Fledgling by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

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!

I half-listened to part of this book as [a:Sam Chupp 11847 Sam Chupp http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1219698183p2/11847.jpg] podcast it, chapter by chapter. For some reason, it just didn't catch my fancy back then. I think I didn't let it catch my fancy, because of knowing that I would have to wait for each chapter to be released. Now, though, having it all finished and edited, it's clearly a polished Lee and Miller novel of the Liaden Universe, and I love those.It's also something of a young adult novel, but don't let that put you off. Theo is an interesting character who begins growing up in [b:Fledgling (Theo Waitley, #1) 5585180 Fledgling (Theo Waitley, #1) (Liaden Universe, #12) Sharon Lee http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1256005889s/5585180.jpg 5756422]. She's 14, and she has never been off Delgado, a Safe World. Her own world is made up entirely of the University and academia, with both parents being professors. The fact that her parents live outside the Wall, in a house rather than in University housing, is unusual.As the book opens she has to deal with major life changes. For the sake of her career, her mother, Kamele, has chosen to leave her father's house and move back to the University with Theo. Delgado is a matriarchal society, and Theo is expected to stop acknowledging her father as anyone but Professor Jen Sar Kiladi. To make matters worse, Theo is considered “physically challenged,” with too-fast reflexes that cause frequent accidents. The University wants Kamele to agree to drug Theo “for her own good,” but the supposedly safe drugs have unacceptable and permanent cognitive effects. (Those familiar with the Liaden Universe novels will recognize Theo's “problems” as coming of growing into pilot reflexes.) Kamele's career situation has political ramifications that blow back onto poor Theo as well, which the girl doesn't need.Theo deals with all of the above and more in believable and admirable ways. She stretches and shows herself to be growing into a remarkable young lady, fit to be the subject of a Liaden Universe novel. I'm glad I have [b:Saltation (Theo Waitley, #2) 6669085 Saltation (Theo Waitley, #2) (Liaden Universe, #13) Sharon Lee http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1276362333s/6669085.jpg 6131174] on hand, because I look forward to seeing more of who she grows up to be.

Fledgling is now one of my favorite books. This was my second read. This story is about a young woman who does not fit into her society and must navigate the treacherous shoals of young adulthood. Her society is completely about academic lifestyle. Theo's mother is a respected scholar of very high status on the planet of Delgado. Women are the dominant gender on the planet and men play a secondary role. Theo's father is a competent scholar, but her mother's work and position takes precedence.

There is a dramatic growth in Theo's character through the book. She begins the book as a clumsy girl and later in the book is respected with the potential for great things. There is a lot of tension and conflict in the story, without fighting or battles.

People who would like this story are probably people who have happily spent time in academia and are not looking for fighting scenes. The next book continues Theo's story.