Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
Baen (Riverdale, N.Y., 1998). 1st edition, 1st printing. 320 pages. $22.00.
Description
Fiction. Science Fiction & Fantasy. HTML: Komarr could be a garden with a thousand more years?? work, or an uninhabitable wasteland if the terraforming fails. Now, the solar mirror vital to the terraforming of the conquered planet has been shattered by a ship hurtling off course. The Emperor of Barrayar sends his newest imperial auditor, Lord Miles Vorkosigan, to find out why. The choice is not a popular one on Komarr, where a betrayal a generation before drenched the name of Vorkosigan in blood. Thus, the Komarrans surrounding Miles could be loyal subjects, potential hostages, innocent victims, or rebels ready for revenge. Lies within lies, treachery within treachery, Miles is caught in a race against time to stop a plot that could exile him from Barrayar forever. His burning hope lies in an unexpected ally, one with wounds as deep and honor as beleaguered as his own.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
Komarr is listed as the 12th book in the Vorkosigan Saga, a series that could be described as space opera. The series features one of my favorite fictional character, Miles Vokosigan. I've seen one reviewer describe him as a "feminist Captain Kirk." Close enough, even if a short, crouch-backed
Show More
Captain Kirk, although in a lot of ways Miles reminds me more of Kirk's original inspiration, C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower, only a lot more manic. Bujold in a note on Amazon notes Komarr makes a "good alternate entry point for the series, picking up Miles's second career at its start." I do think this depends a bit less than other novels on knowing the previous books, especially given much of the point of view is given to a new character, Ekaterin Vorsoisson, giving us an outside view of Miles--and a good foil and match. I still wouldn't start here. Part of the pleasures of this book was catching references to prior stories. I'd start instead with Cordelia's Honor or Young Miles. This installment was a very enjoyable blend of science fiction, mystery and romance as Miles gets entangled in an investigation that looks like sabotage. Ekaterin is an appealing character, and at one point I had my mouth stretched so wide by a grin at Miles' reaction to her, it hurt. But a nice hurt! Show Less
LibraryThing member JudithProctor
One of the very best books in the Vorkosigan series. Here, Miles is maturing. He's grown out of his younger desperate need to prove himself at every turn. He has a greater understanding of himself and also more understanding of what he wants from life. His maturity matches that of his writer.
The way Bujold describes Ekaterin Vorsoisson and how she survives in a marriage where duty long ago took over from love is beautifully done.
Miles slowly falls in love, while trying to solve the mystery of how a freighter came to collide with the soletta array that is crucial for the long-term terraforming of Komarr.
Show More
Bujold was a good writer from the start, but in this book, I found myself reminded of both Jane Austen and Dorothy L Sayers. Her handling of character has become defter and more subtle.The way Bujold describes Ekaterin Vorsoisson and how she survives in a marriage where duty long ago took over from love is beautifully done.
Miles slowly falls in love, while trying to solve the mystery of how a freighter came to collide with the soletta array that is crucial for the long-term terraforming of Komarr.
Show Less
LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Summary: For Miles's first assignment as an official Imperial Auditor, he is sent to investigate the crash of a space freighter into the Komarran Soletta Array -- a giant mirrored satellite that provides much of the light and heat needed to make Komarr habitable. Not to investigate the mechanics of
While they are planetside, Miles and Lord Vorthys are staying with his niece, Ekaterin Vorsoisson, whose husband, Etienne, works in Komarr's terraforming department. Etienne is volatile and often aggressively hostile, and Ekaterin is deeply unhappy in her marriage. She is also afraid for the health of their son, who may be carrying the same genetic disease that his father has gone to such great lengths to hide. Miles immediately falls for his beautiful if reserved hostess, despite knowing that she's thoroughly unavailable. But the more he investigates, the more he finds that Etienne is mixed up in some shady business, and the more he begins to suspect that what happened to the Soletta Array wasn't an accident at all.
Review: Lois McMaster Bujold does a lot of things well. She writes convincing mysteries, witty yet believable dialogue, stories that nicely incorporate sci-fi elements without ever forgetting the basic human drama at their core. But if I had to pick one thing that I think Bujold is best at, it's the development of complex, sympathetic, realistic, and memorable characters, even in very short spaces. Therefore, the main highlight of Komarr is being introduced to another one of these wonderful characters: Ekaterin Vorsoisson.
Ekaterin is obviously bound to play an important role in the series -- no non-Vorkosigan would get so many chapters from their perspective otherwise. But even in her first appearance, she won my allegiance. Bujold's depiction of the Vorsoissons' troubled and emotionally abusive marriage is nothing short of harrowing. This device, of a woman stuck in a horrible marriage, could have gone badly wrong; I have a fairly low tolerance for victimhood in my heroines, and characters who complain about how terrible their lives or relationships are without doing anything about it lose my sympathy very quickly. But although Ekaterin's marriage is terrible, she has reasons for staying with Etienne other than inertia, and those reasons are not only believable, but also contribute to Ekaterin's overall characterization and likability. Plus, she finds her backbone partway through the story, and after that, she becomes progressively more awesome, to the point that her contribution to the climax of the story actually elicited cheers.
As much as I enjoyed meeting Ekaterin, I also enjoyed watching Miles continue to mature. While I wouldn't go so far to say that Miles's life up to this point has been easy, many of the problems he's faced thus far have yielded to his particular blend of intelligence, strategic thinking, and charm. As a result, it's fascinating to watch him struggle with a problem -- in this case, his growing attraction to Ekaterin -- where his normal approach is useless. Galactic politics and spaceship battles, Miles can handle with no problem, but he's not particularly adept at interpersonal relationships, especially among the Vor. Watching Miles tackle something he's not good at makes for an interesting change of pace.
The mystery aspect to the story was well done enough to hold my attention, even when my primary focus was on Miles and Ekaterin. The chapter split between Miles's and Ekaterin's points-of-view lets us see the solution to the mystery unfold from multiple angles, and I enjoyed watching the various storylines converge on the solution. There were a large number of newly-introduced tertiary characters, mostly Komarran scientists and officials, and I occasionally had trouble keeping a few of them straight, but for the most part I was able to follow along without a problem.
Grover Gardner's narration of the audiobook was once again wonderful. Despite my complaints when I first listened to Shards of Honor, I found that by this point, I didn't mind his narration of the chapters from a female POV -- he manages to modulate his voice and his reading enough so that it was noticeably different from Miles's sections, but without ever sounding breathy, girly, or fake. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Overall, if Memory was a transitional novel, Komarr is very clearly the start of a new chapter in Miles's life, and if this book is any indication of what's to come, it's a chapter in which I'll be very interested indeed.
Show More
the crash itself -- that much falls to Lord Auditor Vorthys, an engineering specialist -- but to probe the political currents that eddy around the incident. Miles is normally right at home in the waters of politics and intrigue, but Komarr has only been under Barrayaran rule for a generation and many of its residents still think of Miles's father as "The Butcher of Komarr."While they are planetside, Miles and Lord Vorthys are staying with his niece, Ekaterin Vorsoisson, whose husband, Etienne, works in Komarr's terraforming department. Etienne is volatile and often aggressively hostile, and Ekaterin is deeply unhappy in her marriage. She is also afraid for the health of their son, who may be carrying the same genetic disease that his father has gone to such great lengths to hide. Miles immediately falls for his beautiful if reserved hostess, despite knowing that she's thoroughly unavailable. But the more he investigates, the more he finds that Etienne is mixed up in some shady business, and the more he begins to suspect that what happened to the Soletta Array wasn't an accident at all.
Review: Lois McMaster Bujold does a lot of things well. She writes convincing mysteries, witty yet believable dialogue, stories that nicely incorporate sci-fi elements without ever forgetting the basic human drama at their core. But if I had to pick one thing that I think Bujold is best at, it's the development of complex, sympathetic, realistic, and memorable characters, even in very short spaces. Therefore, the main highlight of Komarr is being introduced to another one of these wonderful characters: Ekaterin Vorsoisson.
Ekaterin is obviously bound to play an important role in the series -- no non-Vorkosigan would get so many chapters from their perspective otherwise. But even in her first appearance, she won my allegiance. Bujold's depiction of the Vorsoissons' troubled and emotionally abusive marriage is nothing short of harrowing. This device, of a woman stuck in a horrible marriage, could have gone badly wrong; I have a fairly low tolerance for victimhood in my heroines, and characters who complain about how terrible their lives or relationships are without doing anything about it lose my sympathy very quickly. But although Ekaterin's marriage is terrible, she has reasons for staying with Etienne other than inertia, and those reasons are not only believable, but also contribute to Ekaterin's overall characterization and likability. Plus, she finds her backbone partway through the story, and after that, she becomes progressively more awesome, to the point that her contribution to the climax of the story actually elicited cheers.
As much as I enjoyed meeting Ekaterin, I also enjoyed watching Miles continue to mature. While I wouldn't go so far to say that Miles's life up to this point has been easy, many of the problems he's faced thus far have yielded to his particular blend of intelligence, strategic thinking, and charm. As a result, it's fascinating to watch him struggle with a problem -- in this case, his growing attraction to Ekaterin -- where his normal approach is useless. Galactic politics and spaceship battles, Miles can handle with no problem, but he's not particularly adept at interpersonal relationships, especially among the Vor. Watching Miles tackle something he's not good at makes for an interesting change of pace.
The mystery aspect to the story was well done enough to hold my attention, even when my primary focus was on Miles and Ekaterin. The chapter split between Miles's and Ekaterin's points-of-view lets us see the solution to the mystery unfold from multiple angles, and I enjoyed watching the various storylines converge on the solution. There were a large number of newly-introduced tertiary characters, mostly Komarran scientists and officials, and I occasionally had trouble keeping a few of them straight, but for the most part I was able to follow along without a problem.
Grover Gardner's narration of the audiobook was once again wonderful. Despite my complaints when I first listened to Shards of Honor, I found that by this point, I didn't mind his narration of the chapters from a female POV -- he manages to modulate his voice and his reading enough so that it was noticeably different from Miles's sections, but without ever sounding breathy, girly, or fake. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: Overall, if Memory was a transitional novel, Komarr is very clearly the start of a new chapter in Miles's life, and if this book is any indication of what's to come, it's a chapter in which I'll be very interested indeed.
Show Less
LibraryThing member kcollett
Komarr is science fiction, mystery, romance, comedy, and character study. We see Miles Vorkosigan through the eyes of Ekaterin Vorsoisson, niece of a fellow Auditor and wife of a minor Barrayaran administrator on the conquered planet Komarr. Highly recommended. If you like mysteries, read this. If
Show More
you like romance, read this. If you like science fiction, read this. If you like good writing, read this. Mystery! Romance! Science fiction! Good writing! Show Less
LibraryThing member humouress
(Twelfth of 17 (I suppose): Vorkosigan saga (chronological order). Science fiction, space opera)
The story opens on the planet Komarr with Ekaterin Vorsoisson staring at the damaged solar array as it sets. Her uncle, an Imperial Auditor, is about to arrive from Barrayar to assess the situation (as
Enter Miles; we now see him from the other side of the table, as it were, through the eyes of other Vor (as opposed to our usual view through Miles's eyes, seeing other people's reactions to him). Ekaterin and her husband see him as a mutant - though his deformities are actually physical and not genetic. Her husband's reaction is the usual Vor distaste, but she finds him a source of hope; because their family is desperately hiding an inherited mutation of its own. However the tension of living with the disease leaves her feeling trapped.
This is Miles's first appointment as one of the standing Imperial Auditors; he is still stretching into his role as the Emperor's Voice and unsure of whether he might abuse his powers. Thus he makes a few of what he considers mistakes - although, from our point of view, they serve to advance the plot by not bringing the story to a premature end.
Bujold tells the story from both Miles's and Ekaterin's points of view, blending them seamlessly as the investigation progresses (or, frustratingly, doesn't). Although Ekaterin is initially surprised by Miles's appearance, she is one of few people who don't underestimate him because of it. Miles, with his long habit of falling in love with unattainable women in the mold of Elena Bothari, is attracted to Ekaterin.
...his own fixation, he had long ago ruefully recognised, was on long cool brunettes with expressions of quiet reserves and warm alto voices.
Ekaterin, despite having grown up in a traditional rural Vor family and her suppressing marital circumstances, turns out to be a feisty lady who can more than hold her own, like many of Bujold's female characters. She does seem to be developing a liking for Miles and his compassion and sense of humour - in spite of his dropping them both into a pond. I must say the last page or so left me with a broad smile on my face.
4****
The story opens on the planet Komarr with Ekaterin Vorsoisson staring at the damaged solar array as it sets. Her uncle, an Imperial Auditor, is about to arrive from Barrayar to assess the situation (as
Show More
to whether it was an accident or sabotage, especially in light of Emperor Gregor's upcoming marriage to a prominent Komarran) and will be staying with her family; and then her husband informs her that her uncle will be bringing a colleague. Enter Miles; we now see him from the other side of the table, as it were, through the eyes of other Vor (as opposed to our usual view through Miles's eyes, seeing other people's reactions to him). Ekaterin and her husband see him as a mutant - though his deformities are actually physical and not genetic. Her husband's reaction is the usual Vor distaste, but she finds him a source of hope; because their family is desperately hiding an inherited mutation of its own. However the tension of living with the disease leaves her feeling trapped.
This is Miles's first appointment as one of the standing Imperial Auditors; he is still stretching into his role as the Emperor's Voice and unsure of whether he might abuse his powers. Thus he makes a few of what he considers mistakes - although, from our point of view, they serve to advance the plot by not bringing the story to a premature end.
Bujold tells the story from both Miles's and Ekaterin's points of view, blending them seamlessly as the investigation progresses (or, frustratingly, doesn't). Although Ekaterin is initially surprised by Miles's appearance, she is one of few people who don't underestimate him because of it. Miles, with his long habit of falling in love with unattainable women in the mold of Elena Bothari, is attracted to Ekaterin.
...his own fixation, he had long ago ruefully recognised, was on long cool brunettes with expressions of quiet reserves and warm alto voices.
Ekaterin, despite having grown up in a traditional rural Vor family and her suppressing marital circumstances, turns out to be a feisty lady who can more than hold her own, like many of Bujold's female characters. She does seem to be developing a liking for Miles and his compassion and sense of humour - in spite of his dropping them both into a pond. I must say the last page or so left me with a broad smile on my face.
4****
Show Less
LibraryThing member ShiraC
One of the best books in the series. Miles meets his true love, but of course, there are problems!
LibraryThing member TadAD
There are many suggested reading orders for the Vor books, but this should come before A Civil Campaign.
LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey
I do love Miles when he's being (relatively) sane. I've read this and the immediate sequel several times, so it's hard to capture my original feelings...this time I noticed that he really did give himself away just about completely at the end. She did some powerful selective forgetting to be as
Show More
surprised as she was in A Civil Campaign. Show Less
LibraryThing member DNWilliams
Not as compelling as some of the other Vorkosigan novels, but the characters are as compelling as ever.
LibraryThing member PamelaDLloyd
This book, of all Bujold's books, is the closest to my heart.
LibraryThing member librisissimo
Substance: The action-adventure-intrigue part is fine, and up to Miles' standards. The romance is obvious, and tedious. Bujold is in such a hurry for us to see how great Kat is, she doesn't let us do the discovery on our o, but forces it onw us, which is very off-putting. Also,Miles recognizes WAY
Show More
too early that he is in love; he ought to be the last to know. Show Less
LibraryThing member sumariotter
this is my favorite sci-fi series ever. I read the first few books long ago, then lost my place in the series and couldn't find the next book. Now if only I can find the next one. A series this good shouldn't be so hard to find. Miles is just about the most endearing hero ever--a disabled, short,
Show More
genius-smart, feminist, man who succeeds against unbelievable odds and the prejudice of his own society to become a secret agent and commander. In this book he meets Ekaterin and there is more romance than action, and Miles manages to come out of it with only scratches, not the usual gruesome injuries. Show Less
LibraryThing member satyridae
Bujold gets inside of my head like few other authors have. Ekaterin's interior dialogue is searing, brilliant and heartbreaking. Miles is still delightful, if a little older and maybe, just maybe wiser. He's always been a genius, but now he's less apt to dive in without thinking.
Gorgeous writing,
Gorgeous writing,
Show More
elegant plot, superb pacing throughout. 4.5 Show Less
LibraryThing member mossjon
I connected deeply with the character Ekaterin. Her predicament broke my heart at times. Miles' heart melted as well.
Komarr takes place just three months after Memory. Miles acquires an Auditor Mentor in Ekaterin's uncle Vorthys. Both Imperial Auditors arrive at Komarr to investigate a tragic and
Mystery, sabotage, embezzlement, get-rich-quick schemes, murder, kidnapping and revolution round out the hurdles to Miles' blossoming love life.
Bujold keeps delivering and I keep reading. Highly recommended to space opera junkies everywhere.
Komarr takes place just three months after Memory. Miles acquires an Auditor Mentor in Ekaterin's uncle Vorthys. Both Imperial Auditors arrive at Komarr to investigate a tragic and
Show More
seemingly inexplicable near space accident involving an ore freighter and the Komarran solar mirror array. Each Auditor brought a different perspective and expertise to the investigation. Vorthys' engineering background appeared at first blush to be the most vital asset, but when extra parts, including body, were discovered and retrieved, Miles' unique talents became a necessity. Mystery, sabotage, embezzlement, get-rich-quick schemes, murder, kidnapping and revolution round out the hurdles to Miles' blossoming love life.
Bujold keeps delivering and I keep reading. Highly recommended to space opera junkies everywhere.
Show Less
LibraryThing member JeremyPreacher
Both halves of this novel - the conspiracy investigation and the woman in an abusive relationship - were convincing, although that made the latter half rather hard to read. I can't remember the last time I came across a book with an abusive husband that wasn't a cartoon ogre with heavy fists - the
Show More
emotional abuse here was brilliantly, if painfully, portrayed. Show Less
LibraryThing member 2wonderY
Second time reading, I was able to savor Ekaterin's character more thoroughly. Thank you Lois for another hugely entertaining and thoughtful book.
LibraryThing member leslie.98
What a marvelously fun and exciting entry in the Vorkosigan series! I couldn't stop listening to Grover Gardner's excellent narration but did read along a fair amount. So glad to see Miles happily launched on his new career after losing the Dendarii mercenary fleet in the previous book. And a new
Show More
love interest too! I hope that this one works out for him. Show Less
LibraryThing member jimmaclachlan
It's amazing that such a long running series can keep such momentum, even get better. I'd rate this book about the same as the last, except we're introduced to a new character that I have great hopes for. It's a twisty mystery with a lot to say, as usual. We get to see Miles played off against
Show More
other characters - especially one - that makes for a great story & really brings home a lot of the lessons he's learned. Good ones, too. Show Less
LibraryThing member AltheaAnn
Following directly upon the events of 'Memory,' 'Komarr' still functions as a stand-alone novel.
And... I liked it even better than 'Memory.' The plot felt more original, and it just has a really well-structured, exciting story, backed up by well-rounded, believable characters and a vivid,
Miles Vorkosigan is sent, in his role as Imperial Auditor to the still-somewhat-rebellious subject planet of Komarr to investigate a space accident (or, possibly, act of sabotage) that may seriously impact Komarr's terraforming project.
He accepts the hospitality of his colleague's niece, whose husband happens to be an administrator in that terraforming project. Unfortunately, the husband's also a shiftless jerk, and his and Ekaterin's marriage is on the verge of falling apart.
As layers of plots and motivations unravel, you'll find yourself staying up late to finish... well, at least I did!
And... I liked it even better than 'Memory.' The plot felt more original, and it just has a really well-structured, exciting story, backed up by well-rounded, believable characters and a vivid,
Show More
consistent setting.Miles Vorkosigan is sent, in his role as Imperial Auditor to the still-somewhat-rebellious subject planet of Komarr to investigate a space accident (or, possibly, act of sabotage) that may seriously impact Komarr's terraforming project.
He accepts the hospitality of his colleague's niece, whose husband happens to be an administrator in that terraforming project. Unfortunately, the husband's also a shiftless jerk, and his and Ekaterin's marriage is on the verge of falling apart.
As layers of plots and motivations unravel, you'll find yourself staying up late to finish... well, at least I did!
Show Less
LibraryThing member T_K_Elliott
To really appreciate this book, you need to have read some of the preceding books in the series. However, you can still enjoy it on its own.
In this book, we meet Ekaterin Vorsoisson, unhappy wife of Etienne Vorsoisson, a Barrayaran administrator on conquered Komarr. It's her apartment where
Interestingly, in this book, Ekaterin is the main point-of-view character. In most of the other Vorkosigan Saga books, this is Miles, so this represents a change. But the change works extremely well. Not only do we get to see Miles as strangers see him, but we get the point of view of someone who does not routinely move in the same rarefied social, political and military circles as Miles. Ekaterin grew up in a provincial town; she has followed the socially-acceptable life path for a young Vor girl (wife and mother) but it has not brought her happiness. Now we get to see not only how the 'other half' lives, but also how Ekaterin reacts to Miles' famous forward momentum and you-can-do-anything-and-the-universe-had-better-get-out-the-way attitide.
As usual with Bujold's books, all of her characters are living beings. She manages to write people so that even the ones you never meet - who are only referred to in one line spoken by a walk-on character - seem to conjure up a whole image and personality. Bujold delights in the ridiculous, but she can be serious too, often by stealth. We meet Ekaterin's husband, a lonely, frightened man whose loneliness and fear are all his own fault, or the fault of his clinging to increasingly outmoded social mores. We get to see the effect of this self-destructiveness not only on Etienne himself, but also on his wife and son. We meet Komarrans, too. The inhabitants of a conquered planet, we meet the ones who have accepted the conquest and the ones who have not, and their different ways of dealing with the fact that their once-independent planet is now part of the empire ruled by the people they once dropped in the mire by allowing an invasion fleet through their wormhole. Along the way, Bujold manages to give us a whistle-stop tour of several important issues, but we also get hilarious scenes such as Miles' and Ekaterin's disastrous shopping trip.
This is one of my favourite books in the Vorkosigan Saga, and I've read it many times. There's enough social commentary in there to satisfy the intellect, but enough sheer fun that you always feel better after you've read it.
In this book, we meet Ekaterin Vorsoisson, unhappy wife of Etienne Vorsoisson, a Barrayaran administrator on conquered Komarr. It's her apartment where
Show More
Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan comes to stay (with her uncle, Imperial Auditor Professor Vorthys) when investigating the origins of a planetary disaster: was it accident, incompetence - or sabotage?Interestingly, in this book, Ekaterin is the main point-of-view character. In most of the other Vorkosigan Saga books, this is Miles, so this represents a change. But the change works extremely well. Not only do we get to see Miles as strangers see him, but we get the point of view of someone who does not routinely move in the same rarefied social, political and military circles as Miles. Ekaterin grew up in a provincial town; she has followed the socially-acceptable life path for a young Vor girl (wife and mother) but it has not brought her happiness. Now we get to see not only how the 'other half' lives, but also how Ekaterin reacts to Miles' famous forward momentum and you-can-do-anything-and-the-universe-had-better-get-out-the-way attitide.
As usual with Bujold's books, all of her characters are living beings. She manages to write people so that even the ones you never meet - who are only referred to in one line spoken by a walk-on character - seem to conjure up a whole image and personality. Bujold delights in the ridiculous, but she can be serious too, often by stealth. We meet Ekaterin's husband, a lonely, frightened man whose loneliness and fear are all his own fault, or the fault of his clinging to increasingly outmoded social mores. We get to see the effect of this self-destructiveness not only on Etienne himself, but also on his wife and son. We meet Komarrans, too. The inhabitants of a conquered planet, we meet the ones who have accepted the conquest and the ones who have not, and their different ways of dealing with the fact that their once-independent planet is now part of the empire ruled by the people they once dropped in the mire by allowing an invasion fleet through their wormhole. Along the way, Bujold manages to give us a whistle-stop tour of several important issues, but we also get hilarious scenes such as Miles' and Ekaterin's disastrous shopping trip.
This is one of my favourite books in the Vorkosigan Saga, and I've read it many times. There's enough social commentary in there to satisfy the intellect, but enough sheer fun that you always feel better after you've read it.
Show Less
LibraryThing member LisCarey
Miles in his first job as a permanent Imperial Auditor. Miles on the planet where, more than anywhere else, they think of his dad as the Butcher. Miles meeting a woman who is neither an impossible choice for the next Countess Vorkosigan, nor an impossible person to imagine him spending five minutes
Show More
talking to without going mad. Miles exercising restraint (I'll bet you didn't think he knew what that was.) Great fun. Show Less
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Komarr by Lois McMaster Bujold is the twelfth book in chronological order in the science fiction series entitled The Vorkosigan Saga. While the story takes Miles in a new direction with his position of Imperial Auditor, the action and excitement levels remain high as Miles must unravel the mystery
I have been waiting for Miles to find “the one” and I believe that he finally has. Ekaterin grew on me as the book progressed. At first she seemed timid and unsure of herself, but as the story progressed she came out of her shell, found her voice and now stands as the perfect candidate to be the next Lady Vorkosigan.
The Vorkosigan Saga books have all been great reads, the author writes in an enjoyable, easily accessible manner and her main characters are strong and likeable. Space Opera at it’s best with plenty of adventure, romance, science and fun, Komarr was another great edition to this outstanding series.
Show More
involving terrorists on the planet of Komarr. But for me, this was very much secondary to the main plot which involved the meeting of Miles and Ekaterin. I have been waiting for Miles to find “the one” and I believe that he finally has. Ekaterin grew on me as the book progressed. At first she seemed timid and unsure of herself, but as the story progressed she came out of her shell, found her voice and now stands as the perfect candidate to be the next Lady Vorkosigan.
The Vorkosigan Saga books have all been great reads, the author writes in an enjoyable, easily accessible manner and her main characters are strong and likeable. Space Opera at it’s best with plenty of adventure, romance, science and fun, Komarr was another great edition to this outstanding series.
Show Less
LibraryThing member ChrisRiesbeck
Or, "Miles and the Married Woman". Which is to say the romance is very much the heart of this novel. The chapters alternate between Miles and Ekaterin, the wife in question. There's still the SF adventure aspect and Miles has to use his wits, but there's really only one outcome that matters. The
Recommended.
Show More
portrait of psychological marital abuse is skillfully handled, neither trivialized, nor allowed to dominate the entire novel.Recommended.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Phrim
In Komarr, Miles, in his new role as Auditor, delves into another whodunit-style mystery as he tries to discover who destroyed the soletta above the conquered eponymous planet. Roughly half of the chapters are told from the perspective of a new character, Ekaterina, whose family is indirectly
Show More
connected to the conspiracy, but also becomes a love interest of Miles. The author does a good job of keeping the readers on their toes as Miles sorts through the political situation, and we're never really sure the who's and (especially) why's of the soletta incident until the very end. All in all, this is another strong entry in the series, and I'm appreciating the shift from space opera to mystery. Show Less
LibraryThing member Eurekas
I love the entire Vorkosigan series.
Awards
Italia Award (Winner — 2003)
Minnesota Book Awards (Finalist — 1999)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1998-06
ISBN
0671878778 / 9780671878771