Vorkosigan Saga Archives - Gary David Gillen

Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold

A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold, Book #12 of the Vorkosigan saga.

Introduction

A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold is the twelfth novel of the Vorkosigan saga. Miles returns to Barrayar before the royal wedding of Gregor. Miles is caught up in the political situation in capital. He is also trying to help his brother out of a tricky situation. He is also pursuing a relationship with Lady Ekaterin and fending off others interested in courting her. Can Miles juggle his conflicting objectives in Barrayar or will he fail in his Civil Campaign?

Summary

A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold has four different main viewpoints.

Miles faces political upheaval in Barrayar and attempts maintaining a relationship with Lady Ekaterina before he can reveal his intentions to court her. Miles returned home after his last adventure in Komarr. Lady Ekaterin Vorssoison and her son have come to Barrayar. She had helped him in Komarr, he wants to pursue a romantic relationship with her, but she is in her mourning year after her husband’s death, though that doesn’t stop all the eligible bachelors attempting to court her. He’s also pulled in other directions by his brother Mark and his cousin Ivan.

Lady Ekaterin wants the best for her son and herself. She stays with her uncle and Aunt as she tries to recover from her husband’s sudden death. Miles helps her and she is attracted to him but doesn’t know if the feeling is mutual. She is stressed by all the eligible bachelors in the capital attempting to court her even though she is in her mourning year.

Mark Vorkosigan, Miles’s brother, has returned from a year in Beta Colony. He has a secret relationship with Kareen Koudelka. They are not sure if her parents will approve of the relationship. He brought Enrique from Escobar because they are in a scheme together to monetize the butter bugs Enrique developed. Mark, Enrique, Kareen, and Kareen’s sister Martya are involved with the scheme.

Miles’s cousin Ivan Vorpatril gets involved with a succession issue in the council of the counts. He thinks about rekindling a relationship with a former lover but their more concerned with securing the countship. He is pressed because of a plot to injure the prospective count and must overcome his objections to succeed.

Recommendation

Miles’s latest mission is his most difficult yet in A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold. He’s in love and wants to court the next Lady Vorkosigan, but everyone conspires against him, including her. I liked the novel’s mix of regency romance, butter bug shenanigans, and political intrigue. It was all interconnected and earns its happy ending.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61899.A_Civil_Campaign

In Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold, death will not stop Miles Vorkosigan, but his boss Simon Illyan has an illness that might end Miles’s career. Can Miles figure out what happened to Illyan and what he should do about it before it’s too late?

Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold

In Ethan of Athos by Lois McMaster Bujold, Dr. Ethan Urquhart must discover what happened to unusable ovarian samples. Will Ethan go off the planet, risk being corrupted, and solve the mystery of the unusable samples, or will he doom Athos by doing nothing?

Ethan of Athos by Lois McMaster Bujold

In Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold, they send Miles Vorkosigan and his cousin Ivan to Cetaganda on a diplomatic mission. Miles becomes involved in a complex mystery. Will Miles foil the plot to destroy Cetaganda and save his home planet of Barrayar?

Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold

In The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold, they accused Miles Vorkosigan of treason. Will Miles play The Vor Game well enough to escape the treason charges made against him and secure the assignment he desires?

Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold

Links Continued

In Warriors Apprentice (Book #2 of the Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, Miles Vorkosigan gets involved in another planet’s war. Can he escape the mischief he started?

Warriors Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold

In Barrayar (Book#7 of the Vorkosigan saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, Lady Cordelia Vorkosigan faces an assassination and the birth of her son. Will she survive the regency and give birth to her son?

Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold

In Shards of Honor (Book#1 of the Vorkosigan saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, Barrayaran Captain Aral Vorkosigan takes Betan Commander Cordelia Naismith as a prisoner. They take a hike in the jungle. What happens when they fall in love?

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

In Falling Free (Book #4 of the Vorkosigan saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, space engineer Leo Graf must decide between retiring or risking his life protecting his students. The novel is a fun, self-contained space opera romp.

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold

Komarr by Lois McMaster Bujold

Komarr by Lois McMaster Bujold, Book #11 of the Vorkosigan saga.

Introduction

Komarr by Lois McMaster Bujold is the eleventh novel of the Vorkosigan saga. The Emperor of Barrayar sends Miles as his Imperial Auditor to find out how the Komarr terraforming mirror was destroyed. Miles discovers plots against him as the son of the Butcher of Komarr and other terrorist plots. He must disentangle the various plots with the help of Ekaterina Vorsoisson. Can Miles save Komarr from itself or will the planet fall into anarchy?

Summary

[Insert Summary Here]

Recommendation

[Insert Recommendation Here]

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Komarr by Lois McMaster Bujold.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61884.Komarr

Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold

Ethan of Athos by Lois McMaster Bujold

Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold

Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold

In Warriors Apprentice (Book #2 of the Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, Miles Vorkosigan gets involved in another planet’s war. Can he escape the mischief he started?

Warriors Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold

Links (Continued)

In Barrayar (Book#7 of the Vorkosigan saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, Lady Cordelia Vorkosigan faces an assassination and the birth of her son. Will she survive the regency and give birth to her son?

Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold

Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold

Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold, Book #10 of the Vorkosigan saga.

Introduction

Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold is the tenth novel of the Vorkosigan saga. Miles has a medical issue that occurred on his last adventure which jeopardizes his career as an Imp Sec operative. He has a medical event at the wrong time, and he must report to his boss, Simon Illyan. The problem is his boss suffers from an illness related to the computer implanted in his brain. The nature of Illyan’s memory glitches jeopardizes the Barrayaran Empire. Can Miles figure out what happened to Illyan and what he should do about it before it’s too late?

Summary

In Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold, Miles must reevaluate his life because of a medical condition that interferes with performing his job as the leader of the Denarii Mercenaries and as an operative of Imperial Security reporting to Simon Illyan. Miles gets the medical condition in his last adventure detailed in the novel Mirror Dance. In this novel, things go wrong on his next mission and Miles tries to cover it up, so he won’t face a medical discharge. They summon him to Barrayar to face his superior, the Imperial Security Chief, Simon Illyan.

Miles finds out Illyan has a medical emergency and that changes everything. They had installed a computer in Illyan’s brain many years ago. The computer has always failed in others, but Illyan has used it beyond its normal working life. His computer is glitching and he experiences memories as if they are happening now. The memories are cascading, and his life is in jeopardy. Miles must determine if the failures are natural or if someone caused them. The answers may prove catastrophic for the Empire but may show Miles a path to follow for the next phase of his life.

Recommendation

The events of Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold change the Vorkosigan saga from now on. Miles grew up and needed a change but change came to him unexpectedly and he had to prepare for the next phase of his life. He ends up well like he always does. I thought Memory came at the perfect time in the saga and set up Miles for the rest of his life.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61880.Memory

Ethan of Athos by Lois McMaster Bujold

Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold

Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold

In Warriors Apprentice (Book #2 of the Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, Miles Vorkosigan gets involved in another planet’s war. Can he escape the mischief he started?

Warriors Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold

In Barrayar (Book#7 of the Vorkosigan saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, Lady Cordelia Vorkosigan faces an assassination and the birth of her son. Will she survive the regency and give birth to her son?

Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold

Ethan of Athos by Lois McMaster Bujold

Ethan of Athos by Lois McMaster Bujold, Book #3 of the Vorkosigan saga by publication order and #7 by chronological order.

Introduction

Ethan of Athos by Lois McMaster Bujold is the third published novel of the Vorkosigan saga. It is also the seventh novel of the internal chronology of the saga. It is one of the few novels in the series where Miles Vorkosigan is not the protagonist of the novel. Dr. Ethan Urquhart is a reproduction specialist on the planet of Athos. This is a very important job because the population of Athos is only men, and they grow babies in uterine replicators. Without the doctor’s efforts, the population of Athos could dwindle and eventually expire. The cultures he received in the last shipment were unusable. Will Ethan go off the planet, risk being corrupted, and solve the mystery of the unusable samples, or will he doom Athos by doing nothing?

Summary

Dr. Ethan Urquhart is a reproduction specialist on the planet of Athos. Athos was populated only with men, with a monk-like society. They have demonized women as a corrupting force and will not let them in the colony. To continue the colony, they must produce babies by using uterine replicators. Ethan is one of the doctors who monitor the babies’ growth. His latest batch of ovarian tissues is unusable, so he must discover what went wrong to save his planet. The problem is, he must go off the planet to discover the truth and risk corrupting himself by encountering the corrupters, women.

Ethan goes to Kline Station, where the tissues came from, to find answers. Early on he meets Elli Quinn, who is a commander in the Denarii Mercenary Fleet. (Commanded by Admiral Naismith aka Miles Vorkosigan and Elli’s love interest, but that is another story.) They encounter Cetagandians who are looking for the missing tissue samples for their reasons. Reversals occur and Ethan must make hard choices to accomplish his mission of getting ovarian tissue samples to continue the breeding project.

Recommendation

Ethan of Athos by Lois McMaster Bujold is a nice, short, fast-paced spy adventure that comes to a satisfying ending. I appreciated Bujold’s treatment of the colony of Athos. She has taken a thought experiment of how a one-sex colony sustains itself without adding outside members and giving it a face in Ethan. The frank treatment of his sexuality was refreshing, especially since it was published so long ago and in the science fiction genre. Elli Quinn was an excellent character, and I can see why the author goes back to her in subsequent novels. Another novel featuring Ethan would have been interesting, but I am satisfied in thinking that his life in the future was quiet and productive rather than needing a stressful adventure intruding on him.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Ethan of Athos by Lois McMaster Bujold.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/990093.Ethan_of_Athos

Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold

Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold

In Warriors Apprentice (Book #2 of the Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, Miles Vorkosigan gets involved in another planet’s war. Can he escape the mischief he started?

Warriors Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold

In Barrayar (Book#7 of the Vorkosigan saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, Lady Cordelia Vorkosigan faces an assassination and the birth of her son. Will she survive the regency and give birth to her son?

Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold

Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold

Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold, Book #9 of the Vorkosigan saga.

Introduction

Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold is the ninth published novel of the Vorkosigan saga. It is also the sixth novel of the internal chronology of the saga. Miles Vorkosigan is the protagonist of the novel. He suffers from brittle bones because of an assassination attempt on his mother when she was pregnant with him. Miles and his cousin Ivan are sent to Cetaganda on a diplomatic mission. Miles becomes involved in a complex mystery. Will Miles foil the plot to destroy the Cetagandan Empire and avoid their hostile fragmented forces threatening his home planet of Barrayar?

Summary

Miles Vorkosigan and his cousin Ivan Vorpatril are sent to Cetaganda on a diplomatic mission. They are both young inexperienced lieutenants in the Barrayar secret service. They dock at Eta Ceta IV, the home planet of the Cetagandan Empire. The secret service sent them there to represent Barrayar at the state funeral of the dowager, Empress Lisbet. After they dock someone attacks them, they obtain a mysterious object, and they become involved in a complex plot to destroy the Cetagandan Empire. If the Empire is broken apart then the pieces will expand into Barrayan space so Miles cannot let that happen.

There are three important classes of people in the Cetagandan Empire. The haut class are the rulers, the ghem class is their military force, and the ba class is their sexless servants. The plot involves the Cetagandan class system, genetics, and the key to the Cetagandan’s future.

Ivan is exotic to the haut ladies and desirable to them. Miles has a close relationship with the haut woman Rian Degtiar, who helps Miles unravel the mystery.

Miles juggles these impossible tasks in a way only he could succeed and then he saves the day.

Recommendation

Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold takes a mysterious former enemy of Barrayar and gives them context. The reader learns about why and how the Cetagandans do things. The Cetagandan background introduced in this novel is explored further in the novel, Ethan of Athos. At first, I found it difficult to understand the Cetagandan terms introduced in this novel, but by the end of the novel, I understood their meaning. I like Miles and wanted him to succeed. I liked his relationship with Rian Degtair, and how she intrigued him. I’m looking forward to reading Miles’s next adventure in my Vorkosigan saga reading project.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/76812.Cetaganda

Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold

In Warriors Apprentice (Book #2 of the Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, Miles Vorkosigan gets involved in another planet’s war. Can he escape the mischief he started?

Warriors Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold

In Barrayar (Book#7 of the Vorkosigan saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, Lady Cordelia Vorkosigan faces an assassination attempt and the birth of her son. Will she survive the regency and give birth to her son?

Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold

In Shards of Honor (Book#1 of the Vorkosigan saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, Barrayaran Captain Aral Vorkosigan takes Betan Commander Cordelia Naismith prisoner. They take a hike in the jungle. What happens when they fall in love?

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold

Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold, Book #6 of the Vorkosigan saga.

Introduction

The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold is the sixth published novel of the Vorkosigan saga. It is also the eighth story of the internal chronology of the saga. Miles Vorkosigan is the protagonist of the novel. Miles suffers from brittle bones because of an assassination attempt on his mother when she was pregnant with him. He graduates from the Service Academy and gets his first assignment as a commissioned ensign. He wanted to get ship duty to follow in his father’s footsteps, but his commander wants him to command ordinary men. The posting is out of the way and boring for him. He gets in trouble anyway and they accuse him of treason. Will Miles play The Vor Game well enough to escape the treason charges made against him and secure the assignment he desires?

Summary

The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold begins when Miles Vorkosigan graduates from the Barayarran Service Academy. He wants a posting in an interstellar spaceship where he can command men. What he gets is an assignment to replace the weatherman at the remote base on Kyril Island. He sees the posting as a boring assignment beneath his dignity. It becomes a test of his resolve and cunning.

Miles ends up charged with treason and imprisoned in IMPSEC. His fortunes are turned, and he gets an assignment to evaluate the Hengan Hub. He discovers Emperor Gregor which changes everything. Miles must deal with a plot instigated at Kyril Island, match wits with a female mercenary leader whom he fancies, and protect Emperor Gregor from himself, meanwhile defeating the approaching Cetagandan fleet.

Mile juggles these impossible tasks in a way only he could succeed through and saves the day.

Recommendation

The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1991. They printed the first six chapters of the novel as the short story, The Weatherman, covering the first part of the story when they stationed Miles at Kyril Island. The rest of the story detailed how Miles helped Emperor Gregor get out of trouble in a manner only Miles would try. I like Miles and want him to succeed. I like he met his match in the mystery mercenary leader, and how she intrigued him. I’m looking forward to reading Miles’s next adventure in my Vorkosigan saga reading project.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/68483.The_Vor_Game

In Warriors Apprentice (Book #2 of the Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, Miles Vorkosigan gets involved in another planet’s war. Can he escape the mischief he started?

Warriors Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold

In Barrayar (Book#7 of the Vorkosigan saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, Lady Cordelia Vorkosigan faces assassination and the birth of her son. Will she survive the regency and give birth to her son?

Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold

Warriors Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold

Warriors Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold, Book #2 of the Vorkosigan saga.

Introduction

Warriors Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold is the second book of the Vorkosigan saga. It is the first book of many to feature Miles Vorkosigan as the protagonist. Miles suffers from brittle bones because of an assassination attempt on his mother when she was pregnant with him. 17-year-old Miles fails his test to enter the Academy. He visits his grandmother in the Beta Colony. A series of events results with him getting involved in another planet’s war. Does Miles learn enough as the Warriors Apprentice to escape the mischief he has started?

Summary

At the beginning of the Warriors Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold, Miles Vorkosigan takes the physical test for admittance to the Imperial Service Academy of Barrayar. He has passed the written portion of the test but must navigate an obstacle course to enter the Academy. He is the son of the former Regent of the Empire. Emperor Gregor has recently gained his maturity. When Miles’s mother was pregnant with him, an assassination attempt affected Miles’s health. His bones are brittle, and he is short. There are no exceptions to the physical test. He fails the test and must decide his next move.

Miles visits his grandmother in the Beta Colony. Beta Colony is a separate sovereign planet from Barrayar. Bothari, his strong and possibly psychopathic bodyguard, and Bothari’s daughter, Elena, accompanies him. Miles tries to help jump pilot Arde Mayhew and former Barrayran officer Bazil Jesek. Helping them leads to him forming a trading company and getting involved in a war on a planet revolving around Tau Verde IV. Events escalate to the breaking point. Miles is the Warrior’s Apprentice and must become a master to succeed. Complications occur at Barrayar, forcing Miles to return to save his father.

Recommendation

Warriors Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold is a space opera heist. Miles is a young protagonist out of his depth as events escalate like the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. I like Miles and want him to succeed. He fails and doesn’t give up like an optimistic young man. My favorite parts were the creation of the Denarii Free Mercenaries, resolving Elena Visconti’s story, and the fate of Miles. I’m looking forward to reading the next novel in the series, The Vor Game, which won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1991.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of The Warriors Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6057779-the-warrior-s-apprentice

In Barrayar (Book#7 of the Vorkosigan saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, Lady Cordelia Vorkosigan faces assassination and the birth of her son. Will she survive the regency and give birth to her son?

Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold

Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold

Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold, Book #7 of the Vorkosigan saga.

Introduction

Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold is Book seven of the Vorkosigan saga. It is the direct sequel to Shards of Honor, Book #1 of the Vorkosigan saga. Cordelia Naismith of Beta Colony married Aral Vorkosigan of Barrayar. She moves to Barrayar as Lady Vorkosigan. The Emperor of Barrayar has died and named Aral as the regent for his young grandson, Gregor. Assassins target Aral and Cordelia to gain control of the Empire. Will Cordelia survive the regency and give birth to her son?

Summary

In Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold, Cordelia marries Aral Vorkosigan and is pregnant with his son. Emperor Ezar Vobarra names Aral as his Regent for his underage grandson, Gregor Vorbarra. An aristocracy rules Barrayar with each family holding its districts of the planet. The ruler of each district is a Count and they use the honorific preface of Vor. Aral’s father, Piotr Vorkosigan, heads the Vorkosigan family. Piotr doesn’t like that his son has married a woman from outside of the Empire and worries about his only living descendant being their unborn son. The other aristocrats dislike the Emperor’s choice of Aral as the regent. Aral and Cordelia face assassination attempts and must unite the people of Barrayar or face destruction.

Many people help Cordelia in her quest to protect her husband and unborn son. Captain Vaagen if the Barrayaran Military Hospital helps with Cordelia’s son using a uterine replicator. A deadly mission to the Imperial Palace includes Cordelia, Aral’s bodyguard Sergeant Bothari (Konstantine Bothari), Cordelia’s bodyguard Drou (Ludmilla Droushnakovi), and Aral’s personal secretary Kou (Clement Koudelka). Imperial Security officer Simon Illyan provides information for them on their mission. Cordelia’s goals are to protect her husband by preserving the Regency and for a healthy birth of her son, Miles Vorkosigan.

Recommendation

Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold is a space opera mixed with a romance. I enjoyed following Cordelia and Aral on their adventures. There was plenty of adventure and plotting leading to the daring raid on the Imperial Palace. I liked Cordelia as the protagonist. I liked the parallels of the different types of love displayed by these pairs of characters; Cordelia/Aral, Drou/Kou, Padma/Alys, and Bothari/his daughter Elena. Barrayar won the Hugo and Locus awards for best novel.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61905.Barrayar

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold, Book #1 of the Vorkosigan saga.

Introduction

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold is book one of the Vorkosigan saga. Commander Cordelia Naismith is the leader of the Betan Astronomical Survey studying the unclaimed planet named Sergyar. The crew of Captain Aral Vorkosigan’s ship mutiny and drive off the Betans, leaving Cordelia behind. Vorkosigan takes her prisoner and they must hike five days to a Barrayaran supply cache to be rescued. Will they make it to the supply cache, or will they kill each other before they arrive?

Summary

In Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold humans populate many solar systems connected by wormhole gates. Each solar system is independent. Beta Colony is a technology-rich but resource-poor system. The Betan Astronomical Survey sends Commander Cordelia Naismith to peacefully examine an unclaimed planet named Sergyer for resources. Her spaceship is called the Rene Magritte. Barrayar is an isolationistic materialistic society ruled by an Emperor. Some factions of the government are pushing for war. They secretly claim the planet named Sergyer and the important wormhole gate that the system contains. A warship named the General Vorkraft, commanded by Aral Vorkosigan, is sent to Sergyer to control the system. The Barrayaran aristocracy uses the honorific of Vor and Aral is a high-ranking member.

The pro-war faction stage a mutiny against Vorkosigan, kill Cordelia’s shipmates that are on the surface of the planet, and leave Vorkosigan to die. Vorkosigan takes Cordelia and Ensign Dubauer, her brain scrambled crewmember, as his prisoners. Cordelia sends her ship away to warn the Beta Colony. Vorkosigan, Cordelia, and Dubauer walk five days to a Barrayan supply cache. Vorkosigan plans to get resupplied and retake his ship. During the walk, Vorkosigan and Cordelia develop a mutual respect that leads to a romance.

Through the course of the novel, they are separated and reunite. Vorkosigan faces challenges on Barrayar, and Cordelia faces challenges on Beta Colony. Some Barrayans they face are Sergeant Bothari, Emperor Ezar Vobarra, Crown Prince Serg Vobarra, Admiral Vorrutyer, Imperial Lieutenant Simon Illyan, and Ensign Koudelka. Cordelia faces the Betans; Dr. Sprague, Dr. Mehta, and Betan President Steady Freddy. There is enough plot in this novel for at least a trilogy.

Recommendation

Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold is a fun-filled space opera mixed with a romance. Cordelia and Vorkosigan are meant for one another, and I was happy to follow them on their adventures. I thought the Betan claims were almost plausible that Vorkosigan brainwashed Cordelia to be his spy. I would have liked to see more of that storyline, but I am glad that I can continue with the follow-up novel, Barrayar (Book #7 of the Vorkosigan saga), which continues examining the complicated politics of Barrayar.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61903.Shards_of_Honour

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold, Book #4 of the Vorkosigan series

Introduction

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold is book four of Vorkosigan series. They published the book fourth in the series but the events happen two hundred years before the earlier books, so it is possible to read this book first. GalacTech assigns Engineer Leo Graf to the Cay Habitat at the farthest edge of inhabited space. He came to the habitat to teach space workers but becomes involved in his students’ struggles with the company supervisors of GalacTech. Leo must decide between retiring or risking his life protecting his students.

Summary

In Falling Free, space engineer Leo Graf arrives at the Cay Habitat to teach his short course on advanced welding and non-destructive testing. His students are called quaddies. Quaddies are genetically engineered humans designed to work in free-fall. They were created by the recently deceased Chief of the Project, Dr. Cay. Leo meets his new boss, Bruce Van Atta, the current Chief of the Project and Leo’s former student. Leo’s best quaddies student is Tony. Tony has a quaddie girlfriend Claire and their infant son, Andy. After talking to GalacTech psychologist Dr. Sondra Yei and to Bruce, Leo realizes that GalacTech is using the quaddies as slaves in a high-tech disguise.

When Bruce changes assignments in the habitat which mains that Tony and Claire will be separated, Tony and Claire plan to escape the habitat. They get Silver, another quaddie, to help them stowaway on a shuttle to the surface. Bruce is preoccupied with the inspection tour of GalacTech Operations VP Apmad. Leo and Sondra find out Tony and Claire are missing and try to get to them before Bruce finds out. Bruce and Apmad consider terminating the Cay Habitat project, but Leo realizes that the solution is an engineering problem. He plans a daring escape for the quaddies and the experience changes him.

Recommendation

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold is a fun self-contained space opera romp. Leo Graff and his quaddie friends are easy to like and to root for. The science is believable, and it’s interesting that the solution was an engineering problem. The biggest issue in the story is the villains. Bruce and Dr. Curry are to one dimensional. Their focus is to defeat Leo and the quaddies at all costs, logic not applied. I will continue to read the Vorkosigan series. The first three books are about Miles Vorkosigan’s parents and the rest of the series is about him. They published this novel in Analog magazine in four parts; December 1987, mid-December 1987, January 1988, and February 1988. I kept the magazines for 31 years unread. I’m glad I read the story now but wish I had read it back then.

Links

This is the link to the Goodreads page of Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1234847.Falling_Free

A similar book in the space opera category is Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie. This is the link to my review.

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

A similar book I have read in the Hard Science Fiction category is All Systems Red by Martha Wells. This is a link to my review.

All Systems Red by Martha Wells