Clan Korval is on, but not of, Surebleak; there is a need for Korval to integrate, to mesh, with the people already there – not just the Bosses. Nova’s son, finds purpose and a sister in attending the new school system being established. The Bedel, the kompani (think gypsies), must find their way in a rapidly changing world and a DOI Agent must survive. Kezzi, Syl Vor and Rys Lin pen’Chala try to find their way on a world turned upside down.Again, Lee and Miller, give us interesting situations and characters to care about – good stroytelling.Of course, this story sets up a third storyline in the currently ongoing Clan Korval saga. The first seems to deal with the clan's business offworld and with the DOI; the second with Theo's coming of age story; the third with Korval on Surebleak.With this story and Dragon Ship a universe of opportunity beckons: How do you establish an educational system on a backwater planet? Hire a just arrived Professor of Educational History. Will Uncle put Daav and Aelliana back together in separate bodies again? What will Kamele think of this? Will Daav opt for Honor Harrington's solution? If so, can he survive it? What will the Tree think? Is there one Tree or two?Comment This story takes place on Surebleak shortly after Clan Korval has arrived. It is told from three points of view. The narrator most known to readers of the Liaden series of books is Syl Vor yos'Galan Clan Korval. Syl Vor is a child who is somewhere between eight and ten. Syl Vor has recently come to Korval from the place where he, his cousins, and his great-aunt and uncle were hidden while Plan B was in effect. He lived under the constant threat of danger. Now that the immediate threat has passed, his older cousins have gone off to their aprenticeships and Syl Vor is at loose ends. He wants to be of use.The second point of view is that of Kezzi who is a daughter of the Bedel who have been hidden on Surebleak for a number of years. They have taken space under some old, abandoned warehouses and come out only to steal stuff they need from the unsuspecting gadjes in the City Above. Kezzi is the youngest of the Bedel and apprentice to the tribe's wisewoman—Silain the luthia. The third point of view is that of Rys Lin pen'Chela. We first meet Rys when he is found beaten almost to death outside one of the entrances to the Bedel's hidden home. He is taken in and cared for by the wisewoman and befriended by the Bedel. He has been so damaged both physically and mentally that he doesn't remember his past or how he came to be where he now is. We watch him heal and come to feel that the Bedel could be a replacement for the clan he lost. But his past, once remembered isn't ready to let him go.These three characters come together when Syl Vor begins to attend school with other Surebleak natives. Kezzi is found on the street and brought to the school too. Syl Vor is determined to befriend her and make her his sister. Kezzi just wants to get back to her own people and leave all this school stuff far behind her. It is the thinking of the adult leaders of Surebleak that they way to make life better for all citizens and to change the social culture is for all the kids to go to school at a consolidated school. They can learn that kids from one Boss's turf aren't different than kids from another. However some adults—notably the remains of the Department of the Interior—do not want Korval's plans for social engineering to succeed. Street patrols have managed to stop most of the sabotage around the new school and capture most of the Department's agents but there is no guarantee that the school will be safe.There fears are justified because the leader of those agents from the Department of the Interior has one more plan in mind and intends to use Agent of Change Rys Lin pen'Chela to carry it out—no matter how he might feel about massacring a bunch of children including his young sister Kezzi and her friend Syl Vor.The story was exciting and we did get some cameos by characters we learned to know in earlier books in the series including Daav yos'Phelium, Val Con yos'Phelium, Miri, Nova, Anthora and Ren Zel. I really enjoyed getting to know at least one member of the next generation of Clan Korval and am eager for more adventures.
Do You like book Necessity's Child EARC (2012)?
eArc.Lee & Miller on top form (when are they ever on anything else?)
—harsh
Such a great story, with new main characters. Very very enjoyable!
—Ana
Kind of a 'meanwhile, back at Surebleak' story. Very good.
—superliving
Excellent! Great addition to the Liaden universe.
—bwayne3
