jeriendhal | LMB: Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen

Read the sample chapters online, but I'm going to avoid the e-arc for now. I prefer to read my Bujold in dead tree format the first time through.

1. Mildly surprised (though I shouldn't be at this point) at how easily Lois eases Jole into my perception as a fully rounded character the very first chapter, after only being barely mentioned since his brief but memorable appearance in The Vor Game. LMB has not lost her touch at characterization.

2. First sign Things Have Changed. Cordelia cut her hair? That honestly shocked me. Though the reason why makes a painful amount of sense.

3. Sergyar appears to be, like Komarr, to be the place where ~~unbearably straight-laced~~ traditional Barrayaran cultural norms are stretched a bit. Starting with (mostly) friendly Cetas, a herm Betan ambassador, female Barrayan military personnel and Jole's sexual orientation (if not his partners) being less a deep dark secret than a mild personal quirk.

4. I suspect that the mess with the contractor is what is going to bring Miles a'calling soon, and likely much to his mother's displeasure.

I hope his health hasn't deteriorated any further from what we saw in Cryoburn. :(

5. All that said, I'm not sure if I'm going to enjoy watching Cordelia and Jole engage in what looks like a late middle-age romance. Somehow when the reveal was given a few months back that Jole and Aral had been in a relationship for several decades, I'd assumed it was just Jole and Aral, with Cordelia cheerfully cheering them on. It didn't occur to me that it was full three way poly relationship.

It's painfully stupid of me to object to this, on the grounds that it's somehow lessening Cordelia and Aral's wonderful relationship from the series, but I can't help but feel that way a little. Certainly poor, Aral worshiping, painfully hetero Miles is going to be in for the shock of his life.

And he's probably going to be a dick about it, which won't be much fun at all. :(