Skip to main content

suggested order - In the Vorkosigan Saga, which books are essential to familiarize a new reader to these particular characters?


Non-spoilerish, other than "something happens in Cryoburn," but this question is probably best answered by readers of that book. Please keep your answers non-spoilerish as well.



There are (more or less) 14 novels in the Miles Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold, the latest of which is Cryoburn, a 2010 Hugo nominee. Since we're voters, Cryoburn must be read. I've previously read all the novels. My spouse Dori has read none. There's an event at the end of Cryoburn that emotionally affects the reader, and will certainly impact future stories in the timeline.


I'm thinking that the whole series need not be read to get the full impact of the event. So thinking of it in terms of the following characters, which minimum subset of books in the series would you suggest?



I think that any books that cover the above should also adequately deal with Ivan Vorpatril and Kareen Koudelka. I was planning to include A Civil Campaign just because it's such a fun farce and shows off several of the minor characters, like Ivan and Lady Alys.


Your thoughts? I do not think that either "all of them" or "just Cryoburn" are acceptable answers.



Answer



Shards of Honor sets up the relationship between Cordelia and Aral. However, the isn't much that you need to know about said relationship to enjoy the rest of the series. I would regard it as (interesting) back story.


Barrayar fills in the political background to Miles' home planet quite nicely, and from what I remember is more from Aral's perspective where the first book is more from Cordelia's.


The Warrior's Apprentice is an important book in that it sets up Miles and his character. This is probably the best place to start if you don't want to commit to reading the whole lot. I believe this also covers Koudelka and Ivan to some extent, although you'll want to pick up Cetaganda if you're particularly a fan of Ivan, as he has a fairly large part to play in that.


The Vor Game probably offers the best psychological insight into Emperor Gregor and what makes him tick, but he is by and large a secondary character.



Brothers in Arms is the key book establishing Mark's character. It's difficult to say more without spoiling the plot for some sense, but it serves as our introduction to Mark and goes into his psyche in some detail.


Mirror Dance covers another key event in Miles life, which colours his outlook in later books (particularly Cryoburn), and also sets up the context for the ongoing relationship between Miles and his twin, so probably deserves inclusion.


Memory is a pivotal book from Miles' point of view, as events change him quite significantly here, and to my mind marks the end of Miles' adolescent phase. (Again explaining would be spoilery. Don't read the cover blurb to this one.)


Komarr introduces us to Ekaterin Vorsoisson, who is the one important character not mentioned on your list.


So the absolute essentials (in order) would be:


The Warrior's Apprentice
Memory
Komarr

To get a good grounding:



Shards of Honour
Barrayar
The Warrior's Apprentice
The Vor Game
Brothers in Arms
Mirror Dance
Memory
Komarr

There's not a single one of the books that's not worth reading though, although the later ones tail off in quality a bit to my mind (butter bugs leave me cold, I'm afraid).



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

futurama - How much time is lost in 'Time Keeps on Slippin''

In time Keeps on Slippin' , Farnsworth creates a basketball team which he matures by abusing Chronitons. This leads to time skipping forward by random, but ever increasing amounts. How much time was skipped in this way? Answer Unfortunately, I don't think a good estimate can be made for this, for two reasons: Many of the time skips move forward by an indeterminate amount of time. At one point, the Professor mentions localized regions of space skipping forward much more than others. We then see two young boys on the street below complaining about having to pay social security, only to suddenly become senior citizens and start complaining about wanting their money. Thus, each individual could have experienced a different amount of time skippage.
Post a Comment
Read more

harry potter - Did Dolores Umbridge Have Any Association with Voldemort (or Death Eaters) before His Return?

I noticed that Dolores Umbridge was born during the first Wizarding War, so it's very likely she wasn't a Death Eater then (but she is pretty evil -- who knows?). After that Voldemort was not around in a way that could affect many people, and most wouldn't know he was planning to rise again. During that time, and up through Voldemort's return (in Goblet of Fire ), did Umbridge have any connection with the Death Eaters or with Voldemort? Was she doing what she did on her own, or was it because of an association with Voldemort or his allies? Answer Dolores Umbridge was definitely not a good person. However, as Sirius points out, "the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters". Remember that he also says that he doesn't believe Umbridge to be a Death Eater, but that she's evil enough (or something like that). I think there are two strong reasons to believe that: Umbridge was proud to do everything according to the law, except when she trie...
Post a Comment
Read more

aliens - Interstellar Zoo story

I vaguely remember this story from my childhood: it was about an interstellar zoo that came to Earth with lots of bizarre and unusual species, and humans would file through and gape at all the crazy looking creatures from other planets. The twist came at the end when the perspective shifted to the other side of the bars and we discovered that the "creatures" were traveling through space on a kind of safari. They thought they were the visitors and we were the animals. Neither side knew that the other side thought they were the zoo creatures. Answer Got it. Zoo, by Edward D. Hoch. Published in 1958. Link to Publication History Link to PDF
Post a Comment
Read more

Could one of Voldemort's Death Eaters have killed or harmed Harry at Privet Drive?

In Order of the Phoenix , Dumbledore explains to Harry the protection that the Dursleys' home provides: While you can still call home the place where your mother's blood dwells, there you cannot be touched or harmed by Voldemort. He shed her blood, but it lives on in you and her sister. Her blood became your refuge. You need return there only once a year, but as long as you can still call it home, there he cannot hurt you. Your aunt knows this. I explained what I had done in the letter I left, with you, on her doorstep. She knows that allowing you houseroom may well have kept you alive for the past fifteen years. Dumbledore says that he cannot be "touched or harmed by Voldemort". Does this mean that he could have sent a Death Eater to just bust down the door and kill Harry, assuming that Voldemort would allow them to? And even if he didn't want them to kill him, could they have harmed him in some other way (e.g. the Cruciatus Curse)? Answer No. Harry was protect...
Post a Comment
Read more