Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Baen (2012). 1st edition, 1st printing. 432 pages. $25.00.
Description
Fiction. Science Fiction. HTML: Captain Ivan Vorpatril is happy with his relatively uneventful bachelor's life as a staff officer to a Barrayaran admiral. Cousin to imperial troubleshooter Miles Vorkosigan, Ivan is not far down the hereditary list for the emperorship. Thankfully, new heirs have directed that headache elsewhere, leaving Ivan to enjoy his life on Komarr, far from the byzantine court politics of his home system. But when an old friend in Barrayaran intelligence asks Ivan to protect an attractive young woman who may be on the hit list of a criminal syndicate, his chivalrous nature takes over. It seems danger and adventure have once more found Captain Vorpatril. Tej Arqua and her half-sister and servant Rish are fleeing the violent overthrow of their clan on free-for-all planet Jackson's Whole. Now it seems Tej may possess a secret of which even she may not be awareâ??a secret that could corrupt the heart of a highly regarded Barrayaran family and provide the final advantage for the thugs who seek to overthrow Tej's homeworld. But none of Tej's formidable adversaries have counted on Ivan Vorpatril. For behind Ivan's façade of wry and self-effacing humor lies a true and cunning protector who will never leave a distressed lady in the lurchâ??making the ultimate sacrifice to keep her from harm: the treasured and hard-won freedom from his own fate as a scion of Barray… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
This is the latest of (so far) 15 books in the Vorkosigan Saga, the 14th in chronological order. If you've never read a book in this space opera series, you're in for a treat--and arguably this could stand alone. (Though I think it is more fun if you get references to prior books, and I don't think
So, yes, the very absence of Miles does bump this down a notch for me. This book is charming though, and I do like Tej the romantic interest. She's a scion of a House on Jackson's Whole, an anarcho-capitalist planet and on her mother's side she has Cetagadan blood--Cetaganda being the traditional enemies of Barrayar. And she comes with, shall we say, some interesting baggage. This is very much a light-hearted book as befits its subject. None of the heavy angst of say, Mirror Dance. Captain Vorpatril's Alliance is more a light romantic comedy such as the earlier A Civil Campaign but not quite as funny. That book had me laughing out loud more than once--and its butter bugs had me howling. This book though, although frequently smile-worthy, only pushed me near cackling once. But a fun read? Yes. If you're interested in more, try to find the hardcover edition of Cryoburn with the CDRom. The CDRom includes all the previous Vorkosigan stories to date with the exception of the novel Memory.
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this is among the strongest books in the series.) The reason this can stand alone is that this book changes its focus. The first two novels focus on Aral Vorkosigan of Barrayar and Cordelia Naismith, the rest (other than this one and a couple of others) on their son, Miles. And it's his entry that kicked the series up another level. This book focuses on what had been a minor but endearing character, Captain Ivan Vorpatril. He's not as fascinating a character as Miles--but then Miles is one of my fictional heartthrobs and one of the most colorful and complex characters in science fiction. As Ivan himself says of his cousin, Miles...overachieves. Born crippled and dwarfed into a society and into a military ruling caste that ordinarily would have killed him for it, Miles defines driven. I've heard him described as a "feminist Captain Kirk." He's a lot more manic than Kirk or his literary progenitor, Horatio Hornblower, but definitely in that mold. Ivan's talent, on the other hand, had been to underachieve. He's the slacker very much determined not to get promoted and often addressed as "Ivan, you idiot." Yet he takes the center of the book and Miles gets only a (brief) scene about a third way into the book. So, yes, the very absence of Miles does bump this down a notch for me. This book is charming though, and I do like Tej the romantic interest. She's a scion of a House on Jackson's Whole, an anarcho-capitalist planet and on her mother's side she has Cetagadan blood--Cetaganda being the traditional enemies of Barrayar. And she comes with, shall we say, some interesting baggage. This is very much a light-hearted book as befits its subject. None of the heavy angst of say, Mirror Dance. Captain Vorpatril's Alliance is more a light romantic comedy such as the earlier A Civil Campaign but not quite as funny. That book had me laughing out loud more than once--and its butter bugs had me howling. This book though, although frequently smile-worthy, only pushed me near cackling once. But a fun read? Yes. If you're interested in more, try to find the hardcover edition of Cryoburn with the CDRom. The CDRom includes all the previous Vorkosigan stories to date with the exception of the novel Memory.
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LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Summary: Ivan should know by now that when Byerly Vorruttyer, dissolute society rake and secret imperial spy, comes knocking on his door asking for favors, to just say no. However, since this favor involves befriending a young woman - a young attractive woman - who is in danger from some of By's
Review: Oh, Vorkosigan Saga, I've missed you! (Even though it's only been six months since I last (re)read one.) I have enthused about this series at length many times before, but I just have to reiterate: they are so, so good. They are in turns funny and romantic and sad and suspenseful and just thoroughly enjoyable. All of that is true in Captain Vorpatril's Alliance, which falls somewhere between the romantic comedy of A Civil Campaign and the political intrigue of Cetaganda or Diplomatic Immunity. (Actually, in terms of structure, it's probably most similar to Komarr, with the personal problems of the characters playing out against a larger series of family and political issues.) One of the things I enjoy about Bujold's writing is this sense that it's never one thing or another; it's science fiction but it's also romance or spy story or whatever, and she manages to take the tropes of all of these different genres and combine them in interesting ways. Captain Vorpatril's Alliance doesn't do this *quite* as well as A Civil Campaign (although that's a massively high bar to clear): a lot of the spy stuff seemed unevenly distributed at the beginning and end of the book, and I wish there had been a little more suspense or uncertainty regarding the resolution of the interpersonal "problems" on the romance side of things.
But, these are mere quibbles when stacked up against the real reason that I love the Vorkosigan books so much: the characters. Before reading this book, I don't know that I would've classified Ivan as a favorite; I didn't dislike him, certainly, but he was just... Ivan. But now that I've finished, he's grown on me, for sure. Similarly, while Tej doesn't hold a candle to Cordelia or Ekaterin as a female lead - she seemed either dense or willfully obtuse a lot, especially in regards to her family - she's the perfect match for Ivan. And while the characterization in this book by itself was great, as usual, what really sold me was everything we get to see that resonated with things from earlier in the series. For example, Lady Alys's role in Barrayar was relatively minor, but getting to relive the day of Ivan's birth through her eyes was nothing short of heart-breaking - an angle I'd never considered before this. Similarly, Simon Illyan has a pretty sizeable role in this book, and it's wonderful to watch him be so very Illyan-y, even without his chip. Miles and Ekaterin only get a brief cameo, but knowing the evolution of Miles and Ivan growing up together lends so much humor to their interactions. And while it doesn't affect the understandability of the story, the significance of the box of instant groats may be lost on new readers.
In short, I absolutely enjoyed this book, and it has made me want to go back to The Warrior's Apprentice and re-read. Grover Gardner did an excellent job with the narration of the audiobook, as he's done with all of the books before this. Ivan did sound a little more Miles-ish than I might have expected, but I suspect that comes with having a similar sense of humor, and with the fact that I've come to associate Gardner's voice with Miles's POV over the past dozen books. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation for someone new to the Vorkosigan Saga: Because it focuses on Ivan rather than Miles, this book is absolutely understandable to someone coming in to the Vorkosigan Saga for the first time. It wouldn't be a bad place to start, either; it's got at least a taste of everything that Bujold does well, and although it's not the best book in the series, it's better than the other "stand-alone" books like Ethan of Athos or Falling Free. For readers who are still leery about jumping into a series on book 16, I might recommend reading Cetaganda before this one; although it focuses on Miles, Ivan plays a fairly big role, and it would give some relevant background information as to the players in galactic politics.
Recommendation for fans of the Vorkosigan Saga: You don't need me to tell you this, but in case you do: Go read it!
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associates, Ivan agrees to try. But before he can do much more than begin flirtations, the young woman in question has him knocked out and tied to a chair in her apartment - and not in the way Ivan might prefer. The woman - Tej - is on the run with her half-sister, fleeing the brutal and lethal takeover of her family's business by a rival Jackson's Whole house. That's just the sort of trouble that Ivan has spent a lifetime avoiding, but when a moment of gallantry ensures that he's irrevocably tangled in Tej's past, he's going to have to find a way to get clear of the interplanetary mess he finds himself in... if he really wants to be clear of it, that is.Review: Oh, Vorkosigan Saga, I've missed you! (Even though it's only been six months since I last (re)read one.) I have enthused about this series at length many times before, but I just have to reiterate: they are so, so good. They are in turns funny and romantic and sad and suspenseful and just thoroughly enjoyable. All of that is true in Captain Vorpatril's Alliance, which falls somewhere between the romantic comedy of A Civil Campaign and the political intrigue of Cetaganda or Diplomatic Immunity. (Actually, in terms of structure, it's probably most similar to Komarr, with the personal problems of the characters playing out against a larger series of family and political issues.) One of the things I enjoy about Bujold's writing is this sense that it's never one thing or another; it's science fiction but it's also romance or spy story or whatever, and she manages to take the tropes of all of these different genres and combine them in interesting ways. Captain Vorpatril's Alliance doesn't do this *quite* as well as A Civil Campaign (although that's a massively high bar to clear): a lot of the spy stuff seemed unevenly distributed at the beginning and end of the book, and I wish there had been a little more suspense or uncertainty regarding the resolution of the interpersonal "problems" on the romance side of things.
But, these are mere quibbles when stacked up against the real reason that I love the Vorkosigan books so much: the characters. Before reading this book, I don't know that I would've classified Ivan as a favorite; I didn't dislike him, certainly, but he was just... Ivan. But now that I've finished, he's grown on me, for sure. Similarly, while Tej doesn't hold a candle to Cordelia or Ekaterin as a female lead - she seemed either dense or willfully obtuse a lot, especially in regards to her family - she's the perfect match for Ivan. And while the characterization in this book by itself was great, as usual, what really sold me was everything we get to see that resonated with things from earlier in the series. For example, Lady Alys's role in Barrayar was relatively minor, but getting to relive the day of Ivan's birth through her eyes was nothing short of heart-breaking - an angle I'd never considered before this. Similarly, Simon Illyan has a pretty sizeable role in this book, and it's wonderful to watch him be so very Illyan-y, even without his chip. Miles and Ekaterin only get a brief cameo, but knowing the evolution of Miles and Ivan growing up together lends so much humor to their interactions. And while it doesn't affect the understandability of the story, the significance of the box of instant groats may be lost on new readers.
In short, I absolutely enjoyed this book, and it has made me want to go back to The Warrior's Apprentice and re-read. Grover Gardner did an excellent job with the narration of the audiobook, as he's done with all of the books before this. Ivan did sound a little more Miles-ish than I might have expected, but I suspect that comes with having a similar sense of humor, and with the fact that I've come to associate Gardner's voice with Miles's POV over the past dozen books. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation for someone new to the Vorkosigan Saga: Because it focuses on Ivan rather than Miles, this book is absolutely understandable to someone coming in to the Vorkosigan Saga for the first time. It wouldn't be a bad place to start, either; it's got at least a taste of everything that Bujold does well, and although it's not the best book in the series, it's better than the other "stand-alone" books like Ethan of Athos or Falling Free. For readers who are still leery about jumping into a series on book 16, I might recommend reading Cetaganda before this one; although it focuses on Miles, Ivan plays a fairly big role, and it would give some relevant background information as to the players in galactic politics.
Recommendation for fans of the Vorkosigan Saga: You don't need me to tell you this, but in case you do: Go read it!
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LibraryThing member jnwelch
OK, having just finished Captain Vorpatril's Alliance, I'm going to try to explain why I've enjoyed the Vorkosigan books by Lois McMaster Bujold over the years. If I've got the count right, this is the 16th novel, and there are a slew of short stories, too. It involves space travel, worm holes,
This series is often referred to as space opera, i.e., to me, anyway, a science fiction story involving adventures with multiple planets and cultures. It covers a lot of ground, and part of the appeal is the interaction of those with different makeups and backgrounds. The planets in the Vorkosigan series include Barrayar, home of the unforgettable Miles Vorkosigan (more about him later), a militaristic, heroic, hierarchical culture emerging from a barbaric past, Beta Colony, a technologically advanced, extremely liberal (including sexually), democratic, egalitarian, and socially advanced planet (Miles has a Betan mother and Barrayaran father), Komarr, a planet in the process of terraforming to get breathable air, which currently features biospheres for people to live in, Cetaganda, where the elite use genetic manipulation to create staggering attractiveness, and
Jackson Hole, a wild west kind of planet where crooks generally traffic in whatever unlawful materials and bioengineering services are popular at the moment.
The author has said she based the series initially on the Horatio Hornblower books, and the later ones apparently have Lord Peter Wimsey in mind. I love both Hornblower and Wimsey, so that helps explain my addiction to the series. There is lots of humor, clever plotting, perspectives on our views of sex, child-rearing, beauty, romance, friendship, honor, and on and on. Some quotes from the author (taken from a Wiki site):
"It's a bizarre but wonderful feeling, to arrive dead center of a target you didn't even know you were aiming for."
"Becoming a parent is one of these basic human transformational deeds. By this act, we change our fundamental relationship with the universe — if nothing else, we lose our place as the pinnacle and end-point of evolution, and become a mere link. The demands of motherhood especially consume the old self, and replace it with something new, often better and wiser, sometimes wearier or disillusioned, or tense and terrified, certainly more self-knowing, but never the same again."
"Women do desperately need models for power other than the maternal."
"I cannot emphasize enough that I do not start with a plan or agenda and mechanically manipulate characters and events to carry it out. I set characters in motion, and let them teach me what the book is."
What about Miles? He's very short, with brittle bones, the pre-birth victim of a poisonous gas attack on his parents. He is originally scorned on Barrayar for his appearance. An unlikely hero, it's his wit and personality that causes him to become a virtually irresistible force. He is ceaselessly hyperactive, although he mellows a bit in the later books (the books progress chronologically). When he can't pass the physical exam for the military, in Warrior's Apprentice, he creates an alter-ego, Admiral Naismith, who by guile takes over a space fleet that ends up being a strategic arm of Barrayar somewhat akin to Navy Seals. His many romances are a feature of the books, including one with bioengineered animal woman that would scare most people. “A true Vor, Miles told himself severely, does not bury his face in his liegewoman's breasts and cry--even if he is at a convenient height for it.”
The novels start with Shards of Honor and Barrayar, featuring Miles' indomitable mother Cordelia, who's Betan but as tough as they come. Warrior's Apprentice features Miles as Admiral Naismith and as himself unraveling a plot to take over Barrayar.
Others have him attempting to rescue his friend the Emperor Gregor (The Vor Game), playing detective in figuring out a thief's plans to steal invaluable genetic material and finding himself inside a genetic elite forbidden to outsiders (Cetaganda), meeting and dealing with his clone brother Mark, trained as an assassin (Brother in Arms), attempting to rescue Mark, who has been posing as Miles, from a disastrous mission on lawless Jackson Hole (Mirror Dance) (“…half of what we call madness is just some poor slob dealing with pain by a strategy that annoys people around him”), being promoted to Imperial Auditor, sort of a combined Chief Detective and ambassador, and dealing with the sudden mental instability of the renowned head of Barrayaran security, Simon Illyan (Memory), and meeting perhaps his romantic match in Ekaterin Vorsoisson, while attempting to thwart a plot to close the wormhole that gives Barrayar access to the other planets in Komarr. His often ludicrous efforts to woo Ekaterin are featured in A Civil Campaign, which is in many ways more of a romantic farce than a sci-fi book.
There are more in the series after that, with Miles as Imperial Auditor, all different, all fun, all featuring him in Wimsey-ish detective mode. The latest, Captain Vorpatril's Alliance, has his cousin Ivan Vorpatril take center stage. Ivan is handsome, well-connected, immensely likeable, and lazy. He and others think of him as stupid (especially in contrast to Miles), but events continually show the contrary.
"We've got to block the door. Buy time," said Ivan.
"Time for what?" said By.
"Time for me to think of something."
"That could take all day."
At one point Ivan finds himself "accidentally married", and at another observes, "How did I get into this mess? Miles isn't even here." Somehow he manages to fumble his way through murder attempts and to participate in his accidental in-laws' scheme to burglarize a treasure trove near Barrayar's most high security building. We get to meet a number of new characters, including the lovely on-the-run Tej who has some unlikely Cetagandan (those genetic manipulators of beauty) ancestry. The ending will bring a smile to any follower of the series.
There's a rumor that this is the last one in this series she'll write. I sure hope not. These, for me, are guaranteed enjoyment.
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bio-engineering, and all sorts of science fiction-y stuff, so if that holds no interest, read no further.This series is often referred to as space opera, i.e., to me, anyway, a science fiction story involving adventures with multiple planets and cultures. It covers a lot of ground, and part of the appeal is the interaction of those with different makeups and backgrounds. The planets in the Vorkosigan series include Barrayar, home of the unforgettable Miles Vorkosigan (more about him later), a militaristic, heroic, hierarchical culture emerging from a barbaric past, Beta Colony, a technologically advanced, extremely liberal (including sexually), democratic, egalitarian, and socially advanced planet (Miles has a Betan mother and Barrayaran father), Komarr, a planet in the process of terraforming to get breathable air, which currently features biospheres for people to live in, Cetaganda, where the elite use genetic manipulation to create staggering attractiveness, and
Jackson Hole, a wild west kind of planet where crooks generally traffic in whatever unlawful materials and bioengineering services are popular at the moment.
The author has said she based the series initially on the Horatio Hornblower books, and the later ones apparently have Lord Peter Wimsey in mind. I love both Hornblower and Wimsey, so that helps explain my addiction to the series. There is lots of humor, clever plotting, perspectives on our views of sex, child-rearing, beauty, romance, friendship, honor, and on and on. Some quotes from the author (taken from a Wiki site):
"It's a bizarre but wonderful feeling, to arrive dead center of a target you didn't even know you were aiming for."
"Becoming a parent is one of these basic human transformational deeds. By this act, we change our fundamental relationship with the universe — if nothing else, we lose our place as the pinnacle and end-point of evolution, and become a mere link. The demands of motherhood especially consume the old self, and replace it with something new, often better and wiser, sometimes wearier or disillusioned, or tense and terrified, certainly more self-knowing, but never the same again."
"Women do desperately need models for power other than the maternal."
"I cannot emphasize enough that I do not start with a plan or agenda and mechanically manipulate characters and events to carry it out. I set characters in motion, and let them teach me what the book is."
What about Miles? He's very short, with brittle bones, the pre-birth victim of a poisonous gas attack on his parents. He is originally scorned on Barrayar for his appearance. An unlikely hero, it's his wit and personality that causes him to become a virtually irresistible force. He is ceaselessly hyperactive, although he mellows a bit in the later books (the books progress chronologically). When he can't pass the physical exam for the military, in Warrior's Apprentice, he creates an alter-ego, Admiral Naismith, who by guile takes over a space fleet that ends up being a strategic arm of Barrayar somewhat akin to Navy Seals. His many romances are a feature of the books, including one with bioengineered animal woman that would scare most people. “A true Vor, Miles told himself severely, does not bury his face in his liegewoman's breasts and cry--even if he is at a convenient height for it.”
The novels start with Shards of Honor and Barrayar, featuring Miles' indomitable mother Cordelia, who's Betan but as tough as they come. Warrior's Apprentice features Miles as Admiral Naismith and as himself unraveling a plot to take over Barrayar.
Others have him attempting to rescue his friend the Emperor Gregor (The Vor Game), playing detective in figuring out a thief's plans to steal invaluable genetic material and finding himself inside a genetic elite forbidden to outsiders (Cetaganda), meeting and dealing with his clone brother Mark, trained as an assassin (Brother in Arms), attempting to rescue Mark, who has been posing as Miles, from a disastrous mission on lawless Jackson Hole (Mirror Dance) (“…half of what we call madness is just some poor slob dealing with pain by a strategy that annoys people around him”), being promoted to Imperial Auditor, sort of a combined Chief Detective and ambassador, and dealing with the sudden mental instability of the renowned head of Barrayaran security, Simon Illyan (Memory), and meeting perhaps his romantic match in Ekaterin Vorsoisson, while attempting to thwart a plot to close the wormhole that gives Barrayar access to the other planets in Komarr. His often ludicrous efforts to woo Ekaterin are featured in A Civil Campaign, which is in many ways more of a romantic farce than a sci-fi book.
There are more in the series after that, with Miles as Imperial Auditor, all different, all fun, all featuring him in Wimsey-ish detective mode. The latest, Captain Vorpatril's Alliance, has his cousin Ivan Vorpatril take center stage. Ivan is handsome, well-connected, immensely likeable, and lazy. He and others think of him as stupid (especially in contrast to Miles), but events continually show the contrary.
"We've got to block the door. Buy time," said Ivan.
"Time for what?" said By.
"Time for me to think of something."
"That could take all day."
At one point Ivan finds himself "accidentally married", and at another observes, "How did I get into this mess? Miles isn't even here." Somehow he manages to fumble his way through murder attempts and to participate in his accidental in-laws' scheme to burglarize a treasure trove near Barrayar's most high security building. We get to meet a number of new characters, including the lovely on-the-run Tej who has some unlikely Cetagandan (those genetic manipulators of beauty) ancestry. The ending will bring a smile to any follower of the series.
There's a rumor that this is the last one in this series she'll write. I sure hope not. These, for me, are guaranteed enjoyment.
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LibraryThing member StigE
If you're reading this book, you're a fan of the series - or some sort of very odd self-flagellant.
This is one of the romance additions to the series. Matching Ivan with a woman with a very special family background. Divers alarums ensue.
I am not sure why I enjoy this series so much. The fact
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that Bujold writes in a way that makes her book effortless to read and enjoy might have something to do with it. At some 15 or 16 books, this is a space opera series that should be stale by now but Bujold keeps adding new types of stories to the majestic tapestry she's weaving. This is one of the romance books in the series, but when it is a book by Bujold, I don't mind so much that occasionally this is a "kissing book". Show Less
LibraryThing member SpaceandSorcery
I gave this three stars because I'm a huge Bujold/Vorkosiverse fan, but I can't hide my disappointment.
The last two books (Diplomatic Immunity and Cryoburn) were still enjoyable but showed some sort of "weariness" in my opinion, as if Ms. Bujold had lost the drive and delight she shared with her
Ivan Vorpatril has always been a delightful character, the perfect foil for his ebullient, almost-crazy cousin, and I always had the impression that once out of such a huge shadow he would sparkle on his own, and yet here he seems to let things happen to him, rather than being the protagonist he deserves to be. It's as if the character, once free of his constricting barriers (Miles, his own strong-willed mother and assorted relatives) did not know what to do with himself. Which to me sounds like a waste of good material.
There are a number of good moments, granted, including several cameo appearances from Miles, Cordelia and Aral Vorkosigan; we see a new side of the formidable Simon Illyan – now retired – and the peeks into Barrayaran society are fascinating as ever. For his part, Ivan comes out as an intelligent, brave and capable person (and officer, as well) and the parade of interesting characters that surrounds him makes for an entertaining reading, yet the overall feeling is one of... remoteness. As if Bujold's heart were not entirely there, not anymore.
I liked the book, and I will certainly read anything else Ms. Bujold will write about this universe because her fresh, quick style is captivating and entertaining, but this one – like the preceding two – will not prompt me to re-read it as it happened with the rest of the Vor saga that for me, sadly, stopped being compelling with "A Civil Campaign".
Despite everything, I can't shake a sense of loss, and it saddens me a bit...
The last two books (Diplomatic Immunity and Cryoburn) were still enjoyable but showed some sort of "weariness" in my opinion, as if Ms. Bujold had lost the drive and delight she shared with her
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readers in fleshing out this universe, so I greeted this new work with the hope that a change of scenery would infuse new life in the story. It was partially so, but still something was amiss.Ivan Vorpatril has always been a delightful character, the perfect foil for his ebullient, almost-crazy cousin, and I always had the impression that once out of such a huge shadow he would sparkle on his own, and yet here he seems to let things happen to him, rather than being the protagonist he deserves to be. It's as if the character, once free of his constricting barriers (Miles, his own strong-willed mother and assorted relatives) did not know what to do with himself. Which to me sounds like a waste of good material.
There are a number of good moments, granted, including several cameo appearances from Miles, Cordelia and Aral Vorkosigan; we see a new side of the formidable Simon Illyan – now retired – and the peeks into Barrayaran society are fascinating as ever. For his part, Ivan comes out as an intelligent, brave and capable person (and officer, as well) and the parade of interesting characters that surrounds him makes for an entertaining reading, yet the overall feeling is one of... remoteness. As if Bujold's heart were not entirely there, not anymore.
I liked the book, and I will certainly read anything else Ms. Bujold will write about this universe because her fresh, quick style is captivating and entertaining, but this one – like the preceding two – will not prompt me to re-read it as it happened with the rest of the Vor saga that for me, sadly, stopped being compelling with "A Civil Campaign".
Despite everything, I can't shake a sense of loss, and it saddens me a bit...
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LibraryThing member reading_fox
Another fun outing, featuring Ivan in his own right with Miles off planet and hardly mentioned.
Ivan was quietly minding his own business when By, one of his relations in security asked him to watch out over a couple of pretty girls who might be in need of hand. By wasn't too heavy on the details,
Fast reading high spirite good humour throughout. More exotic forms of humanity, contrasting well with the hideboud Barrayan attitudes. The ending gets a bit farcical in places which I'm not a fan of, but there's no running through tunnels or opening doors at inopportune moments, so it wasn't too bad. It is a longer book than you first expect with most of the opening compIications being sorted out relatively quickly before the consequences start arriving. I do think a little more research into the building concept wouldn't have gone amiss, but it did make me laugh at one of the grander gestures I've seen in space opera for a while. Bujolds' writng remains enjoyabel throughout with some great dialogue and turns of phrase. The occasional jumps in viewpoint to Tej are slightly disconcerting, but become more natural later on in the book.
While this isn't the highlight of the series it is still very enjoyable and throughly recommneded to anyone who has liked the earlier parts.
Ivan was quietly minding his own business when By, one of his relations in security asked him to watch out over a couple of pretty girls who might be in need of hand. By wasn't too heavy on the details,
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but Ivan always' reckoned he could cope with even two pretty girls. However as might be expected it all got a bit more complicated. Especially whenteh rest of the family turn up as exiles from Jackson's Whole - not the most savoury part of the universe. By then Ivan's great ploy of getting married (to subvert Immegration) had rather come to the end of it's usefulness, but nobody seemed to be realising this. How the various particpants react to this provides much of the enjoyment.Fast reading high spirite good humour throughout. More exotic forms of humanity, contrasting well with the hideboud Barrayan attitudes. The ending gets a bit farcical in places which I'm not a fan of, but there's no running through tunnels or opening doors at inopportune moments, so it wasn't too bad. It is a longer book than you first expect with most of the opening compIications being sorted out relatively quickly before the consequences start arriving. I do think a little more research into the building concept wouldn't have gone amiss, but it did make me laugh at one of the grander gestures I've seen in space opera for a while. Bujolds' writng remains enjoyabel throughout with some great dialogue and turns of phrase. The occasional jumps in viewpoint to Tej are slightly disconcerting, but become more natural later on in the book.
While this isn't the highlight of the series it is still very enjoyable and throughly recommneded to anyone who has liked the earlier parts.
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LibraryThing member ChrisRiesbeck
Bujold's best entries in the Vorkosigan series manage to do what Terry Pratchett has done so often -- mix adventure, comedy, and the occasional thoughtful pause -- into an enjoyable several hours. Sadly Captain Vorpatril's Alliance is not one of those entries. A few pages of action are followed by
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chapters of sit-down conversation, and the romantic elements drive the plot so predictably that there is virtually no suspense. The first third is the worst, where almost all the discussion is filling backstory infodumps, but after that, it's just one visit to one character-with-more-depths-than-meets-the-eye after another. Not so bad that I won't get the next book and hope for better, but not a book I'd recommend to anyone unfamiliar with the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member teknognome
This is the first Vorkosigan saga book I've read (I read it because it's a Hugo nominee), and I had little expectations or knowledge going into it. Even so, it proved to be quite accessible; there was just the right amount of details and explanation to gradually get a feel for the larger world,
The characters were generally compelling - although I was disappointed to find out that By doesn't appear much elsewhere. I enjoyed Ivan and Tej's relationship and interaction, and found ghem Estif mysteriously interesting. I never really got a good feel for the Jewels, and how they fit with the rest of the family. Maybe it was there, but it felt somewhat incomplete to me.
The story was a fun romp, with plenty of entertaining moments. The romance was very enjoyable (even if the end was apparent from when it started).The appearance of Tej's family on Barrayar, and the ensuing theft plot genuinely surprised me, as I was at the point wondering where the story was going to for the rest of the novel.
The occasional switches of viewpoint between Ivan and Tej irritated me slightly; something about the choices or writing style for the scenes when they were both together grated on me. But it's a minor quibble, and only bothered me for a few of the scenes. In general, however, I enjoyed the writing style.
While it sounds like the other Vorkosigan novels are somewhat different in nature, reading Captain Vorpatril's Alliance definitely left me more inclined to check them out.
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without feeling totally overwhelmed. The characters were generally compelling - although I was disappointed to find out that By doesn't appear much elsewhere. I enjoyed Ivan and Tej's relationship and interaction, and found ghem Estif mysteriously interesting. I never really got a good feel for the Jewels, and how they fit with the rest of the family. Maybe it was there, but it felt somewhat incomplete to me.
The story was a fun romp, with plenty of entertaining moments. The romance was very enjoyable (even if the end was apparent from when it started).
The occasional switches of viewpoint between Ivan and Tej irritated me slightly; something about the choices or writing style for the scenes when they were both together grated on me. But it's a minor quibble, and only bothered me for a few of the scenes. In general, however, I enjoyed the writing style.
While it sounds like the other Vorkosigan novels are somewhat different in nature, reading Captain Vorpatril's Alliance definitely left me more inclined to check them out.
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LibraryThing member JohnBobMead
Glancing through the various Librarything reviews, I see that people either enjoyed this a lot, or they hated it.
It's a light Comedy/Romance, starring Ivan Vorpatril, with very little Miles Vorkosigan. That, in itself, explains the ones who hated it. I, on the other hand, read it three times in the
Ivan is not an idiot. He's very smart, and at a very young age he realized that politics and Vorpatrils was a good way to die young; just look at his father. So he's been very careful to hide his smarts, other than being a very competent aide to his superiors; his boss, who got a big promotion, took Ivan with him, because Ivan was so good at triaging the incoming messes. He's been very successful at looking the idiot in comparison with his cousins, Miles and Gregor, although people really should have started to wise up when his boss brought him along when promoted; that's when you ditch the idiots in your retinue. And he's made it very clear to /everyone/ that he has /no/ political ambition.
Unfortunately for Ivan, his cousin Byerly Vorrutyer has seen through the disguise, and needs his help. Which is how the story starts, and anything more that I could say would be too spoilerish, in my mind.
If you're looking for "Mad Miles Vorkosigan," this probably isn't for you. Light comedy, a sweet romance, humor, Ivan demonstrating his hidden depths, Simon Ilyan, Byerly Vorrutyer, Lady Alys Vorpatril, and new people with very old connections to Barrayar.
It's a light Comedy/Romance, starring Ivan Vorpatril, with very little Miles Vorkosigan. That, in itself, explains the ones who hated it. I, on the other hand, read it three times in the
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first week I owned it. I've now, I believe, read it five times in eight months. Yes, I like it, a lot. And unlike A Civil Campaign, her other Comedy/Romance, it doesn't edge towards farce.Ivan is not an idiot. He's very smart, and at a very young age he realized that politics and Vorpatrils was a good way to die young; just look at his father. So he's been very careful to hide his smarts, other than being a very competent aide to his superiors; his boss, who got a big promotion, took Ivan with him, because Ivan was so good at triaging the incoming messes. He's been very successful at looking the idiot in comparison with his cousins, Miles and Gregor, although people really should have started to wise up when his boss brought him along when promoted; that's when you ditch the idiots in your retinue. And he's made it very clear to /everyone/ that he has /no/ political ambition.
Unfortunately for Ivan, his cousin Byerly Vorrutyer has seen through the disguise, and needs his help. Which is how the story starts, and anything more that I could say would be too spoilerish, in my mind.
If you're looking for "Mad Miles Vorkosigan," this probably isn't for you. Light comedy, a sweet romance, humor, Ivan demonstrating his hidden depths, Simon Ilyan, Byerly Vorrutyer, Lady Alys Vorpatril, and new people with very old connections to Barrayar.
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LibraryThing member AnnaOok
Pleasant read, and it fleshes out some previously secondary characters (Ivan e Byerly) -- but definitely not among the best of the series (which I love).
LibraryThing member satyridae
Oh, Ivan, how I love you. After all the Vorishness that you've internalized, all the crap you've taken from Miles, and all of the dismissal- but still, there you are- all Ivany and adorable.
I've long had a soft spot for Ivan(-you-idiot) Vorpatril, who in this book at last comes into his own. And I
I loved seeing Ivan at the forefront of this comedy, and I loved finding out By's backstory. If you are a Bujold fan, this is a nonnegotiable book. If you are, unaccountably, among the unconverted- do us all a favor and start at the beginning.
I've long had a soft spot for Ivan(-you-idiot) Vorpatril, who in this book at last comes into his own. And I
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knew that Simon was putting us on, at least in part. More Miles, while undoubtedly distracting, would have changed this book to be something else. I loved seeing Ivan at the forefront of this comedy, and I loved finding out By's backstory. If you are a Bujold fan, this is a nonnegotiable book. If you are, unaccountably, among the unconverted- do us all a favor and start at the beginning.
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LibraryThing member salimbol
An enjoyable Vorkosigan romp, with a much overdue focus on Ivan. There's some solid characterisation of old favourites, some fairly delightful new characters, and (of course) some laugh-out-loud moments ("um, what's your name again?" :-). There's also an overly-pat resolution and, I think, a little
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too much 'tell' and not enough 'show'. So as Vorkosigan books go it's not terribly substantial, but it certainly *is* very charming. (What it does make me want to do, very much, is re-read Barrayar…) Show Less
LibraryThing member rivkat
By gets Ivan into trouble of the lady-in-trouble kind. Bujold gets to used forced-to-marry to its best effect, and then Ivan’s new family-in-law comes to Barrayar and there is more trouble, in Bujold’s best Rube Goldberg style. The punchline, which has to do with a longstanding hatred of
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Simon’s, is priceless. It’s not a comic novel the way A Civil Campaign is, but the clever construction is similar, and there are happy endings enough. Show Less
LibraryThing member librisissimo
First of all, I LIKE Ivan, and have never considered him an idiot. However, this is not one of Bujold's best efforts. The story is slight, and the book spends too much time checking the boxes to get in background info, and shout outs to (nearly) the entire cast of the Saga.
It makes a pleasant
It makes a pleasant
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evening's read, but nothing momentous. Show Less
LibraryThing member Fledgist
Bujold is a wonderful storyteller and this addition to the Vorkosigan Saga does not disappoint. Miles Vorkosigan gets only a cameo, and the story is set before *Cryoburn* so he's still Lord Vorkosigan. "That idiot Ivan" demonstrates that the adjective does not describe him, and he does (big
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spoiler, I know) get the girl. The girl is, by far, the most interesting character, coming, as she does, from Jackson's Whole. Ivan having a most, ahem, Milesian (in more than one sense of that word) way of encountering the love of his life. The description in the chronology at the end is truly hilarious given what happens to ImpSec headquarters in the novel. Show Less
LibraryThing member Denise701
I had my doubts about this book as I pretty much could not see Ivan as a main character (probably conditioned not to by "that idiot Ivan" comments in the Miles books). But the book surprised me. I liked Ivan on his own quite a lot, and the book brought to the fore all of his good qualities.
I can't
I see the book as a kind of love-letter to fans of the series. All the loose ends are tied up. I imagine that the next place to go is to the Vorkosigan children's stories, if she decides to keep writing and feels that Miles has sort of hit the wall in terms of storytelling (though I hope that isn't true as I did like Cryoburn).
I can't
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say, though, that this is a stand-alone book. It works best if you have read the Miles saga. I would probably be frustrated if I had not done that as there are lots of references to wars that you wouldn't know anything about if you had not read the previous stories. The significance of the various planets is sort of given short shrift for anyone who is not a fan of the Vorkosigan books (that could have been fixed to some degree with a glossary or a mini-history of Barrayar and Jackson's Whole).I see the book as a kind of love-letter to fans of the series. All the loose ends are tied up. I imagine that the next place to go is to the Vorkosigan children's stories, if she decides to keep writing and feels that Miles has sort of hit the wall in terms of storytelling (though I hope that isn't true as I did like Cryoburn).
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LibraryThing member phyllis2779
What a great book. Humor, fascinating characters, and expert worldbuilding. I also love how Bujold intermixed all of the previous things Miles and Ivan had been involved with, in a way that faithful readers like me would enjoy but working it so new readers would not be confused. Her prose is
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smooth, always concise with great dialog. Laurell Hamilton should take lessons from her. Show Less
LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
Oh, that's _lovely_. Ivan is very Ivan - but he has more in common with Miles than either of them would believe. More swept along in events, but a similar talent for some truly lovely improvising.... And we thought Miles' courtship was messed up. Though Ivan had to do less convincing of the
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prospective wife...in a sense. A fantastic, in several senses of the word, plot (several, actually, but I mean Shiv and Undine's plan), which came apart in a _very_ interesting manner. Ivan being Ivan - which fits him for managing a very complex situation much better than he, or anyone else (except possibly Tej) would have expected. I had several episodes of audible laughter throughout, most of them afterward with the various solutions and discussions going on. But there's also some interesting revelations - not amusing at all - about ancient and not-so-ancient history; perceptions and relationships get very nicely shaken up. I can't remember if Sergeant Abelard showed up in any of the early books, but the name sounds familiar. If so, that's seriously sneaky on Bujold's part... It's set just a little earlier than Cryoburn, as the revelation at the end of that has clearly not happened (not to mention how many kids Miles and Ekaterin have). And there's something just a little screwy at the end of the ebook - the timeline seems to be mostly invisible. Not the text, that's all fine, just the appendix. A wonderful book, and one I intend to reread quite soon. Show Less
LibraryThing member JeremyPreacher
The Vorkosigan books range from military sci-fi to murder mysteries to romantic comedies, and this is one of the latter. It was delightful - Bujold is great at portraying real, complex relationships between well-drawn characters, and it's funny as hell, too. Might give you a touch of whiplash if
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you're not expecting farce, but hell, it's Ivan's book, you should know better. Show Less
LibraryThing member paganpaul
Captain Vorpartil’s Alliance is an extremely entertaining book for me. There is a lot of humour and witty dialogue in it and many situations just invite to laugh.
Meet captain Ivan Xav Vorpatril who, thanks to helping an old friend to watch over someone, gets into a very strange situation, one
Meet captain Ivan Xav Vorpatril who, thanks to helping an old friend to watch over someone, gets into a very strange situation, one
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that is supposed to be only temporary: he gets married. His wife, who comes from a high family on another planet in an entirely different area of the universe, brings with her a heritage that she herself was not even aware of, but when Ivan Xav’s family in law arrives, things really take a turn for the worse! Show Less
LibraryThing member amanderson
Enjoyable, as usual with Bujold's books. Follows Ivan Vorpatril, Miles' cousin, and his adventures with a damsel in distress and people trying to kill her. Miles is off screen, traveling elsewhere, though mentioned a bit. This one's maybe a bit more romantic space opera than the Miles series.
LibraryThing member jamespurcell
Good characters wasted, Became tedious and boring, Too cute.
LibraryThing member ellen.w
I understand Bujold is pretty popular in the genre. If this book is representative, I don't get it. It was fine, I guess, if you like thinly-veiled marriage-of-convenience romances disguised as space opera? Maybe it would have been more meaningful if I'd known any of the characters better, but
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there would still be no interesting scientific ideas. If this wins the Hugo, I will make a frowny face. Show Less
LibraryThing member Trialia
Excellent as expected - can't wait til the paperback edition comes out (next summer?) and I can get myself a proper copy!
LibraryThing member glitrbug
It took me a minute to get into this latest of the Vorkosigan sags but I quickly became wrapped up in the newest in the family of stories. You really should try to read them in order but this one is a very satisfying addition.
Awards
Hugo Award (Nominee — Novel — 2013)
Audie Award (Finalist — Science Fiction — 2014)
Locus Award (Finalist — Science Fiction Novel — 2013)
SF Site Reader's Choice (2012)
Locus Recommended Reading (2012)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2012-11
Physical description
432 p.; 6.12 inches
ISBN
9781451638455