Liaden Universe ( or ) is an ongoing science fiction series written by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. The books are primarily space operas with elements of Regency romance, novels of manners, and supernatural abilities.
As of July 2024, the series comprises 27 novels and 33 chapbooks. The 25th Liaden Universe novel was released in July 2023.
The Liaden Universe consists of multiple related series. The first Agent of Change series is a sequence of science fiction novels by husband and wife team Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. Originally published in 1988, this series centers on the ongoing conflict between Clan Korval and the Department of the Interior, a rogue government agency.
Del Rey Books published the first three novelsâÂÂAgent of Change, Conflict of Honors, and Carpe DiemâÂÂbetween 1988 and 1989. Due to modest initial sales, Lee and Miller did not immediately continue the series. However, interest grew through online communities, particularly the Usenet group rec.arts.sf.written, where the series was featured in the group's FAQ.
In 1999, the authors published several chapbooks and the next installment in the series, Plan B. Three more books followed, completing the Agent of Change series. The authors also wrote short stories to fill in the gaps between novels and provide background on various characters.
While the first three novels were initially published in mass-market editions by Del Rey, they were later re-published by the now-defunct Meisha Merlin, which also anthologized the earlier books. Subsequently, the novels were reissued in mass-market format by Ace Books. Some earlier works and stories were made available as e-books through Embiid Publishing.
In 2007, Baen Books began releasing the first ten Liaden novels in electronic form, followed by several short story collections. Beginning in 2009, Baen started publishing new books in the series. In 2010, Baen reissued all the earlier novels in omnibus trade paperback editions.
As of 2024, the Liaden Universe includes 26 novels, short stories, and chapbooks. All the novels are currently available as e-books.
Sharon Lee and Steve Miller have co-authored more than 100 science fiction novels and short stories over the course of more than 35 years. Many have been published as anthologies as well as digitally.
Lee has also published a series of novels in another alternate fantasy setting as well as a duo of murder mysteries set in a small town in Maine.
Chart notes
List of novels in order of the timeline of the Liaden universe
These two novels comprise the origin story of the Liaden universe and introduce Cantra and Jela.
These stories of merchants and intrigue take place between The Great Migration and Agent of Change sequences.
This is the timeline for stories in the Liaden universe. In the later novels, the story centers on Theo Waitley before becoming coincident with events involving Clan Korval and the planet Surebleak. See notes below tables.
The (30th) Anniversary edition of the first Liaden Universe novel, Agent of Change, was published in November 2018 as a mass-market paperback.
The (30th) Anniversary edition of the second Liaden Universe novel, Conflict of Honors, was published in October 2019 as a mass-market paperback.
The (30th) Anniversary edition of the third Liaden Universe novel, Carpe Diem, was published in November 2020 as a mass-market paperback.
The latest book to be published is the Clan Korval/Redlands novel Diviner's Bow, a direct sequel to Ribbon Dance. It was published in April 2025.
Following Fair Trade, a fourth Jethri Gobelyn novel (Trade Lanes) was in the works at the time of Steve Miller's death.
These were released immediately upon Lee and Miller's coming to Baen in the wake of Meisha Merlin's dissolution, to bring the ebooks back into print and begin earning royalties for Lee and Miller (who had not been paid by Meisha Merlin). For new readers, the subsequent Baen omnibus editions (below) provide the same books at a lower cost.
Additionally, Agent of Change and Fledgling are available at no cost in the Baen Free Library
Audiobooks
A number of novels have currently available audiobook editions:
These also include stories about Lute and Moonhawk, the earlier incarnations of two major characters in the books. Some short stories also are being made available for free either in the Baen Free Library or at Splinter Universe.
On 2 April 2012, Lee and Miller announced that Baen had purchased publication rights for the contents of Chapbooks #1 through #17 (Two Tales of Korval through Skyblaze), which would be reissued in multiple volumes.
The first volume, Liaden Universe Constellation Volume I, was published by Baen for July 2013 in trade paperback 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:
The chapbooks have been collected in two compilations:
These stories are also being published by Baen webscriptions as the Liaden Universe Big Bang, 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 these stores, they are sold without DRM. See below for availability.
The Liaden universe features both human and non-human races. The human race is divided into Terrans, Liaden, and Yxtrang. Non-human races include Clutch Turtles, Cats, Norbears, and Ssussdriads.
Liadens are a race from a planet called Liad. Liadens are usually shorter than Terrans and often have golden skin. They are deeply concerned with their melant'i, which roughly corresponds to the concern with "face" associated with Japanese samurai. Some Liadens have xenophobic or isolationist views and will refer to individuals of other races as "it," comparing them to animals. They often dislike those with Terran blood.
Liaden society is clan-based, with each clan made up of one or more families or lines. The Head of a Clan is called the "Delm," and the head of a line is the "Thodelm." These positions can be held by males or females.
Liaden clans do not generally allow lifelong mating. 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 clan members must produce at least one progeny to replace them.
"Lifemating" is when two individuals become exclusively bound to one another. This can happen by order of a Delm (a rare occurrence) or the physical, emotional, and spiritual bonding of two individuals with "dramliza" abilities.
Some Liaden are trained as explorers. The "Liaden Scouts," who feature prominently in the series, are regarded with distaste by the more isolationist members of Liaden society.
Most of the stories in the Liaden Universe center on members of Clan Korval, which is made up of the yos'Phelium and yos'Galan lines.
Korval
Others
Terrans are named for their home planet, Terra. It is implied in the series that Terra is Earth. Based on the description of the Liaden people as a younger race, it is also implied that Terrans predated the Liadens' arrival in the series' universe. Most Terrans resent that the "younger" races, such as the Liadens, hold more power in the realm of shipping and commerce.
Among the Terrans, the Juntavas are an organized crime "clan" who play various roles in the series as antagonists or allies of the main Liaden characters. Unlike the real-world mafia, the Juntavas act as an unopposed, organized government and have appointed officials, called Sector Judges, who administer justice within their jurisdictions.
A number of other planets are known to have non-Liaden human inhabitants, presumably of Terran descent. Some of these worlds, such as Surebleak and Delgado, were settled by Terrans. Other worlds, such as Sintia, were settled by ships from Crystal Dragon-era colonization waves.
Some Terran colony worlds, such as Vandar, have regressed to pre-spaceflight technology levels. To allow these societies to develop without interference, external contact is forbidden. However, as of Prodigal Son, which takes place after I Dare, there are signs that this policy may be changing.
Gobelyns
Korval clan members
Korval-linked
Uncle-linked
Others
The Yxtrang are typically much larger than their Terran counterparts and are regarded as a warlike, conquest-driven people. Their home planet is unknown.
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.
These non-humans are even larger than Yxtrang and are very long-lived. They resemble turtles who walk upright. The length of their names is directly proportional to their age and accomplishments. 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 use the considerably faster high drive in I Dare.
Clutch Turtles can command forces with great destructive or healing potential by singing. The Yxtrang greatly feared and avoided them because they suffered a resounding defeat in battle many years before.
The Clutch Turtles encountered in the Agent of Change sequence are a "market research" team working on behalf of their clan, which is known for manufacturing crystalline blades of extreme sharpness and durability by growing them in caves over decades.
Many cats appear in the stories, usually by name, and often taking an active part in the proceedings. Unlike ordinary house cats, these cats often display paranormal abilities as well as considerable intelligence.
Norbears are furry, quadrupedal herbivorous mammals with a burrowing habit and soft, dense coats. They range in height from 16âÂÂ22 cm and weigh between 121âÂÂ180 g. Norbears' coloration ranges, including grey, brown, black, orange, and white, sometimes as mixed patterns. They have a fearless and lively disposition and are naturally empathic. Norbears adapt well to domestication but are banned on certain worlds.
The Ssussdriads are a race of wise, sentient trees. Jelaza Kazone is a prominent member of this race. It is a very large tree that lives on the grounds of Clan Korval's primary residence, often communicating its likes and dislikes to senior members of the clan. It has a particular interest in the future children of the clan.
As a young soldier, Jela found Jelaza Kazone on a desert planet where his ship had crashed. Though barely a seedling and the last member of a dying race, the tree was by itself able to repel the Sheriekas' invasion of the planet. 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 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 (variously translated as "Jela's Promise," "Jela's Contract," or "Jela's Dream") refers to the promise Cantra yos'Phelium made to Jela â who knew he was destined to die before the completion of the migration â 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.
Much of Liaden culture centers on a concept called melant'i. This 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, dictating behavior etiquette in different situations, similar to code-switching.
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. In contrast, another sentence might be Parent to Child, or Adult to Adult, or Adult to your Delm (clan leader), or Adult to another clanâÂÂs Delm. 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.
Bows are used by Liadens when both meeting and parting, reflecting the exact melant'i and roles of the two individuals. Bows are precise and complicated.
Human ships can travel quickly between planets by "jumping." Different jumping technologies exist but are all fairly fast. Only the Clutch Turtles use a different method of space travel.
Propulsion and artificial gravity are 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."
From The Gathering Edge:
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.
In the series' 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. It is not uncommon 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 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. "Pilot" is an honorific title.
Pilots must have superior reflexes, coordination, and spatial orientation. They also need proficiency in higher mathematics to quickly and accurately solve equations in trajectory, orbital mechanics, and jump coordinates. Pilots also need to be able to defend themselves and are thus trained in self-defense and personal weaponry.
Pilots are responsible for the ship and passengers, while Co-Pilots are responsible for the Pilot and ship. Pilots operate the ship from a primary control board, where they "sit First." The Co-Pilot, or acting Co-Pilot, "sit Second." Larger ships may have other crew such as a communications officer, executive officer, and more.
Many, if not most, Pilots belong to the Pilots Guild. The Guild takes 3% of the Pilot's income for life and provides many important services in return. These services include Guild certification (required on many ships and lines), legal services and bail bonds, mailboxes with forwarding, hiring and personnel services, and recordkeeping. In larger localities, Guilds operate a Guild Hall with lounges, bars, and/or cafes. Each Guild Hall has a Guild Master.
The Guild certified Pilot Classes:
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. Only Jump Pilots wear a Pilot's jacket. Although this is not a law, it is enforced through social pressure.
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 other Pilots. All Liaden Scout Pilots are Master Class. A Pilot in training will be granted "provisional" status in grade as the student advances.
Lee and Miller strongly oppose fan fiction set in the Liaden universe, with Sharon Lee stating on her website, "We built our universes, and our characters; they are our intellectual property; and they are not toys lying about some virtual sandbox 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."