Ribbon Dance

NEW ENTRY IN THE BEST-SELLING LIADEN UNIVERSE® SERIES

On a world where cake is a necessity it takes the Grid to protect the civilized and the deaf from the dire influences of the ambient and to keep the chaotic Haosa at bay.

Having arrived at recently Dust-bound Colemeno, Trader Padi yos’Galan is essential to Master Trader Shan yos’Galan’s plan to recoup Clan Korval’s fortunes by establishing new routes for the clan’s tradeship. Shan’s inner Healer insists Padi come to terms with her as-yet unplumbed psychic abilities, which might place her in the top tier of dramliz, if she can learn control.

Padi yearns to concentrate on trade, but Colemeno’s fey ambient and deadly long-term politics combine to bring her face-to-face with the Haosa, and in particular with the mysterious and untouchable Tekelia, as Korval’s trade mission’s necessity of a port audit collide with a cruel history of murder, deception, and brutality. Amid the dangers, Padi unexpectedly finds herself eagerly exploring her dramliz side when faced with the unspoken powers of the ambient, the sky-filling energy of the Ribbon Dance, and Tekelia’s mutable eyes.

At the publisher’s request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).

Praise for the Liaden Universe series:

“. . . sprawling and satisfying. . . .  Space opera mixes with social engineering, influenced by Regency-era manners and delicate notions of honor. . . . it’s like spending time with old friends.” —Publishers Weekly on Dragon in Exile

“Compelling and wondrous, as sharp and graceful as Damascus steel, Necessity’s Child is a terrific addition to Lee & Miller’s addictive series.” —Patricia Briggs on Necessity’s Child

“Every now and then you come across an author, or in this case, a pair, who write exactly what you want to read, the characters and personalities that make you enjoy meeting them. . . . I rarely rave on and on about stories, but I am devoted to Lee and Miller novels and stories.” —Anne McCaffrey

“These authors consistently deliver stories with a rich, textured setting, intricate plotting, and vivid, interesting characters from fully-realized cultures, both human and alien, and each book gets better.” —Elizabeth Moon

“. . . delightful stories of adventure and romance set in a far futur. . . . space opera milieu. It’s all a rather heady mix of Gordon R. Dickson, the Forsythe Saga, and Victoria Holt, with Lee and Miller’s own unique touches making it all sparkle and sizzle. Anyone whose taste runs toward SF in the true romantic tradition can’t help but like the Liaden Universe.” —Analog

“. . . the many fans of the Liaden universe will welcome the lates. . . . continuing young pilot Theo Waitley’s adventures.” —Booklist on Saltation

“. . . aficionados of intelligent space opera will be thoroughly entertaine. . . . the authors’ craftsmanship is top-notch.” —Publishers Weekly on I Dare

Maine-based writers Sharon Lee and Steve Miller teamed up in the late 1980s to bring the world the story of Kinzel, an inept wizard with a love of cats, a thirst for justice, and a staff of true power. Since then, the husband and wife have written dozens of short stories and more than two dozen novels, most set in their star-spanning Liaden Universe®.

Before settling down to the serene and stable life of a science fiction and fantasy writer, Steve was a traveling poet, rock-band reviewer, reporter, and editor of a string of community newspapers. Sharon, less adventurous, has been an advertising copywriter, copy editor on night-side news at a small city newspaper, reporter, photographer, and book reviewer. Both credit their newspaper experience with teaching them the finer points of collaboration. Sharon and Steve passionately believe that reading fiction ought to be fun and that stories are entertainment. Learn more about the Liaden Universe® at http://korval.com.