Trader's Leap

Summary

New entry in the landmark Liaden Universe® series

The only bridge between past and future is a leap of faith.

Pursued by enemies, exiled Liaden clan Korval is settling into a new base on backworld Surebleak. Moving is expensive, as is war, and Korval is strapped for cash. Delm Korval has therefore instructed Master Trader Shan yos'Galan to design and implement new trade routes, quickly.

But this is no easy task. Dutiful Passage is targeted by Korval's enemies, denied docking at respectable ports, and cheated by those less respectable. Struggling to recuperate from an attack on his life, while managing daughter Padi's emerging psychic talents, Shan is running out of options - and time. His quest to establish the all-important trade route puts him at odds with his lifemate, while doubting crew desert the ship. Facing the prospect of failure, Shan accepts the assistance of chancy allies and turns the Passage toward a port only just emerging from Rostov's Dust and awash with strange energies.

Without trade, Clan Korval will starve. Will a trader's leap of faith save everything - or doom all?

About the Liaden Universe® series:

"I have every Liaden Universe novel ever written on my bookshelf. You should, too." (David Weber)

“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)

“[D]elightful stories of adventure and romance set in a far future...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)

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 20-plus 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 experiences 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. They maintain a web presence at korval.com.