How can a series with terrific character development, witty dialogue, and high adventure fail? Lee, Miller, and dedicated fans refused to believe it could, and after 10 years, the Liaden Universe has returned from book limbo! If you can find them, look for other books in the series: Partners in Necessity, an omnibus of the first three novels, another omnibus containing two prequels, and the fifth book, I Dare. But feel free to start here: Plan B stands alone, though previous books provide rich back-story.

Meet Val Con yos'Phelium of Clan Korval. Val Con was once an "agent of change": recruited by Liad's Department of Interior (DOI) and redesigned--his memories blocked, his emotions suppressed--into a precision killing device. Val Con's sanity was saved by his lifemate, Miri Robertson. She's a half-Terran former mercenary sergeant even shorter than Val Con, and almost as deadly in combat. Miri also has Liaden dramliza (wizard) blood from her mother's family, Clan Erob. In Liaden society, one's melant'i (roughly: reputation, or face) is preserved by appropriate speech and behavior, including honor duels when a Balance is owed. Miri is nervous but Val Con says: "'Together, cha'trez, we are--' he bent his head, put his mouth next to her ear and breathed '--hell on wheels.'"

DOI has plotted to destroy Korval; Korval now invokes Plan B: retreat strategically, trust no one, prepare for all-out war. Val Con and Miri are trapped by an invasion force of the militaristic Yxtrang as they await Val Con's foster siblings, who are arming the clan. And of course their adopted Clutch brothers, Edger and Sheather, who resemble giant turtles, are also on their way. Somewhat more slowly. Can everybody stay alive long enough to reunite?

If you love Lois McMaster Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan books, visit Liad. This is space opera at its best. --Nona Vero


Analog
Sharon and Steve used their time between publishers to good advantage, honing this one into an exciting romp that promises their fans a great deal of fun...


Anne McCaffrey
"A real page-turner, and that's even with me going back and reading the nice juicy bits twice…"


A. C. Crispin, author of the StarBridge Series and The Han Solo Trilogy
"Sharon Lee & Steve Miller are a great writing team. Plan B is compelling space adventure with a capital A!"


Locus, August 1999
"It's great adventure; hard to beat for fans of fast-paced space opera."


Gerry Boyle, author of Cover Story
"Sharon Lee and Steve Miller have imaginations matched only by the precision of their writing."


Science Fiction Romance
The Liaden series is a satisfying blend of adventure, political intrigue and romance. The authors do a wonderful job of portraying several different cultures, and the inevitable clashes that occur as Terrans, Liaden, Yxtrang and Clutch Turtles interact. I highly recommend Plan B, and am anxiously awaiting the reissue of the first books, so I can share the Liaden universe with my friends.


Locus
...a rousing military space adventure with larger-than-life characters ... packs more action into its pages than many trilogies ... great space adventure, hard to beat for fans of fast-paced space opera.


Book Description
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About the Author
Sharon Lee Sharon Lee was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1952. She graduated high school in 1970, attended University of Maryland Baltimore County as a mild-mannered night student while simultaneously cutting a fearsome swath through the secretarial field by day. In 1978, she decided life was too tame and predictable and left her plush job as administrative aide to the Dean of the University of Maryland's School of Social Work and Community Planning. Shortly thereafter, she engineered her first adventure by opening a genre bookstore, using the money from her retirement fund as her seed. After Book Castle went bankrupt, she worked a series of odd and odder jobs, the most memorable of which was delivering tractor trailers, though selling cider at the Baltimore City Sunday Farmer's Market was fun, too. On the odder side, she was an advertising copy writer, both in-house and freelance. Presently, she is executive director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. Since her first professional sale, in 1980, Sharon's professional output has included reviews, features, short stories; TV, radio and print ads, as well as her contribution to the Liaden Universe. She and Steve Miller married in 1980. In 1988 they migrated to Maine, where they can be found to this day, sharing life with four stalwart cats and a large cast of characters.. Steve Miller Steve Miller was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1950. He graduated high school in 1968, attended University of Maryland Baltimore County a couple times, where he was news editor of the campus newspaper, The Retriever, active in the chess club and founding president of the Infinity Circle, the school's first science fiction club. In between bouts of being a student, he was curator of the Albin O. Kuhn Library's science fiction collection. In no particular order he has been a reviewer—of music, of books and of typewriters—a reporter, an editor, a professional chess tournament director, a librarian, an editor, a sysop, an editor and a resource specialist for a statewide electronic bulletin board system. In 1973 he attended the Clarion West Writing Workshop in Seattle. Since his first publication in 1968, Steve has accumulated credits in well over 100 newspapers, magazines and journals. In addition to reviews and poetry, Steve's professional output has included short stories, TV and radio commercials, greeting cards, as well as his contribution to the Liaden Universe. He and Sharon Lee married in 1980. In 1988 they migrated to Maine, where they can be found to this day, sharing life with four stalwart cats and a large cast of characters.

SYNOPSIS

Pursued across space by the ultra-secret Department of the Interior, hunted by the galaxy-wide Juntavas syndicate, former Agent of Change Val Con yos￯﾿ﾽ Phelium and his ex-soldier lifemate Miri Robertson have commandeered the only spaceship on Vandar and fled, seeking help from Miri￯﾿ﾽs newly discovered kin on Lytaxin.

Elsewhere, Clan Korval is in action. Scattered across space by the newly invoked Plan B, certain clan members pursue the search for the long-missing Val Con. First Speaker Nova yos￯﾿ﾽGalan returns to Lufkit, seeking clues, as Dutiful Passage, Korval￯﾿ﾽs premier tradeship, arms itself for war -- and discovers treachery.

Back on Lytaxin, Miri￯﾿ﾽs homecoming is interrupted by a full-scale Yxtrang planetary invasion.

Then things start to get really interesting...

FROM THE CRITICS

Analog

Sharon and Steve used their time between publishers to good advantage, honing this one into an exciting romp that promises their fans a great deal of fun with future volumes.

Locus

This latest novel is a rousing military space adventure with larger-than-life characters, and packs more action into its pages than many trilogies -- and best of all, it can be read by those unfamiliar with the series, though the intriguing bits of back story may send impatient readers searching used bookstores for the previous novels. It's great adventure, hard to beat for fans of fast-paced space opera.

ConNotations

Plan B is the long awaited sequel to Miller and Lees￯﾿ﾽs 80￯﾿ﾽs Trilogy. The series was incomplete and at long last in their inimitable style the authors have provided rip roaring answers to many of the questions about events in the wonderful Liaden Universe of Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change, and Carpe Diem.

The authors have maintained the combination of dramatic action and humor in the original tales and have preserved their original flavor.

A Really Good read.

Twink 14

Okay, if you were desperate for a label you could call this 'space opera'. You could say the same about Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan stories. In neither case would that label begin to convey the intrinsic charm of these character-intensive stories. You should all run out and order Plan B...

ConNotations

Plan B is the long awaited sequel to Miller and Lees￯﾿ﾽs 80￯﾿ﾽs Trilogy. The series was incomplete and at long last in their inimitable style the authors have provided rip roaring answers to many of the questions about events in the wonderful Liaden Universe of Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change, and Carpe Diem.

The authors have maintained the combination of dramatic action and humor in the original tales and have preserved their original flavor.

A Really Good read.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

A book such as this, which melds a far future background, excellent action, believable characters, but does not turn too technical for the average reader, should be hailed with satisfaction. It comes to life when one turns the pages and is a fine buy for those hoping to assemble an outstanding personal library.  — Andre Norton

That was one marvelous read...all my old Liaden friends...I'm greedy, I want another one...like rightnow. A real page-turner, and that's even with me going back and reading the nice juicy bits twice...I do not often RAVE, but consider me RAVING with delight to have one more of my favorite comfort books available. Boy, _Plan B_ is spot on for me and SUCH a grand read. Miri and Val Con, Shan and Priscilla, Edger and Sheather...even the Juntavas gal -- it's SO good to read them again....Think I'll just go back and start the re-read tonight....You've got a beaut here.  — Anne McCaffrey

A genuine treat for Liaden fans. Rich with detail -- the best yet. (Barry B. Longyear, author ofThe Enemy Papers and Yesterday's Tomorrow)  — Barry B. Longyear

A richly imagined space opera saga, full of wonderful characters, strange races, big inventions, and adventure galore! _Plan B_ should win Lee and Miller armies of new readers. (Robin Wayne Bailey, author of Swords Against the Shadowland)  — Robin Wayne Bailey

Action, nifty tech, larger-than-life characters, romance, humor, mind-expanding talents. Plan B is space opera at its best. (Sherwood Smith, author of the Wren series and the Crown and Court Duel series)  — Sherwood Smith

Sharon Lee and Steve Miller have imaginations matched only by the precision of their writing. Enter the world of Plan B and be transported. (Gerry Boyle, author of Cover Story)  — Gerry Boyle

When I'm looking for an intelligent, thought-provoking, and fast-paced science fiction story that is also blessed with complex, fascinating, and frankly loveable characters, I turn to Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. They put human -- and non-human -- relationships center-stage and have created aunique universe in which the reader becomes deeply involved. Once I've read a Lee and Miller novel, I never forget it. (Susan Krinard, author of Once a Wolf, Touch of the Wolf, and Prince of Wolves)  — Susan Krinard

I'm thrilled to see the return of the Liaden Universe™, it's long overdue. Sharon Lee and Steve Miller are a great writing team. Plan B is compelling space adventure with a capital A! (A.C. Crispin, author of the StarBridge series and The Han Solo Trilogy)  — A.C. Crispin