Ghost Ship (Liaden Universe®) Mass Market Paperback – July 31, 2012

This book is set in the authors' Liaden Universe, and is the third book in Theo Waitley's arc. I enjoyed it greatly, but it is less internally cohesive than the first two books in this arc, partly because it relies more heavily on characters from earlier books in the Liaden Universe. While this makes "Ghost Ship" less accessible to readers newer to Lee and Miller's work, it is a delight to me. I have grown very fond of Val Con, Miri, Shan, Pat Rin, and their kin. I love their interactions, their care for each other. I don't think this book fully works either on its own or as the third installment in Theo's story, but as part of the larger wonder that is the Liaden Universe opus, it is highly satisfactory. If you have never read any of the Liaden books, find a good starting place(*) and jump aboard. It's worth it.(*) "Conflict of Honors" is one of several possible entry points.

This story is a continuation of Salutation and I Dare. So it is about Theo and her newly found clan, Korval. If you are new to the Laiden universe, you are in for a real treat - I would recommend starting closer to the beginning with Local Custom or at the very beginning with Crystal Soldier, Crystal Dragon. In this Laiden universe novel, Theo expands into her chosen field of being a very interesting pilot then meets a long lost friend, a thinking ship and then stuff happens. As usual these Authors create interesting character driven stories with great dialogue - enjoy.Please note there is an episode concerning the planet, Valder that is covered in more detail in the short story of Allies.

This is the third book in the Theo Waitley story line. In the first book we see her growing-up on the safe world of Delgado. In the second book we get to see her attend piloting school and thrive outside the confines of Delgado. And now in this third book she experiences the full life of a pilot in the vast Liaden universe.This book resolves the unanswered questions at the end of Saltation, namely what happened to her father. In the book she meets many members of her father's clan, the Korval, who have been forced to relocate to the planet Surebleak. And Theo finally meets the ship Bechimo.This book wraps up things nicely leaving no cliffhangers, but it does leave open the fate of the Korval's enemy, the Department of the Interior, and their Plan.My only complaint is that about fourty percent of the book is taken up by various members of the Korval clan - I would rather it be fully dedicated to Theo who is a lot more interesting.

Once upon a time Theo's father had told her, half-teasingly, if she were ever in serious trouble, to take that trouble to the Delm of Korval. And as noted in FLEDGLING and SALTATION, young Theo Waitley - officially registered on her peaceful world of Delgado as a "nexus of violence" - had picked up a gaggle of serious troubles. And as we saw in SALTATION she did go to the Delm of Korval on the planet Liad. GHOST SHIP picks up the tale moments after. Except that GHOST SHIP isn't just about Theo Waitley.When in the mood, no one sprawls a story quite like Sharon Lee & Steve Miller. GHOST SHIP is the direct sequel to I DARE and SALTATION and I'll tell you straight: this novel ain't for newbies unless you're one of them blokes what likes to come in halfway thru the movie and try to figure things out. Even more than PLAN B and I DARE, GHOST SHIP features central characters from past Liaden stories. The authors also sprinkle in a heck of a lot of cameos and references to past events. This helps to anchor the Liaden universe, to establish time and place and continuity. But first time visitors will wish Lee & Miller had accomodated them more. Fair warning.GHOST STORY tracks the interweaving story arcs of the Korval Clan, namely Theo Waitley, her father Daav yos'Phelium, and Theo's half-brother Val Con and his lifemate Miri. And, to a lesser extent, we also catch up with what Pat Rin's been up to. The big bad of this series continues to be the planet Liad's insidious Department of the Interior which is still and forever bent on exterminating the Korval line. In fact, I urge all new readers to first pick up AGENT OF CHANGE or THE AGENT GAMBIT omnibus (which contains AGENT OF CHANGE and its absolutely addictive sequel CARPE DIEM, the book that made me a diehard fan of all things Liaden). AGENT OF CHANGE and CARPE DIEM introduced Miri and Val Con and chronicled their fight against the interplanetary Juntavas crime syndicate and the increasingly suppresive Department of the Interior.As a character mentions, "Luck rides roughly around Clan Korval." Pilot First Class Theo Waitley, her pilot's jacket several sizes too big, arrives on Liad just in time to witness the Delm of Korval - the title given to the head(s) of Korval, who currently are Val Con and, by extension, Miri - in the midst of relocating clan and home and tree, Jelaza Kazone. But Theo's got her own plate of headaches. Being a "nexus of violence" means that Theo is constantly getting into scrapes. It's tough being a new and solo pilot, and it's even tougher when an ancient sentient space ship is haunting you. And then, worse news, Theo gets eyeballed by the Department of the Interior, with the Department's vindictive Commander of Agents sitting up straight upon learning of the ghost ship's existence (and all the invaluable Old Tech the ship harbors). And then just wait 'til the revelation drops regarding Theo's being also half-Korval.Meanwhile, Clan Korval has survived Liad's booting them off the planet. On the backwater world of Surebleak, Jelaza Kazone has happily set roots and Val Con and Miri and kin are settling in fine. Not that it's all gravy. That charming gambler Pat Rin yos'Phelium had made his mark in his guise as "Boss Conrad" (check out I DARE). But Surebleak lives up to its ominous name; it's still very much dangerous and untamed territory ran by ambitious Bosses. Clan Korval has to tread softly.GHOST SHIP refuses to be a hugger mugger, the authors keeping the plot threads clear and easy to follow, the huge cast of characters distinct from each other (that is, if you've been reading past Liaden novels). I love the space opera elements. But, even more, I love the character interactions. As usual, Lee and Miller give us many glimpses of Liaden custom and behavior, of which complexity and formality rival that found in Cherryh's Foreigner series. There's a huge sense of satisfaction in watching Theo Waitley safely navigate thru Liad's social landmines, and gratification derived from Clan Korval's easy acceptance of her.Let's face it, there isn't a space opera so glorious as one inhabited by telepaths and self-aware ships and sentient trees and interplanetary hoodlums and a xenophobic secret organization, and it's even got wushu camouflaged as dance. GHOST SHIP is what? It's an absorbing comedy of manners. At times it's an espionage thriller. It's science-fiction with the heart beat of the Wild West. It's a fun dose of mysticism. And romance. And a teapot from an alternate universe. And it's even got a Clutch Turtle. Do you realize how awesome Clutch Turtles are?! Oh, you're gonna lose sleep over this one, friend. And, going by how many issues were still left unresolved by the end of this thing, expect to hear more from the Liaden Universe.

Action, danger. This volume brings together numerous Korval strands while primarily following Theo Waitley as she contacts the Clan Koval on Surebleak. There’s follow up for Uncle, Daav, Val Con, the move of Korval to Surebleak and the evil plans of the Department of the Interior. This book is 3rd in the Theo Waitley Branch or a continuation of the Val Con Agent of Change main story. Not to be read out of order. Excellent.

Because it's dense, very good and enjoyable and you spot new things, and I want to get all that straight before I go on to Dragon Ship next.

I enjoyed every moment of the book as it updates several threads from 3 books: Saltation, I Dare and Mouse and Dragon .... so not the best place for a new reader to start. Maybe read Agent of Change first, then the three mentioned ;-)!

this is a superb book I could not put it down. I have read it about 30 times now and shall continue to read it. all Liaden stories are superb I have not read a bad one yet. cannot wait fo the next one after Dragon ship. I would recomend thisw and all Liaden books to any and every one.

Die Pilotin Theo Waitley hat ihr legendäres Ziel endlich erreicht und ist tatsächlich bis nach Liad zum legendären Delm des Clans Korval durchgedrungen, in diesem Fall zu Val Con yos Phelium und seiner Lebenspartnerin Miri, die sich dieses Amt teilen. Allerdings kann sie sich über diesen Erfolg nicht so richtig freuen, denn nach dem gewaltigen Schlagabtausch mit dem finsteren Department of the Interior steht der Clan kurz davor, erstmals in seiner jahrhundertelangen Geschichte Plan B zu initiieren und sämtliche Güter -einschließlich des berühmten Baums Jelaza Kazone - von Liad zu evakuieren. Theo kann sich nicht einfach dem Clan anschliessen, denn sie hat noch einen Vertrag zu erfüllen und nach einem Heilmittel für den Piloten Vin Ton zu suchen; ausserdem sind ihr immer noch das Geisterschiff Bechimov und die, die dessen Technologie erbeuten wollen, auf den Fersen...Nach FLEDGLING und SALTATION wird hier der dritte Teil von Theos Geschichte erzählt, die sie nun nach ihrer Kindheit auf Delgado und ihrer Pilotenausbildung in Verbindung mit Clan Korval bringt und damit alle Handlungsfolgen um Daav und Val Con yos Phelium ebenso wie Pat Rin auf Surebleak zusammenlaufen lässt. Dies haben die Autoren virtuos umgesetzt und liefern nach vielen Jahren des Wartens, während die Autoren wiederholt ohne Verlag dastanden und es schon schwierig war, überhaupt an die bisherigen Folgen heranzukommen, endlich eine Fortsetzung des Handlungsstranges um den Korval-Clan.Dabei geht es genauso um das Schicksal der bisherigen Hauptcharaktere und ihre weitere Entwicklung als auch um Theos Begegnung mit ihnen - eine Mischung aus viktorianischem Aufnahmeritual in die sogenannte feine Gesellschaft und eine erste Begegnung mit der berühmt-berüchtigten Tante Kareen, ebenso wie ein nüchternes Abschätzen der anderen Clanmitglieder, die Theo taxieren, ob sie alles für ein Clanmitglied drauf hat, wobei navigatorische Fähigkeiten als Pilotin eine ebenso strenge Prüfung erfahren wie ihre Fähigkeiten zu kämpfen und im Bruchteil einer Sekunde auf neue Herausforderungen zu reagieren. Dies gestaltet sich besonders interessant, da Theo zwar das Zeug zur Pilotin hat, aber ohne eine Liaden-Ausbildung herangewachsen ist und selbst nicht so richtig weiss, ob sie zu diesem exzentrischen Haufen dazugehören möchte, nachdem sie in einer matriarchalischen Kultur aufgewachsen ist.Die Begegnung mit dem elitären Pilotenclan - und dem Baum, den Clutch-Turtles, und was sonst noch so alles dazugehört- stellt nur einen spannenden Handlungsstrang dar. Genauso faszinierend ist, wie es mit dem Geisterschiff Bechimo weitergeht und wie Theo diese Begegnung meistert. Dies stellt eigentlich das zentrale Handlungselement der Serie um Theo dar, wobei auch in dieser Folge die Handlung mehr auf Theo abzielt und im Gegensatz zu den früheren Folgen um Clan Korval deutlich weniger romantische Elemente enthält. Der randvolle Plot entschädigt dafür reichlich, insbesondere die Auseinandersetzung mit Bechimo macht dies wett.Schade ist nur, dass angesichts der vielen Akteure und der vielen wieder aufgegriffenen Handlungsfäden die einzelnen Sequenzen - ebenso wie der Fortschritt der Handlung überhaupt - frustrierend kurz ausfallen. So sehnsüchtig die Fans darauf gewartet haben, dass es im Liaden-Universum endlich weitergeht und nun endlich neue Folgen kommen, hätte das Buch mindestens doppelt so dick sein sollen, um mehr über das Schicksal der vielen Charaktere erfahren zu können. Immerhin ist die Fortsetzung, DRAGON SHIP, schon in Vorbereitung.

dies sollte nicht das erste Buch über das Liaden Universum sein, das man liest.Besser man liest zuerst Dragon Variation.Kurz der Inhalt: Korval findet einen neuen Planeten und Theo wird von ihrem Schiff gefunden.Man muss diese Bücher mindestens 2-3 mal lesen, immer entdeckt man Neues oder ein andererTatsache wird plötzlich klar.Lee und Miller haben ein fabelhaftes Talent eine Geschichte zu entwickeln und Spannung zu erzeugen.Es ist wie ein Rosenstrauch im Frühjahr mit nur Knospen und im Lauf des Sommers erblüht Rose auf Rose und da ist noch kein Ende.Das Weblink [...] ist auch hilfreich