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jeriendhalSummary: Three years after the death of her beloved husband, Aral Vorkosigan, Sergyar's Vicerine Countess Betan Survey Capt. (ret.) Cordelia Vorkosigan is finally emerging from her fog of grief to begin her life again for the third time. At 76 she's middle-aged for a Galactic, and serving Barrayar for the rest of her life isn't in her plans, but raising a new branch of her family is. Possibly two, with a little help.
Three years after the death of his beloved lover, Aral Vorkosigan, Sergyar Chief of Operations Admiral Oliver Jole is finally emerging from his fog of grief, to find himself facing an extraordinary gift. The chance to start a family, using the preserved DNA of Aral and donated eggs from Cordelia. But he soon faces a choice between personal and professional happiness, and he can only choose one.
Review: If Lois wasn't writing in a universe of her own invention, this would have all the hallmarks of a fanfic. A very minor side character is suddenly elevated to center stage, to begin (continue, to be more accurate) a romance with a main character who's own romantic relationship with a completely different character was well established and undeniable. Add in the lack of any real conflict, but a deep character study, and it's fanfic origins would be undeniable. Except it was written by Herself, so it's very much canon.
It's easy, but a bit facile, to describe this novel as plotless. It's a character study, as I said, and there actually is a conflict, but it's almost completely internal to Jole (Cordelia's will is too firm to be budged. She's past the point of caring about other's opinions of her actions, even from her son). The stakes aren't the fate of an empire, but two people's attempts to regain happiness together after a devastating personal loss. I'd also place it as the end point of a trilogy of books, which I regard as Lois' summing up and closing up shop in the Vorkosigan Saga universe. Starting with the meditations on death and the gut punch ending of Cryoburn, to the maturation of Ivan and Alys' release of her own grief over her husband's death in Captain Vorpatril's Alliance, to this final book, which ends where the series began, on Sergyar.
The conflicts in the series are pretty much resolved at this point. Miles has released himself from his manic desire to do honor to his father and grandfather's military careers, and instead has settled down with a family of his own. Ivan has given up his swinging ways and married as well, and his long suffering mother is settled in with Simon Illyan. On a larger level Barrayar is a stable galactic power, no longer wracked by civil war, no longer a primitive backwater world, and no longer quite with the same paternalistic culture. Even the Big Bads of the earlier part of the series, the Cetagandans, have at this point been quiet and peaceful for nearly twenty years at the start of this latest book.
This is not, in other words, a book for someone seeking the heart-thumping action of the early Miles books. The stakes aren't as high as in The Vor Game, the action isn't as intense as Mirror Dance, the comedy isn't as funny as A Civil Campaign. It is, for the most part (barring one really spectacular fireworks display), a quiet book. But as a series ending, it's good place to stop, and say farewell to old friends who have given this reader pleasure for thirty years.
Recommended.
Three years after the death of his beloved lover, Aral Vorkosigan, Sergyar Chief of Operations Admiral Oliver Jole is finally emerging from his fog of grief, to find himself facing an extraordinary gift. The chance to start a family, using the preserved DNA of Aral and donated eggs from Cordelia. But he soon faces a choice between personal and professional happiness, and he can only choose one.
Review: If Lois wasn't writing in a universe of her own invention, this would have all the hallmarks of a fanfic. A very minor side character is suddenly elevated to center stage, to begin (continue, to be more accurate) a romance with a main character who's own romantic relationship with a completely different character was well established and undeniable. Add in the lack of any real conflict, but a deep character study, and it's fanfic origins would be undeniable. Except it was written by Herself, so it's very much canon.
It's easy, but a bit facile, to describe this novel as plotless. It's a character study, as I said, and there actually is a conflict, but it's almost completely internal to Jole (Cordelia's will is too firm to be budged. She's past the point of caring about other's opinions of her actions, even from her son). The stakes aren't the fate of an empire, but two people's attempts to regain happiness together after a devastating personal loss. I'd also place it as the end point of a trilogy of books, which I regard as Lois' summing up and closing up shop in the Vorkosigan Saga universe. Starting with the meditations on death and the gut punch ending of Cryoburn, to the maturation of Ivan and Alys' release of her own grief over her husband's death in Captain Vorpatril's Alliance, to this final book, which ends where the series began, on Sergyar.
The conflicts in the series are pretty much resolved at this point. Miles has released himself from his manic desire to do honor to his father and grandfather's military careers, and instead has settled down with a family of his own. Ivan has given up his swinging ways and married as well, and his long suffering mother is settled in with Simon Illyan. On a larger level Barrayar is a stable galactic power, no longer wracked by civil war, no longer a primitive backwater world, and no longer quite with the same paternalistic culture. Even the Big Bads of the earlier part of the series, the Cetagandans, have at this point been quiet and peaceful for nearly twenty years at the start of this latest book.
This is not, in other words, a book for someone seeking the heart-thumping action of the early Miles books. The stakes aren't as high as in The Vor Game, the action isn't as intense as Mirror Dance, the comedy isn't as funny as A Civil Campaign. It is, for the most part (barring one really spectacular fireworks display), a quiet book. But as a series ending, it's good place to stop, and say farewell to old friends who have given this reader pleasure for thirty years.
Recommended.
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Date: 2016-02-04 03:19 am (UTC)In the Q&A, she said that the relationship between Jole & Aral goes back to when she was first writing The Vor Game, and that there have been the occasional off-hand not-quite-pointers to it since then. But they've all be seen by Miles, and he's ... got a little blind spot when it comes to his parents.
I may have to re-read a bunch of the books to see if I can catch the references.
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Date: 2016-02-04 08:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-02-05 02:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-02-06 12:34 pm (UTC)