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Melindam's Reviews > Barrayar
Barrayar (Vorkosigan Saga, #7)
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Barrayar - chronologically Book #2 in the series, the Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold - is Space Opera at its best. Describing it in opera terms: it is bel canto ("florid and intricate, requiring supreme agility and pitch control") combined with powerful and dramatic storytelling and LMB just got what it takes to write a damn fantastic libretto. The first part seems restrained, introducing dramatis personae & laying the ground for further action. LMB is gradually raising the stakes or increasing the volume & intensity, if you like, until a breathtaking climax descends upon us.
The story starts right where Book #1, Shards of Honour finished.
The emperor of Barrayar is dying and has appointed Aral Vorkosigan as regent until his grandson, Gregor, now 5, grows up. Aral's wife, Cordelia - coming from a technologically & socially much more developed planet - finds it hard to fit into to Barrayaran society and struggles to come to figure out its strange and complicated customs. Barrayar is rigidly feudal, dominated by a military caste and its technology borders on "medieval", due to an almost complete isolation from other planets. Most of the leaders, the so-called Vors, resist change and consider Aral's leadership as revolutionary and endangering their very existence. After the emperor's death a period of political and military unrest begins that endangers both Cordelia & Aral (as well as the child-emperor), their friends & allies and has far-reaching consequences none of them foresaw.
I continued to like both Cordelia and Aral: they are wonderfully strong characters in their different ways. The love, respect, trust and support they give each other is amazing.
As for Cordelia: she gets baffled by her new home planet and its people, but won't let herself be manipulated or frightened for a second by political enemies. She is one hell of a brave and capable woman. (view spoiler)
The trademark, dry humour of LMB is there throughout and manages to lighten the mood which gets fairly dark by the end. The storyline of political manoeuvering and military tactics is very well depicted: it stays exciting and engaging until the very last moment and my very favourite scene: a dramatic escape of pursuers in horseback (in a Sci-Fi novel) is just priceless.
Thanks to Evgeny for the recommendation and pointing out the right reading-order. :)
by
Barrayar - chronologically Book #2 in the series, the Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold - is Space Opera at its best. Describing it in opera terms: it is bel canto ("florid and intricate, requiring supreme agility and pitch control") combined with powerful and dramatic storytelling and LMB just got what it takes to write a damn fantastic libretto. The first part seems restrained, introducing dramatis personae & laying the ground for further action. LMB is gradually raising the stakes or increasing the volume & intensity, if you like, until a breathtaking climax descends upon us.
The story starts right where Book #1, Shards of Honour finished.
The emperor of Barrayar is dying and has appointed Aral Vorkosigan as regent until his grandson, Gregor, now 5, grows up. Aral's wife, Cordelia - coming from a technologically & socially much more developed planet - finds it hard to fit into to Barrayaran society and struggles to come to figure out its strange and complicated customs. Barrayar is rigidly feudal, dominated by a military caste and its technology borders on "medieval", due to an almost complete isolation from other planets. Most of the leaders, the so-called Vors, resist change and consider Aral's leadership as revolutionary and endangering their very existence. After the emperor's death a period of political and military unrest begins that endangers both Cordelia & Aral (as well as the child-emperor), their friends & allies and has far-reaching consequences none of them foresaw.
I continued to like both Cordelia and Aral: they are wonderfully strong characters in their different ways. The love, respect, trust and support they give each other is amazing.
As for Cordelia: she gets baffled by her new home planet and its people, but won't let herself be manipulated or frightened for a second by political enemies. She is one hell of a brave and capable woman. (view spoiler)
The trademark, dry humour of LMB is there throughout and manages to lighten the mood which gets fairly dark by the end. The storyline of political manoeuvering and military tactics is very well depicted: it stays exciting and engaging until the very last moment and my very favourite scene: a dramatic escape of pursuers in horseback (in a Sci-Fi novel) is just priceless.
Thanks to Evgeny for the recommendation and pointing out the right reading-order. :)
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Reading Progress
April 3, 2017
– Shelved
April 3, 2017
– Shelved as:
to-read
April 6, 2017
–
Started Reading
April 6, 2017
– Shelved as:
space-opera
April 6, 2017
– Shelved as:
science-fiction
April 12, 2017
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-9 of 9 (9 new)
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Apr 06, 2017 09:31AM
It starts kinda slow, but the second half more than makes up for it.
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Looking forward to it. :)
In Cordelia's Honor (which combines Shards of Honor and Barrayar), Bujold says this is book #3 in the series. She counts Falling Free as book #1.
A great series - I've been thinking of rereading it soon. Is it your first time through? So many good books to come, though there are a couple I don't care for, which is normal for me and a long series.
Despite my original enthusiasm, I still have not read further books of the series, my attention got hijacked. :)
Melindam wrote: "Despite my original enthusiasm, I still have not read further books of the series, my attention got hijacked. :)"Well, that happens. In fact I can only read a few books in most series before I need a change. But it's great fun to go back to a good series and read a few more books later, too.
I am considering. ;)
Melindam wrote: "I am considering. ;)"If you're reading them in chronological order you haven't met Miles yet. Be prepared for the focus of the book to change drastically!
Also, one of the things I love about this series is the continuity of characters and overall stories, but each book is different. There's a coming-of-age book, a heist book, a prison escape, etc. Some are quite funny and others are sad or serious. So if you don't love one, move on to the next. But overall I think it's one of the best series, in any genre, that I've ever read.
