Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Baen Books (New York, 1986). 1st edition, 1st printing. 315 pages. $2.95.
Description
Fiction. Science Fiction. HTML: Miles Vorkosigan makes his debut in this frenetic coming-of-age tale. At age seventeen, Miles is allowed to take the entrance exams to the elite military academy; he passes the written but manages, through miscalculation in a moment of anger, to break both his legs on the obstacle course, washing out before he begins. His aged grandfather dies in his sleep shortly after, and Miles blames himself. He is sent to visit his grandmother Naismith on distant Beta Colony, accompanied by his bodyguard, Sergeant Bothari, and Bothari's daughter, Elena. Miles passes himself off as a mercenary leader as he picks up a ragtag crew, and soon his father Aral is under political attack back home as garbled rumors of Miles' mercenary operations trickle back. Miles must abandon his new fleet and dash back to Barrayar to stop the plot..… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member WynandSchoonbee
This book introduces one of Lois McMaster Bujold's best characters namely Miles Vorkosigan.
I won't repeat the basic synopsis that you can find all over the net, but I will point out that this novel (and Author of course!) is perhaps one of my all time favourites and I've re-read the series at least
Character development is superb (especially if you follow the series) and Bujold has pure mastery in that she creates characters that you can't help but to enjoy /fall in love with /laugh at /cringe for /fear with etc.
It has humour, insanity, strategy, 'forward momentum', interesting plot developments and a background story/universe that was well thought out and keeps getting richer as you read the rest of the series.
Go pick up a copy at your book dealer or do the eBook thing and get ready to be entertained!
I won't repeat the basic synopsis that you can find all over the net, but I will point out that this novel (and Author of course!) is perhaps one of my all time favourites and I've re-read the series at least
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3 times by now while waiting for the author to add even more books to the series!Character development is superb (especially if you follow the series) and Bujold has pure mastery in that she creates characters that you can't help but to enjoy /fall in love with /laugh at /cringe for /fear with etc.
It has humour, insanity, strategy, 'forward momentum', interesting plot developments and a background story/universe that was well thought out and keeps getting richer as you read the rest of the series.
Go pick up a copy at your book dealer or do the eBook thing and get ready to be entertained!
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LibraryThing member michaelcruse
The first Miles Vorkosigan book. Washed out of the military before he even started, Miles on impulse buys an old freighter by mortgaging his grandfather's radioactive land. Trying to make the payments, he accidently captures a warship. Than another one. Then a whole fleet. Oops.
A great start to a
A great start to a
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phenomenal series. Show Less
LibraryThing member JudithProctor
I've read this book at least three times over the years, but I'd forgotten just how fabulous it was. Reading it for the 4th (ish) time while ill this week, I found myself laughing aloud in pure delight.
Miles is cursed with a hyperactive, intelligent mind in a body that forever lets him down.
His resentment at being unable to do the things he really wants to do leads him to help another desperate man, and suddenly he's in a situation where one thing piles on top of another and he's juggling eggs in an evermore complex pattern.
Here's where his upbringing comes in handy. Miles has always wanted the military life, he's inherited his father's gift for tactics, but this military life is a trap of a kind that he fails to spot until it is almost too late.
Bujold's characters are wonderful - each of her books usually works as a stand-alone (this one included), but it's great to have extra glimpses of characters whom we've met in the past or will see more of in the future. Her female characters are intelligent and capable of challenging the cultures that surround them.
The book is also funny. Mile's thoughts about his idiot cousin Ivan, his efforts at playing matchmaker, and many other scenes besides.
In a nutshell, the book is wonderful space opera, with great characters. Read it!
Miles is cursed with a hyperactive, intelligent mind in a body that forever lets him down.
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Brittle bones break all too easily, and in a culture that values physical strength and perfection, that's a big problem.His resentment at being unable to do the things he really wants to do leads him to help another desperate man, and suddenly he's in a situation where one thing piles on top of another and he's juggling eggs in an evermore complex pattern.
Here's where his upbringing comes in handy. Miles has always wanted the military life, he's inherited his father's gift for tactics, but this military life is a trap of a kind that he fails to spot until it is almost too late.
Bujold's characters are wonderful - each of her books usually works as a stand-alone (this one included), but it's great to have extra glimpses of characters whom we've met in the past or will see more of in the future. Her female characters are intelligent and capable of challenging the cultures that surround them.
The book is also funny. Mile's thoughts about his idiot cousin Ivan, his efforts at playing matchmaker, and many other scenes besides.
In a nutshell, the book is wonderful space opera, with great characters. Read it!
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LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Summary: Miles Naismith Vorkosigan was left crippled after a poison gas attack on his mother when he was still in the womb. In reality, he’s lucky to be alive at all, but gratitude doesn’t always come easy when one’s bones might break from a hard push, especially when one is growing up in a
The Warrior’s Apprentice opens with Miles at seventeen. He’s aced the written portion of the entrance exams to the Barrayaran Military Academy, but a miscalculation during the physical test results in disqualification… and two broken legs. Disheartened, Miles heads to Beta Colony to visit his maternal grandmother, taking with him his bodyguard since birth, the implacable but haunted Seargent Bothari, and his daughter Elena Bothari, a beautiful and spirited young woman who is stifled by the limited opportunities that Barrayaran culture offers her gender.
However, Miles is barely on Beta Colony long enough to unpack before he manages – completely by accident – to take command of a ship and its pilot, and get them a mission smuggling weapons past a blockade to a much-besieged planet. Soon, without knowing quite how it happened, Miles finds himself in charge of an entire mercenary company. Despite washing out of the Military Academy, and despite not planning for any of this, he must quickly learn the realities of what it takes to be in command, and he must do it the hard way: on the battlefield.
Review: Well, it’s official. Lois McMaster Bujold has officially cemented herself into the hallowed ranks of my favorite authors. Has this woman written anything that isn’t great? She writes fantastic high fantasy (The Chalion series), she writes great fantasy romance (The Sharing Knife series), and she writes crazy-compelling sci-fi/space opera (The Vorkosigan Saga). The way she does it is that she’s not writing genre fiction at all; rather, she’s writing intensely sympathetic and real characters caught up in fascinating situations… they’re just fascinating situations on worlds other than Earth, is all.
Miles Vorkosigan is certainly an interesting character – which is good, considering he’s the focus of many more books after this one. Does he replace Cordelia (Miles’s mother, and the heroine of Shards of Honor and Barrayar, the preceeding two books) at the top of my Bujold-ian Fictional Character Crush List? No, not quite, but that’s a tall bar to clear. I enjoyed watching Cordelia deal with the deeply ingrained Barrayaran sexism more than I enjoyed watching Miles deal with the deeply ingrained Barrayaran disability-ism, but that may be because as a non-disabled woman, I found her plight more immediately recognizable than his. To Miles’s credit, however, he spends hardly any time whining or moping about what others perceive as his disability. He gets frustrated, of course, when he comes up against its limitations, but he only descends into self-pity once, and that very briefly, so he remains hugely likeable. Contributing to that likeability is his intensely snarky sense of humor and his sharp intelligence, coupled with enough youthful naiveté to keep him from veering into the land of the insufferable know-it-all.
The story itself is very quick-moving – perhaps too much so, at times – with circumstances flip-flopping multiple times within a single chapter, leaving both Miles and the reader a little befuddled as to how things had gotten to their present state. Still, it’s woven together pretty neatly, and contained some serious shocks that I did not see coming. The space battles were more numerous than I would ordinarily prefer, but Bujold writes them well enough that I can follow the action, and she typically focuses more on the people and less on the laser cannons, which I always appreciate. I was also impressed when I realized that this book was originally published before Barrayar, even though it takes place later in the internal chronology of the series. Either Bujold was planning well ahead when she wrote this book, or else she’s got a deft hand at retconning previously established details, because the disparity between publication and chronological order is seamless.
Grover Gardner’s narration was wonderful as always, although it was a refreshing change to hear him reading a book with a male protagonist. He does an excellent job distinguishing characters by voice, and between his efforts and Bujold’s dialogue, I had no problem telling who was who, even among the more minor characters, despite the fact I could rarely keep all of the sci-fi-ish names straight. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Overall, I enjoyed the heck out of this book, exactly as I was expecting to. While it follows well from the two books that came before it, this is the first book with Miles as a protagonist, so it would also work just fine as a stand-alone novel… or, more likely, as the introduction to the series as a whole, because I suspect that anybody who reads one will be as charmed as I was, and want to pick up the rest.
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culture that places a high premium on physical prowess in boys. Add onto that a father who is a Count, a high-ranking military officer, and former Regent to the Emperor, and you have one young man eager to prove himself not only in his father’s eyes and the eyes of his peers, but also in his own estimation.The Warrior’s Apprentice opens with Miles at seventeen. He’s aced the written portion of the entrance exams to the Barrayaran Military Academy, but a miscalculation during the physical test results in disqualification… and two broken legs. Disheartened, Miles heads to Beta Colony to visit his maternal grandmother, taking with him his bodyguard since birth, the implacable but haunted Seargent Bothari, and his daughter Elena Bothari, a beautiful and spirited young woman who is stifled by the limited opportunities that Barrayaran culture offers her gender.
However, Miles is barely on Beta Colony long enough to unpack before he manages – completely by accident – to take command of a ship and its pilot, and get them a mission smuggling weapons past a blockade to a much-besieged planet. Soon, without knowing quite how it happened, Miles finds himself in charge of an entire mercenary company. Despite washing out of the Military Academy, and despite not planning for any of this, he must quickly learn the realities of what it takes to be in command, and he must do it the hard way: on the battlefield.
Review: Well, it’s official. Lois McMaster Bujold has officially cemented herself into the hallowed ranks of my favorite authors. Has this woman written anything that isn’t great? She writes fantastic high fantasy (The Chalion series), she writes great fantasy romance (The Sharing Knife series), and she writes crazy-compelling sci-fi/space opera (The Vorkosigan Saga). The way she does it is that she’s not writing genre fiction at all; rather, she’s writing intensely sympathetic and real characters caught up in fascinating situations… they’re just fascinating situations on worlds other than Earth, is all.
Miles Vorkosigan is certainly an interesting character – which is good, considering he’s the focus of many more books after this one. Does he replace Cordelia (Miles’s mother, and the heroine of Shards of Honor and Barrayar, the preceeding two books) at the top of my Bujold-ian Fictional Character Crush List? No, not quite, but that’s a tall bar to clear. I enjoyed watching Cordelia deal with the deeply ingrained Barrayaran sexism more than I enjoyed watching Miles deal with the deeply ingrained Barrayaran disability-ism, but that may be because as a non-disabled woman, I found her plight more immediately recognizable than his. To Miles’s credit, however, he spends hardly any time whining or moping about what others perceive as his disability. He gets frustrated, of course, when he comes up against its limitations, but he only descends into self-pity once, and that very briefly, so he remains hugely likeable. Contributing to that likeability is his intensely snarky sense of humor and his sharp intelligence, coupled with enough youthful naiveté to keep him from veering into the land of the insufferable know-it-all.
The story itself is very quick-moving – perhaps too much so, at times – with circumstances flip-flopping multiple times within a single chapter, leaving both Miles and the reader a little befuddled as to how things had gotten to their present state. Still, it’s woven together pretty neatly, and contained some serious shocks that I did not see coming. The space battles were more numerous than I would ordinarily prefer, but Bujold writes them well enough that I can follow the action, and she typically focuses more on the people and less on the laser cannons, which I always appreciate. I was also impressed when I realized that this book was originally published before Barrayar, even though it takes place later in the internal chronology of the series. Either Bujold was planning well ahead when she wrote this book, or else she’s got a deft hand at retconning previously established details, because the disparity between publication and chronological order is seamless.
Grover Gardner’s narration was wonderful as always, although it was a refreshing change to hear him reading a book with a male protagonist. He does an excellent job distinguishing characters by voice, and between his efforts and Bujold’s dialogue, I had no problem telling who was who, even among the more minor characters, despite the fact I could rarely keep all of the sci-fi-ish names straight. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Overall, I enjoyed the heck out of this book, exactly as I was expecting to. While it follows well from the two books that came before it, this is the first book with Miles as a protagonist, so it would also work just fine as a stand-alone novel… or, more likely, as the introduction to the series as a whole, because I suspect that anybody who reads one will be as charmed as I was, and want to pick up the rest.
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LibraryThing member narwhaltortellini
Starting this book, I was basically expecting something light with charming characters. Unfortunately, the charm was just too unconvincing for me here. It's a 'how a less-skilled-in-the-areas-he-wants guy learns his true strengths and how to appreciate them' variety of story, in this case with a
It's an endearing formula, but the novel never really does much to show you how or why the main character is the supposedly amazing leader and strategist he is. What makes him inspire all this devotion people are tripping over themselves to give him? All we ever really see is that he's fairly nice and intelligent, but that really doesn't cut it. He goes through lots of huge that-should-not-have-worked undertakings and manages to get out because of pure random luck (only not so random, of course, because the author makes it happen that way and it happens ever time), and people pat him on the back like it was because of his excellent smarts. It gets difficult to really care about a character that never actually has to work or act intelligently in order to get things to work out for him.
The story here also sports the common Slightly Feminist Leanings While Still Managing To Privilege Male Characters Over Women Syndrome™. It's got it's token strong female character (extra points for her being an amazing fighter but still sweet and virginal!) whom the main character likes to go on short inner diatribes about since she has such amazing talents but will never get to take advantage of her abilities because of how women are excluded in certain ways in their society. In the end, though, she's effectively just there to be the (quite bland in comparison to the other characters) love interest, who doesn't even get much description of her actions in fight scenes compared to the males, despite supposedly being one of the most skilled among them.
The novel is swift and readable, and while on vacation I got within less than 100 pages of the end just because I didn't want to start reading anything else right before my trip ended. As soon as I was home, though, I quit before finishing without a second thought. There just really wasn't any point. I only read it for a little light enjoyment, but when a book is this empty and unconvincing, there's really not much enjoyment for me to get out of it, anyway.
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handicapped guy who can't be a soldier turning out to be a good leader and strategist.It's an endearing formula, but the novel never really does much to show you how or why the main character is the supposedly amazing leader and strategist he is. What makes him inspire all this devotion people are tripping over themselves to give him? All we ever really see is that he's fairly nice and intelligent, but that really doesn't cut it. He goes through lots of huge that-should-not-have-worked undertakings and manages to get out because of pure random luck (only not so random, of course, because the author makes it happen that way and it happens ever time), and people pat him on the back like it was because of his excellent smarts. It gets difficult to really care about a character that never actually has to work or act intelligently in order to get things to work out for him.
The story here also sports the common Slightly Feminist Leanings While Still Managing To Privilege Male Characters Over Women Syndrome™. It's got it's token strong female character (extra points for her being an amazing fighter but still sweet and virginal!) whom the main character likes to go on short inner diatribes about since she has such amazing talents but will never get to take advantage of her abilities because of how women are excluded in certain ways in their society. In the end, though, she's effectively just there to be the (quite bland in comparison to the other characters) love interest, who doesn't even get much description of her actions in fight scenes compared to the males, despite supposedly being one of the most skilled among them.
The novel is swift and readable, and while on vacation I got within less than 100 pages of the end just because I didn't want to start reading anything else right before my trip ended. As soon as I was home, though, I quit before finishing without a second thought. There just really wasn't any point. I only read it for a little light enjoyment, but when a book is this empty and unconvincing, there's really not much enjoyment for me to get out of it, anyway.
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LibraryThing member heaven_star
This was what I call an "obligation" read. My best friend has been all about the epic length space operas in the last year and been attempting to pass on the love. For previous attempts, see my thoughts on (not finishing...) CJ Cherryh's "Foreigner". She also tried my on Shards of Honour which I
This book was different. For at least the first half I felt a bit apathetic about it all, it seemed standard in parts and very cheesy. I get that it's a product of its era but I couldn't shake the raised eyebrow while I read. The intricate political stuff also went mostly over my head, as did a lot of the ins and outs of the combat. I don't know whether it was me being new to the genre or just lacking in the imagination required to follow along but I mostly just sort of kept reading and hoped it would all become clear.
It mostly did, but what helped this one succeed where previous attempts had failed was the pacing. Even if I didn't have a clue what was going on or who was winning or why I cared it was *really* easy to keep reading. It just rolled on really smoothly.
About a third of the way from the end something clicked. I found myself snickering at in-world jokes, really warming to Miles as a character, getting a feel for the supporting cast and grinning like an idiot in the final court scene. It was a bit of cheesy melodramatic FUN at that point.
I'm giving it a three because I'm pretty stingy with stars and stick fairly strictly to Goodreads' suggestions. In this case I'm not willing to say I more than "liked" this one due to the problems I was having following the plot and events during the start and middle of the book.
I am however willing to check out the next one and see if the series builds on that over the top fun stuff that peeked out of the end of this one.
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also put down - auspicious start!This book was different. For at least the first half I felt a bit apathetic about it all, it seemed standard in parts and very cheesy. I get that it's a product of its era but I couldn't shake the raised eyebrow while I read. The intricate political stuff also went mostly over my head, as did a lot of the ins and outs of the combat. I don't know whether it was me being new to the genre or just lacking in the imagination required to follow along but I mostly just sort of kept reading and hoped it would all become clear.
It mostly did, but what helped this one succeed where previous attempts had failed was the pacing. Even if I didn't have a clue what was going on or who was winning or why I cared it was *really* easy to keep reading. It just rolled on really smoothly.
About a third of the way from the end something clicked. I found myself snickering at in-world jokes, really warming to Miles as a character, getting a feel for the supporting cast and grinning like an idiot in the final court scene. It was a bit of cheesy melodramatic FUN at that point.
I'm giving it a three because I'm pretty stingy with stars and stick fairly strictly to Goodreads' suggestions. In this case I'm not willing to say I more than "liked" this one due to the problems I was having following the plot and events during the start and middle of the book.
I am however willing to check out the next one and see if the series builds on that over the top fun stuff that peeked out of the end of this one.
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LibraryThing member caedocyon
I read this non-stop while traveling Saturday. SO. MUCH. FUN. Miles Vorkosigan is at his outrageously intelligent, hyperactive, utterly fabulous prime. Wish it had never ended, and now I have to wait before I can read it again...!
21 December 2012
So I totally read this again.... It's funny to me
23 December 2015
Oh look, I'm reading "Warrior's Apprentice" again. Miles is obviously the apprentice, but who is the warrior here? Bothari? Tung? The entire Dendarii fleet? Hm.
21 December 2012
So I totally read this again.... It's funny to me
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that some people don't reread; I reread a lot. Sometimes I get in the mood for something particular and I know a book that can scratch that itch. Plus, I almost always find some new detail I never noticed before.23 December 2015
Oh look, I'm reading "Warrior's Apprentice" again. Miles is obviously the apprentice, but who is the warrior here? Bothari? Tung? The entire Dendarii fleet? Hm.
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LibraryThing member clong
This is the book that introduced us to the inimitable Miles Vorkosigan. It is vintage Bujold, offering a deft combination of humor, action, and suspense with moments of touching insight into what makes us all tick. Add to this a smart yet vulnerable protagonist with an admirable capability to learn
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from his mistakes and an author who doesn't flinch from tackling hard truths and you have one of the greatest scifi series ever. The plot admittedly hangs on a couple of coincidences that strain credulity, but this is one of those cases where the payoff is sufficiently great that you should have no problem suspending disbelief. Show Less
LibraryThing member empress8411
The third in the Vorkosigan Saga, one of the first written, this is the first told from Miles' point of view. After he is denied entrance to the Military Academy due to his health, Miles heads to his Mother's home world, aimlessly and depressed. There, one small gesture of assistance mushrooms
Miles is a hilarious and ingenious character. Hyper-active, audacious, daring, and naïve – he’s thrilling to watch as he just digs himself a deeper hole. At the same time, he isn’t without depth. Constantly reminded of his own physical disabilities and his fear of his Father’s disappointment, his heart is there as well as his mind.
Fast-action, sorrow, character development, and intrigue make this a fun space adventure with surprising depth. As the all Bujold’s work, I highly recommend, particularly if you like solid science fiction adventure novels.
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beyond his control and he soon finds himself at the head of a (fictional) mercenary fleet in charge of breaking a blockade.Miles is a hilarious and ingenious character. Hyper-active, audacious, daring, and naïve – he’s thrilling to watch as he just digs himself a deeper hole. At the same time, he isn’t without depth. Constantly reminded of his own physical disabilities and his fear of his Father’s disappointment, his heart is there as well as his mind.
Fast-action, sorrow, character development, and intrigue make this a fun space adventure with surprising depth. As the all Bujold’s work, I highly recommend, particularly if you like solid science fiction adventure novels.
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LibraryThing member TheBecks
*sigh* I really wanted to like this book, but...
(That disappointed baby is effing adorable though, so I guess this review won't be ALL bad.)
Well, it wouldn't be ALL bad anyway. I wanted to like this so much. I liked the idea of this book much more than I liked the actuality of it, actually. I feel
OK, so the main character, Miles, has a handicap. That's a plus for me because I like realistic characters who have to legitimately struggle to make it. But then he doesn't. At all. He's rich, his family is practically universally known and respected, he's bi-cultural, he has a lethal bodyguard who is more than willing and more than capable of protecting Miles from any and all danger, be it small armies or stubbed toes, unless ordered otherwise, and pretty much every success just falls in his lap. He stands on the shoulders of those around him, getting by on their ability and sometimes just blind luck, when his position as Vor isn't handy, and shit just falls into line.
It's just... boring. Boring to read about someone who only has to say "I'll think of something!" and then he does. Over and over... all these little episodic crises that never really felt serious or thrilling at all, because two paragraphs later Magic Miles has somehow won the fight, saved the day or whatever else was needed for victory. And did it all with this Mt. Everest-esque moral high ground. (And speaking of the action scenes, ugh, they were just terrible. I felt like I never really knew WHAT was going on, but a bunch of stuff was happening, and then bam, it's all over. Tally up another one for Miles.)
I wanted to know more about Bothari, but I feel like he was given really short shrift, both in character, and in how his situation was handled. I was so curious about him, and I really wanted to know who he was and what his history was and what he wanted and hoped for, etc... Maybe this is addressed in later (or earlier) books, but, well... the whole thing just felt like a cop out. An accusation and then that's it?
I just wanted more. More substance. More struggle, more realism. More. I wanted to really like this, and it sucks that I didn't, because a friend recommended it to me, and I respect her opinions. Oh well. Can't win 'em all. =",,,,,,0,,,,,
3227063,The Way of Shadows (Night Angel
(That disappointed baby is effing adorable though, so I guess this review won't be ALL bad.)
Well, it wouldn't be ALL bad anyway. I wanted to like this so much. I liked the idea of this book much more than I liked the actuality of it, actually. I feel
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like I've been disappointed with almost everything I've read lately, and I was really hoping for this to just wow me, for it to make me want to put everything else on hold and read the series and just fall into this universe. I really liked the world-building, and the concept of biomech-enhanced jump pilots was really cool. I liked the idea of an accidental mercenary kid who's ballsy and smart. This story had a lot of potential, but just fell short for me on too many levels. I just felt like it was repetitive and unrealistic and... vanilla. OK, so the main character, Miles, has a handicap. That's a plus for me because I like realistic characters who have to legitimately struggle to make it. But then he doesn't. At all. He's rich, his family is practically universally known and respected, he's bi-cultural, he has a lethal bodyguard who is more than willing and more than capable of protecting Miles from any and all danger, be it small armies or stubbed toes, unless ordered otherwise, and pretty much every success just falls in his lap. He stands on the shoulders of those around him, getting by on their ability and sometimes just blind luck, when his position as Vor isn't handy, and shit just falls into line.
It's just... boring. Boring to read about someone who only has to say "I'll think of something!" and then he does. Over and over... all these little episodic crises that never really felt serious or thrilling at all, because two paragraphs later Magic Miles has somehow won the fight, saved the day or whatever else was needed for victory. And did it all with this Mt. Everest-esque moral high ground. (And speaking of the action scenes, ugh, they were just terrible. I felt like I never really knew WHAT was going on, but a bunch of stuff was happening, and then bam, it's all over. Tally up another one for Miles.)
I wanted to know more about Bothari, but I feel like he was given really short shrift, both in character, and in how his situation was handled. I was so curious about him, and I really wanted to know who he was and what his history was and what he wanted and hoped for, etc... Maybe this is addressed in later (or earlier) books, but, well... the whole thing just felt like a cop out. An accusation and then that's it?
I just wanted more. More substance. More struggle, more realism. More. I wanted to really like this, and it sucks that I didn't, because a friend recommended it to me, and I respect her opinions. Oh well. Can't win 'em all. =",,,,,,0,,,,,
3227063,The Way of Shadows (Night Angel
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LibraryThing member humouress
Wonderful!
This was a reread for me; I don't know how many times I've read it before, but certainly more than once, yet it still made me laugh out loud (possibly more so than before) and shed a tear or two. I even found it unputdownable, not so much because I was wondering "I can't wait to find out
Miles, sole child, son and heir of Aral and Cordelia, Lord and Lady Vorkosigan of Barrayar, has suffered from before birth from a bone wasting toxin, the effects of which have stunted his growth to over a foot below his intended height of over 6 feet and left him with brittle bones. This in a society which still considers mutants with superstition and practices infanticide, in the back country, on babies perceived to be genetically defective.
All his short :0) life, Miles has tried to prove himself to his grandfather, a Barrayaran war hero of the old guard, and to measure up to his father, also a war hero and - until recently - regent for the emperor. His lifelong dream, which he is on the brink of achieving at 17 as the story opens, is to join the Imperial Military Service - if he can pass the physical, a mere formality for his peers.
When his dream crashes about his ears, he is initially at a loss as to what to do with himself. But Miles has a frenetic energy, to go with his driving ambition, which he uses to dance and charm his way from situation to crisis, not to mention a fertile imagination with which he manufactures seemingly impossible triumphs from impending disasters. Or, as he puts it, 'forward momentum'.
His other cherished dream involves his childhood friend, Elena Bothari, daughter of his formidable bodyguard. When he is sent off-planet, he sees this as an opportunity to whirl Elena away from her circumscribed life in the hopes that it will win him her heart and hand. If only a little problem like an intergalactic mercenary war didn't keep getting in the way ...
I like Miles. He is as honour bound as his parents, and his word costs something to give - which plays its part in creating awkward situations. But I think he has more fun.
I love Sergeant Bothari, who really comes into his own in this book as Miles's personal bodyguard, driven sometimes to the edge of his endurance in an effort to protect Miles from himself as his ambitious plans endanger his fragile bone structure.
As ever, I love Aral and Cordelia. I like the way Bujold conveys the depth of Aral's feelings for his son, or even his adversary, just in his posture. And Cordelia; well
She went off toward the library, muttering her favourite swear-word under her breath, "Barrayarans!"
Funny, touching, fun, great pacing and characterisation.
Absolutely recommended!
5 stars
This was a reread for me; I don't know how many times I've read it before, but certainly more than once, yet it still made me laugh out loud (possibly more so than before) and shed a tear or two. I even found it unputdownable, not so much because I was wondering "I can't wait to find out
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what happens next!" as because I was anticipating "Oh; this is where that happens". Miles, sole child, son and heir of Aral and Cordelia, Lord and Lady Vorkosigan of Barrayar, has suffered from before birth from a bone wasting toxin, the effects of which have stunted his growth to over a foot below his intended height of over 6 feet and left him with brittle bones. This in a society which still considers mutants with superstition and practices infanticide, in the back country, on babies perceived to be genetically defective.
All his short :0) life, Miles has tried to prove himself to his grandfather, a Barrayaran war hero of the old guard, and to measure up to his father, also a war hero and - until recently - regent for the emperor. His lifelong dream, which he is on the brink of achieving at 17 as the story opens, is to join the Imperial Military Service - if he can pass the physical, a mere formality for his peers.
When his dream crashes about his ears, he is initially at a loss as to what to do with himself. But Miles has a frenetic energy, to go with his driving ambition, which he uses to dance and charm his way from situation to crisis, not to mention a fertile imagination with which he manufactures seemingly impossible triumphs from impending disasters. Or, as he puts it, 'forward momentum'.
His other cherished dream involves his childhood friend, Elena Bothari, daughter of his formidable bodyguard. When he is sent off-planet, he sees this as an opportunity to whirl Elena away from her circumscribed life in the hopes that it will win him her heart and hand. If only a little problem like an intergalactic mercenary war didn't keep getting in the way ...
I like Miles. He is as honour bound as his parents, and his word costs something to give - which plays its part in creating awkward situations. But I think he has more fun.
I love Sergeant Bothari, who really comes into his own in this book as Miles's personal bodyguard, driven sometimes to the edge of his endurance in an effort to protect Miles from himself as his ambitious plans endanger his fragile bone structure.
As ever, I love Aral and Cordelia. I like the way Bujold conveys the depth of Aral's feelings for his son, or even his adversary, just in his posture. And Cordelia; well
She went off toward the library, muttering her favourite swear-word under her breath, "Barrayarans!"
Funny, touching, fun, great pacing and characterisation.
Absolutely recommended!
5 stars
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LibraryThing member SKR
The first Miles book of the Vorkosigan Saga. Miles's portrayal, and Bujold's writing, is passionate, nakedly honest, insightful, and always intelligent. Unrestrainedly recommended.
LibraryThing member JenneB
This is, in my opinion, what military SF should be, not the fetishy, father-issues-fueled CRACK that some people write *ahem*[author:DAVID FEINTUCH]*ahem*.
But hey, I'm a girl, what do I know.
But hey, I'm a girl, what do I know.
LibraryThing member NogDog
A fun story that pulls the reader along, with interesting characters and good writing. My only complaint is that the plot felt a bit contrived, depending a little too much on coincidences and other twists.
LibraryThing member M.E._Anders
Are you a science fiction fanatic? You know these types: they engage in their “real world” Dungeons & Dragons or watch countless replays of Star Trek. I almost wish that I was such an enthusiast for my genre, thrillers and suspense. The SF/F community’s allure appealed to me. I enjoy
After an exciting talk by sci-fi author, Jodie Lynn Nye, at the 2011 Evanston Writer’s Workshop, I decided to read my first SF novel by Lois McMaster Bujold. The Warrior’s Apprentice is not the first book in the Vorkosigan Saga series, but Jodie recommended it as a classic introduction to the genre.
I was surprised by the ease with which I could follow the story, even midstream through the series. Bujold possesses a cleverness, which eludes some of her contemporaries. I did not feel lost in a world where I understood very little of the technology or customs. She intersperses pertinent details throughout the tale.
Miles Vorkosigan, the main character, goes on an extraordinary venture which distances him from his home galaxy and familiar surroundings. Have not most of us wanted to go on such a road trip, leaving it all behind? This premise immediately grips the adventurous reader, and we are anticipating all the inevitable discoveries.
Character arc is a necessary component to a compelling story. Bujold satisfies this innate expectation through novice Miles transformation to capable captain. Still, he faces the consequences of his decisions along the way. He is not an elusive hero without real weaknesses. He is a bit endearing, then annoyingly distant at times.
The plot is exquisitely designed, in my opinion. No loose ends are left tantalizing the reader at the end, though one must continue reading the series for the final resolution, of course.
My favorite aspect of the character development: the depth to which Miles thinks through his plight at the end of his adventure. He entertains possible resolutions because he has endangered more people than his shipmates. He is not a shallow character with superficial emotions. Because of this, he feels as real as the characters in my own life.
Overall, I was pleased that I enjoyed a real Sci-Fi story. No longer is that genre untouchable. The argument that “sci-fi is just too hard to understand” can be vanquished with a reading of The Warrior’s Apprentice. Bujold has perfected her craft, and I anticipate reading more of her work in the decades ahead.
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exploring books beyond my favorite core writers.After an exciting talk by sci-fi author, Jodie Lynn Nye, at the 2011 Evanston Writer’s Workshop, I decided to read my first SF novel by Lois McMaster Bujold. The Warrior’s Apprentice is not the first book in the Vorkosigan Saga series, but Jodie recommended it as a classic introduction to the genre.
I was surprised by the ease with which I could follow the story, even midstream through the series. Bujold possesses a cleverness, which eludes some of her contemporaries. I did not feel lost in a world where I understood very little of the technology or customs. She intersperses pertinent details throughout the tale.
Miles Vorkosigan, the main character, goes on an extraordinary venture which distances him from his home galaxy and familiar surroundings. Have not most of us wanted to go on such a road trip, leaving it all behind? This premise immediately grips the adventurous reader, and we are anticipating all the inevitable discoveries.
Character arc is a necessary component to a compelling story. Bujold satisfies this innate expectation through novice Miles transformation to capable captain. Still, he faces the consequences of his decisions along the way. He is not an elusive hero without real weaknesses. He is a bit endearing, then annoyingly distant at times.
The plot is exquisitely designed, in my opinion. No loose ends are left tantalizing the reader at the end, though one must continue reading the series for the final resolution, of course.
My favorite aspect of the character development: the depth to which Miles thinks through his plight at the end of his adventure. He entertains possible resolutions because he has endangered more people than his shipmates. He is not a shallow character with superficial emotions. Because of this, he feels as real as the characters in my own life.
Overall, I was pleased that I enjoyed a real Sci-Fi story. No longer is that genre untouchable. The argument that “sci-fi is just too hard to understand” can be vanquished with a reading of The Warrior’s Apprentice. Bujold has perfected her craft, and I anticipate reading more of her work in the decades ahead.
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LibraryThing member reading_fox
Contrived and at times unbelievable, but fun.
Some 18 years after the events of Barrayar, Miles is now full grown (such as he is) and looking for his entrance into the Imperial Service. Unfortunately this comprises a physical endurance course which stresses his weakened bones beyond breaking point.
Miles is fun. But because his initial involvement is so unlikely much of the rest of his predicaments fail to garner any serious weight with the reader, and I struggled to care how Miles resolves his various difficulties. Many of the supporting characters also seem to make unlikely choices or actions, and I remained unconvinced by the entire plot. However it all rolls along at speed, and is, like all of Bujold's work, well written. Miles' banter is frequently amusing, which helps.
Overall: not as good as Barrayar.
Some 18 years after the events of Barrayar, Miles is now full grown (such as he is) and looking for his entrance into the Imperial Service. Unfortunately this comprises a physical endurance course which stresses his weakened bones beyond breaking point.
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Excluded from his (and his grandfather's) dream futures Miles is bored. However the opportunity of a trip to Betan perks up his spirits, especially when Seargent Bothari's daughter Elena (and the Sergent) can accompany him. And here on Betan is where the credulity of the story breaks down. For no reason whatsoever Miles abandons Elena to become involved with a pilot attempting to maintain his flying opportunities. One thing sort of leads to another, and before Miles knows it he's in over his head running a blockage at Tau Ceti V.Miles is fun. But because his initial involvement is so unlikely much of the rest of his predicaments fail to garner any serious weight with the reader, and I struggled to care how Miles resolves his various difficulties. Many of the supporting characters also seem to make unlikely choices or actions, and I remained unconvinced by the entire plot. However it all rolls along at speed, and is, like all of Bujold's work, well written. Miles' banter is frequently amusing, which helps.
Overall: not as good as Barrayar.
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LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
This is the book where I fell in love with the Vorkosigan Saga. It's rare I can say I fall in love with a character in a book, but I fell hard for Miles Vorkosigan, which is why this book gets five stars. Not because it's mind-expanding or has amazing prose--but because I loved the character so
One could see there part of why I love Miles--not conventionally handsome, handicapped, someone who has to work so hard. But it's more than that. I've always had a weakness for the kind of character not only with gifts of leadership, but a certain kind of cleverness. Whether Homer's Odysseus, CS Forester's Horatio Hornblower or Roddenbury's Captain Kirk of Star Trek. Miles has that quality in abundance--of turning defeat into a fighting chance to survive. And in this story, which Bujold has said is modeled on "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" there's quite a bit of humor too in seeing Miles manage to keep his head above the rapidly rising waters he conjures up.
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much. This is the third book chronologically in this series, the first two books, among the first things Bujold ever wrote focus on Miles' parents--this is the one where he comes into his own. Miles is born a "Vor"--into an aristocratic family in a very traditional, military culture on the planet of Barrayar. That society had for a long time practiced infanticide--killing any child born in any way disabled. Due to an attack before he was born, Miles is short in stature and has various physical problems--particularly very brittle bones. His grandfather wanted him killed--in fact at a certain point tried to kill him. Miles has had to fight hard for a measure of acceptance in his society and worked hard to earn the right to enter the planet's military academy--but couldn't pass the final physical tests--and then proceeds to form a path his own.One could see there part of why I love Miles--not conventionally handsome, handicapped, someone who has to work so hard. But it's more than that. I've always had a weakness for the kind of character not only with gifts of leadership, but a certain kind of cleverness. Whether Homer's Odysseus, CS Forester's Horatio Hornblower or Roddenbury's Captain Kirk of Star Trek. Miles has that quality in abundance--of turning defeat into a fighting chance to survive. And in this story, which Bujold has said is modeled on "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" there's quite a bit of humor too in seeing Miles manage to keep his head above the rapidly rising waters he conjures up.
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LibraryThing member crystalcarroll
Miles Vorkosigan, the physically disabled son of an important political figure, fails to get into the Barrayaran Imperial military academy and has a series of escalating adventures involving intrigue, mercenaries, worm hole blockades, and a whole lota flim flam.
Lois is one of my favorite authors
There are scenes that make me laugh every time I read them. And there is a scene that I cry every time I read it. Yes, I laughed, I cried, it is way better than Cats.
Beyond that, this is a good solid adventure story with likable characters. Miles is magnetic. The supporting cast is well developed.
Lois is one of my favorite authors
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and WA is one of my favorite books. It may not be as polished as some of her later books, but WA, as the start of Lois' long running Vorkosigan series, makes up for it in sheer power.There are scenes that make me laugh every time I read them. And there is a scene that I cry every time I read it. Yes, I laughed, I cried, it is way better than Cats.
Beyond that, this is a good solid adventure story with likable characters. Miles is magnetic. The supporting cast is well developed.
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LibraryThing member crystalcarroll
Lois is one of my favorite authors and WA is one of my favorite books. It may not be as polished as some of her later books, but WA, as the start of Lois' long running Vorkosigan series, makes up for it in sheer power.
There are scenes that make me laugh every time I read them. And there is a scene
Beyond that, this is a good solid adventure story with likable characters. Miles is magnetic. The supporting cast is well developed.
There are scenes that make me laugh every time I read them. And there is a scene
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that I cry every time I read it. Yes, I laughed, I cried, it is way better than Cats,.Beyond that, this is a good solid adventure story with likable characters. Miles is magnetic. The supporting cast is well developed.
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LibraryThing member Lymsleia
I'm not... sure I have that much to say about this book after all? I mean, it was definitely good, and Miles is a great protagonist! I'm just surprised by how somehow I actually enjoyed Shards of Honour more than this one, I guess.
I think my main problem here was the middle of the book, which,
And Miles himself, while without a doubt well-written, was incredibly frustrating to read about at times. I'm pretty sure this is mostly intentional; this *is* his big coming-of-age story after all and he still has a lot to learn, but as much as I sympathized with him at other times, I had absolutely no sympathy for him any time the romance subplot reared its head and he was jealous or overprotective when it came to Elena. (I do hate jealousy plots with a passion though and just don't get them, so take that with a grain of salt.) And it was hard not to wince when, in his quest to find his place in life and Prove Himself to his father (who already believed in his worth so that was kind of unnecessary), Miles didn't realise he was dragging other people down with him until it was too late. (This mix of self-centredness and the way he does think of other people first sometimes was interesting to read about, don't get me wrong, and this was definitely an important learning experience for the character but as I said, it was just so damn frustrating at times. Well done, author, I guess?)
Oh, and speaking of things that make me wince? I'm glad that the book doesn't always treat sex/gender as a binary and features genderqueer people! But could we please not refer to them as "it" gdi. Grah. And the one time the character in question comes up in a romantic context, it's as a joke. This was especially disappointing given the running commentary on media representation that came from Miles himself earlier in the book, about how no, he can't just be an actor despite his love for theatrics, because the stage doesn't have a place for people like him unless it's as a villain or comic relief, and he might not know yet what to do with his life but that wasn't exactly what he had in mind. I loved that. It rings very true and makes an important point and all that, but then the story can't quite do it for other marginalised people.
... which in turn reminds me - please tell me there'll be more examination of class differences in later books because woah does Miles ever have more to learn there.
Back to the book itself! (Apparently I do have more to say about it than I thought I would.) Once again the ending tied things up quite neatly (although I still don't quite understand how all those Dendarii Mercenaries will get paid) and a bit too quickly for my taste. The whole council session scene was beyond excellent and there was so much stuff in there that was just vaguely alluded to and it was all fascinating and I just want more of the trainwreck that are Barrayaran politics, so that's another reason why I would've wanted that part of the story to be a bit longer. Time and again Miles just barely managed to make it out of a tight spot thanks to a ton of really lucky coincidences - but also thanks to a lot of quick & clever thinking on his part; improvising really is his big strength, so I can forgive that.
So, err. Despite this rather... critical-sounding review, I enjoyed the book a lot and am looking forward to more adventures with Miles - maybe even with a Miles that I don't want to grab by the shoulders and shake every thirty pages or so. He's a great character, and I'm glad he got more books. :D
I think my main problem here was the middle of the book, which,
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sure, was necessary for plot- and character development (especially the latter, for Miles) but which, with the exception of a few "highlights", felt rather dull. It didn't help that I didn't care terribly much about any of the characters that showed up here, with the possible exception of Tung, and while Arde and Baz (and Elena!) were cool, they didn't get as much to do as I would've liked. And Miles himself, while without a doubt well-written, was incredibly frustrating to read about at times. I'm pretty sure this is mostly intentional; this *is* his big coming-of-age story after all and he still has a lot to learn, but as much as I sympathized with him at other times, I had absolutely no sympathy for him any time the romance subplot reared its head and he was jealous or overprotective when it came to Elena. (I do hate jealousy plots with a passion though and just don't get them, so take that with a grain of salt.) And it was hard not to wince when, in his quest to find his place in life and Prove Himself to his father (who already believed in his worth so that was kind of unnecessary), Miles didn't realise he was dragging other people down with him until it was too late. (This mix of self-centredness and the way he does think of other people first sometimes was interesting to read about, don't get me wrong, and this was definitely an important learning experience for the character but as I said, it was just so damn frustrating at times. Well done, author, I guess?)
Oh, and speaking of things that make me wince? I'm glad that the book doesn't always treat sex/gender as a binary and features genderqueer people! But could we please not refer to them as "it" gdi. Grah. And the one time the character in question comes up in a romantic context, it's as a joke. This was especially disappointing given the running commentary on media representation that came from Miles himself earlier in the book, about how no, he can't just be an actor despite his love for theatrics, because the stage doesn't have a place for people like him unless it's as a villain or comic relief, and he might not know yet what to do with his life but that wasn't exactly what he had in mind. I loved that. It rings very true and makes an important point and all that, but then the story can't quite do it for other marginalised people.
... which in turn reminds me - please tell me there'll be more examination of class differences in later books because woah does Miles ever have more to learn there.
Back to the book itself! (Apparently I do have more to say about it than I thought I would.) Once again the ending tied things up quite neatly (although I still don't quite understand how all those Dendarii Mercenaries will get paid) and a bit too quickly for my taste. The whole council session scene was beyond excellent and there was so much stuff in there that was just vaguely alluded to and it was all fascinating and I just want more of the trainwreck that are Barrayaran politics, so that's another reason why I would've wanted that part of the story to be a bit longer. Time and again Miles just barely managed to make it out of a tight spot thanks to a ton of really lucky coincidences - but also thanks to a lot of quick & clever thinking on his part; improvising really is his big strength, so I can forgive that.
So, err. Despite this rather... critical-sounding review, I enjoyed the book a lot and am looking forward to more adventures with Miles - maybe even with a Miles that I don't want to grab by the shoulders and shake every thirty pages or so. He's a great character, and I'm glad he got more books. :D
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LibraryThing member pmerriam
This is the third Vorkosigan book I've read; although I'm still near the beginning I'm very happy that I started it -- looks promising. As with other books by Bujold, the imagined social interactions are as interesting as the plot of physical actions.
LibraryThing member devilwrites
Yes, you're welcome readers: I finally read the next installment of Lois McMaster Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan books. I'd already read Cordelia's Honor, an omnibus prequel made up of Shards of Honor and Barrayar, so reading the "first" of the official Miles books was something to look forward to. And
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it was a fun read: it's weird to pick this up and see recognize how many other authors I've read that have clearly been influenced, in some form or fashion, by Bujold's work. Hell, the start of this reminded me very much of Elizabeth Moon's Trading in Danger, in that the set-up for the hero/heroine is very similar, but the paths they end up taking, while still similar, end up being very different. Miles was a fun character to root for, a super-likable con-man of sorts, and I think the one thing that kept Miles from being a wish-fulfillment fantasy was his disability, which -- looking back at when this was published -- is kind of remarkable: I don't see a lot of disabled heroes and heroines in fantasy and science fiction these days, so to have Miles be one (and be such a hugely popular one at that) is kind of a revelation. Yet unsurprising: what SF and fantasy reader doesn't empathize with the underdog hero/heroine? I did get a teeny bit antsy with the story, because I knew a lot of background the characters didn't: background that would've made for a more powerful revelation later, despite the events that happened due to the revelation being surprising in and of themselves. Whew, that's a mouthful. My point is: one can easily read this book (or the omnibus it appears in, Young Miles) without having read Cordelia's Honor, and you may actually be better off for it. I think I'll continue with the stories collected in the Young Miles omnibus (there's "The Mountains of Mourning" and The Vor Game), but I'm in no hurry. I'm entertained, but I also have a lot on my TBR plate right now. :) Show Less
LibraryThing member veracite
Heaps of fun after the first 80 pages of Miles playing Whiny McEmo. Honestly, Miles, you're a kind person, bright as a button and smart as a whip, a charismatic and inspirational leader with a powerful and relatively wealthy family who love you. Your readily compensated disability, in this context,
Thank goodness he seems to get over it, because the rest of it is a bit of a romp. I'm sure I've read and enjoyed another book in this series.
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fails to make me super-sad for you. Boo-hoo, your bones are brittle. You have learned not to jump off high walls, right? Because no little boys have broken bones jumping of high walls in the history of boys (and, it must be said, Anne Shirley, in the history of girls). Your lack of fabulous height and manly good looks likewise fails to inspire pity. Yes, tragic that you come from Planet Eugenics but hey, could be worse, you could have been killed as an infant. (See previous note re FAMILY LOVES YOU.) Thank goodness he seems to get over it, because the rest of it is a bit of a romp. I'm sure I've read and enjoyed another book in this series.
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LibraryThing member zzamboni
Lightweight novel about a rich kid (from an aristocratic military family, actually, in a fictitious planet) who is a brilliant strategist but whose body is plagued by genetic defects, so he is neve seen as suitable for a promising military career. The novel follows him as he, following his thirst
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for adventure combined with his desire to impress a girl, gets in progressively more complex trouble, in the end discovering through this a conspiracy against him and his family, and of course beautifully solving everything in the end. Nothing ever actually goes really wrong for him in the novel, which makes it quite light, and actually enjoyable. Show Less
LibraryThing member Shirezu
I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I wasn't sure what to expect but I got a light (for the most part), fun action-adventure novel. I thought Miles was a good character and the rest of the cast as well. There will hopefully be more to the background of his father and of Bothari in the other
What this book reminded me of more than anything was the Artemis Fowl books. I believe Eoin Colfer may have gotten a few ideas from this book. The characters are very similar although morally opposite.
A fun book I really enjoyed it.
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books. What this book reminded me of more than anything was the Artemis Fowl books. I believe Eoin Colfer may have gotten a few ideas from this book. The characters are very similar although morally opposite.
A fun book I really enjoyed it.
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Subjects
Awards
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1986-08
Physical description
315 p.; 6.7 inches
ISBN
0671655876 / 9780671655877