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{{Primary sources|date=September 2024}} {{Primary sources|date=September 2024}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}The '''Liaden universe''' ({{IPAc-en|l|iː|ˈ|eɪ|d|ɛ|n}} {{respell|lee|AY|den}} or {{IPAc-en|l|iː|ˈ|eɪ|d|ən}}) is the setting for an ongoing series of ] stories written by ] and ]. The series blends elements of ] with ], intrigue and wizardry.
The Liaden universe ({{IPAc-en|l|iː|ˈ|eɪ|d|ɛ|n}} {{respell|lee|AY|den}} or {{IPAc-en|l|iː|ˈ|eɪ|d|ən}}) is the setting for a series of science fiction stories written by ] and ]. The series blends elements of ] with ], intrigue, and elements of fantasy.


As of July 2024, the series comprises 25 ]s and 33 ]s (the stories within them now available as ]s or in collections). As of July 2024, the series comprises 25 novels and 33 chapbooks (the stories within them now available as ]s or in collections).


== Setting == == Setting ==
{{Expand section|date=September 2024}} {{Expand section|date=September 2024}}
The Liaden universe is a multi-universe setting that spans several millennia, with a central focus on Clan Korval, a prominent house in Liaden society known for its ] abilities and military capabilities. The universe is set in a far-future era, within a galaxy undergoing decrystallization, which was once home to humanity. Humanity's diaspora is categorized into three primary sub-races: Terran, Liaden, and Yxtrang. The Liaden universe is a fictional setting that spans several millennia. A recurring focus is Clan Korval, a house in Liaden society known for its ] abilities and military tradition. The setting is a far-future era, within a galaxy undergoing a process referred to as "decrystallization." The galaxy was once home to humanity, which has since undergone diaspora resulting in three primary sub-races: Terran, Liaden, and Yxtrang.


=== Key Elements of the Liaden Universe === === Key Elements ===
*''Clan Korval:'' A powerful and influential Liaden clan, known for its telepathic abilities and military prowess. * ''Clan Korval:'' A Liaden clan with a strong military tradition and telepathic abilities.
*''Liaden Society:'' A complex society with a strong military tradition and a unique ] system. * ''Liaden Society:'' A complex society with a military tradition and a caste system.
*''Decrystallizing Galaxy:'' The setting for the series, a galaxy undergoing a mysterious process of change. * ''Decrystallizing Galaxy:'' The galaxy is undergoing a transformative process.
*''Human Diaspora:'' The human race is divided into three primary sub-races: Terran, Liaden, and Yxtrang. * ''Human Diaspora:'' Humanity is divided into Terran, Liaden, and Yxtrang sub-races.
*''Telepathy:'' A common ability among Liaden, used for communication, combat, and other purposes. * ''Telepathy:'' An ability used by Liaden for communication and other purposes.


=== Primary Themes === === Primary Themes ===
*''Family and Loyalty:'' The bonds of family and ] are central to the series, with characters often making sacrifices for the good of their loved ones. * ''Family and Loyalty:'' Familial and clan bonds are important, with characters often prioritizing the well-being of their loved ones.
*''Military Strategy and Tactics:'' The Liaden military is a major focus of the series, with complex battles and strategic maneuvers. * ''Military Strategy and Tactics:'' Military conflicts and strategic maneuvers are frequently depicted.
*''Moral Ambiguity:'' Characters often face difficult choices, blurring the lines between ]. * ''Moral Ambiguity:'' Characters face complex choices with no easy answers.
*''Exploration and Discovery:'' The Liaden Universe is vast and mysterious, with countless planets and civilizations to explore. * ''Exploration and Discovery:'' Characters travel to distant worlds and encounter new cultures and challenges.

The series portrays diverse alien cultures and advanced technology, often exploring themes of political intrigue as characters navigate the power dynamics of the Liaden Empire and engage with various alien factions. It also features ] exploration, with characters traveling to distant worlds, encountering new cultures, and confronting unknown challenges.
The series features diverse alien cultures and advanced technology. Political intrigue is a common theme, as characters navigate the power dynamics of the Liaden Empire and interact with various alien factions. Interstellar travel and exploration are also significant elements.


==Series overview== ==Series overview==
The first two books in the seven-book "Agent of Change" sequence were published in 1988. These books follow the conflict between Clan Korval, a prominent Liaden clan, and the mysterious "Department of the Interior." Although the department's headquarters on Liad was destroyed by the end of the original sequence, remnants of the department continue to affect Clan Korval in subsequent novels. The first two books in the seven-book "Agent of Change" sequence were published in 1988. These books introduce the conflict between Clan Korval and the "Department of the Interior." While the department's headquarters on Liad is destroyed, remnants of the department continue to influence Clan Korval in later novels.


The eighth novel, ''Balance of Trade'', is set 275 years before the end of the "Agent of Change" sequence. It features Jethri Gobelyn, a young Terran trader adopted by a Liaden Master Trader, which causes unrest among many. A sequel, ''Trade Secret'', was published in 2013, following Jethri's career as a trader. A third book in the sequence, ''Fair Trade'', was published in May 2022. The eighth novel, ''Balance of Trade'', is set 275 years before the end of the "Agent of Change" sequence. It introduces Jethri Gobelyn, a young Terran trader adopted by a Liaden Master Trader. Two sequels, ''Trade Secret'' and ''Fair Trade'', were published in 2013 and 2022, respectively.


The ninth novel, ''Crystal Soldier'', was published in February 2005 and is set earlier in the timeline. It is the first half of ''The Great Migration Duology'' and tells the story of Cantra yos'Phelium, who piloted the original exodus to Liad, and her partner M Jela. A sequel, ''Crystal Dragon'', was published in 2006 and continues the story, covering the founding of Liad and Clan Korval. The ninth novel, ''Crystal Soldier'', published in 2005, is set earlier in the timeline. It is the first half of ''The Great Migration Duology'' and tells the story of Cantra yos'Phelium, who piloted the original exodus to Liad, and her partner M Jela. The sequel, ''Crystal Dragon'', was published in 2006.


==Publication history== ==Publication history==
After writing the first three books (''Agent of Change'', ''Conflict of Honors'', and ''Carpe Diem'', published in 1988–1989), the authors were informed that sales were insufficient to justify continuing the series. However, the books developed a following on the ] group rec.arts.sf.written, where they were added to the group's FAQ<ref>{{cite web |date=18 June 2001 |title=rec.arts.sf.written Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) |url=http://www.faqs.org/faqs/sf/written-faq/ |access-date=23 May 2007 |publisher=Faqs.org}}</ref>. After the publication of the first three books (''Agent of Change'', ''Conflict of Honors'', and ''Carpe Diem'', 1988–1989), the authors were informed that sales were insufficient to justify continuing the series. However, the books gained a following on the ] group rec.arts.sf.written.<ref>{{cite web |date=18 June 2001 |title=rec.arts.sf.written Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) |url=http://www.faqs.org/faqs/sf/written-faq/ |access-date=23 May 2007 |publisher=Faqs.org}}</ref>


Upon gaining Internet access, the authors discovered a significant reader base eager for the next installment, which was anticipated to be titled ''Plan B''. In response, they published several ] and began writing ''Plan B'' (released in 1999), followed by three more books to complete the ''Agent of Change'' sequence. Additionally, the authors wrote numerous short stories, some filling gaps between novels and others providing background on various characters. Upon gaining Internet access, the authors discovered a significant readership. They published several ] and completed ''Plan B'' (1999), followed by three more books to complete the "Agent of Change" sequence. Numerous short stories were also written, expanding the universe's background and character development.


The first three novels were initially published in ] editions by ]. They were later re-published by the now-defunct ], which also anthologized the earlier books. Subsequently, the novels were re-issued in mass-market format by ]. Some of the earlier works and stories were made available as e-books through , which is no longer in business. The first three novels were initially published by ], later republished by ], and subsequently by ]. Some early works were available as e-books through Embiid Publishing.


In 2007, ] began publishing the first ten Liaden novels in electronic form, followed by two short story collections. Baen continued with new Liaden novels starting in 2009 and began releasing the first ten novels in omnibus trade paperback editions in 2010. In 2007, ] began publishing the novels electronically, followed by new Liaden novels starting in 2009 and omnibus editions in 2010.


As of 2022, the series remains ongoing with twenty-three novels, numerous chapbooks, and short stories<ref>{{cite web |title=Reading Order |url=http://sharonleewriter.com/correct-reading-order/ |publisher=Sharon Lee, Writer News from Maine, the Liaden Universe® and Points Between}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=8 January 2015 |title=Liaden Universe® InfoDump Number 106 : 2015 PUBLICATION SCHEDULE |url=https://korval.com/2015/01/08/liaden-universe-infodump-number-106/ |publisher=Korval.com |department=Welcome to Liad: Clan Korval's Home on the Web}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=5 October 2014 |title=2015 Liaden Universe® and Other Releases |url=http://korval.com/2015-liaden-universe-and-other-releases/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723231840/http://korval.com/2015-liaden-universe-and-other-releases/ |archive-date=23 July 2015 |access-date=23 July 2015 |website=Welcome to Liad: Clan Korval's Home on the Web |publisher=Korval.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Sharon Lee & Steve Miller |date=2 June 2015 |title=Dragon in Exile |url=https://www.baen.com/dragon-in-exile.html |access-date=23 July 2015 |publisher=Baen Books}}</ref>. Several additional novels are contracted for future publication. All of the novels are available as e-books. As of 2022, the series continues with twenty-three novels, numerous chapbooks, and short stories.<ref>{{cite web |title=Reading Order |url=http://sharonleewriter.com/correct-reading-order/ |publisher=Sharon Lee, Writer News from Maine, the Liaden Universe® and Points Between}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=8 January 2015 |title=Liaden Universe® InfoDump Number 106 : 2015 PUBLICATION SCHEDULE |url=https://korval.com/2015/01/08/liaden-universe-infodump-number-106/ |publisher=Korval.com |department=Welcome to Liad: Clan Korval's Home on the Web}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=5 October 2014 |title=2015 Liaden Universe® and Other Releases |url=http://korval.com/2015-liaden-universe-and-other-releases/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723231840/http://korval.com/2015-liaden-universe-and-other-releases/ |archive-date=23 July 2015 |access-date=23 July 2015 |website=Welcome to Liad: Clan Korval's Home on the Web |publisher=Korval.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Sharon Lee & Steve Miller |date=2 June 2015 |title=Dragon in Exile |url=https://www.baen.com/dragon-in-exile.html |access-date=23 July 2015 |publisher=Baen Books}}</ref> Additional novels are planned, and all novels are available as e-books.


==Books in the series== ==Books in the series==
===Novels=== ===Novels===
<!-- Everything except Fledgling could use some minimal exposition. Also cover imagery -->


====Timeline chart==== ====Timeline chart====
{| class="wikitable" style="border: thin solid #999; padding: 0px; width:100%; background-color:white; text-align:center;" {| class="wikitable" style="border: thin solid #999; padding: 0px; width:100%; background-color:white; text-align:center;"
|+ '''Liaden Universe Novels & Main Characters Timeline''' |+ '''Liaden Universe Novels & Main Characters Timeline'''
(Remainder of wikitext for this section unchanged)
|-
! style="color: #FFF; background-color: #F00; width:15%;" | Cantra and Jela
! style="color: #FFF; background-color: #F93; width:15%;" | Jethri Gobelyn
! style="background-color: #FFC; width:30%;" | Clan Korval
! style="background-color: #6F0; width:20%;" | Theo Waitley
! style="background-color: #9FF; width:20%;" | The Kompani
|-
| style="color: #FFF;background-color: #F00" | ''Crystal Soldier''
| rowspan = 2 |
| rowspan = 7 |
| rowspan = 15 |
| rowspan = 17 |
|-
| style="color: #FFF;background-color: #F00" | ''Crystal Dragon''
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | <small>Many years pass</small>
|-
| rowspan=24 | <!-- empty Cantra col -->
| style="color: #FFF;background-color: #F93" | ''Balance of Trade''
|-
| style="color: #FFF;background-color: #F93" | ''Trade Secret''
|-
| style="color: #FFF;background-color: #F93" | ''Fair Trade''
|-
| style="color: #FFF;background-color: #F93" | ''Trade Lanes''<br><small>(Forthcoming)</small>
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | <small>Many years pass</small>
|-
| rowspan=19 | <!-- empty Jethri col -->
| style="background-color: #FFC" | ''Local Custom''<br><small>(Anne & Er Thom)</small>
|-
| style="background-color: #FFC" | ''Scouts Progress''<br><small>(Aelliana & Daav)</small>
|-
| style="background-color: #FFC" | ''Mouse &amp; Dragon''<br><small>(Aelliana & Daav)</small>
|-
| <small>Roughly 20 years pass</small>
|-
| style="background-color: #FFC" | ''Conflict of Honors''<br><small>(Priscilla & Shan)</small>
|-
| style="background-color: #FFC" | ''Agent of Change''<br><small>(Val Con & Miri)</small>
|-
| style="background-color: #FFC" | ''Carpe Diem''<br><small>(Val Con & Miri)</small>
|-
| style="background-color: #FFC" | ''Plan B ''<br><small>(Val Con & Miri; Shan)</small>
| style="background-color: #6F0" | ''Fledgling''
|-
| style="background-color: #FFC" | ''I Dare''<br><small>(Pat Rin & Natesa; Ren Zel &amp;</small> <small>Anthora)</small>
| style="background-color: #6F0" | ''Saltation''
|-
| colspan="2" style="background-color: #CFF" | ''Ghost Ship''<br><small>(Theo Waitley)</small>
| style="background-color: pink" | ''Necessity's Child''<br><small>(The Bedel; Nova &amp;</small> <small>Syl Vor)</small>
|-
| colspan="2" style="background-color: #CFF" | ''Dragon Ship''<br><small>(Theo Waitley, ''Bechimo'' & crew)</small>
| <!-- empty Kompani cell -->
|-
| style="background-color: #CFF" | ''Dragon in Exile''
| rowspan="2" style="background-color: #6F0" | ''The Gathering Edge''
| style="background-color: #CFF" | ''Dragon in Exile''
|-
| style="background-color: #EEE" | ''Alliance of Equals''
| rowspan="2" | <!-- empty Kompani cell -->
|-
| colspan="2" style="background-color: #CFF" | ''Neogenesis''
|-
| colspan="3" style="background-color: #CFF" | ''Accepting the Lance''
|-
| style="background-color: #EEE" | ''Trader's Leap''<br><small>(Padi; Priscilla & Shan)</small>
| <!-- empty Theo cell -->
| rowspan="4" | <!-- empty Kompani cell -->
|-
| colspan="2" style="background-color: #CFF" | ''Salvage Right''
|-
| style="background-color: #EEE" | ''Ribbon Dance''<br><small>(Padi; Priscilla & Shan) </small>
| rowspan="2" | <!-- empty Theo cell -->
|-
| style="background-color: #EEE" | ''Diviner's Bow'' <br><small>(Forthcoming)</small>
|}

'''Chart Notes''':
* Time flows down the chart, so events in those novels on the same horizontal level are happening (roughly) concurrently
* Columns represent main characters and/or clans
* Color Key
** Red = ] Universe
** Orange = Trade Areas of Terran and Liaden space
** Yellow = primarily Liaden Space (with primary characters shown in parentheses)
** Green = Theo's home world (Delgado), first journey, Anlingdin Piloting Academy, and beyond
** Pink = Planet Surebleak
** Blue = Planet Surebleak and wide-ranging space faring & trading
** Gray = Trading, space faring, and A.I. mentoring

'''Novels listed in the order of the timeline of the Liaden universe.'''

====The Great Migration Duology====
These two novels comprise the origin story of the Liaden universe and introduce Cantra and Jela.
* ''Crystal Soldier'' (February 2005, {{ISBN|1-59222-083-5}})
* ''Crystal Dragon'' (February 2006, {{ISBN|1-59222-087-8}})

====Liaden novels featuring Jethri Gobelyn====
These stories of merchants and intrigue take place between "The Great Migration" and "Agent of Change" sequences.
* ''Balance of Trade'' (2004, {{ISBN|1-59222-020-7}}, winner of the ] for best Young Adult Science Fiction novel of 2004)
* ''Trade Secret'', a sequel to ''Balance of Trade'', was published by Baen in hardcover in November 2013 ({{ISBN|9781451639292}}).
* ''Fair Trade'', a sequel to ''Trade Secret'', was published by Baen in hardcover in May 2022. Ends with a cliffhanger. So ... ({{ISBN|9781982126087}}).
* Due to the death of Steven Miller additional books in the series may following, with the next being ''Trade Lanes'' (see ]).

====The "Agent of Change" sequence====
This is the mainline for stories in the Liaden universe. In the later novels the "Theo Waitley" story timeline becomes coincident with the "Clan Korval" and "Surebleak" timelines. See notes below tables.

<!--Nested tables for horizontal newspaper columns -->
{| class="wikitable" style="border: 1px dotted gray; margin-top:0;"
|-
| style="border: none; vertical-align: top;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em;"
|-
! Internal order
|-
| ''Local Custom''<ref>{{cite book |author1=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=Local Custom: Chapter One |publisher=Baen Books |isbn=978-1-58787-063-7 |edition=Baen ebook, February 2007 |url=https://www.baen.com/Chapters/1587870630/1587870630.htm |access-date=19 May 2019}}</ref>
|-
| ''Scout's Progress''<ref>{{cite book |author=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=Scout's Progress: Chapter One |date=15 March 2007 |publisher=Baen Books |isbn=978-1-58787-065-1 |edition=Baen Ebook, February 2007 |url=http://www.baen.com/Chapters/1587870657/1587870657.htm |access-date=19 May 2019|quote=All of her life, Aelliana Caylon has lived by the rules of her overbearing brother, the head of the Caylon family. Though she is a brilliant mathematician, he has convinced her that she has no worth beyond what value she might have in an arranged marriage.}}</ref>
|-
| ''Mouse and Dragon''<ref>{{cite book |author1=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=Mouse and Dragon: Chapter One |date=1 June 2010 |publisher=Baen Books |isbn=978-14391-3381-1 |edition=Hardcover 1st |url=http://www.baen.com/Chapters/1439133816/1439133816.htm |access-date=19 May 2019}}</ref>
|-
| ''Conflict of Honors''
|-
| ''Agent of Change''
|-
| ''Carpe Diem''
|-
| ''Plan B''
|-
| ''I Dare''
|-
| ''Ghost Ship''
|-
| ''Dragon Ship''
|-
| ''Dragon in Exile''
|-
| ''Alliance of Equals''
|-
| ''The Gathering Edge''
|-
| ''Neogenesis''
|-
| ''Accepting the Lance''
|-
| ''Trader's Leap''
|}
| style="border: none; vertical-align: top;" |
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em;"
|-
! colspan=3 | Publication order
|-
| style="width:130px;"| ''Agent of Change'' || Feb. 1988, {{ISBN|0-345-34828-1}} (Del Rey) || Oct. 2002 {{ISBN|978-0-4410-0991-6}} (Ace)
|-
| ''Conflict of Honors'' || Jun. 1988, {{ISBN|0-345-35353-6}} (Del Rey)
|| July 2002, {{ISBN|0-441-00964-6}} (Ace)
|-
| ''Carpe Diem'' || Oct. 1989, {{ISBN|0-345-36310-8}} (Del Rey) || Jan. 2003 {{ISBN|0-441-01022-9}} (Ace)
|-
| ''Plan B'' || Feb. 1999, {{ISBN|1-892065-09-6}} & {{ISBN|978-1-8920-6509-4}} hc<br /> July 2007 {{ISBN|978-1-8920-6500-1}} & {{ISBN|1-892065-00-2}} tpb <br />(Meisha Merlin)
| April 2003 {{ISBN|0-441-01053-9}} (Ace)
|-
| ''Local Custom''
| rowspan=2 | Included in ''Pilots Choice'' (Meisha Merlin) <br />hc Feb. 2001 {{ISBN|978-1-8920-6511-7}}<br />tpb Nov. 2004 {{ISBN|978-1-8920-6502-5}}
|| Jan. 2002, {{ISBN|0-441-00911-5}} (Ace)
|-
| ''Scout's Progress''
|| Apr. 2002, {{ISBN|0-441-00927-1}} (Ace)
|-
| ''I Dare'' || Feb. 2002, {{ISBN|1-892065-12-6}} hc<ref>{{cite web |title=hardcover edition was announced but not seen |url=http://www.locusmag.com/index/yr2002/b30.htm#A947.3 |publisher=Locus|website=The Locus Index to Science Fiction: 2002}}</ref> &amp;<br> {{ISBN|1-892065-03-7}} tpb (Meisha Merlin) || July 2003 {{ISBN|0-441-01085-7}} (Ace)
|-
| ''Mouse & Dragon'' || June 2010, {{ISBN|978-1-4516-3759-5}} (Baen)<ref name="clickable">{{cite web|title=Lee and Miller handy clickable catalog of books|date=19 April 2014|url=http://korval.com/lee-and-miller-handy-clickable-catalog-of-books/|access-date=13 February 2016}}</ref> ||
|-
| ''Ghost Ship'' || Aug. 2011, {{ISBN|978-1-4391-3455-9}} (Baen) ||
|-
| ''Dragon Ship'' || Sep. 2012, {{ISBN|978-1-4516-3798-4}} (Baen) ||
|-
| ''Dragon in Exile'' || June 2015, {{ISBN|978-1-4767-8071-9}} (Baen) ||
|-
| ''Alliance of Equals'' || July 2016, {{ISBN|978-1-4767-8148-8}} (Baen) ||
|-
| ''The Gathering Edge'' || May 2017, {{ISBN|978-1-4767-8218-8}} (Baen)<ref name="Some days I feel like my shadow's casting me">{{cite web |author1=Sharon Lee |title=Some days I feel like my shadows casting me |url=http://sharonleewriter.com/2016/05/some-days-i-feel-like-my-shadows-casting-me/ |website=News from Maine, the Liaden Universe® and Points Between|date=23 May 2016}}</ref> || e{{ISBN|978-1-62579-577-9}} Baen eBook
|-
| ''Neogenesis'' || Jan. 2018, {{ISBN|978-1-4814-8278-3}} (Baen)<ref>{{cite web |author1=Sharon Lee |title=NEOGENESIS Official Release Day |url=https://sharonleewriter.com/2018/01/neogenesis-official-release-day/ |website=News from Maine, the Liaden Universe® and Points Between|date=2 January 2018}}</ref>|| e{{ISBN|978-1-62579-622-6}} Baen eBook
|-
| ''Accepting the Lance'' || Dec. 2019, {{ISBN|978-1-9821-2421-2}} (Baen)<ref>{{cite web |author1=Sharon Lee |title=Hey, do you know what tomorrow is? |url=https://korval.com/2019/12/02/hey-do-you-know-what-tomorrow-is/ |website=Welcome to Liad: Clan Korval's Home on the Web|date=2 December 2019}}</ref>|| e{{ISBN|978-1-62579-745-2}} Baen eBook
|-
| ''Trader's Leap'' || Dec. 2020, {{ISBN|978-1-9821-2501-1}} (Baen)<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1164825142 |title=Trader's Leap (Liaden Universe®, #23) by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |publisher=OCLC |date= |oclc=1164825142 |access-date=2020-11-18}}</ref>||

|}
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan=3 | Liaden novels featuring Theo Waitley
|-
| ''Fledgling'' || Baen Books (September 2009) {{ISBN|1-4391-3287-9}} || Introduction to Theo Waitley, school girl, who finds her unique qualities during off world travel, with the help of Liaden Scouts.
|-
| ''Saltation'' || Baen Books (April 2010) {{ISBN|978-1439134528}} || Theo attends pilot academy sponsored by a Scout and, despite opposition, becomes a working Pilot with the help of allies.
|-
| ''Ghost Ship'' || Baen Books (August 2011 ) {{ISBN|978-14391-3455-9}}|| Theo's adventures as a courier for Uncle, then with ''Bechimo'' she contracts for a trade loop with Korval, now installed on Surebleak.
|-
| ''Dragon Ship'' || Baen Books (September 2012) {{ISBN|978-1451637984}} || Further adventures as Theo pilots ''Bechimo'' under contract to Korval. The Clan deal with Surebleak and the Department of Interior.
|-
| ''The Gathering Edge'' || Baen Books (May 2017) {{ISBN|978-1-4767-8218-8}}|| All Theo, all the time, which makes ''Edge'' the direct sequel to ''Dragon Ship'', with the action taking place concurrently with that described in ''Dragon in Exile'' and ''Alliance of Equals''.<ref name="Some days I feel like my shadow's casting me" />
|-
| ''Neogenesis'' || Baen Books (Jan 2018) {{ISBN|978-1-4814-8278-3}} || Pulls together most of the loose threads from earlier novels, including Clan Korval, Surebleak, and Theo threads.
|-
| ''Accepting the Lance'' || Baen Books (Dec 2019) {{ISBN|978-1-9821-2421-2}} || Follows on from Neogenesis.
|}

====Notes on novels====
* ''Fledgling'' (2007), a 31-chapter serialized novel, was first seen in draft form on the authors' website, with chapters released weekly from January 2007 through October 2007. ''Fledgling'' introduces Theo Waitley and gives some of the background to her unexpected arrival at the end of ''I Dare''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fledgling...A Liaden Universe® Adventure |url=http://www.korval.com/fledgling/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061209000338/http://www.korval.com/fledgling/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2006-12-09 |website=Welcome to Liad: Clan Korval's Home on the Web}}</ref> The revised version ''Fledgling (2009)'' was published in hardcover by Baen Books (September 2009 {{ISBN|1-4391-3287-9}}). The original pre-revision ''Fledgling'' can be downloaded for free from both Amazon <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Fledgling-Liaden-Universe-Book-12-ebook/dp/B00APAELRI/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1480990824&sr=1-4&keywords=fledgling|title=Fledgling|last1=Sharon Lee & Steve Miller|date=1 September 2009|publisher=Baen Books|access-date=11 February 2018|via=Amazon}}</ref> and the Baen Free Library.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baen.com/fledgling.html|title=Fledgling|last1=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller|publisher=Baen Books|access-date=11 February 2018}}</ref>
* ''Saltation'' (draft complete, January 2009), the sequel to ''Fledgling'', a weekly serial novel on the authors' website. Publication began on Monday, 21 January 2008.<ref>{{cite web |title=Been missing Theo Waitley? |url=http://www.korval.com/saltation/Theoconnect.html |website=Welcome to Liad: Clan Korval's Home on the Web |access-date=20 January 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080116135747/http://www.korval.com/saltation/Theoconnect.html |archive-date=16 January 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> A revised version was released in hardcover by Baen Books in April 2010 {{ISBN|1-4391-3345-X}}.
* ''Ghost Ship'', the sequel to ''Saltation'', was published by Baen Books on 2 August 2011.<ref>{{cite web|author=Sharon Lee|url=https://rolanni.dreamwidth.org/594619.html|title=Liaden Universe® InfoDump No. 84|website=Eagles Over the Kennebec|date=27 September 2010|access-date=25 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120907162354/http://rolanni.livejournal.com/599894.html|archive-date=7 September 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> A synopsis of ''Ghost Ship'' was published in September 2010.<ref>{{cite web|author=Steve Miller|url=https://kinzel.dreamwidth.org/286532.html|website=Journeyman|title=Here, as requested by many, more information about Ghost Ship|date=17 September 2010|access-date=26 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105091514/http://kinzel.livejournal.com/287244.html|archive-date=5 November 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>'' Ghost Ship'''s first draft was completed in late August 2010,<ref>{{cite web|author=Sharon Lee|url=https://rolanni.dreamwidth.org/589060.html|website=Eagles Over the Kennebec|title=The author declares a draft|date=29 August 2010|access-date=25 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313063638/http://rolanni.livejournal.com/594467.html|archive-date=13 March 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> and was published in hardcover {{ISBN|978-14391-3455-9}} by Baen in August 2011, and paperback {{ISBN|978-14516-3792-2}} in July 2012
* ''Dragon Ship'', the sequel to ''Ghost Ship'', was published in hardcover by Baen Books on 4 September 2012. {{ISBN|978-1451637984}}.
* ''Necessity's Child'', which occurs on Surebleak at the same time as ''Ghost Ship'', was published by Baen in hardcover in Feb. 2013.
* ''Dragon in Exile'', was published in hardcover (2 June 2015)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://korval.com/2015/06/12/dragon-in-exile-loose-upon-the-world-a-bestseller/|title=Dragon in Exile loose upon the world, a bestseller|website=Welcome to Liad: Clan Korval's Home on the Web|date=12 June 2015}}</ref> and e-book (15 May 2015)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://korval.com/2015/05/17/dragon-in-exile-as-an-ebook-and-other-news/|title=Dragon in Exile as an eBook, and other news|website=Welcome to Liad: Clan Korval's Home on the Web|date=17 May 2015}}</ref> by Baen Books in May 2015. {{ISBN|978-1-4767-8071-9}}.

====Thirtieth Anniversary Editions====
The (30th) Anniversary edition of the first Liaden Universe novel, ''Agent of Change'', was published in November 2018 as a mass market paperback.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=Agent of Change |date=30 October 2018 |publisher=Baen |isbn=978-1481483643|oclc=1059450515 |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1059450515}}</ref>

The (30th) Anniversary edition of the second Liaden Universe novel, ''Conflict of Honors'', was published in October 2019 as a mass market paperback.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=Conflict of Honors |date=29 October 2019|publisher=Baen |isbn=978-1982124205 |oclc=1085202704 |edition=30th Anniversary|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1085202704}}</ref>

The (30th) Anniversary edition of the third Liaden Universe novel, ''Carpe Diem'', was published in November 2020 as a mass market paperback.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=Carpe Diem |date=25 February 2020 |publisher=Baen |isbn=978-1982124441 |oclc=1129667612 |edition=30th Anniversary |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1129667612}}</ref>

====Forthcoming====
The latest book to be published was the Clan Korval/Redlands novel ''Ribbon Dance'', a direct sequel to ''Trader's Leap''. It was published in June 2024. ''Diviner's Bow'', a direct sequel to ''Ribbon Dance'' is expected in April 2025.<ref>{{cite web| author=Sharon Lee | title=Diviner's Bow available for preorder | date=June 2024|website=Sharon Lee Writer|url=https://sharonleewriter.com/2024/06/diviners-bow-available-for-preorder/}}</ref>

Following ''Fair Trade'' there may be a fourth Jethri Gobelyn novel (''Trade Lanes'') <ref name="InfoDump Number 135">{{cite web |author=Sharon Lee |url=https://korval.com/latest-liaden-universe-infodumps/|title=Liaden Universe® InfoDump Number 135|website=Welcome to Liad|date=February 2024}}</ref>

====Omnibus volumes====
=====Pre-Baen=====
* ''Partners in Necessity'' (Feb. 2000, {{ISBN|978-1-8920-6510-0}} hardcover, {{ISBN|978-1-8920-6501-8}} trade paperback)
** Contains ''Conflict of Honors'', ''Agent of Change'', and ''Carpe Diem''
* ''Pilots Choice'' (Feb. 2001, {{ISBN|978-1-8920-6511-7}} hardcover; November 2004, {{ISBN|978-1-8920-6502-5}} trade paperback)
** Contains ''Local Custom'' and ''Scout's Progress''

=====Baen e-book only=====
These were released immediately upon Lee & Miller coming to Baen in the wake of Meisha Merlin's dissolution, to bring the e-books back into print and begin earning royalties for Lee & Miller (who had not been paid by Meisha Merlin) right away. For new readers, the subsequent Baen omnibus editions (below) provide the same books at a lower cost.
* ''Korval's Legacy Collection'' (Baen ebook bundle)
** Contains ''Conflict of Honors'', ''Agent of Change'', ''Carpe Diem'', ''Plan B'', and ''Local Custom''
* ''Phase Change Collection'' (Baen ebook bundle)
** Contains ''Scout's Progress'', ''I Dare'', ''Crystal Soldier'', ''Crystal Dragon'', and ''Balance of Trade''

'''Additionally''', ''Agent of Change'' and ''Fledgling'' are available at no cost in the

=====Baen print and e-book=====
* ''The Dragon Variation'' (Jun. 2010, {{ISBN|1-4391-3369-7}} trade paperback)
** Contains ''Local Custom'', ''Scout's Progress'', and ''Conflict of Honors''
* ''The Agent Gambit'' (Jan. 2011, {{ISBN|1-4391-3407-3}} trade paperback)
** Contains ''Agent of Change'' and ''Carpe Diem''
* ''Korval's Game'' (May 2011, {{ISBN|1-4391-3439-1}} trade paperback)
** Contains ''Plan B'' and ''I Dare''
* ''The Crystal Variation'' (Sep. 2011, {{ISBN|978-1-4391-3463-4}} trade paperback)
** Contains ''Crystal Soldier'', ''Crystal Dragon'', and ''Balance of Trade''

'''Audiobooks'''

A number of novels have currently available audio-book editions
* ''Accepting the Lance''
* ''The Tomorrow Log''
* ''Neogenesis''
* ''The Gathering Edge''
* ''Alliance of Equals''
* ''Dragon Ship''
* ''Necessity's Child''
* ''Ghost Ship''
* ''Saltation''
* ''Fledgling''
* ''Mouse & Dragon''
* ''Scout's Progress''
* ''Local Custom''
* ''Balance of Trade''
* ''Crystal Soldier''
* ''Dragon in Exile''
* ''I Dare''
* ''Plan B''
* ''Carpe Diem''
* ''Conflict of Honors''
* ''Crystal Dragon''
* ''Agent of Change''

===Short stories===
These also include stories about Lute and Moonhawk, the earlier ]s of two major characters in the books. Some short stories also are being made available for free either in the or at .

==== Current collections ====
On 2 April 2012, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller announced<ref>{{cite web |url=https://rolanni.dreamwidth.org//2012/04/02/ |title=Potpourri and Publishing News Monday, April 2nd, 2012 10:42 am|website=Eagles Over the Kennebec|last1=Sharon Lee|publisher=rolanni.dreamwidth.org|date=2 April 2012 |access-date=25 February 2019}}</ref> that Baen had purchased publication rights for the contents of Chapbooks #1 through #17 (''Two Tales of Korval'' through ''Skyblaze''), and they would be reissued in two volumes. The first, ''Liaden Universe Constellation Volume I'' was published by Baen for July 2013 in trade paperback (tpb) and ebook formats. The second volume was published by Baen in January 2014. The third volume was published by Baen in August 2015. The fourth volume was published by Baen in June 2019.

Baen has collected the chapbooks and other short stories in five volumes:

# ''A Liaden Universe Constellation Volume 1'' (2013, {{ISBN|978-1-4516-3923-0}} trade paperback, {{ISBN|978-1-62579-136-8}} eBook)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baen.com/a-liaden-universe-constellation.html|title=A Liaden Universe Constellation|last1=Sharon Lee & Steve Miller|publisher=Baen Books |date=15 July 2013|access-date=15 February 2016}}</ref>
# ''A Liaden Universe Constellation Volume 2'' (2014, {{ISBN|978-1-4516-3944-5}} trade paperback, {{ISBN|978-1-62579-222-8}} eBook)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baen.com/a-liaden-universe-constellation-volume-2.html |title=A Liaden Universe Constellation Volume 2|last1=Sharon Lee & Steve Miller |publisher=Baen Books |date=7 January 2014 |access-date=15 February 2016}}</ref>
# ''A Liaden Universe Constellation Volume 3'' (2015, {{ISBN|978-1-47678-068-9}} trade paperback, {{ISBN|978-1-62579-717-9}} eBook)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baen.com/a-liaden-universe-constellation-volume-3.html |title=A Liaden Universe Constellation Volume 3|last1=Sharon Lee & Steve Miller|publisher=Baen Books |date=8 April 2015 |access-date=15 February 2016}}</ref>
# ''A Liaden Universe Constellation Volume 4'' (4 June 2019, {{ISBN|978-1-4814-8404-6}} trade paperback, {{ISBN|978-1-4814-8404-6}} eBook)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baen.com/liaden-universe-constellation-volume-4.html |title=A Liaden Universe Constellation Volume 4|last1=Sharon Lee & Steve Miller|publisher=Baen Books |date=4 June 2019 |access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Sharon Lee & Steve Miller |title=Coming — and here now — in 2019 |url=https://korval.com/2019/01/05/coming-and-here-now-in-2019/ |website=Welcome to Liad: Clan Korval's Home on the Web |date=5 January 2019}}</ref>
# ''A Liaden Universe Constellation Volume 5'' (1 February 2022, {{ISBN|978-1-982125-90-5}} trade paperback, {{ISBN|978-1-62579-853-4}} eBook)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baen.com/liaden-universe-constellation-5.html|title= A Liaden Universe Constellation, Volume 5 |publisher= Baen ebooks|access-date=2022-03-13}}</ref>

==== Out of print collections ====
The chapbooks have been collected in two compilations:

# ''Liaden Universe Companion Volume One'' (2005, {{ISBN|0-9722473-8-6}} hardcover, {{ISBN|0-9722473-9-4}} trade paperback)
# ''Liaden Universe Companion Volume Two'' (2007, {{ISBN|978-0-9776639-5-8}} hardcover, {{ISBN|978-0-9776639-6-5}} soft cover<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070330220449/http://www.korval.com/orderluc2.htm|date=30 March 2007}}</ref>)

These stories are also being published by Baen ] as the Liaden Universe Big Bang<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130627070850/http://www.baenebooks.com/p-698-liaden-universe-big-bang.aspx|date=27 June 2013}}</ref> consisting of ''Liaden Unibus I'' and ''Liaden Unibus II''. This includes the first 12 Liaden Universe chapbooks. It does not include the chapbook ''Calamity's Child'' (containing Liaden story ''Sweet Waters'' and non-Liaden ''A Night At the Opera''), or the non-Liaden chapbooks ''The Naming of Kinzel'' and ''Master Walk''.

Selected chapbooks are now being published by SRM Publisher (using the imprint Pinbeam Books) in the Amazon Kindle, Angus & Robertson, Apple, Baen, Barnes and Noble Nook, Google Play, Indigo, Rakuten Kobo, Scribd, Mondadori and Thalia ebook stores. In all these stores, they are sold without DRM. See below for availability.

=== Table of Liaden Universe short stories and novelettes ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-top:0;"
|+ style="font-size: medium" |
Summaries, first publication and chapbook, and collections.
! style="width:20%;"| Title
! Summary
! Published<ref>eBooks available from one or more of Amazon/Kindle, Angus & Robertson, Apple, Baen, Baker & Taylor, BN/Nook, Bibliotheca, Google, Kobo, Overdrive, Playster, Scribd, Tolino, 24Symbols</ref> in
! Baen Liaden Universe Constellation
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| To Cut an Edge
|| Val Con meets Edger.
|rowspan="2" | ''Two Tales of Korval'' (#1){{efn-ur|name=uni1}}{{efn-lr|name=luc1}}
|rowspan="11" style="background: #f5f5ff; text-align: center" | Volume 1
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| A Day at the Races
|| Shan and Val Con outrage Aunt Kareen.
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Where the Goddess Sends
|| The first tale of Lute and Moonhawk.
|rowspan="3"| ''Fellow Travellers'' (#2){{efn-ur|name=uni1}}{{efn-lr|name=luc1}}
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| A Spell for the Lost
|| The second tale of Lute and Moonhawk.
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Moonphase
|| The 55th tale of Lute and Moonhawk.
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Pilot of Korval
|| Daav and Er Thom must take up their responsibilities.
|rowspan="2"| ''Duty Bound'' (#3){{efn-ur|name=uni1}}{{efn-lr|name=luc1}}
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Breath's Duty
|| Daav must take up a painful task
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| The Wine of Memory
|| Lute and Moonhawk must save one of his oldest friends.
|rowspan="2"| ''Certain Symmetry'' (#4){{efn-ur|name=uni1}}{{efn-lr|name=luc1}}
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Certain Symmetry
|| Pat Rin must execute a friend's will—at considerable risk to himself.
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Balance of Trade
|| (expanded into the novel of the same name)
|rowspan="2"| ''Trading in Futures'' (#5){{efn-ur|name=uni1}}{{efn-lr|name=luc1}}
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| A Choice of Weapons
|| Daav has a bad time at a party.
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| The King of the Cats
|| (non-canon, cross-over with other stories by Steve Miller)
|| ''The Cat's Job''{{efn-lr|name=luc1}}
| style="text-align: center; background: #f5fffa" | Volume 3
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Changeling
|| How Ren Zel became a pilot and what befell him thereafter.
|| '']'' #14 and ''Changeling'' (#6){{efn-ur|name=uni1}}{{efn-lr|name=luc2}}
|rowspan="5" style="background: #f5f5ff; text-align: center" | Volume 1
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| A Matter of Dreams
|| The oft-disappointed crew of an itinerant spaceship find that magic and dreams can come face to face with the reality of money and power—and that power abhors an honest confrontation; meanwhile the young Moonhawk begins her spiral of trouble...
|rowspan="2"| ''Loose Cannon'' (#7){{efn-ur|name=uni2}}{{efn-lr|name=luc2}}
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Phoenix
|| Artists and the abandoned must struggle to survive in the impoverished outskirts of Liad's greatest spaceport.
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Heirloom
|| Pat Rin must play a perfect game—without rules.
|rowspan="2"| ''Shadows and Shades'' (#8){{efn-ur|name=uni2}}{{efn-lr|name=luc2}}
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Naratha's Shadow
|| A Scout must control an ancient artifact.
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Quiet Knives
|| The tale of Captain Rolanni (mentioned in ''Carpe Diem''), called upon to answer a promise she made years and worlds ago.
|rowspan="2"| ''Quiet Knives'' (#9){{efn-ur|name=uni2}}{{efn-lr|name=luc2}}
|rowspan="4" style="text-align: center; background: #faf5ff" | Volume 2
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Veil of the Dancer
|| The story of a brilliant young girl, her doting father, and the gift that proved to be so much more informative—and dangerous—than either of them had anticipated
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Lord of the Dance
|| Pat Rin hosts a dance on Surebleak for his subjects as Boss and his Korval family, with surprises in store for everyone—not least of all, Pat Rin himself.
|rowspan="2"| ''With Stars Underfoot'' (#10){{efn-ur|name=uni2}}{{efn-lr|name=luc2}}
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| This House
|| A retired Healer is presented with his most challenging case: a young lady who only he might be able to help—who also happens to be his ex-lover's new lover.
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Sweet Waters
|| A Liaden Scout is stranded when his ship breaks down.
|| ''Calamity's Child''{{efn-lr|name=luc2}}
| style="text-align: center; background: #f5f5ff" | Volume 1
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| The Beggar King
|| Young Daav yos'Phelium and a Juntavas boss work together to solve a mystery of disappearing pilots in the Low Port.
|rowspan="2"| ''Necessary Evils'' (#11){{efn-ur|name=uni2}}
|rowspan="12" style="text-align: center; background: #faf5ff" | Volume 2
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Necessary Evils
|| In the time of the ''Crystal Soldier''/''Crystal Dragon'' prequels, a meeting between an enslaved scientist and genetically engineered indentured workers may mean freedom for both.
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Prodigal Son
|| Val Con returns to Vandar, the primitive world where he and Miri lived for a while, to tidy up one last loose end with the Department of the Interior. Set during, and partly incorporated into, ''Ghost Ship''.
|rowspan="2"| ''Allies'' (#12){{efn-ur|name=uni2}}
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Fighting Chance
|| The story of the young Miri Robertson's last days on Surebleak.
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Daughter of Dragons
|| A tale of some of Lady Kareen yos'Phelium's struggles during the inception of Plan B.
|rowspan="2"| ''Dragon Tide'' (#13)
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Dragon Tide
|| Set in the pre-Korval ''Crystal Soldier''/''Crystal Dragon'' universe.
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Persistence
| Occurs between Pat Rin having the ring from the Dept. of Interior and his arrival on Surebleak.
|rowspan="2"| ''Eidolon'' (#14)
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Shadow Partner
|| Occurs just before "A Day at the Races".
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Misfits
| The Story of the Weatherman and What Became of Him.
| ''Misfits'' (#15)
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Hidden Resources
| Occurs at Korval's hidey-hole for the children and elders during the first part of ''Ghost Ship''.
|rowspan="2"| ''Halfling Moon'' (#16)
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Moon on the Hills
|| Occurs on Surebleak during the first part of ''Ghost Ship''.
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Skyblaze
| A taxi driver with interesting past ties to Korval finds a new future on Korval-dominated Surebleak.
| ''Skyblaze'' (#17)
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Kin Ties <!-- <ref>{{cite web |author1=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=Kin Ties |url=http://splinteruniverse.com/?page_id=157 |website=Splinter Universe |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110914055951/http://splinteruniverse.com/?page_id=157 |archive-date=14 September 2011}}</ref> -->
| What happens when the last of Clan Jabun meets Ren Zel?
| rowspan="2" | ''Courier Run'' (#18)
| rowspan="7" style="text-align: center; background: #f5fffa" | Volume 3
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Guaranteed Delivery
| The ''Ride the Luck'' makes a special delivery.
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Intelligent Design
| Where did Val Con and Shan find Jeeves?
| rowspan="2 | ''Legacy Systems'' (#19)
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| The Space at Tinsori Light
| After a jump gone wrong, a pilot of Clan Korval finds himself at a most unusual aid station in the middle of nowhere...literally.
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Moon's Honor
| As a faction of renegade priestesses seeks to circumvent the Dyan City High Priestess to outlaw "hedge magicians", Moonhawk meets Lute for the first time.
| ''Moon's Honor'' (#20)
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Landed Alien<ref>{{cite web |author=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=Landed Alien |url=https://www.baen.com/landedalien |publisher=Baen Books}}</ref>
| Kara ven'Arith finds life after graduation from Eylot Pilot Academy complicated.
| rowspan="2" | www.baen.com and ''Technical Details'' (#21)
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Eleutherios<ref>{{cite web |author=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=Eleutherios |url=https://www.baen.com/eleutherios |publisher=Baen Books}}</ref>
|| The friars at a down-and-out abbey are taken in hand by an unlikely savior.
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Chimera<ref>{{cite web |author1=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=Chimera |url=https://www.baen.com/chimera |publisher=Baen Books}}</ref>
| rowspan="2" | Two novelettes set on Surebleak after it has been invaded and conquered by Pat Rin yos'Phelium Clan Korval.
| rowspan="2" | ''Sleeping with the Enemy'' (#22)
| rowspan="1" style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9;" | No
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Friend of a Friend
| rowspan="2" style="text-align: center; background: #faf5fa;" | Volume 4
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Street Cred
|rowspan="2" | Two stories dealing with the complications arising from decisive change, and decisive Change Management at the point of peril. "Wise Child," reprinted from Baen.com.
|rowspan="2" | ''Change Management'' (#23)
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Wise Child<ref name="Wise Child">{{cite web |author1=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=Wise Child |url=https://www.baen.com/wisechild |publisher=Baen Books}}</ref> || style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9;" | No
|- style="background: #faf5ff;"
| Due Diligence
| Cornered in a cheap bar by a too-knowledgeable stranger with an unlikely offer, Fer Gun realized having no money and no license might be the least of his troubles.
| ''Due Diligence'' (#24)
|style="background: #faf5fa; text-align: center" | Volume 4
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Out of True<ref>{{cite web |author=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=Out of True |url=https://www.baen.com/outoftrue |publisher=Baen Books}}</ref>
| In the time of ''Balance of Trade'', an itinerant freighter crew discovers that norbears can be good company.
| www.baen.com and ''Cultivar'' (#25)
|rowspan="4" style="text-align: center; background: #f5fffa" | Volume 3
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| The Rifle's First Wife<!-- <ref>{{cite web |last1=Sharon Lee & Steve Miller |title=The Rifle's First Wife |url=http://splinteruniverse.com/?page_id=673 |website=Splinter Universe |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150215182703/http://splinteruniverse.com/?page_id=673 |archive-date=15 February 2015}}</ref> -->
| Former Yxtrang soldier Diglon Rifle and Scout Alara chel'Voyon discover that sometimes two problems solve each other.
| ''Splinter Universe'' and ''Cultivar'' (#25)
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Roving Gambler
|| Quin yos'Phelium makes a new friend.
| rowspan="2" | ''Splinter Universe'' and ''Heirs to Trouble'' (#26)
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Code of Honor
|| When a young mercenary soldier is recalled home to Liad, he finds he must choose between the honor of the mercs and the honor of his Clan.
|- style="background: #f5fffa;"
| Degrees of Separation
| Here is small tale of Lives in progress, plans made and altered—and altered again. A tale of bread, and Luck, and Love...and Lowport.
| ''Degrees of Separation'' (#27) and ''Bread Alone'' (#34)
| rowspan="5" style="background: #faf5fa; text-align: center" | Volume 4
|- style="background: #faf5ff;"
| Cutting Corners.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cutting Corners |url=https://www.baen.com/cuttingcorners |publisher=Baen Books|author=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller}}</ref>
| Not having a proper mechanic on-board—just one more way that the line cut corners, and saved itself, so the story went, a goodly amount of money.
| www.baen.com
|- style="background: #f5fffa;"
| Block Party<ref>{{cite web |author=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=Block Party |url=https://www.baen.com/blockparty |publisher=Bean Books}}</ref>
| A heartwarming story of orphans, neighbors, hope, and warm pastry with hot tea. Follows on from ''Degrees of Separation''.
| www.baen.com and ''Bread Alone'' (#34)
|- style="background: #faf5ff;"
| Excerpts from Two Lives
| Two people seek to restore lost glory to their nation using poorly understood old technology.
| ''Star Destroyers'' and ''Bad Actors'' (#33)
|- style="background: #f5fffa;"
| Revolutionists
| One man's insurgent is another man's freedom fighter...
| ''Razor's Edge'' and ''Bad Actors'' (#33)
|- style="background: #faf5ff;"
| Command Decision
| A Liaden story set some time before Agent of Change begins.
| ''Release the Virgins'' and ''Change State'' (#32)
|rowspan="10" style="text-align: center; background: #f5ffff;" | Volume 5
|- style="background: #f5fffa;"
| Fortune's Favors
| Mar Tyn's Luck has recently cost him his home, and his savings. He has only one thing left to gamble. And his life might not be enough.
| ''Fortune's Favors'' (#28) and ''Bread Alone'' (#34)
|- style="background: #faf5ff;"
| Opportunity to Seize
| Daav and Aelliana catch up with Kamele
| ''Fortune's Favors'' (#28)
|- style="background: #f5fffa;"
| Shout of Honor
| Commander Vepal is a Hero. He is also the Yxtrang ambassador to the greater universe. These two facts do not make Vepal's life easy. But they do make it interesting.
| ''Shout of Honor'' (#29)
|- style="background: #faf5ff";
| Dark Secrets
| A Terran-Liaden team running a small ship battle pirates, thus putting the station itself in danger.
| ''Infinite Stars: Dark Frontiers'' and ''Bad Actors'' (#33)
|- style="background: #f5fffa";
| The Gate that Locks the Tree
| ''The Gate that Locks the Tree'': A Minor Melant'i Play for Snow Season is an original novella first published in February 2020; it takes place on a snowy Surebleak and involves new as well as a number of long-known Liaden characters.
| ''The Gate that Locks the Tree'' (#30)
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| A Visit to the Galaxy Ballroom<ref>{{cite web |author=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=A Visit to the Galaxy Ballroom |url=https://www.baen.com/galaxyballroom |publisher=Bean Books}}</ref>
| Scout Lina yo'Bingim arrives on Surebleak and discovers why the Surebleak Scouts, led by Clonak ter'Meulen, have split from the Liaden Scouts.
| rowspan="2" | ''Ambient Conditions'' (#31)
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Ambient Conditions
|| Details a dark time in Liaden history, and looks at what happens when discarded people are given power, and must choose how to use it.
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Preferred Seating<ref>{{cite web |author=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=Preferred Seating |url=https://www.baen.com/preferred-seating-trader-s-leap-story |publisher=Bean Books}}</ref>
| How Can Ith yos'Phelium was lost by Korval and found Isfelm.
| www.baen.com
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Dead Men Dream
| Set in the time of Jethri Gobelyn. What is life after death, after all, if not an adventure?
| ''Change State'' (#32)
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Standing Orders
|
| ''Derelict''<ref>{{cite web |author=Sharon Lee |url=https://korval.com/2019/01/05/coming-and-here-now-in-2019/ | website=Welcome to Liad: Clan Korval's Home on the Web |title=Coming and Here Now in 2019 |date=1 May 2019 |access-date=31 December 2021}}</ref>
|style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9" | No
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Our Lady of Benevolence
| To survive, humans need air, water, a place to stand, a place to sleep, and sustenance...
| ''Bread Alone'' (#34)
|style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9" | No
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| From Every Storm a Rainbow<ref>{{cite web |author=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=From Every Storm a Rainbow |url=https://www.baen.com/every_storm_a_rainbow |publisher=Baen Books}}</ref>
| Sinit Caylon is challenged by the state of Clan Mizel.
| www.baen.com
|style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9" | No
|- style="background: #faf5ff"
| Gadreel's Folly
|
| ''Girls in Tank Tops'', forthcoming late 2022<ref>{{cite web|author=Sharon Lee |url=https://korval.com/2021/11/09/liaden-universe-infodump-number-128/ | website=Welcome to Liad: Clan Korval's Home on the Web |title=Liaden Universe Infodump Number 128 |date=9 November 2021 |access-date=30 December 2021}}</ref>
|style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9" | No
|- style="background: #f5fffa"
| Last Train To Clarksville
| forthcoming
| forthcoming
|style="text-align: center; background: #f9f9f9" | No
|}
<!-- SRM "LUC" indicates the volume of the Liaden Universe Companion where the story is collected.
Baen"CON" indicates the volume of the Liaden Universe Constellation where the story is collected.
-->

{{notelist-ur|refs=
{{efn-ur|name=uni1|Collected in Baen Liaden Unibus I}}
{{efn-ur|name=uni2|Collected in Baen Liaden Unibus II}}
}}
{{notelist-lr|refs=
{{efn-lr|name=luc1|Collected in SRM Liaden Universe Companion 1}}
{{efn-lr|name=luc2|Collected in SRM Liaden Universe Companion 2}}
}}


==Factions== ==Factions==
In addition to members of the three main divisions of the human race Terran, Liaden, and Yxtrang, there are members of non-human races that are featured, such as Clutch Turtles, Cats, Norbears, and Ssussdriads. The Liaden universe includes humans of Terran, Liaden, and Yxtrang descent, as well as non-human races such as Clutch Turtles, Cats, Norbears, and Ssussdriads (Trees).


===Liaden=== ===Liaden===
(Remainder of wikitext for this section unchanged)
Home planet "Liad". '''Liadens''' are usually shorter than the Terran norm, often with golden skin. They are deeply concerned with their ''melant'i'' which roughly corresponds to the concern with "face" for which ] are famous. Some are almost rabidly isolationist; it is not uncommon for bigoted Liaden to refer to those of other races as "it", likening them to animals. Several characters are part- or even half-Terran: this does not endear them to the isolationists.

Liaden society is clan-based, each '''Clan''' being made up of one or more families ("lines"). The Head of a Clan is the "Delm", the head of a line is the "Thodelm"; either might be male or female as circumstances dictate.

Liaden Clans do not generally allow lifemating. Instead, Liadens practice contract marriages, where two individuals from different clans are ordered, or allowed, by their Delms to create a progeny for one of the two clans. This marriage is over when the terms of the contract are fulfilled. Most members of the clan must produce at least one progeny to replace them.

Lifemating is when two individuals become exclusively bound to one and other. This can happen rarely by order of a Delm, or this can happen by the physical, emotional, and spiritual bonding of two individuals with dramliza abilities (regardless of the depth of those abilities).

Some Liaden are trained as explorers: the '''Scouts'''. They are regarded with distaste by the more isolationist within Liaden society.

Most of the stories thus far center on members of Clan Korval, made up of the yos'Phelium and yos'Galan lines. Scouts also appear often.

'''Korval'''
* ''Val Con yos'Phelium'': Delm, ex-Scout, ''Lifemate'' to Miri
* ''Shan yos'Galan'': Master Trader, foster-brother to Val Con; ''Lifemate'' of Priscilla Delacroix y Mendoza; (current incarnation of ''Lute'')
* ''Daav yos'Phelium'': ex-Delm, ex-Scout, father to Val Con and Theo Waitley
** ''Jen Sar Kiladi'': Daav's alter ego, a professor of Cultural Genetics at Delgado University. Jen Sar was the ''onagrata'' of Kamele Waitley.
* ''Aelliana Caylon'': ''Lifemate'' to Daav, mother to Val Con
* ''Er Thom yos'Galan'': Master Trader, ''Lifemate'' of Anne Davis, father to Shan, Nova and Anthora
* ''Pat Rin yos'Phelium'': cousin to Val Con
* ''Kareen yos'Phelium'': sister to Daav, mother to Pat Rin, expert on "The Code of proper conduct"
* ''Anthora yos'Galan'': sister to Shan and Nova, with preternatural (''Dramliza'') abilities
* ''Ren Zel dea'Judan'': ''Lifemate'' to Anthora, with preternatural (''Dramliza'') abilities
* ''Nova yos'Galan'': sister to Shan, Anthora and Val Con
* ''Luken bel'Tarda'': cousin, rug dealer, foster father of Pat Rin.
* Children and younger members (in no particular order): Quinn, Padi, Syl Vor; Mik and Shindi; and Talizea.
* ''Jen Sin yos'Phelium'': Chief Light Keeper at Tinsori Light. Thought to have died two hundred years ago, but was "merely temporarily misplaced".

'''Others'''
* ''Jan Rek ter'Astin'': Scout Captain, friend of Jethri Gobelyn
* ''Clonak ter'Meulen'': Scout, friend of Daav and Val Con
* ''Shadia ne'Zame'': Scout, friend of Clonak
* ''Win Ton yo'Vala'': Scout, friend of Theo Waitley and Less Pilot of ''Bechimo''
* ''Kara ven'Arith'': Crew of ''Bechimo''
* ''Vertu dea'San'': Taxi driver originally from Liad, subsequently exiled to Surebleak. Significant Other to Cheever McFarland.

===Terran===
Home planet known as "Terra". As remarked above, there is a brief reference to the possibility that this planet is possibly the fourth of that name. Possibly one prior Terra would have been destroyed along with the war-torn universe/galaxy from which mankind fled in ''Crystal Dragon'', though neither the word Terra, nor Terran appear in that book. From cultural references, familiar English names, and references to regional linguistic dialects that appear in the core books, it seems likely that this Terra is nonetheless our own Earth. There appears to be some resentment that the "younger" races (usually Liaden) hold more power in the realm of ] and ] than Terra; there is reference to at least one ] involved in less-than-legal operations. Based on the description of the Liaden as younger races, it may be reasonable to assume that they predated the Liaden arrival in the expanding universe. Whether they simply arrived sooner and separately from Cantra's ] or whether Terra existed in the expanded universe separately from the "Predecessor" universe is unclear.

The '''Juntavas''' are an organized-crime "clan" who appear in various guises, sometimes as antagonists, sometimes as allies of the main characters. Unlike the real-world ], the Juntavas are apparently able to act as an unopposed organized government in their own right, to the point of having appointed officials called Sector Judges who administer justice within their appointed jurisdictions. The Juntavas are usually not as oppressive as they might be, because they have learned that too much of that sort of thing is "bad for business."

A number of other planets are known to have non-Liaden human inhabitants, presumably of the Terran strain. Some of these worlds, such as Surebleak and Delgado, were settled by Terrans from this universe's Terra. Others, such as Sintia, were settled by ships from the same ''Crystal Dragon''-era colonization waves as Liad and Terra.

Some of these colony worlds, such as Vandar, have backslid to pre-spaceflight technology levels. These worlds have been considered interdicted by the Liaden Scout Corps, with external contact forbidden in order to permit their societies to develop without interference. As of "Prodigal Son", post–''I Dare'', there are signs that this policy may be changing.

'''Gobelyns'''
* ''Jethri Gobelyn'': apprentice trader, apprenticed to Norn ven'Deelin
* ''Iza Gobelyn'': Captain of Gobelyn's Market, mother to Cris, Seeli, Jethri
* ''Arin Gobelyn'': deceased, husband to Iza, father to Jethri, related to Uncle
* ''Cris Gobelyn'': first mate of Gobelyn's Market, Iza's eldest child
* ''Dyk Gobelyn'': junior on Gobelyn's Market, cook
* ''Khatelane Gobelyn'': pilot on Gobelyn's Market
* ''Mel Gobelyn'': on Gobelyn's Market
* ''Paitor Gobelyn'': trader on Gobelyn's Market, brother to Iza
* ''Seeli Gobelyn'': admin on Gobelyn's Market, Iza's second child
* ''Zam Gobelyn'': on Gobelyn's Market
* ''Grig Tomas'': back-up everything on Gobelyn's Market, Arin's cousin, related to Uncle

'''Korval clan-members'''
* ''Anne Davis'': ''Lifemate'' to Er Thom, mother to Shan, master linguist and musician
* ''Priscilla Delacroix y Mendoza'': ''Lifemate'' to Shan (current incarnation of ''Moonhawk'')
* ''Miri Robertson'': half-Liaden "Mercenary Retired, Bodyguard Retired, Have Weapon Will Travel", ''Lifemate'' to Val Con and joint Delm (Delmae)
* ''Inas Bhar'': Juntavas Sector Judge Natesa the Assassin, ''Lifemate'' of Pat Rin
* ''Gordy Arbuthnot'': cabin boy, ''Dutiful Passage''. Shan's cousin via the Davis side of the family.

'''Korval-linked'''
* ''Theo Waitley'': recently discovered (by Delm Korval and the clan generally) daughter to Daav yos'Phelium and acknowledged in Ghost Ship as blood kin to Korval but not ''Seen'' by Delm Korval so not a clan member (Daav and Val Con would probably advise Theo against membership at present).
* ''Kamele Waitley'': Theo's mother and professor at Delgado University. Da'av was Kamele's ''Onagrata'' using the name Jen Sar Kiladi after Aelliana's murder.
* ''Cheever McFarland'': Master Pilot, messenger to Korval, then Pat Rin's bodyguard/chief of security.
* ''Clarence o'Berin'': Juntavas Boss on Liad; after retirement sat Second on ''Bechimo''.
* ''Tollance Berik-Jones'' aka ''Tolly'' aka ''1362'': a mentor, who ensures that AIs are brought into awareness well socialized. Attached to Tocohl's mission.

'''Uncle-linked'''
* (The) '''Uncle''' (aka '''Yuri Tomas'''): a serially reborn meddler with a finger in everybody's pies, while at any one time tending a half-dozen certain-to-be-unsettling projects of his own. Uncle ''remembers'' the old universe. Has ties to Cantra and to some crew members of Gobelyn's Market.
** Note: technically Uncle isn't a Terran because he predates Terra.
* ''Seignur Veeoni'': one of Uncle's clones; she's working on making modern-day fractins at an undisclosed location.
* ''Dulsey Omron'': Uncle's long-time companion and assistant.
* ''Grig (Grigory) Tomas'': See Gobelyns.
* ''Raisy (Raisana) Thomas'': Grig's older twin sister.

'''Others'''
* ''Hakan Meltz'': Val Con and Miri's musical friend on Vandar
* ''Estra Trelu'': person Val Con and Miri stayed with on Vandar
* ''Athna Brigsbee'': Vandar busybody
* ''Kem Darmill'': Hakan Meltz' girlfriend and later (by the time of ''Prodigal Son'') wife.
* various ''Juntavas''
* various people on ''Surebleak''
* various people on Vandar

===Independent A.I.s===
* ''Jeeves'': planetary security A.I. repurposed as butler to yos'Galen at ''Trealla Fantrol'', but transferred to ''Jelaza Kazone'' upon Korval's relocation to Surebleak.
* ''Tocohl Lorlin'' (Daughter of Korval): Jeeves' daughter. Currently in control of Tinsori Light.
* ''Bechimo'': a "sentient and sapient" space ship, built long ago as a "long-loop trader", incorporating "old tech." He was rediscovered by Win Ton yo'Vala. Theo Waitley became his Captain.
* ''Admiral Bunter'': Originally a composite AI, made up of seven semiderelict ships (with thirteen old and cramped computers between them) out of the junkyard at Jemiatha's Jumble Stop. ''Admiral Bunter'' is Theo's Fault.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Sharon Lee & Steve Miller |title=Alliance of Equals |chapter=CAST OF CHARACTERS & GLOSSARY}}</ref> It guarded Jamiatha's Jumble Stop Station from pirates for a time; it was later transferred to another "cranium" and ship by Mentor Tolly Jones, Tocol Lorin, and Inkirani Yo (another mentor), and has since become a "Free Ship," no longer associated with Jamiatha's Jumble Stop.
* ''Disian'': A "Free ship" mentored by Tolly Jones.<ref name="Wise Child"/>

===Yxtrang===
Home planet unknown at this time. Usually much larger than the Terran norm, they are a war-like people who live for conquest. They are almost universally prone to thinking of the other human races as animals.

References in ''Crystal Soldier'' and ''Crystal Dragon'' suggest that the Yxtrang are the descendants of a group of "X Strain" and "Y Strain" genetically engineered soldiers who served in a platoon with Jela and accompanied the human migration to the new universe. Some of them venerate Jela (an "M Strain") for his skills and deeds as a warrior.

It is not known whether they can interbreed with Liadens or Terrans, though given their common genetic origin there is no reason why they should not be able to; the likely lifespan of such offspring is short, not for merely biological reasons.
* ''Nelirikk'': ex-Explorer (equivalent to Scout), subsequently sworn to Line yos'Phelium, becomes Miri's bodyguard; aka "Beautiful".
* ''Hazenthull Explorer'': junior Explorer, subsequently sworn to Line yos'Phelium.
* ''Diglon Rifle'': enlisted soldier attached to Hazenthull, subsequently sworn to Line yos'Phelium.
* ''Commander Vepal'': Yxtrang roving ambassador.
** ''Pilot Erthax'': member of Vepal's Small Troop.
** ''Ochin Rifle'': member of Vepal's Small Troop.

===Clutch Turtles===
These non-humans are even larger than Yxtrang and very long-lived; they appear much like ]s walking upright, hence the name. The length of their names are directly proportional to how old they are and their accomplishments: Edger's full name apparently takes some hours to recite. They are usually slow to act, but are very dangerous when angered and can move quickly when needed.

Clutch turtles travel in starships made from hollowed-out asteroids using an electron substitution drive that can have hallucinogenic effects on the human nervous system. Both a 'low drive' and 'high drive' exist; usually the clutch turtles use the slower low drive, but used the considerably faster high drive in "I Dare."

Clutch turtles are able to command forces of great destructive or healing potential by singing. Clutch turtles are greatly feared and avoided by the Yxtrang as the result of a resounding defeat in battle many years prior to the timeframe of the story.

The Clutch turtles encountered in the "Agent of Change" sequence make up a "market research" team on behalf of their clan, who are known for manufacturing crystalline blades of extreme sharpness and durability by growing them in caves over a timespan of decades.
* Edger
* Sheather
* Watcher
* Selector
* Handler

===Cats===
There are many ]s which appear in the stories, usually by name, often taking an active part in the proceedings. Unlike ordinary housecats, these cats often display ] abilities, as well as considerable intelligence.
* ''Flinx'': at Tarnia's Clanhouse
* ''Lord Merlin'': Anthora's cat, very active in ''I Dare''
* ''Patch'': Binjali Repair Shop's resident cat and "co-owner"
* ''Lady Dignity'': Daav yos'Phelium's answer to his sister's complaint that he has no (dignity, that is)
* ''Relchin'': An orange-and-white cat who "enjoys the outdoors" also resides with Daav yos'Phelium
* ''Silk'': Pat Rin's mouser and majordomo on Surebleak
* ''Charzi'': lives in the Lysta Clanhouse in "Misfits"
* ''Coyster'': Jen Sar Kiladi's cat, attached to Theo Waitley on Delgado in ''Fledgling''
* ''Mandrin'': Jen Sar Kiladi's black and white on Delgado

===Norbears===
Norbear—Size: 16–22&nbsp;cm; Weight: 121–180 g. Furred quadrupedal herbivorous mammal with a burrowing habit possessing a soft dense coat, ranging in color from grey, brown, black, orange, white, or mixed. It has a fearless and lively disposition, and is a natural ]. Adapts well to ], but is banned on certain worlds.<ref>{{cite book |author=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=Mouse and Dragon |date=1 June 2010 |publisher=Baen Books |isbn=978-1-4391-3381-1 |at=Chapter Twenty |edition=1st hardcover }}</ref>
* Master Frodo aboard the ''Dutiful Passage'' in ''Conflict of Honors''.
* Hevelin (named after long-time science fiction fan ]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Sharon |date=September 4, 2013 |title=Madame the Editor asks a boon of the readers of Liad |url=http://sharonleewriter.com/2013/09/madame-the-editor-asks-a-boon-of-the-readers-of-liad/ |publisher=Sharon Lee, Writer: News from Maine, the Liaden Universe® and Points Between (blog)}}</ref>)
* Podesta: Hevelin's great-granddaughter

===Trees (Ssussdriads)===
The race formally known as Ssussdriads. An unusual character is ''Jelaza Kazone'' (a term that has been translated as "Jela's Promise," "Jela's Contract," or "Jela's Dream," among other variants) and the ]s thereof (of which only two have thus far appeared in narrative). This very large tree lives in the grounds of Clan Korval's primary residence (also called Jelaza Kazone) and is in the habit of communicating its likes and dislikes to senior members of that clan; it has particularly been noted to have an interest in the likely parents of future children of the Clan.

As a young soldier, Jela found the tree on a desert planet on which his ship had crashed. Though barely a stunted seedling and the last member of a dying race, the tree was by itself able to repel invasion of the planet by the enemy Sheriekas. As an act of trust, the tree gave its only seed pod to feed the starving Jela. When Jela's rescue came, he refused to leave the tree behind.

The tree proved to be intelligent, and able to communicate via mental images. It also had the ability to manipulate the chemistry of its seed pods to create useful pharmaceutical compounds. Both these powers proved useful as Jela and Cantra searched for information necessary for mankind to escape its collapsing universe.

The name ''Jelaza Kazone'' refers to the promise Cantra yos'Phelium made to Jela, who knew he was destined to die before the migration could be complete, to see the tree through to safety on the new human homeworld. Clan Korval holds itself the guardian of this promise in perpetuity, and every trading vessel of Korval carries a seed of the tree somewhere on board, to ensure the survival of its race.
* Tree mentioned in Plan B at Erob's Clan house on Lytaxin.
* Seedling was installed on Cantra's ship at the end of Crystal Dragon. This sapling was recovered, alive, in ''Neogenesis''.
* Sapling planted on Yulie Sharper's freeholding.
* Two saplings planted on yos'Galan's island on SureBleak.


==Concepts== ==Concepts==
(Remainder of wikitext for this and subsequent sections unchanged)
===Melant'i===
A great deal of the Liaden culture centers on melant'i. Part of this concept is roughly analogous to personal honor or good manners: a person of impeccable melant'i will behave in a certain way, in a given situation. It is also used to distinguish between a person's different roles in life. If one is speaking to a shipmate in one's role as an officer of the ship, one uses a particular mode to cue the shipmate as to the formality of the situation, and is said to be expressing one's melant'i as that officer. If, on the other hand, one is speaking to the same shipmate, but in the role of daughter, one uses a different mode and is expressing the melant'i as a family member. Different levels of formality, and actions, will be appropriate in each case.

===Bows and modes of speech===
====High and Low Liaden====
The High Liaden language is used for all formal conversations between people, reflecting the exact melant'i and roles of the two individuals. For example, a sentence might be in the role of Master Pilot to Student Pilot, while another sentence might be Parent to Child, or Adult to Adult, or Adult to Your Delm (your clan leader), or Adult to Another Delm (some else's clan leader). The forms are symmetrical and directional, with Master Pilot to Student Pilot being a different mode than Student Pilot to Master Pilot. With High Liaden, you can always tell the roles that the speaker intends for the listener to interpret what is being said.

Low Liaden is reserved for informal family conversations.

====Liaden bows====
Bows are used by Liadens when both meeting and parting, and also reflect the exact melant'i and roles of the two individuals. Bows are precise and complicated.

===Space travel===
====Jump drive====
Human ships are able to travel quickly between planets by "jumping"; different technologies exist but are all fairly quick; journey durations are comparable to swift sea-travel here on Earth. Only the Clutch Turtles use a different method, with predictably idiosyncratic side-effects (of which few details are available).

Propulsion and artificial gravity is provided by ''Struven Surface Units'' which Theo describes as having a "sense of presence." The sealed unit is the source of gravity that the ship generates and "the source of the Struven Surface that the engines then amplified and tuned, building fields that allow the ship to interact with the lattice crystal of space-time and to move...elsewhere."<ref>{{cite book |author1=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=Dragon Ship |chapter=Chapter 34 |date=September 2012 |publisher=Baen Books |isbn=978-1-4516-3798-4 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Aop0CwAAQBAJ&pg=PT293 |access-date=27 February 2019}}</ref>

From ''The Gathering Edge'':<ref>{{cite book |author1=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller |title=The Gathering Edge |publisher=Baen Books |isbn=978-1-4767-8218-8 |chapter= Advanced Space Travel for Dummies, 17th ed. (Insert between chapter 22 and chapter 23)|date=2 May 2017 }}</ref>

{{Blockquote
|text=A ship in the Jump configuration preferred by most starfaring groups neither comes nor goes. If the Jump is not calculated properly, the ship stays where it is within the frame of previous motions. If the Jump is calculated exactly, the ship's energy and contents become one, contracting dimensionally, and the ship and its force packet vibrate their way into a crystalline state that adjusts space around it. The goal is to achieve an energy level meant to match that of a "place"—a star system, a nebula, a rendezvous point—where the matched energy levels permit the ship to reappear in normal space. Transferring from place to place in this way requires minimal energy once the Struven units stress the base ship-and-energy packet into a unit; space rearranges itself around the packet until the ship emerges—or occasionally fails to emerge—at the target location.
|title=''Advanced Space Travel for Dummies'', 17th ed.}}

====Ships====
Ships range from single-person courier, small trade craft, private ships, long-loop, and family trade ships (depreciated in modern shipping) to large trade ships (often carrying a Master Trader), bulk cargo ships, and large passenger liners. There are of course many specialty craft for station maintenance, and other utilitarian functions. In this era of relative peace, there is little mention of purpose-built military ships, except for the battleships of the warlike Yxtrang (though mercenary companies have troop ships and various support ships). Planetary governments may have small fleets of fighter craft, for defensive purposes, that operate both in air and near space. It is not uncommon, however, for merchant ships to carry weaponry to defend themselves from pirates and brigands. Some large trade ships, such as Korval's ''Dutiful Passage'', have incorporated enough weaponry to be considered full battleships.

====Pilots and piloting====
Pilots are shown deference in the Liaden Universe, both in Terran and Liaden space. This is due to respect and/or fear of the pilots' capabilities and their importance to the lifeblood of trade and commerce for planetary society. Pilots are addressed as "Pilot" as an honorific title.

Pilots must have superior reflexes, coordination, and spatial orientation. Pilots need proficiency in higher mathematics to be able to quickly and accurately solve equations in trajectory, orbital mechanics, and jump coordinates (to many decimal places); one does not place one's life and one's crew or passengers in peril should computer navigation fail. A pilot needs to be able to defend herself in the low port or away from civilization, thus trains in self-defense and personal weaponry.

The Pilot is responsible for the ship and passengers; the Co-pilot is responsible for the pilot and ship. (''Bechimo'' adds, "the ship is responsible for pilot and crew.") The pilot/captain operates the ship from the primary control board—"sits First". The co-pilot, or acting co-pilot, "sits Second". Larger ships may have a third board, communications officer, executive officer, etc.

Many, if not most, pilots belong to the Pilots Guild. The Guild takes 3% of the pilot's income for life and in return provides many important services. These services include certification (required on many ships and lines), legal services and bail bonds, mail boxes with forwarding, hiring and personnel services and records, and in larger localities a Guild Hall with lounges, bars and/or cafes. Each Guild Hall has a Guild Master.

The Guild certified Pilot Classes:<ref>{{Cite book|title=Scout's Progress|author=Sharon Lee and Steve Miller|publisher=Ace|edition=First|isbn=978-0441009275|chapter=Chapter 10; preamble|year=2002}}</ref>
* ''3rd Class'': base level, qualified to work within system and orbit, operating ships not above Class B.
* ''2nd Class'': mid-level, qualified to lift any ship to Class AA within system and orbit.
* ''1st Class'': a.k.a., Jump Pilot, qualified to fly interplanetary space via ''Jump'' hyperspace technology.
* ''Master'': one able to perform all aspects of piloting with excellence. This grade may undertake to train and test any of the lower three levels.

First Class Jump Pilots are awarded and wear a Pilot's leather jacket. This heavy duty garment, with many internal pockets, is both a sign of rank and protection against weather and misadventure. Only Jump Pilots wear a Pilot's Jacket; this is not by law, but tends to be enforced through "social pressure" which may become physical.

In ''I Dare'', Pat Rin is given a rating of "1st Class S," S for "small," until the pilot has enough flight time logged on the larger ships.

Master Pilots may train and certify pilots. All Liaden Scout Pilots are of Master Class. A pilot in training will be granted "provisional" status in grade as the student advances.

== Awards and recognition ==

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:95%;" cellpadding="5"
|-
! scope="col" style="width:30px;"| Year
! scope="col" style="width:120px;"| Organization
! scope="col" style="width:150px;"| Award title, Category
! scope="col" style="width:150px;"| Work
! scope="col" style="width:10px;"| Result
! scope="col" style="width:10px;"| Refs
<!-- Use the template below for each row
|-
| YEAR
| ORGANIZATION
| TITLE, CATEGORY
| WORK
| {{nom}} or {{won}}
| REFERENCES
-->
|-
| 2002
| ]
| Romantic Times Book Club Reviewers Choice Award for Best Science Fiction Novel
| ''Scout's Progress''
| {{won}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.librarything.com/bookaward/Romantic+Times+Reviewers%27+Choice+Award |title=Book awards: Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award |publisher=Library Thing |date= |access-date=2019-07-24}}</ref>
|-
| 2002
| Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal (FF&P) Chapter of the ]
| Prism Award
| ''Scout's Progress''
| {{won}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fictiondb.com/awards/2002~rwa-prism-award~236.htm |title=2002 RWA PRISM Award (Awarded by Romance Writers of America (PRISM)) |publisher=Fiction DB |date= |access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref>
|-
| 2002
| Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal (FF&P) Chapter of the Romance Writers of America
| Prism Award
| ''Local Custom''
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fictiondb.com/awards/2002~rwa-prism-award~236.htm |title=2002 RWA PRISM Award (Awarded by Romance Writers of America (PRISM)) |publisher=Fiction DB |date= |access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref>
|-
| 2005
| ]
| Hal Clement Award
| ''Balance of Trade''
| {{won}}
| <ref name="Sharon Lee: Awards Summary"/>
|-
| 2008
| ]
| ] - Best Cover Illustration – Paperback Book
| ], ''Crystal Dragon''
| {{won}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tor.com/2008/11/18/chesley-awards-anounced-draft/ |title=Chesley Awards announced |publisher=Macmillan |date=2008-11-18 |access-date=2019-07-31}}</ref>
|-
| 2010
| ]
| Hal Clement Award
| ''Fledgeling''
| {{nom}}
| <ref name="Sharon Lee: Awards Summary">{{cite web|url=http://www.sfadb.com/Sharon_Lee |title=Sharon Lee: Awards Summary |publisher=Locus Science Fiction Foundation |date= |access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref>
|-
| 2011
| ]
| SF Site Reader's Poll
| ''Saltation''
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfadb.com/SF_Site_Readers_Poll_2011 |title=SF Site Readers Poll 2011 |publisher=Locus Science Fiction Foundation |date= |access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref>
|-
| 2012
| ]
| SF Site Reader's Poll
| ''Ghost Ship''
| {{won}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfadb.com/SF_Site_Readers_Poll_2012 |title=SF Site Readers Poll 2012 |publisher=Locus Science Fiction Foundation |date= |access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref>
|-
| 2013
| ]
| SF Site Reader's Poll
| ''Dragon Ship''
| {{won}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfadb.com/SF_Site_Readers_Poll_2013 |title=SF Site Readers Poll 2013 |publisher=Locus Science Fiction Foundation |date= |access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref>
|-
| 2014
| ]
| ], Science Fiction Novel
| ''Necessity's Child''
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2014 |title=Locus Awards 2014 |publisher=Locus Science Fiction Foundation |date= |access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref>
|-
| 2014
| ]
| ], Science Fiction Novel
| ''Trade Secret''
| {{nom}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2014 |title=Locus Awards 2014 |publisher=Locus Science Fiction Foundation |date= |access-date=2019-07-28}}</ref>
|}

==Fan fiction==
Lee and Miller strongly oppose any ] written in the Liaden universe. "We built our universes, and our characters; they are our intellectual property; and they are not toys lying about some virtual ] for other kids to pick up and modify at their whim. Steve and I do not sanction fanfic written in our universes; any such work that exists, exists without our permission, and certainly without our support."<ref>{{cite web|author=Sharon Lee |url=http://sharonleewriter.com/2013/10/the-second-answer/ | website=News from Maine, the Liaden Universe® and Points Between |title=The second answer |date=26 October 2013 |access-date=23 July 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website |korval.com}}
* {{isfdb series|26774}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Liaden Universe}}
]
]
]
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Revision as of 04:31, 8 December 2024

Science fiction novel and story series
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The Liaden universe (/liːˈeɪdɛn/ lee-AY-den or /liːˈeɪdən/) is the setting for a series of science fiction stories written by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. The series blends elements of space opera with romance, intrigue, and elements of fantasy.

As of July 2024, the series comprises 25 novels and 33 chapbooks (the stories within them now available as ebooks or in collections).

Setting

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2024)

The Liaden universe is a fictional setting that spans several millennia. A recurring focus is Clan Korval, a house in Liaden society known for its telepathic abilities and military tradition. The setting is a far-future era, within a galaxy undergoing a process referred to as "decrystallization." The galaxy was once home to humanity, which has since undergone diaspora resulting in three primary sub-races: Terran, Liaden, and Yxtrang.

Key Elements

  • Clan Korval: A Liaden clan with a strong military tradition and telepathic abilities.
  • Liaden Society: A complex society with a military tradition and a caste system.
  • Decrystallizing Galaxy: The galaxy is undergoing a transformative process.
  • Human Diaspora: Humanity is divided into Terran, Liaden, and Yxtrang sub-races.
  • Telepathy: An ability used by Liaden for communication and other purposes.

Primary Themes

  • Family and Loyalty: Familial and clan bonds are important, with characters often prioritizing the well-being of their loved ones.
  • Military Strategy and Tactics: Military conflicts and strategic maneuvers are frequently depicted.
  • Moral Ambiguity: Characters face complex choices with no easy answers.
  • Exploration and Discovery: Characters travel to distant worlds and encounter new cultures and challenges.

The series features diverse alien cultures and advanced technology. Political intrigue is a common theme, as characters navigate the power dynamics of the Liaden Empire and interact with various alien factions. Interstellar travel and exploration are also significant elements.

Series overview

The first two books in the seven-book "Agent of Change" sequence were published in 1988. These books introduce the conflict between Clan Korval and the "Department of the Interior." While the department's headquarters on Liad is destroyed, remnants of the department continue to influence Clan Korval in later novels.

The eighth novel, Balance of Trade, is set 275 years before the end of the "Agent of Change" sequence. It introduces Jethri Gobelyn, a young Terran trader adopted by a Liaden Master Trader. Two sequels, Trade Secret and Fair Trade, were published in 2013 and 2022, respectively.

The ninth novel, Crystal Soldier, published in 2005, is set earlier in the timeline. It is the first half of The Great Migration Duology and tells the story of Cantra yos'Phelium, who piloted the original exodus to Liad, and her partner M Jela. The sequel, Crystal Dragon, was published in 2006.

Publication history

After the publication of the first three books (Agent of Change, Conflict of Honors, and Carpe Diem, 1988–1989), the authors were informed that sales were insufficient to justify continuing the series. However, the books gained a following on the Usenet group rec.arts.sf.written.

Upon gaining Internet access, the authors discovered a significant readership. They published several chapbooks and completed Plan B (1999), followed by three more books to complete the "Agent of Change" sequence. Numerous short stories were also written, expanding the universe's background and character development.

The first three novels were initially published by Del Rey, later republished by Meisha Merlin, and subsequently by Ace Books. Some early works were available as e-books through Embiid Publishing.

In 2007, Baen Books began publishing the novels electronically, followed by new Liaden novels starting in 2009 and omnibus editions in 2010.

As of 2022, the series continues with twenty-three novels, numerous chapbooks, and short stories. Additional novels are planned, and all novels are available as e-books.

Books in the series

Novels

Timeline chart

Liaden Universe Novels & Main Characters Timeline (Remainder of wikitext for this section unchanged)

Factions

The Liaden universe includes humans of Terran, Liaden, and Yxtrang descent, as well as non-human races such as Clutch Turtles, Cats, Norbears, and Ssussdriads (Trees).

Liaden

(Remainder of wikitext for this section unchanged)

Concepts

(Remainder of wikitext for this and subsequent sections unchanged)

  1. "rec.arts.sf.written Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)". Faqs.org. 18 June 2001. Retrieved 23 May 2007.
  2. "Reading Order". Sharon Lee, Writer News from Maine, the Liaden Universe® and Points Between.
  3. "Liaden Universe® InfoDump Number 106 : 2015 PUBLICATION SCHEDULE". Welcome to Liad: Clan Korval's Home on the Web. Korval.com. 8 January 2015.
  4. "2015 Liaden Universe® and Other Releases". Welcome to Liad: Clan Korval's Home on the Web. Korval.com. 5 October 2014. Archived from the original on 23 July 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  5. Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (2 June 2015). "Dragon in Exile". Baen Books. Retrieved 23 July 2015.