Reviews
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Miles is safely graduated from the academy, but also firmly entrenched in Security. This is 2 novels and 1 short story. The first, Cetaganda, is Miles at his operating without a net best. He and his cousin are sent to Cetaganda, the evil home of the Cetaganda Empire, for a funeral of the Dowager Empress, the mother of the current Emperor. Now if you remember Earthly kingdoms histories these aren't, generally, powerful positions; but in the case of the Cetagandan Empire, the Dowager Empress is co-ruler of the Empire, because she controls the genetics of the Empire. This is a murder mystery with potentially disastrous Galactic consequences. Miles is only 2 steps in front of disaster through the whole book.
Next comes Ethan of Athos, Lois McMaster Bujold's third novel. This is a spy novel without the chief spy Miles. Ethan is from Athos a planet settled by a brotherhood that elimates women as the root of all evil. Unfortunately, the ovaries that they use to produce sons are breaking down and they need a new supply to keep the planet going. Ethan, a reproduction specialist is sent get the new supply. The enemy is a group of Cetagandan spies who are after Terrance Cee, an escaped experimental project of the Cetagandan gene spicing experiment for mindreading spies. In the end, Ethan lives up to his sobriquet with the help of Terrence and Elli Quinn an operative of the Dendarii Free Mercenaries. This has a more than satisfying end to a real adventure story.
In the short story "Labyrinth" Miles returns to the Dendarii Free Mercenaries on a mission to free a bio-engineer from an onerous contract. Miles runs into a teenage werewolf genius who wants him to prove that she is human, and a Quaddie musician with rival criminal syndicates fighting over her. This is a fun short story that also looks at bio-experimentation and gene-splicing and this is what really ties all three stories together. An interesting look at how science can effect the future of mankind.
These are also 3 good nexcuses to read the Queen of Science Fiction (4 Hugos and 2 Nebulas and still counting, almost every book gets nominated for 1 or the other or both). This is a great way to get classic works for less.
Next comes Ethan of Athos, Lois McMaster Bujold's third novel. This is a spy novel without the chief spy Miles. Ethan is from Athos a planet settled by a brotherhood that elimates women as the root of all evil. Unfortunately, the ovaries that they use to produce sons are breaking down and they need a new supply to keep the planet going. Ethan, a reproduction specialist is sent get the new supply. The enemy is a group of Cetagandan spies who are after Terrance Cee, an escaped experimental project of the Cetagandan gene spicing experiment for mindreading spies. In the end, Ethan lives up to his sobriquet with the help of Terrence and Elli Quinn an operative of the Dendarii Free Mercenaries. This has a more than satisfying end to a real adventure story.
In the short story "Labyrinth" Miles returns to the Dendarii Free Mercenaries on a mission to free a bio-engineer from an onerous contract. Miles runs into a teenage werewolf genius who wants him to prove that she is human, and a Quaddie musician with rival criminal syndicates fighting over her. This is a fun short story that also looks at bio-experimentation and gene-splicing and this is what really ties all three stories together. An interesting look at how science can effect the future of mankind.
These are also 3 good nexcuses to read the Queen of Science Fiction (4 Hugos and 2 Nebulas and still counting, almost every book gets nominated for 1 or the other or both). This is a great way to get classic works for less.
reviewed by pauls on November 27, 2006 7:16 AM
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I hate to see reviews from older fans marking this book down just because the stories are reprints. I am new to the series, and I thought this made a pretty good introduction in general, and the writing in all three stories was very good. I wasn't really sure which books in the Vorkosigan Saga to read first, and I couldn't find any consensus choice online, so I just grabbed this and jumped in. It was very enjoyable.
Cetaganda, the first and longest, involves Miles in Interstellar intrigues and a murder mystery. Ethan of Athos doesn't include Miles directly, but involves his Dendarii Free Mercenaries and the Cetagandans again. Labryinth, the shortest, has Miles's and the Dendarii Free Mercenaries in a covert op. By the end of all three, you will have a pretty good idea of Miles place in the world and his relationship with the DFM.
All three have a very high standard of writing. Bujold has a very effective way of rendering genuine characters. There is little emphasis on technology or Sci-Fi baubles; the real meat of the stories are the real, deep motivations of the characters themselves. It's very engrossing, and a joy to read. I highly recommend this collection.
Cetaganda, the first and longest, involves Miles in Interstellar intrigues and a murder mystery. Ethan of Athos doesn't include Miles directly, but involves his Dendarii Free Mercenaries and the Cetagandans again. Labryinth, the shortest, has Miles's and the Dendarii Free Mercenaries in a covert op. By the end of all three, you will have a pretty good idea of Miles place in the world and his relationship with the DFM.
All three have a very high standard of writing. Bujold has a very effective way of rendering genuine characters. There is little emphasis on technology or Sci-Fi baubles; the real meat of the stories are the real, deep motivations of the characters themselves. It's very engrossing, and a joy to read. I highly recommend this collection.
reviewed by nexus on November 27, 2006 10:56 PM