Mostly About The Vorkosigans

And anything else in the vorkosigan saga also other lois mcmaster bujold books.

[absolutely-not-a-cryptid]

My favourite catchphrase from any fictional character ever is from Gregor Vorbarra (and his badass foster mum): "Let's see what happens."

which is a pretty mundane sentence. but it's a lot less mundane when it's coming from the emperor of three planets who once drunkenly "fell" out a window and ran away to accidentally work in construction, and is one of two people who can consistently outscheme Miles Vorkosigan. He has the kind of pent up rage that can only be amassed by a lifetime of sitting through meetings with the dullest people alive. He is a quiet, mild mannered man who itches to watch the world burn.

"Let's see what happens" is a signal that Emperor Gregor has switched into chaos gremlin mode. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

[lifefilledwithstories]

[trans-girl-nausicaa]

new bit, it’s called “the wrong twin died.” any time you’re talking about an alive person who you dont like, say something like “yeah he sucks. the wrong twin died.” make up a fake story about how the person used to have a twin but the twin died tragically and they were probably nicer than the one who survived.

[thedupshadove]

Fetus!Miles after the Soltoxin attack:

[song-of-the-spheres]

Aral Vorkosigan, talking to himself in the mirror at some point during Shards of Honor, probably: "all right you've gotten to first base (fighting alien monsters together) and second base (telling her about your disastrous first marriage). next is third base (proposing to her) and then fourth base (asking her to mercy kill you if necessary). then maybe you can think about kissing her."

Aral Vorkosigan at the end of Shards of Honor, probably: "holy shit it worked?! oh thank God."

[vicarofhobbiton]

I was not ready for Shards of Honor

So I recently devoured Lois McMaster Bujold's world of the five gods fantasy stuff and decided to start in on the Vorkosigan Saga. I was absolutely NOT READY for the hot mess (affectionate) that is Shards of Honor.

First bit is a beautifully crafted space adventure novella with compelling characters and everything you want it to have.

Ohhh but we're not done yet! Now it's time for a high drama pulp sci-fi thing featuring WAR and PLOTS and BONDAGE and MURDER and COMPLICATED POISONS and SINISTER FACES GLIMPSED IN THE MIRROR.

And then we're back planetside, but it's a dystopian psychological trap thing somewhere on the timeline between 1984 and late-series Hunger Games. Lordt!

But we get out of that and run to... political intrigue and love and a gentle atmospheric spiritual ominous hopeful thing???

And the epilogue is its own short story that is both lovely and fucked up! What??

Lois McMaster Bujold, I love you so much but what is even happening here? I mean it's great but what are we doing?

[thedupshadove]

And at this particular Emperor's Birthday, will the Vors of Barrayar be dining on pizza, mac and cheese, dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets, and an ice cream cake?

[winter-wise]

One of the most 'teenage boy' things Ivan does in Warrior's Apprentice is when he starts saying something offensive about Miles' disability, realises what he's saying, and pivots to say something offensive about psychological disability instead.

[gaysalads]

*guy reading a critically acclaimed award winning series voice* does anybody know these books are literally good

[necromycologist]

two chapters in and miles is already getting himself hurt doing something incredibly stupid and barrayaran illegal, making beautiful women mad at him, and failing to "particularly relate" to the concept of enough. oh baby we are so back

[absolutely-not-a-cryptid]

My favourite catchphrase from any fictional character ever is from Gregor Vorbarra (and his badass foster mum): "Let's see what happens."

which is a pretty mundane sentence. but it's a lot less mundane when it's coming from the emperor of three planets who once drunkenly "fell" out a window and ran away to accidentally work in construction, and is one of two people who can consistently outscheme Miles Vorkosigan. He has the kind of pent up rage that can only be amassed by a lifetime of sitting through meetings with the dullest people alive. He is a quiet, mild mannered man who itches to watch the world burn.

"Let's see what happens" is a signal that Emperor Gregor has switched into chaos gremlin mode. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

[necromycologist]

sorry duv but also. "sugar-plum-fairy-soldier-buffoons" is going right up there with "miles thinks he's a knight-errant"

[necromycologist]

okay can i be honest the religion thing in the vorkosigan books is kind of pissing me orf rn. why do miles and aral both say "my god" randomly like one time each when we get like explicit confirmation of aral being an atheist and no other dialogue about miles's personal beliefs but the assumption that like most barrayarans he's not religious? what on earth kind of weird space christianity exists on beta that. Beta. and how common is it?? HOW THE FUCK DID TIME OF ISOLATION BARRAYAR MAINTAIN A FEUDAL SYSTEM WITHOUT THE PRESSURE VALVE OF THE CHURCH AND FOR THAT MATTER HOW DID THEY RECORD HISTORY.

[trambrosia]

Memory, Lois McMaster Bujold

Gideon the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir

[necromycologist]

miles vorkosigan is unintentionally possibly barrayar's worst matchmaker. 100% success rate at getting the girl... engaged to someone else. guaranteed to piss you off.

[the-prince-of-the-ravens]

okay i’m 9 days into my vorkosigan saga journey so here’s my ranking of what i’ve read so far

1. barrayar

2. shards of honor

3. the mountains of mourning

4. cetaganda

5. the vor game

6. the borders of infinity

7. the warrior’s apprentice

8. ethan of athos

9. labyrinth

i’m currently about 1/3 of the way through brothers in arms, and let me tell you it might be getting a spot in the top 3 of this list if it keeps being this good throughout. i’m absolutely in love with this series so far, and even the stuff i put lowest on this list i’ve really enjoyed and been thinking about nonstop

[talkative-bookshelf]

"the gallbladder of the imperium"

[winter-wise]

The wild thing about Miles not knowing that Aral is bi is that it gets referenced. In front of Miles. In multiple books. And he just... never connects the dots. Miles even references the possibility of Aral being gay himself in The Vor Game and still doesn't get it. In Mountains of Mourning he hears the rumour of "you're disabled because your dad had sex with too many men" and instead of thinking "maybe my dad had sex with men" his thought in response is "huh. weird rumour. Anyway."

[maykendehoutman]

Miles the oblivious! TBF, few people really want to contemplate their parents' sex lives. And he truly is just a bit too Barrayaran.