Reviewed: July 8th, 2024
Released: June 17th, 2024
Genre: Space Opera
On a world where cake is a necessity, it takes the Grid to protect the civilized and the deaf from the dire influences of the ambient and to keep the chaotic Haosa at bay.
Having arrived at recently Dust-bound Colemeno, Trader Padi yos’Galan is essential to Master Trader Shan yos’Galan’s plan to recoup Clan Korval’s fortunes by establishing new routes for the clan’s tradeship. Shan’s inner Healer insists Padi come to terms with her as-yet unplumbed psychic abilities, which might place her in the top tier of dramliz, if she can learn control.
Padi yearns to concentrate on trade, but Colemeno’s fey ambient and deadly long-term politics combine to bring her face-to-face with the Haosa, and in particular with the mysterious and untouchable Tekelia, as Korval’s trade mission’s necessity of a port audit collide with a cruel history of murder, deception, and brutality. Amid the dangers, Padi unexpectedly finds herself eagerly exploring her dramliz side when faced with the unspoken powers of the ambient, the sky-filling energy of the ribbon dance, and Tekelia’s mutable eyes.
Helen’s Thoughts: 5/5
Lee and Miller’s Liaden Universe now spans twenty-nine books, and each book expands the universe and the characters we meet. I would highly recommend you read the previous books first. The universe is complex, the Korval clan unique and with a long history you would do well to understand to appreciate this latest installement.
Shan yos’Galan and Priscilla were the first characters I ever met when I read Partners in Necessity, which was my first introduction to this amazing world, so they have always been my favourite couple. So you can imagine my joy when we finally revisted the Master Trader and his daughter Padi in Trader’s Leap and continued their tale, and the development of Padi’s emerging talent here in Ribbon Dance.
Clan Korval, having been banished from their homeland, is now regrouping. It is down to Shan to redeem their fortunes by building out a profitable trade route. But being banished means they have to visit far flung places where civilization differs and local customs prevail.
Lee and Miller write such complex stories, with so many nuances and inflexion points, that keeping track of all the characters and their individual melanti, their sense sense of honour and duty, can be quite challenging. Each turn of phrase has to be inspected for underlying meanings as you will get as much enjoyment from what isn’t said, as from what is.
Nevertheless, once you get the hang of it, it is a wondrous universe full of engaging characters and an ongoing persecution against one clan who are being punished for saving their home world.
This is, in essence, Padi’s story as she embraces her gift and the ambience that surrounds her. We learn more about Tekelia and the ribbon dancers, and although there is time for gentle reflection and joy, there is also plenty of conflict to overcome. I am pleased to see there is much more story to tell and there will be more to come!
Purchase Ribbon Dance
Link to book on Amazon UK: ebook | Paperback
Link to book on Amazon US: ebook | Paperback
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If you enjoy fantasy books then you will love my epic fantasy Sentinal series or the Romantic Fantasy SoulMist series and now Harmony, a dystopian science fantasy.
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