Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

Maybe next time I skip the omnibus version

Miles Errant by Lois McMaster Bujold

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There should be a content warning for the Mirror Dance section of Miles Errant; there were some mildly graphic descriptions of highly unpleasant things, mostly torture. I’m also learning that maybe the omnibus editions aren’t the best idea, at least for me. “The Borders of Infinity” doesn’t really fit narrative-wise with the other two novel/las (Brothers in Arms and Mirror Dance) even if they are apparently chronologically in order. Overall, for all three stories, there are some things of interest, but almost as many problems […]

Fellow CBR reviewer for the win

Komarr by Lois Bujold

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I typically get bored or annoyed before completing most long sci-fi or fantasy sagas; Terry Pratchett’s Discworld is the lone exception so far. Lois Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga has the potential to join that tiny club, although to be fair, I’ve only read one, Komarr. I’m pretty sure I saw someone’s rave review on here, but I’m sorry I don’t remember whose it was. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of this series before then, but I’m glad to have found it. Komarr is both very […]

“We have advanced to new and surprising levels of bafflement”

Komarr by Lois McMaster Bujold

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Is there anything better than introducing a beloved/book/series to a dear friend, and having them enjoy it as much as you do?  A friend finally finished all 900 Wheel of Time books, and asked me about the Vorkosigan saga, which he knows is my favorite. I gave him an enthusiastic nutshell overview, and about three different suggestions for where to dive in. (The internet told him to start chronologically, with Falling Free – bah!) He started with Shards of Honor, and loved Cordelia as much […]

My Entrypoint for Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga

The Mountains of Mourning by Vorkosigan Saga

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So a bit of re-reading was rquired here before I could write this one up. I am a huge fan of Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga. Huge. And I am not the only one here. So as someone who is a big fan, I’m usually pretty eager to reccomend the series to other people. And this is where I sort of run into a problem. Because the Vorkosigan Saga sort of has the same issue as the Discworld series. This is a long running series […]

New Vorkosigan Novella

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I don’t think Lois McMaster Bujold has released a full-length novel since 2016’s Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen, which I sort of read as a capstone to the Vorkosigan series. Since then, she seems to have been spending her time experimenting with self-publishing novellas. While I’ve found those to be mostly very good, they’ve all been set in the World of the Five Gods. So I’m really pleasantly surprised to see that she’s decided to duck back into the Vorkosigan universe after all! The […]

Unpretentious, brilliant, engaging sci-fi.

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Two books into the Vorkosigan Saga, and I’m increasingly flabbergasted that it took me so long to read not only this series, but Bujold in general. These books are so competently written, and I want that understatement to be interpreted as laconic reverence, and not as an underhanded jab. The writing is uncomplicated and efficient, and is a real testament to the power of honestly good storytelling. A lot of sins can be forgiven by covering them in flowery, lyrical, and highly figurative prose. Bujold’s […]



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