Komarr

Rating:
Summary: I read the book twice, the same day I checked it out
Review: As always Miles is a wonderful character, and I want to know what happens next. Please write fast Lois! I've already read the book 7 times and the others at least 10 times each. I loved seeing Miles from the veiwpoint of another character. But I didn't feel that Kat was weak but only confused and a prisoner of her cultural beliefs. She was never allowed to grow up. One story I would like to know more about is what did Miles do between "Brothers in Arms" and the short interludes in "Borders of Infinity". Thank you Lois for giving us one of the greatest characters ever.

Rating:
Summary: Miles puts away childish things
Review: Miles was getting boring. Watching him charge full tilt at unbeatable foes... the only question was what part of him would be damaged this time. All that (heroic!) effort buried in secret files.. Then Miles became an adult in 'Memory.'

He's still the sharpest, fastest thinker - but as an Auditor, he's not out to impress anyone. Auditors make the system work. Being underestimated is now a great tactical advantage.

Here we meet Ekaterin, trapped by VOR tradition. The rules bred into her are causing a slow suicide.. when the ultimate rule bender drops in for a visit. Watching her grow into Miles' shoes is a pleasure.

Maybe the VOR system could work, given enough adults like Miles and Ekaterin?

Rating:
Summary: what are you loking for from this book?
Review: First things first: I don't think the book would be very meaningful for someone who hasn't read the other books. Start with Shards Of Honor.

OK, now that that's out of the way, why do you like these books? If you are a fan of Miles Naismith, mercenary admiral, then you will probably hate this book.

But if you are a fan of Miles Vorkosigan, it's another must-read. Miles is growing, trying to figure out how he will live out his life now that he is no longer in the military. He's also trying to figure out just what it is that he has been serving all this time.

It is also important to realize that the book is not just about Miles. It is also about Ekaterine. She is not always the strongest or best character she could be, but who doesn't have flaws? If you think of her just as a love interest of Miles, you are missing half the novel.

The next book will be even more focused on this sort of thing, more like Jane Austen then David Weber. This is the next step in the development of Miles. But it is definitely not "more of the same".

Rating:
Summary: Boring but readable next installment of Miles
Review: I suggest you get the paperback. I generally enjoy Bujold's books, but this one left me bored and annoyed. I found myself skimming and flipping pages and forgetting major plot points. The problem being solved (s/f wise) is a scientific one (rather than war). It is not the main plot of the book and seems designed to move things along more than anything else (it's not dwelt on much) in what is clearly supposed to be a character novel. The character transformation is Ekaterin's, Miles new luuuv interest. I had a hard time feeling sympathy for her. Her husband is a boor, but she seems to put up with it to the detriment of herself and her child for no decent reason. In fairness to the author, she tries to motivate Ekaterin with duty and motherhood and stuff, but it seems very flat. Ekaterin can only react, never act, the love scene with her husband was particularly annoying to read. The husband is a jerk, but Ekaterin is completely dishonest with him. I felt like the author thought I should have lots of sympathy for Ek, but I didn't. I just wanted her to rat about the medical problems to her relatives already. I also thought her husband's death rather sad. He was a jerk, but he made exactly the kind of mistake Miles made in Memory and in trying to rectify it, died. He got little credit for it.

Miles was interesting to watch from someone else's eyes, and the scene with him and her son was good. Otherwise, Miles wanted to do his usual rescue the maiden thing (I had a hard time understanding why, except his biological clock is obviously ticking overtime). At the end of the novel I felt rather manipulated. I didn't feel the things the author wanted me to feel; the book seemed more a long winded set up for the next novel than a story in its own right. It seemed rather sordid and sad, without humor or light or even a clever solution to the problem. Mirror Dance was grim, grim, grim, but Mark's triumph of self in adversity made up for it all; Komarr lacked that. Also, Miles seems to be picking a Vor for a wife because she already stuck in the Barrayaran system and he can't convince any other woman to emigrate. Oh well. I wonder if Bujold will kill off Laisa in the next novel (being the worst thing she can do to Gregor; she kept striking me as a red-shirt in Memory) which will start a war on Barrayar (the worst thing she can do to Miles). I think the auditor as detective leaves plenty of room open for growth in this series, but Komarr is not yet it.

Rating:
Summary: An OK library book; I'm glad I didn't buy it
Review: I loved most of Lois Bujold's books, especially Mirror Dance, but her latest books don't measure up. Memory was a good read but really pathetic as a realistic description of a career change. Komarr is worse. This is a basically uninteresting story with flat characters, predictable plot, and boring conclusion.

I could tell that the lady was the new love interest very early in the book, then husband conveniently goes away, etc. And has anyone else noticed that Bujold depicts marriage here with all the maturity of a shallow teenager? It is the height of immaturity to ascribe all failure in a marriage to one side, with the lady the sweet, innocent one "a smart woman who makes foolish choices". Give me a break. Dr. Laura could demolish this drivel in 30 seconds.

Once Bujold was interested in character and plot development; now great things just fall into Miles's lap exactly when he needs them. I've had it with the gross overuse of coincidence. This series is going downhill fast and it's frankly hard to believe that the same woman who wrote the masterpiece, Mirror Dance, also produces this drivel.

Rating:
Summary: Imperial Auditor Miles sitting in a tree...
Review: Miles finally gets someone and she's not a Cetagandan Empress in a bubble, a 8 foot tall werewolf girl or a Commander who can't stand backwater Barrayar. In fact, she's Vor. The mystery is interesting too, and the politics. In the last 10 days I've read 9 of the Miles Vorkosigan etc. novels. *When* will the next one be out?!!!

Rating:
Summary: Wonderfull Imperial Auditor Miles does it again, and again.
Review: This is a great new book in the saga of Miles, nontheless I feel that we have to wait and see until the following book or books are released. I believe this to be so, given the new avenues (many) that this book has opened. At the simplest it is a who dunnit book, but of course that is the first level, and knowing Miles things are never that simple. Most of all it interest me to see that Miles has a new love interest that for the first time allows the reader to see Barrayan society from the point of a "Barrayan" all duty-no self interest woman. My 3 stars do not mean that the book is a mediocre read,is that the level that we are used from Lois McMaster Bujold is such, that anything new must be incredible to be compared to the past greatness. The book is extremely interesting to read and as always the characters are fantastic, still the world of Komarr is not on the same creativity level as that of "Cetaganda", still Komarr is a must for all fans of Miles. Thank you Lois for this wonderfull book, and for knowing that the best is yet to come.

Rating:
Summary: A pleasant return to the adventures of Miles Vorkosigan.
Review: For those of us who enjoy fun, well told stories, a new book by Lois M. Bujold is always a treat. This latest installment in the Miles Vorkosigan saga is no exception. Komarr begins shortly after our hero is confirmed in his new position, the one he recieved at the end of Memories. On this trip, Miles is just along for the ride. There doesn't even appear to be a problem for him to solve. Until, that is, strange occurrences bring politics into the equation. For the Butcher's son, politics and Komarr are a deadly mixture. Ms. Bujold reveals the layers of intrigue involved in this story with her usual skill and humor. Komarr is not as good a book as Memories, which, besides being a good story, was a defining moment for the whole series. It is, however, a very pleasant read, a happy afternoon with old friends. It also positions our protagonist perfectly for his next grand adventure. (Your welcome, Ms. Bujold)

Rating:
Summary: A Vor Woman for a Vor Man
Review: I was lucky enough to be able to buy the paperback version of Komarr in Australia just before Xmas (what a present for me). I read it and have read it again. Lois has done it again. I recommend this book to anyone who has watched Miles mature and grow in his world. Miles is growing into his power as an Imperial Auditor. He starts slowly at first, after all he is the son of the Butcher of Komarr, the youngest auditor ever and has only had his power for a short period of time, but by the end he is starting to become Miles Vorkosigan, Imperial Auditor. This is the book that is the transition from Lt Vorkosigan/Admiral Naismith to Lord Miles Vorkosigan - Imperial Auditor. I have just re-read the 42 reviews and have to say that many readers who have not liked the new woman in Miles life, saying she is weak or not strong willed have not picked up on the Vor character. Miles is a Vor, something that influences every decision he has made. Admiral Naismith only lived because Miles handed him over to Simon Illyan. A Vor cannot have a private army. Miles becoming an Imperial Auditor was because of his Vor heritage. He has to find out what happened to Simon and then he cannot take the bribe offered to him because he is Vor. None of the women in Miles life are Vor, except for his first love, Elena, who left Barraya. His mother is a Betan, Rian was a Cetaganden, Elli was a mercenary and could not even stomach the thought of being Lady Vorkosigan, Rowan and Taura were Jacksonian. Lois has allowed us into the mind and thoughts of a Vor woman. Ekaterin is a true Vor woman. She did not take her son to a doctor asap because she has been brought up to believe her loyalty is to her husband, then to her emperor. A Vor woman cannot be tried for treason because of that belief. Ekaterin believed her husband would take the treatment and do the right thing by her son. She married him in good faith and loyally stood by him. She only gave up on him when she realised he had disobeyed a direct order from an Imperial Auditor (the Emperor's Voice) and then found out his financial woes. She could not even betray him then. Ekaterin is a very strong Vor woman who can also see what is wrong in the Vor culture. She also could see Miles for what he is, not what he looks like. When Miles confesses what he would have done she answers "I'm Vor". Ekaterin is going to be a very interesting character to watch.

Rating:
Summary: This book was written with great intelligence and humor.
Review: Lois McMaster Bujold has done it again! This was another great Vorkosigan adventure. Needless to say, I LOVED it! It was rather different from her other Miles Vorkosigan adventures in that Miles didn't actually do as many crazy stunts as usual, but who can be crazy ALL the time! The best thing about this whole series is that it is fun to read and has a lot of humor and wit in it. This book is no less than any other in her series. It's a great read. Serious without being "heavy". It's a "thinker" as well as an adventure.