Vorkosigan saga

[silverflight8]

I'm so incredibly late to reading this and very much should have read it so much sooner, but it's been eating my brain. I read Shards of Honour years ago and enjoyed it, but was stymied by the knowledge that most of the series is about Miles - I generally hate it when book sequels go to the next gen, so I never pursued the further books. I really should have, because it turns out I really like them! I really like space opera/military SF in general, and these are just so good.

I'm in a bunch of book clubs and for one of them we decided to read The Warrior's Apprentice, based on C's recommendation on where we should start. So I read it. And I loved it. A few days later I was getting dinner with another friend in another book club (I have too many book clubs) and was telling K about how much I enjoyed The Warrior's Apprentice & The Vor Game, the next in sequence, and K was like "oh, I love those books!". K is in another book club with C with me, so when we met, we discussed the actual book we had chosen, and then devoted the rest of the time to Vorkosigan. The next meeting is going to be "whatever book I can get to", with K saying she'd like to discuss Memory, but only if I can make it there. Both C and K have read them all, so we tentatively set Memory as a goal, and this book club may temporarily just turn into us discussing Vorkosigan until I suppose I read all of them. As of Feb 15, I am absolutely going to make it to Memory, as I've just finished Mirror Dance. Though I need to force myself to take a break. I finished The Warrior's Apprentice on January 18th, and since then I have read Mountains of Mourning, The Vor Game, Cetaganda, Labyrinth, Borders of Infinity, Shards of Honour (having forgotten all the plot from my first reading, this felt just like a new book), Barrayar, Brothers in Arms, and Mirror Dance. I took a break in the middle in various places to try to read other books, but it was kind of difficult because I just wanted to keep going with Vorkosigan. I have copies of a bunch of omnibus editions, which also makes it so easy to just keep going.

I have so many feelings.

Comments

[azurelunatic]

Mirror Dance is a great place to sit and take a break, yeah.

[silverflight8]

It was very dark. Even though I knew Miles would make it, it was so painful watching everyone who loved him suffer, and also I didn't know if Aral would make it. Plus everything that happens to Mark. AHHH!!!

[sholio]

I drifted away from the series later on somewhat, but it's a longtime favorite and a definite influence on some of my early writing! I have a special fondness for the Brothers in Arms/Mirror Dance duology because MARK. (But really, they're all so excellent.)

[hamsterwoman]

MARK! <333

[silverflight8]

Hah, I don't think I'm quite as fond of Mark yet (also I hate that name sorry - that's probably one of my difficulties) but I think he's gonna grow on me.

So far, even the books I think are not as good (Cetaganda, I think) are still very good so I'm happy. Just need to gird my loins for Memory.

[spiralsheep]

Memory is the best book (but only read as part of the series), although not my favourite, but it's paced slower than most of the series. Enjoy!

[silverflight8]

Yay, I've heard a lot of good things!

[sherrilina]

Good to know! I read the first book in the series about the parents peobably a decade ago, but still haven't gotten around to continuing the series yet, like you until recently. Part of the issue is that these days I almost only have time for audiobooks, and there is no audiobook for them via my library. But I do have a copy of Young Miles sitting on my shelf that I got at a used book sale.

[silverflight8]

Ah, that's too bad. I'd check for reciprocal lending agreements that your library might have - my home system does, so I have access to ebooks/e-audiobooks for about 8 other library systems, basically every one in the state, so it def helps for access.

But I really liked the books in Young Miles. They're not too emotionally painful, but they're well written and fun romps and still get in that good emotional grounding without the ripping your heart out aspect that some books do.

[sherrilina]

Ha I already have access to two library systems! I haven't gotten around to joining more

[silverflight8]

ALL the libraries!!

[hamsterwoman]

Hello, excellent, about time! :D

she'd like to discuss Memory, but only if I can make it there.

I am glad you are on track to hit Memory, because I do think that's an excellent one to discuss in a book club setting (I think it's probably the best of the series, and also quite likely to produce a lot of feelings), but also definitely a book that needs the heft of the rest of the series behind it to work properly.

But also do agree that Mirror Dance is a good place to pause in a headlong rush through the series; that's where my pause naturally fell when I was reading Vorkosiverse for the first time 20+ years ago (although because I was relying on library rather than omnibuses, I skipped over some things at the time).

My personal favorite is A Civil Campaign, so I am also looking forward to you getting to that one.

[silverflight8]

Ha, I'm thinking of re-reading A Civil Contract in preparation. All I really remember is that Jenny seemed to be way too good for him...I like Heyer a lot but I often find that modern romance tends to be much better at giving emotional satisfaction, vs Heyer's enjoyment for me is more on the setting & writing side.

Yes - some of the best payoffs are the ones after many books' build up so you really like the characters and care. (But also, I'm scared, lol).

I'm gonna try to at least put my scattered thoughts on here. Since we're gonna be talking about six books I've started taking notes as well...

[hamsterwoman]

I read and loved A Civil Campaign without having consumed any Heyer at all at that point, and I don't think it detracted any from my enjoyment. Though it is definitely a comedy of manners book. (I have since read one Heyer, I think? Which was decently enjoyable for a cultural experience, but also did not make me want to go out and read more. But I'm generally not a romance reader, either classic or modern.

I'm gonna try to at least put my scattered thoughts on here.

Looking forward to it!!

[silverflight8]

Fair enough! I do love a good comedy of manners book (and indeed romance haha).

[spiralsheep]

A Civil Contract is also my favourite, atypical, Vorkosigan novel and I don't think an intimate knowledge of Heyer improves it tbh.

(Heretically, I actually think that Memory is Bujold's third best novel and the first two Chalion novels are her best, especially if you like angsty romance. Read the remaining Vorkosigan classics first though or you might get sidetracked into Chalion. The newer Vorkosigans revisited stories are a bit more varied in quality imo.)

[silverflight8]

Ha, good to know.

I do like fantasy as well so I will probably dive headfirst into her other stuff afterwards. :)