Once a Hero
Esmay Suiza left her home planet of Altiplano to join the Regular Space Service, even though her family expected her to become the Landbride of their estancia. Altiplano is only an affiliate world of the Familias Regnant; they have no Seat in Council, and Esmay is not a command track officer...until, as the senior survivor of a mutiny, she takes command and saves the day. Now she's under some suspicion--why had she hidden such ability?--and takes a long leave at home where, her grandmother having died, she assumes the role of Landbride. But old wounds return, and she returns to the Fleet, to be assigned to a Deepspace Repair Ship in her "proper" role as technical track. There she meets Barin Serrano, Heris's relative...and there she learns that ability cannot be hidden easily.
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Elizabeth Moon
Elizabeth Moon is an American fantasy and science fiction author. She was born born 1945. She grew up on the Texas-Mexico border. She has degrees in history and biology, and she programmed computers while in the Marine Corps.
She began writing stories in childhood, but didn't make a fiction sale until she was forty. She has several books in print, including The Speed of Dark. She and her husband live in Central Texas; their son, in his early twenties, is autistic.
She loves the outdoors, rides horses, sings in a choir, and would rather do anything than clean house.
Esmay Suiza
Esmay Suiza consists of two primary books, and includes one additional book that complement the series but is not considered mandatory reads. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
Main series The Familias Regnant
