Lois McMaster Bujold

Bujold currently writes the best space opera around. Most of her books involve the Barrayaran Empire, and a particular fellow named Miles Vorkosigan. Miles is the son of Count Aral Vorkosigan, arguably the most powerful man in the empire after the emperor himself; for a good bit of the series, in fact, the emperor is underage, and Aral is the Regent. Aral is also an extremely competent admiral in the Barrayaran space navy; Miles' grandfather, Piotr, was just as a good a general. (Military prowess is an important part of life on Barrayar). Now, due to a gas attack on Mile's parents while he was in utero, Miles is small; fragile; somewhat misshapen. An easy fall can easily break one or more of his bones. But he is also ambitious, honorable, brilliant, quick-thinking (though not always far-seeing), and refuses to let his handicaps slow him down.

In the first book about Miles, The Warrior's Apprentice, he washes out of the Barrayaran navy, and is sent to his mother's home planet of Beta Colony to go to school. Instead, in one of the funniest rollercoaster rides I've ever read, step-by-logical-step, he ends up admiral of an entire mercenary fleet. Other books about Miles include (in no particular order) The Vor Game, Brothers in Arms, Cetaganda, The Borders of Infinity, Mirror Dance, and Memory. Bujold has also written two books about Mile's parents, entitled Shards of Honor and Barrayar; these have recently been republished in a single volume entitled Cordelia's Honor.

I've read many of these books aloud to Jane with great delight. While not overly graphic, I wouldn't recommend them for children.

Vorkosigan Novels (in approximate series order)

• Shards of Honor

Reviews: 1 July 1999, 1 January 2002

• Barrayar

Reviews: 1 July 1999, 1 January 2002

• Cordelia's Honor

Omnibus edition containing the full text of Shards of Honor and Barrayar.

• The Warrior's Apprentice

Reviews: 1 July 1999, 1 January 2002

• The Vor Game

Reviews: 1 January 2002, 1 October 2002

• The Borders of Infinity

Reviews: 1 January 2002

• Young Miles

Omnibus edition containing The Warrior's Apprentice and The Vor Game, and "The Mountains of Mourning" from The Borders of Infinity.

• Cetaganda

Reviews: 1 January 2002, 1 October 2002

• Miles, Mystery, and Mayhem

Omnibus edition containing Cetaganda, Ethan of Athos, and "Labyrinth" from The Borders of Infinity.

• Brothers in Arms

Reviews: 1 January 2002

• Mirror Dance

Reviews: 1 May 1998, 1 January 2002

• Memory

Reviews: 1 January 1997, 1 May 1998, 1 January 2002

• Komarr

Reviews: 1 June 1998, 1 December 2001

• A Civil Campaign

Reviews: 1 September 1999, 1 December 2001, 1 November 2002

• Diplomatic Immunity

Reviews: 1 July 2002

Chalion

This is a fantasy series which takes place in a fantasy world somewhat reminiscent of Spain on the eve of the Reconquista. One could also think of it as theological science fiction.

• The Curse of Chalion

Reviews: 1 October 2001, 1 November 2003, 1 January 2004

• Paladin of Souls

Reviews: 1 November 2003

Other Books

• Falling Free

• Ethan of Athos

Reviews: 1 January 2002, 1 October 2002

• The Spirit Ring

• Dreamweaver's Dilemma

Reviews: 1 June 1999

Links of Interest

• The Bujold Nexus