Warrior's Apprentice

Rating:
Summary: Not Bujold's Best Effort
Review: I've read "Cordelia's Honor" and Bujold's recent fantasy novels and enjoyed them quite a bit, so I know that she can write pretty well. In this book she just doesn't. To qualify that, "The Warrior's Apprentice" introduces us to Miles Vorkosigan, the handicapped son of Cordelia Naismith and Lord Vorkosigan. At the start, an instantaneous misstep ruins Miles' hopes for a military career on Barrayar. As a consolation, he gets a vacation back to Beta Colony. An odd series of events leads to him buying a space ship, recruiting a crew, and undertaking to run a blockade into a war zone. Then the silliness begins.

The backbone of the story is how Miles overcomes his disability to provide strong leadership, and inspire others along the way. A worthy theme, to be sure, but Bujold orchestrates it in a preposterous way. It works like this: Miles and his band of wacky misfits take on one spaceship of soldiers and wins handily. Then he tricks all the defeated soldiers into joining his side. Then he uses his new, larger band of wacky misfits to beat up a larger group of soldiers. Then all those people agree to join his side. Repeat this several times, and all of a sudden Miles not only controls a solar system, but also has high self-esteem. Now none of his opponents ever seem to consider seriously fighting back, and furthermore you'd have to be pretty dumb to fall for some of the tricks that he uses.

In Bujold's defense, I can say that she does a decent job with characters, although not as good as scifi greats such as Donaldson's Gap Saga. Miles and his merry men for the most part feel genuine and at least a little bit gritty, if not incredibly deep. But a solid novel needs both good characters and good plot, and it's too bad that Bujold dropped half the ball on this one.

Rating:
Summary: Not Bujold's Best Effort
Review: I've read "Cordelia's Honor" and Bujold's recent fantasy novels and enjoyed them quite a bit, so I know that she can write pretty well. In this book she just doesn't. To qualify that, "The Warrior's Apprentice" introduces us to Miles Vorkosigan, the handicapped son of Cordelia Naismith and Lord Vorkosigan. At the start, an instantaneous misstep ruins Miles' hopes for a military career on Barrayar. As a consolation, he gets a vacation back to Beta Colony. An odd series of events leads to him buying a space ship, recruiting a crew, and undertaking to run a blockade into a war zone. Then the silliness begins.

The backbone of the story is how Miles overcomes his disability to provide strong leadership, and inspire others along the way. A worthy theme, to be sure, but Bujold orchestrates it in a preposterous way. It works like this: Miles and his band of wacky misfits take on one spaceship of soldiers and wins handily. Then he tricks all the defeated soldiers into joining his side. Then he uses his new, larger band of wacky misfits to beat up a larger group of soldiers. Then all those people agree to join his side. Repeat this several times, and all of a sudden Miles not only controls a solar system, but also has high self-esteem. Now none of his opponents ever seem to consider seriously fighting back, and furthermore you'd have to be pretty dumb to fall for some of the tricks that he uses.

In Bujold's defense, I can say that she does a decent job with characters, although not as good as scifi greats such as Donaldson's Gap Saga. Miles and his merry men for the most part feel genuine and at least a little bit gritty, if not incredibly deep. But a solid novel needs both good characters and good plot, and it's too bad that Bujold dropped half the ball on this one.

Rating:
Summary: Not Bujold's Best Effort
Review: I've read "Cordelia's Honor" and Bujold's recent fantasy novels and enjoyed them quite a bit, so I know that she can write pretty well. In this book she just doesn't. To qualify that, "The Warrior's Apprentice" introduces us to Miles Vorkosigan, the handicapped son of Cordelia Naismith and Lord Vorkosigan. At the start, an instantaneous misstep ruins Miles' hopes for a military career on Barrayar. As a consolation, he gets a vacation back to Beta Colony. An odd series of events leads to him buying a space ship, recruiting a crew, and undertaking to run a blockade into a war zone. Then the silliness begins.

The backbone of the story is how Miles overcomes his disability to provide strong leadership, and inspire others along the way. A worthy theme, to be sure, but Bujold orchestrates it in a preposterous way. It works like this: Miles and his band of wacky misfits take on one spaceship of soldiers and wins handily. Then he tricks all the defeated soldiers into joining his side. Then he uses his new, larger band of wacky misfits to beat up a larger group of soldiers. Then all those people agree to join his side. Repeat this several times, and all of a sudden Miles not only controls a solar system, but also has high self-esteem. Now none of his opponents ever seem to consider seriously fighting back, and furthermore you'd have to be pretty dumb to fall for some of the tricks that he uses.

In Bujold's defense, I can say that she does a decent job with characters, although not as good as scifi greats such as Donaldson's Gap Saga. Miles and his merry men for the most part feel genuine and at least a little bit gritty, if not incredibly deep. But a solid novel needs both good characters and good plot, and it's too bad that Bujold dropped half the ball on this one.

Rating:
Summary: you have to read this!
Review: If there was one book i can recommend, this has to be it!

warrior's apprentice is a book that is truly worth its weight in gold. you have a flawed hero in miles vorkosigan but his character is thoroughly overwhelming and enjoyable.

this book is the first in the miles vorkosigan series where we see the beginning of miles' adventures. it is not really important that you read shards of honour and barrayar before starting this book since they are about miles' parents.

not exactly a plot driven novel, the setting is also brilliantly done and the story well developed . it is so rare to chance upon such an outstanding sci-fi series such as this, you have simply gotta read it!

Rating:
Summary: No Respect For Authority!
Review: Miles Vorkosigan is one of the most unique and fascinating characters you will come across. Bujold is one of the most imaginative and talented writers you will come across. The whole Workosigan series is thoroughly enjoyable: exciting adventures, interesting mysteries, great characters, cultural clashes, psychological insights, amazing racial mingling in a future of bioengineering.

Miles's independence of mind and moral courage lead him to question authority. He embodies the aphorism: "think for yourself." As well as courage, integrity, benevolence, endurance, stick-to-it-ness, and love-sick puppiness. But it comes naturally; look who his parents are. His mother, much to his father's delight, is quite a culture shaker upper as well. Actually, Miles has great respect for cultural values, tradition, and others when he thinks they deserve it.

Bujold challenges the reader on political, cultural, and personal values. People are naturally a product of their culture, but they are not bound by it. Her stories embody the Kipling lines:
There is neither breed, nor border, nor birth
When two strong men stand face to face,
Though they come from the ends of the earth.

Of course, neither gender, nor age, nor physical stature are relevant either. People are individuals, not part of a cultural or racial collective. In short, Bujold urges, "Think for yourself."


Rating:
Summary: Space Opera/Space Fluff
Review: Reasonably entertaining, but fluffy to the extreme. Bujold is unabashed about making this pure space opera, but fortunately for her, she writes quite winningly, and Vorkosigan is a charming chap. Enjoyable for a quick read at the beach or at the poolside (which is exactly what I did), but I wouldn't say it's any great shakes. Don't look for any profound insights into life. This *is* Space Opera Lite

Rating:
Summary: A character whose brain is his greatest weapon
Review: Since I nearly always approach a book through characterization rather than plot, for me The Warrior's Apprentice was an outstanding read. Not that the book has no plot. As in most of her works, Ms. Bujold takes time to set up her tale, but it gathers momentum as the story progresses until, at the end, I felt as if I was traveling downhill at breakneck speed. However, it is the main character, Miles Vorkosigan, who intigues me most, not only with his intellect, but with his heart. The piece is essentially frivolous, but beneath the fun, Ms. Bujold is telling us something without preaching, about what is perfect and not so perfect, and who are we to say. From that standpoint, I put The Warrior's Apprentice on my all-time top ten list. I think the author is immensely talented and truly deserves the awards she has received.

Rating:
Summary: Whiplash
Review: That's what you'll get when you read this book! The Warrior's Apprentice grabs you by the neck and throws you through the book! It's a nonstop race of manic daring-do and truly wonderful characters. Seventeen year old Miles Vorkosigan is sent on vacation after failing to gain entrance to the military academy. In his military-mad culture it doesn't matter that he tried so hard he actually broke both legs in the attempt. But then Miles is a bit of a disgrace in his mutant-phobic culture, standing only four feet nine and having bones as brittle as chalk makes him an object of superstitious disgust. But Miles is so much more, as he proves when he goes off on vacation, and takes over a mercenary space fleet. But it was only an accident! He's only seventeen after all.

Rating:
Summary: A good place to start with Bujold
Review: The question which naturally arises in introducing new readers to an author who has produced a substantial body of work is, "Where to begin?" My own preference is to start off with Falling Free, which is the earliest book according to internal chronology, and also the first of Bujold's work which I encountered. However, for many fans, the best part of Bujold's writing is the character of Miles Naismith Vorkosigan, and so they prefer to begin with this one, which is where Miles gets his start. (He does appear, briefly, at the end of Cordelia's Honor, although it can be argued that he is a central figure in the entire book.) I can't say that I disapprove of such a choice, either. The Warrior's Apprentice is a thoroughly entertaining romp across the galaxy, and introduces us to Miles as a brilliant, charismatic, natural leader who gets into the most amazing scrapes in the process of attempting to extricate himself from previous scrapes.

I should take this opportunity to point out that the original cover gave an entirely false impression of the story. (The helpless, almost-clad heroine type clinging to the bared chest of the jut-jawed hero type are particularly hilarious if you know the real characters.) The cover of the reissue is much closer to capturing the tale.

One of the many things which appeal to me about Bujold's work is the way she can evoke such a wide variety of emotions without being sentimental or melodramatic. Sometimes, the line between sorrow and hilarity is almost too fine to see:

Mile exhaled carefully, faint with rage and reminded grief.
He does not know, he told himself. He cannot know...
"Ivan, one of these days somebody is going to pull out a
weapon and plug you, and you're going to die in bewilderment,
crying, 'What did I say? What did I say?'"

"What did I say?" asked Ivan indignantly. (p. 250.)

Rating:
Summary: Beware: Addiction Starts Here
Review: The reviewer who cautioned about the narcotic effect of the Miles series is right on target.

If you want to dive into the Miles adventures, start with this one---you can pick up the chronology later---and go forward in 'Miles time' from here.

Doris McMaster Bujold won awards for 'Shards of Honor','Falling Free' and a few others. I maintain 'Warrior's Apprentice' is her best because it's got action, drama, comedy, intrigue, and LMB's full-bodied and multi-dimensional characters.

One of the most enjoyable talents of Ms. Bujold is that she takes the art of 'witty dialogue' out of the parlours and sitting rooms of Wilde and Coward and puts it in outer space.

This book is such a reliable reference that I always keep a copy on hand to give to a friend or coworker with the caveat that if they enjoy it, they are to pass it on to another good friend with the same requirement.

Beware the addiction that these books carry. If you like the first one, I encourage you to buy the next two in the chronology---that way you won't suffer too much withdrawal between books.