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silverflight8I think I'll do this chronologically!
Young Miles! It’s such a romp. Though the beginning hits you like a ton of bricks, because you can see Miles’s problem/weakness, the moment when he decides to make the mistake, the mistake absolutely destroying his chances, and then the whole rest of the book is mopping up. And making good, because Miles is extraordinary like that, but I don’t care much for re-reading the first bit, honestly. I think his impulsive decision to jump off the wall is completely understandable especially in context. We then get some Piotr, who is proud of his grandson now. Poor Miles, no wonder he thinks he killed his grandfather.
My goodness, the entirety of Miles’s career with the Dendarii Mercenaries happens because he’s abroad, feeling kind of depressed that he can’t undertake the career he’s wanted his whole life, and runs into someone trying to impound Mayhew’s ship and send him for therapy. Just one impulsive act there, with Bothari stuck in security/customs so he can’t clamp the brakes on seventeen-year-old Miles, and he’s off! Prudently taking on the obstacle course, going through the Imperial Service Academy, and graduating without the Dendarii would have resulted in a very different outcome, even if Miles was still insubordinate. Baz on the other hand falls into Miles’s orbit because the recycling plant manager hopes a Barrayaran can do something about this other crazy Barrayaran who keeps breaking in, and won’t stop burning wood, super valuable on Beta. Bothari noses out the desertion immediately.
I knew the context of Elena’s birth and the whole time the side plot was ramping up, I kept hoping they wouldn’t uncover the details. But Miles is very persistent, and his decision to spring Elena Visconti on Elena and Bothari is another of those approaching disasters one can see coming but can’t stop. What a disaster. Miles knows quite well what kind of person Bothari is, having been guarded by him from birth, plus having watched Bothari just recently kill that jump pilot by tearing out the neural implant, but Bothari unquestionably is one of the most important people in Miles’s life. Miles doesn’t know what Bothari’s done for Aral and Cordelia (does he even know the rescue of Miles in his replicator?), but he must regard his obligation to Bothari as practically endless in his own right, having saved Miles’s life multiple times, publicly and secretly. I actually gasped when he died. It happens so suddenly, so violently, and so permanently. And Bothari, I suppose, finally got his death in battle, at the hands of the top 1 or 2 people he’d want it by. It’s a good death for him, as awful as it is. This feels like a Barrayaran opinion, but it was something he wanted, and it was fast. I also like, well, “like”, Miles’s plunge into deep depression right after. It’s the other side of the mania that’s been keeping him going since buying the RG freighter and launching him on this adventure, and it nearly tanks his whole venture. He’s lucky Elena is there and is trusted enough to make her effective at dragging him out of it.
It’s not super dwelled on, because the novel’s from Miles’s point of view, but the whole of the novel Elena is having a huge expansion of her world’s boundaries. Miles has lots of good qualities, and one is his vision of other people’s abilities, and being willing to bet on them; encouraged by this trust, they flourish. Yes, he’s desperate for personnel and everyone who he can trust he’s pressing into work as fast as soon as he can talk them into it, but also he’s dispassionately honest acknowledging that Elena is way better at fighting than he is. She’s got the training and the power for it. Also slightly bloodthirsty at the outset. When he finally succumbs to the stomach ulcer he puts the boarding mission in her hands. This belief in women who can be soldiers seems practically impossible for older Barrayaran men, like Destang in Brothers in Arms, or Metzov. Maybe a combination of having Cordelia as a mother plus a generous amount of education on Beta – Ivan later observes that Miles is “about as personally liberal as it was possible for a Barrayaran Vor male to be” though he tacks on a “but” after that.
A bunch of secondary characters that I love get introduced in this novel. Bel, who of all the people onboard has kept its quarters the most regulation, and who is meeting the threat of Miles’s boarding party correctly with weapon out; not Bel’s fault that it’s two against one and Mayhew shoots first. Tung! His fannish enthusiasm for Aral Vorkosigan is adorable. Also, Tung’s assessment of Miles (junior officer, sinking fast) is bang on. Elli Quinn even more briefly, but clearly an excellent operative who takes out Calhoun even while blind.
For me some of the juiciest parts are the end, when Ivan shows up, and Miles realizes what’s going on at home. Ivan’s just happy he’s found Miles, hoping he won’t be in trouble for missing his ship. The moment when Ivan jokes about Vorloupulous’s law and the two of them are hit simultaneously with the realization is so good. As is Miles’s deductions of what must have happened. Ivan’s contented with following orders, and in his defense, he thinks the whole rumour of a mercenary fleet is just made-up. Miles has another third of the information, and with those tatters, plus the fact that Dimir is still missing even though he left ahead of Ivan in a fast courier, he realizes what’s going on at home.
Also I’ve just realized Dimir is probably a Barrayar-shortening of Vladimir in the same way Padma was shortened from Padmakar and Xav from Xavier (Ivan explaining to Tej).
I love the ending scene at Vorhartung Castle. The first time I read it I was irresistibly reminded of the climax of Clouds of Witness, and having read not just A Civil Campaign but also the dedication of that book, it must be deliberate. Just the picture of grubby travel-worn Lord Peter trotting into the Lords all assembled in their scarlet robes and ermine, practically at the conclusion of the entire murder trial – Miles comes even farther away than across the Atlantic during interwar London, but fortunately he doesn’t have to brave any hazardous flying weather. Count Vorkosigan does not look small and pink without his robes; his expression is sour and tigerish, and Miles thinks of his father’s Butcher reputation. Thank goodness, since Aral is much cleverer and experienced politically than George Wimsey. (Everyone is, let’s be real). Nevertheless the entire sequence is delightful. Miles’s skill at choosing the right words and looking for his enemies’ weaknesses are the perfect tools here, where his surprise appearance and Ivan help give them power. With his father’s silent encouragement, he goes for blood immediately, while they’re still reeling from the sudden change. And Ivan knocks down Vordrozda pointing the needler at Miles! Aw, the first of many times Ivan saves Miles’s bacon.
All the emotional relationships that make the books so good are laid out and tested here. We see Gregor for the first time at the end, though his name gets dropped often right from the beginning of the novel, and he’s an uncertain twenty-one-year-old now, just broken away from his mentor and stumbling into his first power-hungry manipulator. Well, Miles scarcely gives Gregor a chance to talk to him. With the exception of Piotr’s funeral (most of it is off page), Miles pretty much goes off-world immediately. But the little audience with Vorhalas, Vorvolk, Miles, his father, and Gregor where Miles finally explains what happens is the emotional core of the novel. The interaction between Aral and Vorhalas is dynamite, and I wonder how much of it Bujold had in mind when she was writing this – she wrote Barrayar after this was already published. And Miles gets his validation from his father. Not that Aral didn’t believe in Miles before, I think it’s pretty clear in the beginning that Aral thought Miles had a reasonable chance to get into the Academy. I don’t think Miles quite believed his father did, though. And Miles sees with shock that his father’s gotten more grey, did he always look so old? The scene also establishing the Dendarii for future entanglements and secret Barrayar galactic influence.
I don’t usually like short stories much, but Mountains of Mourning is a big exception. I prefer novel format anyway, and in contrast to the luxurious length of novels they tend to feel extra truncated. Novels just get to explore everything in much deeper detail, which is what you need to get into . But having said all that, Mountains of Mourning really is important. Emotionally it’s such an important establishing piece for Miles’s core.
Miles has his confrontation with his grandfather’s grave, including his Academy transcript (with merits and demerits both, totally honest). He’s daydreamed this scene out with every kind of emotional stage-setting, and settles for a most honest and private one, including a frankly understandable yelling at the grave at the top of his lungs, “Are you satisfied?!” We see Pym for the first time! The new Vorkosigan man, who is a newly discharged twenty-year-man, so at least in his forties.
“The messenger and the message all in one; Times have changed.” I like the combination of spaceships and horses, so unsurprisingly I enjoy the slow-but-not-excruciatingly-slow trip up to Silvy Vale. Hey, at least they had horses and didn’t have to hike. Miles gets to go with his favourite horse, clever and loyal Fat Ninny! Harra’s estimate to walk with a baby to Hassadar for medical help for Reina – days – just reinforces the tragedy when you know that a lightflyer could do it in a couple hours (and wouldn’t be difficult on someone who had just had a child). But that’s all secondary. Cleft palate and harelip aren’t fatal, prejudice against mutations is.
We see fast-penta in action, and its limitations. Despite hostile reception – unsurprising – Miles is careful to not step on landmines that he doesn’t have to. He holds back from forcing the confession from Lem’s mouth. The challenge for Miles is not finding out the truth, it’s deciding how to administer justice. It’s a system that is flexible to tailor punishments to crimes, but it certainly is hard on those who need to make the decisions, if they’re scrupulously ethical, and hard on the people being judged, if they’re not. Like Cordelia says – Barrayarans! But it’s the system they’ve got. What I like most I suppose is the emotional realism of the people of Silvy Vale. The people who live there know that the world is changing, some of them are afraid, some of them are resigned, some of them know the change is coming no matter what. The mutters from the poorest who have to abide by the Count’s rulings: the mutie lord is up here to look for someone to blame, he’ll have it one way or another, he’s not here to find the true culprit. Harra who is afraid, but spurred to take the only legal avenue left to her by the fact her daughter’s murdered. And most of all, Harra’s mother, who has that peculiar mental twist of, “I had to undergo awful tragedy, I raised you, how could you have it better? I did it for you!” when times have changed. I wouldn’t want to read a whole book of this, or from her perspective, but I completely recognize the human impulse. It’s what’s behind “kids are so soft these days”, and gets mixed poisonously in, despite the contradiction, with parents who want a better life for their children. And she is herself not quite as hardline as her own mother, as the headman observes. Times are changing.
Kyril Island is certainly a horrible post. I love that Miles gets Ahn to explain his weather predicting system and realizes that Ahn is literally not making up his ability to simply smell the weather after so long. Plus his calculation that the computer system is on average 12% worse at prediction in the medium term – people on base are going to notice! Cecil certainly set him up for a difficult position. But Cecil’s also right, that any officer he places may well be responsible for lives, and over- and under-matching any of them could be disastrous.
Here is the beginning of Miles’s military drain expertise! Poor Miles, not only is it a gross dirty job, but his small stature makes people more likely to assign it to him whether they’re looking to punish him or not. The little murder mystery has the most anti-climactic solution, but I don’t mean this in a negative way. There’s no criminal act at all, much less a dramatic one. It’s just a dumb tragedy because it was a mistake, and over such a small thing – hiding a care package of pastries somewhere others couldn’t get to them. Argh! Kyril Island is a pretty unforgiving place, what would be a minor scrape in Vorbarr Sultana can be fatal here.
We also get to see the first of the many times Miles ends up on Simon Illyan’s carpet. I’ll get more into my feelings about their relationship later, but I love the line: “Miles had called Illyan ‘Uncle Simon’ all his life until he'd entered the Service, ‘Sir’ after that.” Aww. Also there’s a quick note that the only person Illyan fears is Cordelia, and Miles had asked his father about it, who answered it was a result of “vivid first impressions”. I suppose Miles still doesn’t know Bothari killed Vorrutyer, and that Illyan met Cordelia for the first time in that bloody murder scene in Vorrutyer’s quarters. I think maybe he never does find out; in The Warrior’s Apprentice he says his mother swears up and down she did not kill Vorrutyer, but won’t say who did. At this point in the books, only Aral, Cordelia, and Simon know who did. Of the Serg-conspiracy, only Aral, Cordelia, and (if still alive) the surgeon know.
Miles does try to play by the rules, but his Vor rank does differentiate him, as well as his physical differences. His punishment differs because the political ramifications for his father. It makes me think of Gregor trying to serve a military turn in space, except everyone is vividly aware of his status and treating him with kid gloves. Gregor just ends up feeling like he’s playacting and making their lives harder. Frankly, it just makes me think of what Prince Harry’s tours probably were like. For Miles it’s slightly different, since he’s not quite as personally famous, but on the other side his physical appearance must make strangers suspect nepotism immediately. Walton talks about how the bonds of fealty bind him in the fetaine mutiny. He is Vor and that creates an obligation to stand with Lt Bonn and the rest of the men protesting.
I also really like the characterization note of Aral saying to Miles, it was “a” right thing to do – that Miles might have thought of a cleverer solution later, but that he tries not to second guess his officers in the field. We get lots of outside perspectives and reputation description of Aral, but gosh, that is an excellent demonstration of why someone would want to serve under his leadership.
There is lots of Gregor in this novel, and I love the relationship between him and Miles. Partly he’s older, but his upbringing and personality is much more reserved and thoughtful. Very calm. Upon being arrested for vagrancy because he’s got no money (on him), he just says, “‘Jacksonian law is insane,’ he added reflectively”. He doesn’t cut in until necessary – or maybe he just can’t get a word in edgewise, ha. I love Miles’s observation that Gregor seems to enjoy the Jacksonian menial slave-labour work that Gregor is being forced to do, as well as his sardonic thought that maybe they ought to send Gregor to the salt mines for a week every year to keep up his morale. Gregor’s three years past his majority, and is chafing under the obligations of his role, not helped by his secret fears of inheriting insanity. He has hesitancy about stepping into power which Miles really hasn’t had. I’m glad he gets to see Elena, if briefly.
Elena’s line about “hard on his superiors” with Ungari, Metzov, and Oser all locked up in a row, is gold. At least he’s never locked up Gregor. Actually, on reflection, he’s caused Illyan to be locked up too, but that was before Miles entered his chain of command, so that’s okay. (Sorry Illyan). Cavilo is a good opponent for him, just as twisty, and focused on winning the mind games first. Elena and Gregor both gang up on him and tell Miles he’s kind of like her, whoops.
I think my favourite battle scene is the big space fight at Vervain. I’m not even sure why, I guess the maneuvering, the space scale of it all? Miles’s correct deduction regarding Barrayaran and the Hub planets’ response so they arrive in time, maybe. Whatever it is, I like it. And right after, Miles reunites with his father! Another good reunion scene, aww. Tung gets the opportunity to meet his hero!
Miles spends a lot of time in jail, especially in this novel. He’s in ImpSec for months being “disappeared” by Illyan, he’s arrested by Jacksonian security, there’s that stint on the ship with Gregor that probably counts, Oser holds him briefly before attempting to space him, he gets delivered into Cavilo’s hands and held in a cell with doggie chews. That’s a lot of detention. Fortunately back on Barrayar he gets to have lunch with Gregor in a beautiful garden, eating pastries.
Young Miles! It’s such a romp. Though the beginning hits you like a ton of bricks, because you can see Miles’s problem/weakness, the moment when he decides to make the mistake, the mistake absolutely destroying his chances, and then the whole rest of the book is mopping up. And making good, because Miles is extraordinary like that, but I don’t care much for re-reading the first bit, honestly. I think his impulsive decision to jump off the wall is completely understandable especially in context. We then get some Piotr, who is proud of his grandson now. Poor Miles, no wonder he thinks he killed his grandfather.
My goodness, the entirety of Miles’s career with the Dendarii Mercenaries happens because he’s abroad, feeling kind of depressed that he can’t undertake the career he’s wanted his whole life, and runs into someone trying to impound Mayhew’s ship and send him for therapy. Just one impulsive act there, with Bothari stuck in security/customs so he can’t clamp the brakes on seventeen-year-old Miles, and he’s off! Prudently taking on the obstacle course, going through the Imperial Service Academy, and graduating without the Dendarii would have resulted in a very different outcome, even if Miles was still insubordinate. Baz on the other hand falls into Miles’s orbit because the recycling plant manager hopes a Barrayaran can do something about this other crazy Barrayaran who keeps breaking in, and won’t stop burning wood, super valuable on Beta. Bothari noses out the desertion immediately.
"That doesn't sound so bad." Hathaway shrugged. "He's been quartered in my recycling center for two months. It could hardly be worse. What's the problem?"
"Quartering," said Miles. "Uh—not domiciled. Cut in four pieces."
Hathaway stared, shocked. "But that would kill him!" He looked around, and wilted under the triple, unified, and exasperated glares of the three Barrayarans.
"Betans," said Baz disgustedly. "I can't stand Betans."
I knew the context of Elena’s birth and the whole time the side plot was ramping up, I kept hoping they wouldn’t uncover the details. But Miles is very persistent, and his decision to spring Elena Visconti on Elena and Bothari is another of those approaching disasters one can see coming but can’t stop. What a disaster. Miles knows quite well what kind of person Bothari is, having been guarded by him from birth, plus having watched Bothari just recently kill that jump pilot by tearing out the neural implant, but Bothari unquestionably is one of the most important people in Miles’s life. Miles doesn’t know what Bothari’s done for Aral and Cordelia (does he even know the rescue of Miles in his replicator?), but he must regard his obligation to Bothari as practically endless in his own right, having saved Miles’s life multiple times, publicly and secretly. I actually gasped when he died. It happens so suddenly, so violently, and so permanently. And Bothari, I suppose, finally got his death in battle, at the hands of the top 1 or 2 people he’d want it by. It’s a good death for him, as awful as it is. This feels like a Barrayaran opinion, but it was something he wanted, and it was fast. I also like, well, “like”, Miles’s plunge into deep depression right after. It’s the other side of the mania that’s been keeping him going since buying the RG freighter and launching him on this adventure, and it nearly tanks his whole venture. He’s lucky Elena is there and is trusted enough to make her effective at dragging him out of it.
It’s not super dwelled on, because the novel’s from Miles’s point of view, but the whole of the novel Elena is having a huge expansion of her world’s boundaries. Miles has lots of good qualities, and one is his vision of other people’s abilities, and being willing to bet on them; encouraged by this trust, they flourish. Yes, he’s desperate for personnel and everyone who he can trust he’s pressing into work as fast as soon as he can talk them into it, but also he’s dispassionately honest acknowledging that Elena is way better at fighting than he is. She’s got the training and the power for it. Also slightly bloodthirsty at the outset. When he finally succumbs to the stomach ulcer he puts the boarding mission in her hands. This belief in women who can be soldiers seems practically impossible for older Barrayaran men, like Destang in Brothers in Arms, or Metzov. Maybe a combination of having Cordelia as a mother plus a generous amount of education on Beta – Ivan later observes that Miles is “about as personally liberal as it was possible for a Barrayaran Vor male to be” though he tacks on a “but” after that.
A bunch of secondary characters that I love get introduced in this novel. Bel, who of all the people onboard has kept its quarters the most regulation, and who is meeting the threat of Miles’s boarding party correctly with weapon out; not Bel’s fault that it’s two against one and Mayhew shoots first. Tung! His fannish enthusiasm for Aral Vorkosigan is adorable. Also, Tung’s assessment of Miles (junior officer, sinking fast) is bang on. Elli Quinn even more briefly, but clearly an excellent operative who takes out Calhoun even while blind.
For me some of the juiciest parts are the end, when Ivan shows up, and Miles realizes what’s going on at home. Ivan’s just happy he’s found Miles, hoping he won’t be in trouble for missing his ship. The moment when Ivan jokes about Vorloupulous’s law and the two of them are hit simultaneously with the realization is so good. As is Miles’s deductions of what must have happened. Ivan’s contented with following orders, and in his defense, he thinks the whole rumour of a mercenary fleet is just made-up. Miles has another third of the information, and with those tatters, plus the fact that Dimir is still missing even though he left ahead of Ivan in a fast courier, he realizes what’s going on at home.
Also I’ve just realized Dimir is probably a Barrayar-shortening of Vladimir in the same way Padma was shortened from Padmakar and Xav from Xavier (Ivan explaining to Tej).
I love the ending scene at Vorhartung Castle. The first time I read it I was irresistibly reminded of the climax of Clouds of Witness, and having read not just A Civil Campaign but also the dedication of that book, it must be deliberate. Just the picture of grubby travel-worn Lord Peter trotting into the Lords all assembled in their scarlet robes and ermine, practically at the conclusion of the entire murder trial – Miles comes even farther away than across the Atlantic during interwar London, but fortunately he doesn’t have to brave any hazardous flying weather. Count Vorkosigan does not look small and pink without his robes; his expression is sour and tigerish, and Miles thinks of his father’s Butcher reputation. Thank goodness, since Aral is much cleverer and experienced politically than George Wimsey. (Everyone is, let’s be real). Nevertheless the entire sequence is delightful. Miles’s skill at choosing the right words and looking for his enemies’ weaknesses are the perfect tools here, where his surprise appearance and Ivan help give them power. With his father’s silent encouragement, he goes for blood immediately, while they’re still reeling from the sudden change. And Ivan knocks down Vordrozda pointing the needler at Miles! Aw, the first of many times Ivan saves Miles’s bacon.
All the emotional relationships that make the books so good are laid out and tested here. We see Gregor for the first time at the end, though his name gets dropped often right from the beginning of the novel, and he’s an uncertain twenty-one-year-old now, just broken away from his mentor and stumbling into his first power-hungry manipulator. Well, Miles scarcely gives Gregor a chance to talk to him. With the exception of Piotr’s funeral (most of it is off page), Miles pretty much goes off-world immediately. But the little audience with Vorhalas, Vorvolk, Miles, his father, and Gregor where Miles finally explains what happens is the emotional core of the novel. The interaction between Aral and Vorhalas is dynamite, and I wonder how much of it Bujold had in mind when she was writing this – she wrote Barrayar after this was already published. And Miles gets his validation from his father. Not that Aral didn’t believe in Miles before, I think it’s pretty clear in the beginning that Aral thought Miles had a reasonable chance to get into the Academy. I don’t think Miles quite believed his father did, though. And Miles sees with shock that his father’s gotten more grey, did he always look so old? The scene also establishing the Dendarii for future entanglements and secret Barrayar galactic influence.
I don’t usually like short stories much, but Mountains of Mourning is a big exception. I prefer novel format anyway, and in contrast to the luxurious length of novels they tend to feel extra truncated. Novels just get to explore everything in much deeper detail, which is what you need to get into . But having said all that, Mountains of Mourning really is important. Emotionally it’s such an important establishing piece for Miles’s core.
Miles has his confrontation with his grandfather’s grave, including his Academy transcript (with merits and demerits both, totally honest). He’s daydreamed this scene out with every kind of emotional stage-setting, and settles for a most honest and private one, including a frankly understandable yelling at the grave at the top of his lungs, “Are you satisfied?!” We see Pym for the first time! The new Vorkosigan man, who is a newly discharged twenty-year-man, so at least in his forties.
“The messenger and the message all in one; Times have changed.” I like the combination of spaceships and horses, so unsurprisingly I enjoy the slow-but-not-excruciatingly-slow trip up to Silvy Vale. Hey, at least they had horses and didn’t have to hike. Miles gets to go with his favourite horse, clever and loyal Fat Ninny! Harra’s estimate to walk with a baby to Hassadar for medical help for Reina – days – just reinforces the tragedy when you know that a lightflyer could do it in a couple hours (and wouldn’t be difficult on someone who had just had a child). But that’s all secondary. Cleft palate and harelip aren’t fatal, prejudice against mutations is.
We see fast-penta in action, and its limitations. Despite hostile reception – unsurprising – Miles is careful to not step on landmines that he doesn’t have to. He holds back from forcing the confession from Lem’s mouth. The challenge for Miles is not finding out the truth, it’s deciding how to administer justice. It’s a system that is flexible to tailor punishments to crimes, but it certainly is hard on those who need to make the decisions, if they’re scrupulously ethical, and hard on the people being judged, if they’re not. Like Cordelia says – Barrayarans! But it’s the system they’ve got. What I like most I suppose is the emotional realism of the people of Silvy Vale. The people who live there know that the world is changing, some of them are afraid, some of them are resigned, some of them know the change is coming no matter what. The mutters from the poorest who have to abide by the Count’s rulings: the mutie lord is up here to look for someone to blame, he’ll have it one way or another, he’s not here to find the true culprit. Harra who is afraid, but spurred to take the only legal avenue left to her by the fact her daughter’s murdered. And most of all, Harra’s mother, who has that peculiar mental twist of, “I had to undergo awful tragedy, I raised you, how could you have it better? I did it for you!” when times have changed. I wouldn’t want to read a whole book of this, or from her perspective, but I completely recognize the human impulse. It’s what’s behind “kids are so soft these days”, and gets mixed poisonously in, despite the contradiction, with parents who want a better life for their children. And she is herself not quite as hardline as her own mother, as the headman observes. Times are changing.
Kyril Island is certainly a horrible post. I love that Miles gets Ahn to explain his weather predicting system and realizes that Ahn is literally not making up his ability to simply smell the weather after so long. Plus his calculation that the computer system is on average 12% worse at prediction in the medium term – people on base are going to notice! Cecil certainly set him up for a difficult position. But Cecil’s also right, that any officer he places may well be responsible for lives, and over- and under-matching any of them could be disastrous.
Here is the beginning of Miles’s military drain expertise! Poor Miles, not only is it a gross dirty job, but his small stature makes people more likely to assign it to him whether they’re looking to punish him or not. The little murder mystery has the most anti-climactic solution, but I don’t mean this in a negative way. There’s no criminal act at all, much less a dramatic one. It’s just a dumb tragedy because it was a mistake, and over such a small thing – hiding a care package of pastries somewhere others couldn’t get to them. Argh! Kyril Island is a pretty unforgiving place, what would be a minor scrape in Vorbarr Sultana can be fatal here.
We also get to see the first of the many times Miles ends up on Simon Illyan’s carpet. I’ll get more into my feelings about their relationship later, but I love the line: “Miles had called Illyan ‘Uncle Simon’ all his life until he'd entered the Service, ‘Sir’ after that.” Aww. Also there’s a quick note that the only person Illyan fears is Cordelia, and Miles had asked his father about it, who answered it was a result of “vivid first impressions”. I suppose Miles still doesn’t know Bothari killed Vorrutyer, and that Illyan met Cordelia for the first time in that bloody murder scene in Vorrutyer’s quarters. I think maybe he never does find out; in The Warrior’s Apprentice he says his mother swears up and down she did not kill Vorrutyer, but won’t say who did. At this point in the books, only Aral, Cordelia, and Simon know who did. Of the Serg-conspiracy, only Aral, Cordelia, and (if still alive) the surgeon know.
Miles does try to play by the rules, but his Vor rank does differentiate him, as well as his physical differences. His punishment differs because the political ramifications for his father. It makes me think of Gregor trying to serve a military turn in space, except everyone is vividly aware of his status and treating him with kid gloves. Gregor just ends up feeling like he’s playacting and making their lives harder. Frankly, it just makes me think of what Prince Harry’s tours probably were like. For Miles it’s slightly different, since he’s not quite as personally famous, but on the other side his physical appearance must make strangers suspect nepotism immediately. Walton talks about how the bonds of fealty bind him in the fetaine mutiny. He is Vor and that creates an obligation to stand with Lt Bonn and the rest of the men protesting.
I also really like the characterization note of Aral saying to Miles, it was “a” right thing to do – that Miles might have thought of a cleverer solution later, but that he tries not to second guess his officers in the field. We get lots of outside perspectives and reputation description of Aral, but gosh, that is an excellent demonstration of why someone would want to serve under his leadership.
There is lots of Gregor in this novel, and I love the relationship between him and Miles. Partly he’s older, but his upbringing and personality is much more reserved and thoughtful. Very calm. Upon being arrested for vagrancy because he’s got no money (on him), he just says, “‘Jacksonian law is insane,’ he added reflectively”. He doesn’t cut in until necessary – or maybe he just can’t get a word in edgewise, ha. I love Miles’s observation that Gregor seems to enjoy the Jacksonian menial slave-labour work that Gregor is being forced to do, as well as his sardonic thought that maybe they ought to send Gregor to the salt mines for a week every year to keep up his morale. Gregor’s three years past his majority, and is chafing under the obligations of his role, not helped by his secret fears of inheriting insanity. He has hesitancy about stepping into power which Miles really hasn’t had. I’m glad he gets to see Elena, if briefly.
Elena’s line about “hard on his superiors” with Ungari, Metzov, and Oser all locked up in a row, is gold. At least he’s never locked up Gregor. Actually, on reflection, he’s caused Illyan to be locked up too, but that was before Miles entered his chain of command, so that’s okay. (Sorry Illyan). Cavilo is a good opponent for him, just as twisty, and focused on winning the mind games first. Elena and Gregor both gang up on him and tell Miles he’s kind of like her, whoops.
I think my favourite battle scene is the big space fight at Vervain. I’m not even sure why, I guess the maneuvering, the space scale of it all? Miles’s correct deduction regarding Barrayaran and the Hub planets’ response so they arrive in time, maybe. Whatever it is, I like it. And right after, Miles reunites with his father! Another good reunion scene, aww. Tung gets the opportunity to meet his hero!
Miles spends a lot of time in jail, especially in this novel. He’s in ImpSec for months being “disappeared” by Illyan, he’s arrested by Jacksonian security, there’s that stint on the ship with Gregor that probably counts, Oser holds him briefly before attempting to space him, he gets delivered into Cavilo’s hands and held in a cell with doggie chews. That’s a lot of detention. Fortunately back on Barrayar he gets to have lunch with Gregor in a beautiful garden, eating pastries.
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Date: Apr. 13th, 2025 04:46 pm (UTC)I don't ENJOY "Mountains of Mourning", but I do respect it a lot. It's such a departure from Miles's space adventures and even his grand adventures on Barrayar, but it's so important to his character, and to the core worldbuilding, and I wasn't surprised when he was reflecting back on those experiences even in one of the chronologically-latest books -- it felt very believable and fitting.
I really enjoy Admiral Tung the fanboy, and that he gets to meet Aral. Bel is also great!
The Vor Game is a favorite of mine (also I started shipping Miles/Gregor out of it, as a temporary thing before they meet their long-term partners -- Miles really IS a lot like Cavilo XD except with complete loyalty to Gregor of course).
I like that Gregor, who is one of my favorite characters, and a Good Emperor, is allowed to be fallible, and makes some serious mistakes, politically and personally, but is still clearly an intelligent and decent person -- just one who's had a lot of trauma and has very high expectations of himself in a very demanding role that he is really, really young for.
Elena’s line about “hard on his superiors” with Ungari, Metzov, and Oser all locked up in a row, is gold.
Love that line! I feel like there are more examples later, too, or maybe just people who come into contact with Miles, rather than his direct chain of command? He is basically a live hand grenade just sort of popping around XD
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Date: Apr. 13th, 2025 10:15 pm (UTC)I enjoy rereading parts of tMoM though not the whole thing. And yes!! The part in Memory is perfect.
I wonder if Tung looked at Admiral Naismith next to Admiral Vorkosigan and thought huh. And then used the equivalent of Google. XD
Gregor became a sneaky favourite. Monarchy is not an ideal system, but given that that's the system on Barrayar, I think he's a good head of state. He also seems like someone who would be nice to be friends with.
LOL in the Vor Game, Illyan tells Miles he's a loose cannon firing on everyone (when he finds out about Ivan and Miles breaking into the comconsole system).