Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
Baen Books (Riverdale, NY, 1999). 1st edition, 1st printing. 405 pages. $24.00.
Description
Fiction. Science Fiction. HTML: Lord Miles Vorkosigan, youngest Imperial Auditor to be appointed by the Emperor since the Time of Isolation, has a problem that all his new power can't solve: unrequited love for the beautiful Vor widow Ekaterin Vorsoisson. Ekaterin is violently allergic to marriage as a result of her first exposure. But as Miles learned from his late career in galactic covert ops, if a frontal assault won't do, go to subterfuge. Miles has a cunning plan, which, of course, has to be worked out in between District succession scandals and plans for the Emperor's wedding. And if no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy, just imagine what all Miles' friends and relatives can do to his romantic strategy..
User reviews
LibraryThing member iayork
Best in a very funny series: a Regency Romance in Space:
The Miles Vorkosigan series of adventures is far and away the most amusing comedy science fiction series ever written. This is the ninth Miles Vorkosigan adventure, and in my opinion the funniest book in the series.
It is slightly different
The Miles Vorkosigan stories, and four other books set in the the same future universe, can stand on their own. However, a number of them, of which this is one, will give you something extra if you have previously read some of Bujold's books set earlier on the same timeline.
If you have not previously met Lord Miles Vorkosigan, he is 1) a brilliant intriguer who at one stage was juggling at least three identities; 2) physically very small, having been injured in his mother's womb by poison gas; 3) a former spy for Imperial Barrayan security, former mercenary admiral and present "Imperial Auditor"; 4) desperately trying to find a wife; and 5) hysterically funny to read about.
The book is set in the run-up to the wedding of Miles' cousin, the Emperor, which is shown on the front cover. The handsome, tall man on the cover with his bride is Emperor Gregor, and definately not the hero of the stories, Lord Miles Vorkosigan. Miles is neither tall nor handsome, but he makes up for it in other ways - some of the time, anyway.
Several other people are thinking about love and marriage, including Miles himself, as he is very much in love with Ekaterin who he met in the previous book, "Komarr".
Miles' friend Duv Galeni, his clone-brother Mark, and his cousin Ivan also have their own romantic plans, and their various romantic intrigues collide not only with each other, but with those of various scheming nobles who are fighting over the inheritance of two titles, those of Ekaterin's idiotic relatives, and of two luckless Escobarran policemen.
At one point, Miles' mother Cordelia has to sort out the angry parents of Miles' childhood friends the Koudelka sisters. If you want to understand some of the references here, you will have to read the story of how the previous generations of Vorkosigans and Koudelkas got together, which can be found in the books "Shards of Honour" and "Barrayar." These two books have been published separately, and also together as "Cordelia's honour".
Sound complicated? It is. That's why there is a lot to be said for reading these stories in sequence. Having said that, you can read this book on its own and it is still funny.
The full sequence of books in this Universe is
"Falling Free" (set 200 years before Miles is born)
The story of the romance between Miles' parents:
"Shards of Honour"
"Barrayar"
(Published in one volume as "Cordelia's Honour")
The Miles Vorkosigan adventures:
"The Warrior's Apprentice"
"The Vor game"
"Borders of Infinity"
"Cetaganda"
"Brothers in Arms"
"Mirror Dance"
"Memory"
"Komarr"
"A Civil Campaign"
"Diplomatic Immunity"
And a separate adventure for Miles' friend Elli Quinn:
"Ethan of Athos"
All these books are excellent and strongly recommended.
The Miles Vorkosigan series of adventures is far and away the most amusing comedy science fiction series ever written. This is the ninth Miles Vorkosigan adventure, and in my opinion the funniest book in the series.
It is slightly different
Show More
from the other nine books in the series - the first eight and the last one all have elements of action adventure, mystery and detection. This one, on the other hand, can best be understood as a "Regency Romance" style farce set several hundred years in the future on a planet which in some ways is used to high technology and in others is a quasi-feudal militaristic Empire. In other words, it mimics the style, and has a very similar plot, to the popular genre of romantic novels set in Georgian England during the "Regency" period in the early 19th century. Think Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer meet Star Wars with a hint of "The West WIng" thrown in. The Miles Vorkosigan stories, and four other books set in the the same future universe, can stand on their own. However, a number of them, of which this is one, will give you something extra if you have previously read some of Bujold's books set earlier on the same timeline.
If you have not previously met Lord Miles Vorkosigan, he is 1) a brilliant intriguer who at one stage was juggling at least three identities; 2) physically very small, having been injured in his mother's womb by poison gas; 3) a former spy for Imperial Barrayan security, former mercenary admiral and present "Imperial Auditor"; 4) desperately trying to find a wife; and 5) hysterically funny to read about.
The book is set in the run-up to the wedding of Miles' cousin, the Emperor, which is shown on the front cover. The handsome, tall man on the cover with his bride is Emperor Gregor, and definately not the hero of the stories, Lord Miles Vorkosigan. Miles is neither tall nor handsome, but he makes up for it in other ways - some of the time, anyway.
Several other people are thinking about love and marriage, including Miles himself, as he is very much in love with Ekaterin who he met in the previous book, "Komarr".
Miles' friend Duv Galeni, his clone-brother Mark, and his cousin Ivan also have their own romantic plans, and their various romantic intrigues collide not only with each other, but with those of various scheming nobles who are fighting over the inheritance of two titles, those of Ekaterin's idiotic relatives, and of two luckless Escobarran policemen.
At one point, Miles' mother Cordelia has to sort out the angry parents of Miles' childhood friends the Koudelka sisters. If you want to understand some of the references here, you will have to read the story of how the previous generations of Vorkosigans and Koudelkas got together, which can be found in the books "Shards of Honour" and "Barrayar." These two books have been published separately, and also together as "Cordelia's honour".
Sound complicated? It is. That's why there is a lot to be said for reading these stories in sequence. Having said that, you can read this book on its own and it is still funny.
The full sequence of books in this Universe is
"Falling Free" (set 200 years before Miles is born)
The story of the romance between Miles' parents:
"Shards of Honour"
"Barrayar"
(Published in one volume as "Cordelia's Honour")
The Miles Vorkosigan adventures:
"The Warrior's Apprentice"
"The Vor game"
"Borders of Infinity"
"Cetaganda"
"Brothers in Arms"
"Mirror Dance"
"Memory"
"Komarr"
"A Civil Campaign"
"Diplomatic Immunity"
And a separate adventure for Miles' friend Elli Quinn:
"Ethan of Athos"
All these books are excellent and strongly recommended.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bragan
This volume marks the culmination of the series' trend over the last couple of installments away from outer space adventures and towards more purely character-based stories. There is no mission here, no great mystery to solve, and very little in the way of violent mayhem. Instead, there are several
I do rather miss the covert intelligence/mercenary exploits of Miles' earlier career, but there's more than enough other good stuff here to make up for their absence. For one thing, Bujold has the rare ability to write a romance plot that actually works for me, one that genuinely engages me, rather than making me want to roll my eyes and shake my head. I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that it's less about over-the-top Grand Romantic Passions and more about mutual respect and genuine compatibility, the kind of romance story for which marriage is a beginning, rather than an ending.
There's also a lot of terrific humor, including what surely has to be the most painfully hilarious -- or hilariously painful -- dinner party scene in the history of literature. The political intrigue is interesting, too, especially in that it deals with some of the effects of a society with a basically medieval structure abruptly finding itself in possession of biotechnology. The question of what happens to laws of succession once you introduce human cloning into the equation is only the beginning... It's a fascinating idea, and I'd love to see it explored at even greater length.
Show More
developing romances, with attendant setbacks and obstacles; the start of an offbeat business venture; and a lot of small-scale political intrigue.I do rather miss the covert intelligence/mercenary exploits of Miles' earlier career, but there's more than enough other good stuff here to make up for their absence. For one thing, Bujold has the rare ability to write a romance plot that actually works for me, one that genuinely engages me, rather than making me want to roll my eyes and shake my head. I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that it's less about over-the-top Grand Romantic Passions and more about mutual respect and genuine compatibility, the kind of romance story for which marriage is a beginning, rather than an ending.
There's also a lot of terrific humor, including what surely has to be the most painfully hilarious -- or hilariously painful -- dinner party scene in the history of literature. The political intrigue is interesting, too, especially in that it deals with some of the effects of a society with a basically medieval structure abruptly finding itself in possession of biotechnology. The question of what happens to laws of succession once you introduce human cloning into the equation is only the beginning... It's a fascinating idea, and I'd love to see it explored at even greater length.
Show Less
LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
This was such fun. This is the 12th book in the Vorkosigan Saga, and though I think it probably could stand alone, I think it's even more enjoyable if you read the prior books, starting at least with the omnibus work Young Miles. I think a lot of the enjoyment in the doings of familiar characters
But a conventional, romance-aisle love story? Decidedly not. Although amusingly you couldn't tell from the cover. The hero of the Vorkosigan Saga you see is Miles Vorkosigan. Because of an attack on his mother while she was pregnant Miles was born with several physical defects. He's short (four foot nine inches) crouch-backed, big-headed and brittle boned and scarred from many medical procedures. It's part of his charm that he not only overcomes his disabilities but... um overachieves. He makes Captain Kirk look like a slacker. But what do we have on the cover? A handsome man taller than the blonde woman he's dancing with. (And Miles' romantic interest in this has "dark hair.") Hilariously wrong. But that's a lot of what I love in the series and novel in a nutshell. That it defies expectations. (I can't see a Heyer Regency including a Lord who has undergone a sex change.) The book even has my favorite Bujold quote: "Reputation is what other people know about you; honor is what you know about yourself." And did I mention fun? If Mirror Dance was the darkest in the series thus far, this is definitely the lightest. I guffawed at the "Butter Bug" incident--hell, the Butter Bug chapter! And I laugh out loud at a book even more rarely than I cry--and I'm not easy. In fact, this is the first time I can remember a Bujold book making me giggle madly like that. More than once at that. And that is one of the reasons why this book earned five stars. My favorite Vorkosigan book thus far.
Show More
and of the political intrigues might be lost--or of lesser interest--if you haven't followed the books. The series is usually described as space opera, but definitely blends genres--often dropping a mystery into the plot. That the main focus of this book is romance is revealed by the dedication: "For Jane, Charlotte, Georgette, and Dorothy—long may they rule." I could easily fill in the blanks: Jane Austen. Charlotte Bronte, Georgette Heyer, and Dorothy Sayers. There is a gaggle of sisters, parallel sibling romances, failed proposals, second chances, trying to become a couple without losing yourself, witty banter, comedy of manners and lords and a royal wedding. But a conventional, romance-aisle love story? Decidedly not. Although amusingly you couldn't tell from the cover. The hero of the Vorkosigan Saga you see is Miles Vorkosigan. Because of an attack on his mother while she was pregnant Miles was born with several physical defects. He's short (four foot nine inches) crouch-backed, big-headed and brittle boned and scarred from many medical procedures. It's part of his charm that he not only overcomes his disabilities but... um overachieves. He makes Captain Kirk look like a slacker. But what do we have on the cover? A handsome man taller than the blonde woman he's dancing with. (And Miles' romantic interest in this has "dark hair.") Hilariously wrong. But that's a lot of what I love in the series and novel in a nutshell. That it defies expectations. (I can't see a Heyer Regency including a Lord who has undergone a sex change.) The book even has my favorite Bujold quote: "Reputation is what other people know about you; honor is what you know about yourself." And did I mention fun? If Mirror Dance was the darkest in the series thus far, this is definitely the lightest. I guffawed at the "Butter Bug" incident--hell, the Butter Bug chapter! And I laugh out loud at a book even more rarely than I cry--and I'm not easy. In fact, this is the first time I can remember a Bujold book making me giggle madly like that. More than once at that. And that is one of the reasons why this book earned five stars. My favorite Vorkosigan book thus far.
Show Less
LibraryThing member humouress
(Thirteenth of 17 (I suppose): Vorkosigan saga (chronological order). Science fiction / fantasy/ Regency romance)
Emperor Gregor's long-awaited marriage is finally here and, as well as intergalactic diplomats, Miles's friends and family are all returning to Vorbarr Sultana for the festivities.
Miles's chosen lady, however, has just been released from a toxic marriage and has declared she will have nothing more to do with the institution now she has finally been given the chance to find herself. So Miles decides to keep his wooing secret. From her - although he somehow manages to let it slip to everyone else. His cousin Ivan realises that, for the first time in his life, Miles is unsure of himself.
But Miles had so few humilities, it seemed almost a sin to take this one away from him. Bad for his soul, eh.
Mark knows his chosen lady loves him, but after their return to parochial Barrayar after their stint on infamously liberal Beta Colony, she's not sure if she can make her family see that they belong together. But don't underestimate Mark; despite appearances, he does seem to have inherited his family's acumen.
Ivan is, well - Ivan. He is seconded to his mother (who leads a platoon of tradition-defending matriarchs) for the duration of the wedding celebrations and the run-up to them and, for once, doesn't seem to be having much luck with ladies.
"...It's like working in an office with an entire boatload of mothers-in-law-to-be with pre-wedding nerves, every one of them a flaming control freak. I don't know where Mama found that many Vor dragons. You usually only meet them one at a time, surrounded by an entire family to terrorise..."
And speaking of ladies, we get introduced to Dr. Borgos's butter bugs. I leave it to your delighted imagination to investigate further ;0)
Things come to a head when Miles hosts a memorably disastrous dinner for his lady, just before his parents are due to return to Barrayar. Add to the mix some political wrangling where the rights of succession of some of the Counts are called into question and we have a thoroughly engaging novel.
This is a delightful blend of sci-if and fantasy; there are some anachronisms, left over, presumably, from the Time of Isolation - ancient piles with suspect drains like Vorkosigan House and Vorhartung Castle are compared to modern edifices like Vorbretten House and we get to see the glorious display of the banners of the Council of Counts in session as well as their colourful House liveries. We get to rummage around in the attics of Vorkosigan House and attend a session of the Council of Counts as well as see Gregor and Cordelia in action again. I like Bujold's plotting and I love her sense of humour (although I must confess I'm still working out the Vorrutyers in this book).
Did I mention that I really enjoyed the book? Bujold (as usual) interweaves the politics and romantic entanglements while maintaining the humour; I laughed out loud several times. The dedication at the front reads 'For Jane, Charlotte, Georgette and Dorothy - long may they rule' and the book is a delightful compliment.
I suppose this could have been a finishing point for the series, with Gregor safely married at last and other happy endings nicely wrapped up, but thankfully it's not and I'm really looking forward to continuing reading about Miles & Co. Absolutely delicious!
5*****
Emperor Gregor's long-awaited marriage is finally here and, as well as intergalactic diplomats, Miles's friends and family are all returning to Vorbarr Sultana for the festivities.
Show More
Romance and political manoeuvring are in the air.Miles's chosen lady, however, has just been released from a toxic marriage and has declared she will have nothing more to do with the institution now she has finally been given the chance to find herself. So Miles decides to keep his wooing secret. From her - although he somehow manages to let it slip to everyone else. His cousin Ivan realises that, for the first time in his life, Miles is unsure of himself.
But Miles had so few humilities, it seemed almost a sin to take this one away from him. Bad for his soul, eh.
Mark knows his chosen lady loves him, but after their return to parochial Barrayar after their stint on infamously liberal Beta Colony, she's not sure if she can make her family see that they belong together. But don't underestimate Mark; despite appearances, he does seem to have inherited his family's acumen.
Ivan is, well - Ivan. He is seconded to his mother (who leads a platoon of tradition-defending matriarchs) for the duration of the wedding celebrations and the run-up to them and, for once, doesn't seem to be having much luck with ladies.
"...It's like working in an office with an entire boatload of mothers-in-law-to-be with pre-wedding nerves, every one of them a flaming control freak. I don't know where Mama found that many Vor dragons. You usually only meet them one at a time, surrounded by an entire family to terrorise..."
And speaking of ladies, we get introduced to Dr. Borgos's butter bugs. I leave it to your delighted imagination to investigate further ;0)
Things come to a head when Miles hosts a memorably disastrous dinner for his lady, just before his parents are due to return to Barrayar. Add to the mix some political wrangling where the rights of succession of some of the Counts are called into question and we have a thoroughly engaging novel.
This is a delightful blend of sci-if and fantasy; there are some anachronisms, left over, presumably, from the Time of Isolation - ancient piles with suspect drains like Vorkosigan House and Vorhartung Castle are compared to modern edifices like Vorbretten House and we get to see the glorious display of the banners of the Council of Counts in session as well as their colourful House liveries. We get to rummage around in the attics of Vorkosigan House and attend a session of the Council of Counts as well as see Gregor and Cordelia in action again. I like Bujold's plotting and I love her sense of humour (although I must confess I'm still working out the Vorrutyers in this book).
Did I mention that I really enjoyed the book? Bujold (as usual) interweaves the politics and romantic entanglements while maintaining the humour; I laughed out loud several times. The dedication at the front reads 'For Jane, Charlotte, Georgette and Dorothy - long may they rule' and the book is a delightful compliment.
I suppose this could have been a finishing point for the series, with Gregor safely married at last and other happy endings nicely wrapped up, but thankfully it's not and I'm really looking forward to continuing reading about Miles & Co. Absolutely delicious!
5*****
Show Less
LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Summary: While a lot of, if not most, science fiction has to do with the interplay between culture and technology, A Civil Campaign uses that interplay in service of a romance -- or, as the subtitle puts it, "a comedy of biology and manners." In this case, the manners come in the form of Barrayaran
However, now that this generation of sons has grown up, they're suddenly feeling the dearth of marriageable women rather sharply. Miles Vorkosigan has never lacked for partners, but the galactic women he'd previously favored all found Barrayar to be backwards and repressive. Miles thinks he has found the answer in the Vor widow Ekatarin Vorsoissin, but she comes with a host of complications: Miles was present at her abusive husband's suspicious death -- the details of which are strictly classified -- and Ekatarin herself has no desire to remarry, ever. However, fearful of losing such an intelligent, beautiful, and eligible woman to other suitors, Miles sets out to woo her in secret -- or, at least, secret from her.
Miles isn't the only one that's having relationship trouble: his cousin Ivan has also never lacked for female attention, but now that he's starting to give up his playboy ways and think about settling down, he's run up against the same lack of eligible women. He's got his sights set on a older woman -- and former lover -- but when they re-connect, her recent brush with galactic technology puts a serious crimp in Ivan's plans.
Finally, Miles's clone brother Mark has spent the past year of schooling and therapy on Beta Colony falling hopelessly in love with Kareen Kudelka, the youngest daughter of his parents' friends and former armsmen. Mark and Karene have returned to Barrayar with the eccentric Dr. Enrique Borgos in tow, complete with a plan to use biological agents (the truly revolting "butter bugs") to revolutionize Barrayar food production -- and make Mark rich in the process. However, being back at home has put a damper on their relationship, as their freewheeling Betan sexual experience is thrown into direct conflict with the stricter Barrayaran cultural mores.
Dealing with interpersonal romantic relationships is not exactly a strong point of Ivan's, Mark's, or Miles's, especially when they're up against some deeply-rooted societal norms, but for the sake of their future happiness, they'll have to learn to think on their feet... and they'll have to do it all while preparing for Emperor Gregor's Imperial wedding.
Review: Things that will surprise absolutely no one: I loved this book. I mean, really, what other reaction would you expect when you put an audiobook subtitled "a comedy of biology and manners" into the hands of a period-romance-loving scientist? And, true to its dedication ("For Jane, Charlotte, Georgette and Dorothy -- long may they rule."), A Civil Campaign absolutely reads like a Regency romance... just a Regency romance that happens to be set on another planet. The inheritance disputes and marriage proposals may be complicated by technological advances, but the story remains remarkably true to its roots, with a complicated dance of suitors and titles and courtship and heirs and country manor houses and a disastrous dinner party, not to mention one of the best love letters I've seen this side of Persuasion. This is a book that really highlights how broad the genre of sci-fi can be, and how broad of an audience to which it can appeal.
The reason A Civil Campaign is so widely appealing is that while it certainly has all of the trappings of conventional sci-fi -- foreign planets, genetic engineering, uterine replicators, wormholes -- its focus is always on the people, not the technology. A real pleasure of this series is in watching its protagonist(s) grow and change over time, and in this volume, we get not only Miles, but also Mark and Ivan, all of whom by this point feel like family. This book is just packed full of absolutely wonderful character moments for everybody, not just the romantic leads. Aral and Cordelia are both in fine form, especially when dispensing romantic advice; Emperor Gregor continues to be quietly, solidly awesome; even Nicky, Ekaterin's nine-year-old son, gets in a few great scenes. Lois McMaster Bujold's talent for clever, dryly witty dialogue extends to farce as well: during the aforementioned dinner party, as things just kept going so spectacularly wrong, I was nearly choking from laughter, even as my heart was breaking for Miles.
Some of the subplots involve a fair amount of Barrayar politics, which were certainly interesting in their own right, but occasionally they seemed to distract from rather than complement the main romance storylines. That's about the only negative I can come up with in this entire book, however. It was enormous fun and a satisfying listening experience, and Grover Gardner reads it so wonderfully that I can't imagine anyone else as the voice of Miles. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: While part of me wants to run the street recommending this book to everyone and anyone, particularly romance readers who wouldn't normally touch a sci-fi novel, the truth is that it's really best read in order -- so much of the joy of these books comes from the established investment in the characters. But I still secretly think that any reader who gave this series a chance would fall in love with Bujold's characters just as much as I have.
Show More
society, which is still clinging to the feudal government and rigid sex roles that it developed during the Time of Isolation. The biology comes primarily in the form of galactic uterine replicators, which, when they were first introduced to Barrayar, were primarily used by the Vor class to produce sons and heirs.However, now that this generation of sons has grown up, they're suddenly feeling the dearth of marriageable women rather sharply. Miles Vorkosigan has never lacked for partners, but the galactic women he'd previously favored all found Barrayar to be backwards and repressive. Miles thinks he has found the answer in the Vor widow Ekatarin Vorsoissin, but she comes with a host of complications: Miles was present at her abusive husband's suspicious death -- the details of which are strictly classified -- and Ekatarin herself has no desire to remarry, ever. However, fearful of losing such an intelligent, beautiful, and eligible woman to other suitors, Miles sets out to woo her in secret -- or, at least, secret from her.
Miles isn't the only one that's having relationship trouble: his cousin Ivan has also never lacked for female attention, but now that he's starting to give up his playboy ways and think about settling down, he's run up against the same lack of eligible women. He's got his sights set on a older woman -- and former lover -- but when they re-connect, her recent brush with galactic technology puts a serious crimp in Ivan's plans.
Finally, Miles's clone brother Mark has spent the past year of schooling and therapy on Beta Colony falling hopelessly in love with Kareen Kudelka, the youngest daughter of his parents' friends and former armsmen. Mark and Karene have returned to Barrayar with the eccentric Dr. Enrique Borgos in tow, complete with a plan to use biological agents (the truly revolting "butter bugs") to revolutionize Barrayar food production -- and make Mark rich in the process. However, being back at home has put a damper on their relationship, as their freewheeling Betan sexual experience is thrown into direct conflict with the stricter Barrayaran cultural mores.
Dealing with interpersonal romantic relationships is not exactly a strong point of Ivan's, Mark's, or Miles's, especially when they're up against some deeply-rooted societal norms, but for the sake of their future happiness, they'll have to learn to think on their feet... and they'll have to do it all while preparing for Emperor Gregor's Imperial wedding.
Review: Things that will surprise absolutely no one: I loved this book. I mean, really, what other reaction would you expect when you put an audiobook subtitled "a comedy of biology and manners" into the hands of a period-romance-loving scientist? And, true to its dedication ("For Jane, Charlotte, Georgette and Dorothy -- long may they rule."), A Civil Campaign absolutely reads like a Regency romance... just a Regency romance that happens to be set on another planet. The inheritance disputes and marriage proposals may be complicated by technological advances, but the story remains remarkably true to its roots, with a complicated dance of suitors and titles and courtship and heirs and country manor houses and a disastrous dinner party, not to mention one of the best love letters I've seen this side of Persuasion. This is a book that really highlights how broad the genre of sci-fi can be, and how broad of an audience to which it can appeal.
The reason A Civil Campaign is so widely appealing is that while it certainly has all of the trappings of conventional sci-fi -- foreign planets, genetic engineering, uterine replicators, wormholes -- its focus is always on the people, not the technology. A real pleasure of this series is in watching its protagonist(s) grow and change over time, and in this volume, we get not only Miles, but also Mark and Ivan, all of whom by this point feel like family. This book is just packed full of absolutely wonderful character moments for everybody, not just the romantic leads. Aral and Cordelia are both in fine form, especially when dispensing romantic advice; Emperor Gregor continues to be quietly, solidly awesome; even Nicky, Ekaterin's nine-year-old son, gets in a few great scenes. Lois McMaster Bujold's talent for clever, dryly witty dialogue extends to farce as well: during the aforementioned dinner party, as things just kept going so spectacularly wrong, I was nearly choking from laughter, even as my heart was breaking for Miles.
Some of the subplots involve a fair amount of Barrayar politics, which were certainly interesting in their own right, but occasionally they seemed to distract from rather than complement the main romance storylines. That's about the only negative I can come up with in this entire book, however. It was enormous fun and a satisfying listening experience, and Grover Gardner reads it so wonderfully that I can't imagine anyone else as the voice of Miles. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: While part of me wants to run the street recommending this book to everyone and anyone, particularly romance readers who wouldn't normally touch a sci-fi novel, the truth is that it's really best read in order -- so much of the joy of these books comes from the established investment in the characters. But I still secretly think that any reader who gave this series a chance would fall in love with Bujold's characters just as much as I have.
Show Less
LibraryThing member LisCarey
Did you think that Miles was the definitive example of how far the Vor will go to be Vor? You were wrong. Someone else has Miles beat by, um, miles. But that's okay; Miles, as usual, has his own problems. There's his brother Mark's new business venture, which involves some rather unattractive bugs,
And he can't even run away to be Admiral Naismith anymore. Aside from the fact that Admiral Naismith is dead and everyone knows it, his uniform doesn't even fit anymore.
No one has time to give him any sympathy; everyone has their own problems. Ekaterin has persistent unwanted suitors, and annoyingly helpful relatives and in-laws. Mark has his business partner Enrique, and his on-again off-again romance with Kareen Koudelka, and Kou and Drou's reaction when they find out. Ivan has been formally assigned as an aide to Lady Alys, while she manages the arrangements for Gregor and Laisa's wedding. And then there's the startling discovery he's made about his old love, Lady Donna Vorrutyer...
Great fun. And I don't recommend that you annoy any Lady Vorkosigan, present or future; it seems to be bad for your career prospects.
Show More
currently stashed in an old laundry room in Vorkosigan House. There's convincing Ekaterin that the fact that she made a mistake in marrying Tien at twenty doesn't mean that she's forever incapable of making good marital choices. There's convincing Ekaterin that he's not trying to manipulate her, which is tough, because he is. He's Miles, after all; it's easier for him to skip breathing for a few days than to skip manipulating people for a similar period. There's Miles' old friend Count René Vorbretten, whose unfortunate and previously unsuspected Cetagandan ancestry is endangering his possession of the countship--and risks turning that vote in the Council of Counts over to the Conservative Party. There's the rumors going around that Miles murdered Ekaterin's first husband. There's the other countship that's in dispute, with one of the putative heirs trying to blackmail Miles to force the Vorkosigans to support him when the Council of Counts votes on who's the real Count. There's the most disastrous dinner party in, possibly, the history of Barrayar. (Well, perhaps not. Nobody dies, after all. It's just that some people wish they had.)And he can't even run away to be Admiral Naismith anymore. Aside from the fact that Admiral Naismith is dead and everyone knows it, his uniform doesn't even fit anymore.
No one has time to give him any sympathy; everyone has their own problems. Ekaterin has persistent unwanted suitors, and annoyingly helpful relatives and in-laws. Mark has his business partner Enrique, and his on-again off-again romance with Kareen Koudelka, and Kou and Drou's reaction when they find out. Ivan has been formally assigned as an aide to Lady Alys, while she manages the arrangements for Gregor and Laisa's wedding. And then there's the startling discovery he's made about his old love, Lady Donna Vorrutyer...
Great fun. And I don't recommend that you annoy any Lady Vorkosigan, present or future; it seems to be bad for your career prospects.
Show Less
LibraryThing member page.fault
Ever since I read The Warrior's Apprentice and fell in love with the Vorkosigan Saga, I've been told, "Just wait until you get to A Civil Campaign! Best book ever...", etc. As it turned out, it wasn't one of my favourite books in the series, and it's taken me a while to think about why. On the
I'm not much for romantic comedies, especially when everybody but the womanizing-type comic-relief characters are paired up by the end. The plot of this book was therefore not a perfect fit, but for me, the narration was a more serious issue. Whether in first person or third, I tend to prefer books to be told from the perspective of a single narrator. Our own life stories are told from this perspective; to me, it seems rather like cheating to switch viewpoints every time you want to talk about a different character. It takes a great deal more ingenuity and dexterousness to explore a large set of characters from the eyes of a single narrator, and I think it leads to a much more genuine creation of a person. Bujold is a master of the single-narrator technique. Throughout most of the Vorkosigan Saga, we've had only two narrators, Cordelia and Miles, and yet Bujold has managed to develop a host of multidimensional personalities. In the last few books, Bujold has steadily added more and more third-person viewpoints in the narration, and in this story, she really lets the narration go wild. We get the viewpoints of Miles, Mark, Ekaterin, Ivan, Kareen, etc, etc, etc, etc. Probably the only narrators we don't have are Cordelia, Aral, and the freaking butter-bugs. (Actually, Ms. Bujold, could you write a short story from the perspective of the butter-bugs? I cannot express how amazing that would be. You would probably end up describing all of the characters and their personalities by their feet--what is Miles Standard Footwear, anyway? I am in love with this story and not only is it not yet written, but I know it will never be. Sigh.)
The other issue is even stranger. I finally realized that I hate Barrayar. I think it's a backwards, toxic, soul-numbing, heart-destroying place. I resent the place with a resentment that not even Cordelia can match. To paraphrase Cordelia at some point or another (someday I'll dig up the quote, but I don't even remember the book offhand) Barrayar is a cannibal god; it requires the sacrifice of its sons, body and soul, and then grinds them up and swallows their corpses. All of these characters throughout seem motivated by this great sense that they do things "for Barrayar." But what, precisely, are they protecting? A backward, sexist culture where leaders rule absolutely, where it seems that over half the men are employed by the freaking government as spies and soldiers, often against their own? I wholeheartedly sympathise with the Komarrans; why not blast the brutal Barrayarans back into a time of isolation, back into this hell of their own making? Long story short, I find the place stifling. I simply don't want to spend time there. I don't want to watch Miles to settle down and serve it, to bring up his children in a world where women are subordinate to men and ordinary men are subordinate to Vor and Vor are subordinate to the emperor and the emperor has stripped himself of humanity and joy in subordination to his colony. I think Barrayar needs to change, and its tiny steps towards progress are simply not enough.
Well, enough of that. On the positive side, the plot, although more on the social/household-detail side, is quite entertaining; despite my dislike of the plethora of narrator viewpoints, it was interesting to see what the other characters think of Miles et al. I didn't like how some characters seemed to behave out of character solely to create conflict hover for spoiler, I loved seeing Cordelia in action. I've also grown to love Pym a little more each book. If you like Barrayar and its "old-fashioned" mores, then maybe this book is fun. But I'd rather be on Beta Colony. On those rare occasions I read scifi, I want to see something new and futuristic, and not all the butter-bugs in the world could really reconcile me to a story so deeply embedded in Barrayar. The other major issue is that I think these characters have run their course. Miles, Marc, and all the rest of the gang have undergone all of the agony and growth and character development they're going to have. Visiting them is fun, but rather superficial; it is almost as though the main characters have become cameos in their own stories. I won't say that they have nothing left to give-- the next book is one of my favourites-- but I think we're near to the end of Miles' saga. In any case, we're back in space soon-- onwards to Diplomatic Immunity!
One last thought: what is with the cover? Miles is significantly shorter than Ekaterin; I think he doesn't even come up to her shoulder. What, did they think they couldn't sell a book with a short guy on the cover? I've noticed that zero of the Vorkosigan books that I read ever show Miles' height..
Show More
surface, it doesn't make sense. A Civil Campaign is light and fun, a romantic comedy much in line with the dedication (Jane, Charlotte, Georgette, Dorothy), with the added joy of butter-bugs gone wild (don't ask). But I eventually puzzled out my issues, and here they are. The review is mostly negative, but keep in mind it's starting from the high baseline of Pure Vorkosigan Goodness.I'm not much for romantic comedies, especially when everybody but the womanizing-type comic-relief characters are paired up by the end. The plot of this book was therefore not a perfect fit, but for me, the narration was a more serious issue. Whether in first person or third, I tend to prefer books to be told from the perspective of a single narrator. Our own life stories are told from this perspective; to me, it seems rather like cheating to switch viewpoints every time you want to talk about a different character. It takes a great deal more ingenuity and dexterousness to explore a large set of characters from the eyes of a single narrator, and I think it leads to a much more genuine creation of a person. Bujold is a master of the single-narrator technique. Throughout most of the Vorkosigan Saga, we've had only two narrators, Cordelia and Miles, and yet Bujold has managed to develop a host of multidimensional personalities. In the last few books, Bujold has steadily added more and more third-person viewpoints in the narration, and in this story, she really lets the narration go wild. We get the viewpoints of Miles, Mark, Ekaterin, Ivan, Kareen, etc, etc, etc, etc. Probably the only narrators we don't have are Cordelia, Aral, and the freaking butter-bugs. (Actually, Ms. Bujold, could you write a short story from the perspective of the butter-bugs? I cannot express how amazing that would be. You would probably end up describing all of the characters and their personalities by their feet--what is Miles Standard Footwear, anyway? I am in love with this story and not only is it not yet written, but I know it will never be. Sigh.)
The other issue is even stranger. I finally realized that I hate Barrayar. I think it's a backwards, toxic, soul-numbing, heart-destroying place. I resent the place with a resentment that not even Cordelia can match. To paraphrase Cordelia at some point or another (someday I'll dig up the quote, but I don't even remember the book offhand) Barrayar is a cannibal god; it requires the sacrifice of its sons, body and soul, and then grinds them up and swallows their corpses. All of these characters throughout seem motivated by this great sense that they do things "for Barrayar." But what, precisely, are they protecting? A backward, sexist culture where leaders rule absolutely, where it seems that over half the men are employed by the freaking government as spies and soldiers, often against their own? I wholeheartedly sympathise with the Komarrans; why not blast the brutal Barrayarans back into a time of isolation, back into this hell of their own making? Long story short, I find the place stifling. I simply don't want to spend time there. I don't want to watch Miles to settle down and serve it, to bring up his children in a world where women are subordinate to men and ordinary men are subordinate to Vor and Vor are subordinate to the emperor and the emperor has stripped himself of humanity and joy in subordination to his colony. I think Barrayar needs to change, and its tiny steps towards progress are simply not enough.
Well, enough of that. On the positive side, the plot, although more on the social/household-detail side, is quite entertaining; despite my dislike of the plethora of narrator viewpoints, it was interesting to see what the other characters think of Miles et al. I didn't like how some characters seemed to behave out of character solely to create conflict hover for spoiler, I loved seeing Cordelia in action. I've also grown to love Pym a little more each book. If you like Barrayar and its "old-fashioned" mores, then maybe this book is fun. But I'd rather be on Beta Colony. On those rare occasions I read scifi, I want to see something new and futuristic, and not all the butter-bugs in the world could really reconcile me to a story so deeply embedded in Barrayar. The other major issue is that I think these characters have run their course. Miles, Marc, and all the rest of the gang have undergone all of the agony and growth and character development they're going to have. Visiting them is fun, but rather superficial; it is almost as though the main characters have become cameos in their own stories. I won't say that they have nothing left to give-- the next book is one of my favourites-- but I think we're near to the end of Miles' saga. In any case, we're back in space soon-- onwards to Diplomatic Immunity!
One last thought: what is with the cover? Miles is significantly shorter than Ekaterin; I think he doesn't even come up to her shoulder. What, did they think they couldn't sell a book with a short guy on the cover? I've noticed that zero of the Vorkosigan books that I read ever show Miles' height..
Show Less
LibraryThing member lizbee
A favourite of many years standing. Genre-crossing science fiction with a dash of mystery and a twist of comedy of manners.
LibraryThing member Catchmyfancy
This is a brilliant and funny comedy of manners masquerading as one of a series of space opera novels. Miles Vorkosigan finally (and veering somewhere between "painfully" and "amusingly") gets the girl. Or vice-versa. His lady love is every bit as stubborn, determined, individualistic, talented and
Not many authors can make me do that.
This is the pay-off novel in the series for me. Miles is talented, charismatic, and the scion of a noble family and has been bounced around the galaxy, working through his apprenticeship and being a journeyman in the service of his planet - but this is really the first time you see him wield all of it in a stunning display of power in the service of the Empire, his family and *sigh* true love (or as close as these things get, anyway).
And finally Ivan gets to (rather painfully for him as well) start to grow up and be Useful. Even the repressed Emporer Gregor gets his "the girl" and a chance at some kind of personal contentment.
Show More
every-inch-a-survivor as Miles. Hurrah! I laughed out loud on the tram. Not many authors can make me do that.
This is the pay-off novel in the series for me. Miles is talented, charismatic, and the scion of a noble family and has been bounced around the galaxy, working through his apprenticeship and being a journeyman in the service of his planet - but this is really the first time you see him wield all of it in a stunning display of power in the service of the Empire, his family and *sigh* true love (or as close as these things get, anyway).
And finally Ivan gets to (rather painfully for him as well) start to grow up and be Useful. Even the repressed Emporer Gregor gets his "the girl" and a chance at some kind of personal contentment.
Show Less
LibraryThing member readinggeek451
One of my favorites. Except I've never managed to read the dinner-party scene in detail. Too mortifying. (I've skimmed it well enough to know what happens, but I can't make myself read every word.)
LibraryThing member clong
I didn't want to like this book. A Civil Campaign was only the second book that I read in the Vorkosigan series (the first being Memory--obviously I haven't been reading them in order), and I approached it with some trepidation given that, from the illustration and intro copy on the cover, it felt
Show More
more like a harlequin romance than sci-fi. Fear not!, all you red-blooded adventure loving scifi readers who wouldn't be caught dead reading a romance, you won't get any cooties from this one. It is a deeply satisfying and hilariously funny book. At times I found myself howling with laughter, and at other times almost moved to tears. The central dinner party is truly one of the funniest scenes I have read in a long time, and the climactic council scene successfully brought the various elements of the story to a satisfying conclusion. The central characters are likable and Miles certainly demonstrates an admirable capacity to learn from his mistakes. Highly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member ShiraC
I love this book. The ruined dinner party was so funny I kept having to put the book down to laugh. And then the postmortem in front of The Parents was even funnier. Plus Ivan gets to be the hero for once. Of course in the end, all the various boys get all the various girls and all is right with
Show More
all the various worlds so... what's not to love? Show Less
LibraryThing member Black_samvara
Space Opera at its best, Miles is hilarious and doomed. I re-read this a lot and invariably giggle myself off the couch.
LibraryThing member TadAD
There are many suggested reading orders for the Vor books, but this should definitely come after Komarr and before Diplomatic Immunity.
LibraryThing member JudithProctor
One of the few Vorkosigan books that would not work as a stand-alone. This one needs to be read after Komarr. It's a delightful blend of several independent plot lines involving Mile's love life, Mark's latest business enterprise, the latest ramifications of Betan technology on Barryaran politics
Very enjoyable and very amusing.
the only reason I gave this 4 1/2 stars rather than 5 is because Komarr was so amazingly good that it's hard to equal it. (If I hadn't just read Komarr first, I'd probably have given this book 5 stars as well)
Show More
and the fortunes of the Koudelka sisters.Very enjoyable and very amusing.
the only reason I gave this 4 1/2 stars rather than 5 is because Komarr was so amazingly good that it's hard to equal it. (If I hadn't just read Komarr first, I'd probably have given this book 5 stars as well)
Show Less
LibraryThing member Blacksmith42
One of her best!
I have to stress that this one should not be read without first reading Komarr first. Read them back to back and they make for a wonderful storyline.
This one doesn't have much in the way of action, but it does have a great deal of intrigue. And, best of all, Miles cousin Ivan
And hopefully, we'll see a lot more of him later. Perhaps in a book with him as the Protagonist?
I have to stress that this one should not be read without first reading Komarr first. Read them back to back and they make for a wonderful storyline.
This one doesn't have much in the way of action, but it does have a great deal of intrigue. And, best of all, Miles cousin Ivan
Show More
features prominently in the story. I think "that idiot" Ivan is not so dumb as others, and he, try and pretend.And hopefully, we'll see a lot more of him later. Perhaps in a book with him as the Protagonist?
Show Less
LibraryThing member JeremyPreacher
A Victorian romance in a military scifi series - this is why I love these books. There is a minimum of people behaving stupidly because they don't fucking talk to one another (some, but a realistic amount,) plenty of scheming both romantic and political, occasionally over-the-top comedy, and a
Show More
happy ending. What more could anyone ask for? Show Less
LibraryThing member CaUplWL
Something of a departure from Bujold's Vorkosigan series, in that instead of a space opera this is a comedy of manners set on Barrayar. Instead of a military problem to solve, Miles is trying to court the lady -- and recent widow -- he met in the last book (Komarr). Miles being Miles, his tactics
I found this book vastly entertaining, in a somewhat different way than the earlier novels in this series. The pleasure in this novel is more in the nature of watching the characters interact with each other and with their culture.
Show More
are unique and amusing, at least to those watching. He also gets involved in the politics of the Council of Counts. I found this book vastly entertaining, in a somewhat different way than the earlier novels in this series. The pleasure in this novel is more in the nature of watching the characters interact with each other and with their culture.
Show Less
LibraryThing member scourgeotheseas
Possibly my favorite of the Miles books.
LibraryThing member infjsarah
Absolutely brilliant. The dinner party is hysterical as Miles trips himself up through not keeping his mouth shut. Also Mark returns to Barrayar. I love Mark - he's so desperately vulnerable and yet sharp as a tack too.
One of the best Vorkosigan books.
One of the best Vorkosigan books.
LibraryThing member FrozenFlame22
This is easily one of my favorite Vorkosigan books to read, because it is overflowing with witty lines and colorful imagery. We get a rare treat in the Ivan, Ekaterin, and Kareen points of view, which I hope will be repeated in future books. I especially loved seeing Miles' dismal failure at
Show More
courtship through other eyes than his own. Show Less
LibraryThing member librisissimo
The intrigue and humor is up to par, but again the romance is unsatisfying, because it is too obvious. Miles ought not realize he is really, really in love until he blurts out his proposal at the dinner. The main structure of the book could, in fact, remain unchanged except for having him in
How anyone dedicating a book "For Jane, Charlotte, Georgette, and Dorothy" could get something so wrong is a terrible mystery.
Show More
obvious self-deception mode. And we should see Kat being so wonderful, not just have him tell us so.How anyone dedicating a book "For Jane, Charlotte, Georgette, and Dorothy" could get something so wrong is a terrible mystery.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Tsana
Hilarious! Bujold wrote a comedy of manners such that every social disaster was utterly gut wrenching. I cringed at every misfortune the characters suffered even as I laughed out loud.
I suspect this book is best appreciated in the context of some of the previous books (Miles' character, for
I suspect this book is best appreciated in the context of some of the previous books (Miles' character, for
Show More
example, isn't built up so much as expanded here, relying a bit on the audience having read earlier Vorkorsigan books). It's also a direct sequel to Komarr and reading that book is crucial to understanding some of the interplay. Show Less
LibraryThing member satyridae
Bujold hits it out of the park again here. I've grown to not expect standard science fiction from her, but this... this is extraordinary. A mannered romance on the face of it, but not all that many pages in, one realizes that it's another meditation on humanity, on honor, on love. The sort of thing
Show More
Bujold apparently turns out by the dozen. This is exceptionally well-done, with moments of hilarity interspersed with jump-out-of-your-skin tension and plenty of stand up and cheer as well. Highly recommended, but read the other 11 first. Show Less
LibraryThing member roworthing
One of the funniest books ever!! I would so love to have been at that dinner party.
Deserves more than 5 stars.
Deserves more than 5 stars.
Awards
Hugo Award (Nominee — Novel — 2000)
Nebula Award (Nominee — Novel — 2000)
SF Site Reader's Choice (1999)
P.E.A.R.L. (Science Fiction — 1999)
Otherwise Award (Long list — 1999)
Sapphire Award (Novel — 2000)
Minnesota Book Awards (Finalist — Popular Fiction — 2000)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1999-09
Physical description
405 p.; 6.12 inches
ISBN
0671578278 / 9780671578275