Rating: 
Summary: Well Done!
Review: I enjoyed it. A good read, light and well written.
Rating: 
Summary: Dorothy Sayers in space?
Review: The good news is that this is probably the best yet of the Vorkosigan books, with the possible exception of the novella "Borders of Infinity". It eschews spiffy technology and saving-the-world for a very well-done romance novel and comedy of manners. I can easily believe that the book is a deliberate homage to Dorothy Sayers' Wimsey-and-Harriet books.The bad news is that you really can't follow the characters at all unless you have read several of the earlier books in the series, not all of which are up to the same standard. Still, the rewards of the later books are very much worth the trouble of slogging through some of the earlier ones -- and not all of the earlier ones are bad, either.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: This book is dedicated to four separate authors, but it's really a Heyer book-that is, pure high comedy. The title recalls Heyer's "A Civil Contract" but the book itself really recalls Heyer at her comedic best-say "The Grand Sophy' or "Cotillion". Not in plot, mind you. In *tone.* I haven't read all the previous Vorkosigan books, but those I have seem to follow roughly the same action-'n-angst formula (though Bujold's formidable sense of humor is at all times evident.) Not this time, though. Bujold can plot like nobody's business; in romantic comedy, this is a real plus. The major story line concerns Miles Vorkogisan's courtship of 'the Vor next door' Ekaterin. But there are other protagonists-Miles' brother Mark and his lady-love, Kareen (her parents violently disapprove), Lord Dono Vorruyter (who, um, used to be Lady Donna); and Kareen's three sisters. They all have their moments, but some of the high points are: Miles' disastrous dinner party (when Lord Dono stuffs his napkin in his mouth and snorts through his nose to keep from laughing, you're tempted to join him); Lord Dono's arrival back on Barrayar from his transformation on Beta (the efforts of his Armsmen to coach him in male mannerisms are a hoot); Cordelia's acting as Baba for Mark and Kareen (laser beam meet butter); and the climatic vote in Vorhartung Castle. As always, Bujold has points to make, but here she makes them so lightly you both laugh and agree. I first read this book in a library copy; but after reading it I immediately ordered a copy for myself. I only do this when I intend to read and reread the book. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: A FABULOUS READ
Review: This was the first book that i read in the Miles Vorkosigan series. I know, I should have started with the first. However, it doesn't matter. It's a fabulous book. You could read it all by itself without the other prequels. But... I didn't do that. AS soon as I read this one, I went out and got Cordelia's Honor, The Warrior's Apprentice, and Vorkosigan's game. And read them. Is there more Miles to come? I hope so, and it is totally greedy of me, but I hope for a VERY long time. A Civil Campaign is hilarious, I especially loved everything about the butter bugs. All the characters and their interactions are wonderful. The political scene is a romp. And Ivan's ex-lover's sex change and his reaction to it are...let me just say humorous would be an understatement. I am happy to say everything is carried off with a flourish and the story has an happy ending.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic!
Review: This is only the second book I've read in the Vorkosigan series, but I am dying to see if all of Ms. Bujold's other Vorkosigan books are of the same caliber. There is humor, excitement, romance, and science fiction all rapped up in the same fantastic package. The character development is superb, and the plot twists are surprising yet believable. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy read jam-packed with action and excitement. . .
Rating:
Summary: A Fun Story
Review: This is a hugely entertaining read. Bujold has created vivid characters and placed them in extraordinary dilemmas. She whisks the story through several remarkably charged scenes, and doesn't let the reader relax. A reader who is new to the Vorkosigan series (like I was), will probably be immensely frustrated at the huge amount of back story that surrounds the players. The crucial details are eventually explained, though, in some respects, the reader is left in the dark in ways that certain characters are, so, no, it doesn't make a good "starting point." New readers may find themselves scratching their heads. Unfortunately, despite her apparently devoted fanbase, none of Bujold's ardent readers have seemed to built up an up-to-date web-site reference to Vorkosigan universe. But the real point of the novel, despite its obvious fixture as a shifting point in an epic series, is the development of the characters. It is clear that Bujold gives great thought to the emotional drives of each person she writes about. This is the value of the story, and where it shines.
Rating:
Summary: Think "laugh yourself sick" is a turn of phrase?
Review: It's not. Or at least, it wasn't for me. And between the laughs, the most blinding observations and insights, bringing tears of beauty, even awe. Where else do you find cats fighting over genetically engineered bugs at a formal banquet, lovesick officers welcoming old flames home at the shuttleport only to find the flames are now men, the realization that... "Isn't starving yourself a betrayal, too, self against self?" or love letters commenting "You were not a ship to be hijacked..." Best appreciated within the Vorkosigan mythos, A Civil Campaign is, even alone, a delightful "can't put it down."
Rating:
Summary: Miles grows up
Review: My favorite of all the Vorkosigan novels, in this installment Miles focuses his strategems on the wooing of a lovely young widow. Who else but Bujold could endow a dinner party with the excitment and panash of interstellar conflict? Witty and enjoyable from cover to cover!
Rating:
Summary: Aan excellent novel!
Review: Miles is out to conquer the world -- or at least his lady's heart. But, its not just a romance, but a complex social and political restructuring that requires Miles to maintain his wits about him. And, with the hapless mistakes of a youngster in love, he loses his wits frequently. So he tumbles through the arena he's previously sailed through -- providing us with a unique perspective on the beloved character. I highly recommend this book, but suggest starting with the first of this series, so that the comparisons are more clear.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable but Flawed
Review: I've been recommending LMB's novels to friends for years--but I wish I could take a blue pencil to "A Civil Campaign" before recommending it. The characters spend inordinate amounts of page space commenting on the action or COMPLIMENTING each other--and every time this happens, it yanks me out of the story and invites me to disagree with them. I wish the author had left the analyses for the last chapter (as she did so memorably in "Barrayar"; remember Aral's description of Bothari's mind?). If she had refrained from such action-slowing descriptions as "I've just come from one of the most difficult interviews of my Auditorial career", the plot would have had all the forward momentum that adrenalin-junkies could wish. Also, the inner monologues of characters other than Miles was frequently clunky. They slowed down the story more than they illuminated; the readers can draw their own conclusions about the events, without help. Ivan's "Oh ho's" grated, too. Bujold has written magnificent books previously: her prose is a joy, her characters alert and perceptive. Let's hope that, having slid into some bad habits, she'll rev up some of Miles's forward momentum and leave them in the dust.
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