Fledgling (Liaden Universe Novels)
Theo Waitley has lived all her young life on Delgado, a Safe World that is home to one of the galaxy's premier institutions of higher learning. Both Theo's mother, Kamele, and Kamele's onagrata Jen Sar Kiladi, are professors at the university, and they all live comfortably together, just like they have for all of Theo's life, in Jen Sar's house at the outskirts of town.
Suddenly, though, Theo's life changes. Kamele leaves Jen Sar and moves herself and Theo back into faculty housing, which is not what Theo is used to. Once settled back inside the Wall, Kamele becomes embroiled in faculty politics, and is appointed sub-chair of her department. Meanwhile, Theo, who has a notation in her file indicating that she is "physically challenged" has a series of misadventures, including pulling her best friend down on the belt-ride to class, and hurting a team mate during a scavage game.
With notes piling up in her file, Theo only wants to go “home,” to the house in the suburbs, and have everything just like it used to be.
Then, Kamele uncovers evidence of possible dishonest scholarship inside of her department. In order to clear the department, she and a team of senior professors must go off-world to perform a forensic document search. Theo hopes this will mean that she'll be left in the care of the man she calls “Father,” Professor Kiladi, and is horrified to learn that Kamele means to bring Theo with her!
Suddenly, though, Theo's life changes. Kamele leaves Jen Sar and moves herself and Theo back into faculty housing, which is not what Theo is used to. Once settled back inside the Wall, Kamele becomes embroiled in faculty politics, and is appointed sub-chair of her department. Meanwhile, Theo, who has a notation in her file indicating that she is "physically challenged" has a series of misadventures, including pulling her best friend down on the belt-ride to class, and hurting a team mate during a scavage game.
With notes piling up in her file, Theo only wants to go “home,” to the house in the suburbs, and have everything just like it used to be.
Then, Kamele uncovers evidence of possible dishonest scholarship inside of her department. In order to clear the department, she and a team of senior professors must go off-world to perform a forensic document search. Theo hopes this will mean that she'll be left in the care of the man she calls “Father,” Professor Kiladi, and is horrified to learn that Kamele means to bring Theo with her!
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Community Reviews
Listening to this book made me realize that I should dip into straight up SF more often. I don't remember buying the book, nor did I realize that it's sort of "out of series order" when I listened to it, so I must've gotten it from one of Audble's many sales.
It took a while to get the hang of how things work in the Liaden universe, but the process of discovery was enjoyable. I'm particularly interested to learn more about how gender roles developed there to the point that young people might tell each other they need to "woman up" in the way those in our society say "man up." Clearly it's more complex than a simple reversal of typical gender roles.
I look forward to reading more of this series, but in the order recommended by the author!
It took a while to get the hang of how things work in the Liaden universe, but the process of discovery was enjoyable. I'm particularly interested to learn more about how gender roles developed there to the point that young people might tell each other they need to "woman up" in the way those in our society say "man up." Clearly it's more complex than a simple reversal of typical gender roles.
I look forward to reading more of this series, but in the order recommended by the author!
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