I definitely want to read more in the Liaden Universe. I want to get to Saltation soon. Maybe I’ll get a signed copy from the authors at Boskone.
CHARACTER LIST (abridged)
June 13, 2015
Theo Waitley is the adolescent daughter of Kamele Waitley, a professor at Delgado University. All her life, they've lived in the home of the man she calls Father, Professor Jen Sar Kiladi, her mother's onagrata. Suddenly Kamele moves herself and Theo back to The Wall, where most of the university faculty and staff live, and Theo's life changes dramatically, and not in ways she likes. It gets worse when her mother announces that she's making a trip offworld to investigate an academic scandal--and she's taking Theo with her.
Theo would much prefer to return to Professor Kiladi's home for the duration.
On the same offworld trip, Theo and Kamele have very different adventures that push them both to grow in new directions. Meanwhile, Jen Sar Kiladi is not having a quiet interlude, but rather tackling another part of the same scandal Kamele is pursuing.
This book is fun. Theo's enormously engaging, and Kamele, who seems off-putting at first, grows more and more likable as more and more of her is revealed to the reader. This is a find coming of age space adventure.
Recommended.
Theo would much prefer to return to Professor Kiladi's home for the duration.
On the same offworld trip, Theo and Kamele have very different adventures that push them both to grow in new directions. Meanwhile, Jen Sar Kiladi is not having a quiet interlude, but rather tackling another part of the same scandal Kamele is pursuing.
This book is fun. Theo's enormously engaging, and Kamele, who seems off-putting at first, grows more and more likable as more and more of her is revealed to the reader. This is a find coming of age space adventure.
Recommended.
March 9, 2015
Chaos and Disorder!!! I just dropped a paper clip. Everything in its proper place if you live in Delgado. Even the tiniest slip-up (i.e. tripping, getting a bruise, stating an incorrect answer) is a note in the file. Oh, we mere mortals on earth would never make it. We also lack a special skill that magically shows up in our teens. Theo is a dancing whiz with super quick reflexes. Well, good for her. And for her super smart and perceptive parents.
The authors had to have drawn on The Giver by Lois Lowry. I know we are currently in love with our apocalyptic society ending scenarios, but these books almost seem more realistic with our rabid quest for perfection and conformity.
One of the funniest parts of the book is on the inside of the back cover: "Sharon is likewise not the author of any Christian living books, even though she kind of likes advent calendars".
The authors had to have drawn on The Giver by Lois Lowry. I know we are currently in love with our apocalyptic society ending scenarios, but these books almost seem more realistic with our rabid quest for perfection and conformity.
One of the funniest parts of the book is on the inside of the back cover: "Sharon is likewise not the author of any Christian living books, even though she kind of likes advent calendars".
May 9, 2024
What a great story! This was my introduction to the Liaden Universe series, and I loved it. I am looking forward to reading the second book in which Theo Waitley is the main character.
05/08/2018: I have started Fledgling again. I am re-reading in chronological order, which I am enjoying very much.
03/07/2020: It is truly great to be reading this again.
08/8/2021: Oh what an addiction. I love Daav/Jen Sar and his relationship with Theo
04/29/2023: Read again.
05/08/24
05/08/2018: I have started Fledgling again. I am re-reading in chronological order, which I am enjoying very much.
03/07/2020: It is truly great to be reading this again.
08/8/2021: Oh what an addiction. I love Daav/Jen Sar and his relationship with Theo
04/29/2023: Read again.
05/08/24
September 16, 2019
May 2018 reread:
I enjoyed this entry in the Liaden series even more now that I have read Mouse and Dragon. Plotwise, the two stories are completely separate but I had come to know more about one important character and Liaden culture which made me appreciate Theo's blossoming abilities more.
I enjoyed this entry in the Liaden series even more now that I have read Mouse and Dragon. Plotwise, the two stories are completely separate but I had come to know more about one important character and Liaden culture which made me appreciate Theo's blossoming abilities more.
September 6, 2021
A great new series set in the Liadan universe. Looking forward to the sequel !
August 6, 2019
This was a coming-of-age story of Theo. She is 14. Her mother Kamele is a scholar who has recently left her husband to concentrate on her career. While Kamele is busy with her scientific research, Theo is struggling at school and with her peers. She misses her father. She is lonely and makes mistakes, which could cost her dearly, because they live on the planet of Delgado, where every step everyone makes is boxed in with rules and regulations, all for the sake of Safety.
But as the story progresses, the reader realizes that the surface plotline is deceptive, and everything is not what it seems. It appears that there is some deep intrigue running at Kamele’s university, and Kamele is trying to find out what is going on. It would be laudable, Kamele playing the brave investigative professor and all that, but Kamele is stirring a dangerous pot, and Theo might pay the price for her mother’s courageous endeavors. In her quest for academic integrity, Kamele consciously puts Theo at grave risk and never even has any doubts until the very end.
I think it was a horrible thing to do to your child.
I’m a mother myself, and I would never have put my teenage daughter in a situation Kamele throws Theo in for the sake of her job. As if she doesn’t understand the perils. As if her darn academic integrity is more important than her daughter’s life and well-being.
Theo comes through with flying colors, no thanks to her mother. Other people help her daughter, while Kamele fights her academic battles in the archives. In the end, she might even become a department Chair for her troubles, but she definitely failed the parenting test. She also made me very angry in the process.
But as the story progresses, the reader realizes that the surface plotline is deceptive, and everything is not what it seems. It appears that there is some deep intrigue running at Kamele’s university, and Kamele is trying to find out what is going on. It would be laudable, Kamele playing the brave investigative professor and all that, but Kamele is stirring a dangerous pot, and Theo might pay the price for her mother’s courageous endeavors. In her quest for academic integrity, Kamele consciously puts Theo at grave risk and never even has any doubts until the very end.
I think it was a horrible thing to do to your child.
I’m a mother myself, and I would never have put my teenage daughter in a situation Kamele throws Theo in for the sake of her job. As if she doesn’t understand the perils. As if her darn academic integrity is more important than her daughter’s life and well-being.
Theo comes through with flying colors, no thanks to her mother. Other people help her daughter, while Kamele fights her academic battles in the archives. In the end, she might even become a department Chair for her troubles, but she definitely failed the parenting test. She also made me very angry in the process.
May 8, 2021
2021 bk 82. With Fledgling, Lee and Miller add a whole new plot line to the story of the Liaden's and introduce us to Dav's balance after his wife's assassination. Fledgling is the story of his daughter, Theo, his daughter with his second partner, Kamale, on a world where women and scholarship hold trumps. Told through the eyes of an early teen, Theo is depicted as clumsy in a world determined on safety. It is only when her mother and other's of the department travel to another planet that the boarding school there determines that Theo has all of the qualities to make her a pilot. Previous meetings with Liaden scouts about their travel vessel and the practice of dancing and bowli ball have enhanced her abilities and it is on planet that Theo's body matures into a more coordinated whole. A delightful look at maturing and reminders that all cultures do not process human growth int he same way.
March 25, 2024
This is more of a young adult sci-fi book with scenes about the adults here and there. It's funny (not in a good way) how making society "safe" can actually hurt people who are out of the norm. I really enjoyed the book and am planning on reading the next book in the series immediately. 4 stars.
October 9, 2009
The Liaden story continues, from an angle. Young Theo Waitley is in her early teenage years. She is smart, friendly but slightly socially awkward (aren't we all at that age?), and at that adolescent stage where she is having trouble with a body and brain that know almost how to move together, but keep bouncing off of doorframes nonetheless. Her mother is an honorable scholar who has discovered severe meddling in academic resources: the basic texts upon which scholarly work is built have been altered. While Theo has to deal with her "antisocial" and "dangerous" physical "handicaps," her mother has to deal with a conspiracy to undermine the university system. While accompanying her mother on the academic investigation, Theo discovers something very important about herself along the way ... But is it important enough to take to Delm Korval?
Yeah, it sounds kinda silly. But what you get is a combination of academic intrigue and coming-of-age that lets us into the mental, emotional and physical development of the daughter of a Liaden pilot without any of the Liaden cultural restrictions. Certainly, there are cultural hedges all around her, but they are constructs of a very different world, where Terran-based academics are paramount, and "antisocial behavior" is the highest crime.
Yeah, it sounds kinda silly. But what you get is a combination of academic intrigue and coming-of-age that lets us into the mental, emotional and physical development of the daughter of a Liaden pilot without any of the Liaden cultural restrictions. Certainly, there are cultural hedges all around her, but they are constructs of a very different world, where Terran-based academics are paramount, and "antisocial behavior" is the highest crime.
October 16, 2009
Maybe giving this book 5 stars is a bit much. But since I was one of the Web Readers when the first draft was serialized online, I sort of feel like an aunt. The kind who pinches cheeks.
She grew up so well.
I was delighted to see that the familiar story made it through the revision process in a recognizable fashion. That the confusing parts were filled out and elaborated upon, and the loose ends tied up.
Fledgling waves with the silky language and amusing asides that drew me in when I picked up my first Liaden Universe novel, so many years ago. I always end up thinking in flowery phrases, and wanting to bow to everyone I see.
And I think about my posture more.
Theo is truly a fledgling: a girl dealing not only with adolescent awkwardness, but with the added detriment of pilot reflexes that she doesn't know she has. Her so-safe and ordered planetary society doesn't know it, either, and they've marked her as a "dangerous person," and want to drug her into calmness.
Shades of ritalin!
Fledgling is the story of Theo's escape from the nest, and her first steps into the world of pilots. Another great addition to the Liaden Universe!
She grew up so well.
I was delighted to see that the familiar story made it through the revision process in a recognizable fashion. That the confusing parts were filled out and elaborated upon, and the loose ends tied up.
Fledgling waves with the silky language and amusing asides that drew me in when I picked up my first Liaden Universe novel, so many years ago. I always end up thinking in flowery phrases, and wanting to bow to everyone I see.
And I think about my posture more.
Theo is truly a fledgling: a girl dealing not only with adolescent awkwardness, but with the added detriment of pilot reflexes that she doesn't know she has. Her so-safe and ordered planetary society doesn't know it, either, and they've marked her as a "dangerous person," and want to drug her into calmness.
Shades of ritalin!
Fledgling is the story of Theo's escape from the nest, and her first steps into the world of pilots. Another great addition to the Liaden Universe!
April 12, 2024
I liked this quite a bit, enough to stay up late reading it. It is the story of a girl on a planet where a research university is the biggest industry. A lot of it is about her growing up, and adjusting to being half-Liaden. There's a conspiracy--but I had a bit of a feeling that some of the conflict surrounding the conspiracy was softened--not sure exactly why. There was a gun in one confrontation scene, but it didn't seem incredibly dangerous. Perhaps because of the reaction of the POV character in the scene. Other "danger" scenes were "headed off at the pass"--resolved almost before the actual danger could strike. Don't get me wrong. I liked this book. It just felt a bit... "Safe" to me.
May 23, 2013
Summary: Another cracking Liaden book, not much action but loads of intrigue and plot. Really enjoyed this. I suspect Baen policy of giving away the first books in a series to get readers to buy the rest is going to work (in my case at least)!!
Plotline: Seems simple but a lot going on and it all builds quite nicely
Premise: I like this universe, though we don't get too much on it here
Writing: Simple, elegant, engaging, highly readable
Ending: Nice, all good.
Pace: On reflection it seems slow, but never a dull moment.
Plotline: Seems simple but a lot going on and it all builds quite nicely
Premise: I like this universe, though we don't get too much on it here
Writing: Simple, elegant, engaging, highly readable
Ending: Nice, all good.
Pace: On reflection it seems slow, but never a dull moment.
December 25, 2024
Theo Waitley, a child of a safe world, travels with her mother to the very unsafe world of Melchiza and learns that she is a pilot. Her mother, a scholar of Delgado, is checking primary sources to see if documents in Delgado's library have been altered. Jen Sar Kiladi remains on Delgado and tracks down the plot from home. Fun space opera and coming of age story.
I enjoyed the audiobook of this action packed story.
I enjoyed the audiobook of this action packed story.
January 14, 2022
My first ever Liaden Universe(R) novel. I've been reading Sharon Lee's blog for a year or more, and have just now gotten around to actually reading one of her books. I shouldn't have waited so long. The characters and world building are exquisite, and the plotting is masterful. I've already read the second Theo Waitley book and am working on the third one, and I only finished Fledgling yesterday.
October 30, 2019
This is another of the books which I almost immediately re-read to see how Theo changed during the book. Having done that, I went out to the library and grabbed as many of these books as I could find on the shelves, having no patience for using the request system as I do normally. That should tell you something.
May 26, 2014
I started this 5/24/13 but forgot to add it to my books. Good story! It kept my interest and made me want to know if Theo meets Win Ton again.
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