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Vorkosigan Saga (Publication Order) #13
Diplomatic Immunity
Returning from their honeymoon on Earth, Miles and Ekaterin stop at one of the asteroid-based habitats informally known as Quaddiespace (see FALLING FREE), where Miles is sent to defuse an incident between a Barryaran military command and the local police. Soon Miles finds himself embroiled in an even more deadly confrontation involving a Cetagandan renegade who has made his crimes appear the work of Barrayar, thus sparking an interplanetary war. Miles' life and the lives of millions in both Cetagandan and Barrayaran empires will be forfeit, unless Miles can overcome seemingly impossible odds. A Nebula Award finalist.
on DIPLOMATIC
"...fans will be thoroughly gripped and likely to finish the book in a single sitting."
- Publishers Weekly
on Lois McMaster
“Bujold continues to prove what marvels genius can create out of basic space operatics.”
- Library Journal
“Bujold is not just a master of plot, she is a master of emotion.”
- SF Site
“Bujold is one of the best writers of SF adventure to come along in years.”
- Locus Magazine
“A superb craftsman and stylist, Ms. Bujold is well on her way to becoming one of the great voices of speculative fiction.”
- Rave Reviews
“Bujold has a gift, nearly unique in science fiction, for the comedy of manners.”
- Chicago Sun Times
“Superb far-future saga.”
- Publishers Weekly on the 'Vorkosigan' series
Bujold's "work remains among the most enjoyable and rewarding in contemporary SF."
- Publishers Weekly
"Bujold is also head and shoulders above the ruck of current fantasists and well as science-fictionists."
- Booklist
about the
Lois McMaster Bujold was born in 1949, the daughter of an engineering professor at Ohio State University, from whom she picked up her early interest in science fiction. She now lives in Minneapolis, and has two grown children. She began writing with the aim of professional publication in 1982. She wrote three novels in three years; in October of 1985, all three sold to Baen Books, launching her career. Bujold went on to write many other books for Baen, mostly featuring her popular character Miles Naismith Vorkosigan, his family, friends, and enemies. Her books have been translated into twenty-one languages. Her fantasy from Eos includes the award-winning Chalion series and the Sharing Knife series.
on DIPLOMATIC
"...fans will be thoroughly gripped and likely to finish the book in a single sitting."
- Publishers Weekly
on Lois McMaster
“Bujold continues to prove what marvels genius can create out of basic space operatics.”
- Library Journal
“Bujold is not just a master of plot, she is a master of emotion.”
- SF Site
“Bujold is one of the best writers of SF adventure to come along in years.”
- Locus Magazine
“A superb craftsman and stylist, Ms. Bujold is well on her way to becoming one of the great voices of speculative fiction.”
- Rave Reviews
“Bujold has a gift, nearly unique in science fiction, for the comedy of manners.”
- Chicago Sun Times
“Superb far-future saga.”
- Publishers Weekly on the 'Vorkosigan' series
Bujold's "work remains among the most enjoyable and rewarding in contemporary SF."
- Publishers Weekly
"Bujold is also head and shoulders above the ruck of current fantasists and well as science-fictionists."
- Booklist
about the
Lois McMaster Bujold was born in 1949, the daughter of an engineering professor at Ohio State University, from whom she picked up her early interest in science fiction. She now lives in Minneapolis, and has two grown children. She began writing with the aim of professional publication in 1982. She wrote three novels in three years; in October of 1985, all three sold to Baen Books, launching her career. Bujold went on to write many other books for Baen, mostly featuring her popular character Miles Naismith Vorkosigan, his family, friends, and enemies. Her books have been translated into twenty-one languages. Her fantasy from Eos includes the award-winning Chalion series and the Sharing Knife series.
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2002
276 people are currently reading
3112 people want to read
About the author
Lois McMaster Bujold
191 books39.3k followersLois McMaster Bujold was born in 1949, the daughter of an engineering professor at Ohio State University, from whom she picked up her early interest in science fiction. She now lives in Minneapolis, and has two grown children.
Her fantasy from HarperCollins includes the award-winning Chalion series and the Sharing Knife tetralogy; her science fiction from Baen Books features the perennially bestselling Vorkosigan Saga. Her work has been translated into over twenty languages.
Questions regarding foreign rights, film/tv subrights, and other business matters should be directed to Spectrum Literary Agency, spectrumliteraryagency.com
A listing of her awards and nominations may be seen here:
http://www.sfadb.com/Lois_McMaster_Bu...
A listing of her interviews is here:
http://vorkosigan.wikia.com/wiki/Auth...
An older fan-run site devoted to her work, The Bujold Nexus, is here:
http://www.dendarii.com/
Her fantasy from HarperCollins includes the award-winning Chalion series and the Sharing Knife tetralogy; her science fiction from Baen Books features the perennially bestselling Vorkosigan Saga. Her work has been translated into over twenty languages.
Questions regarding foreign rights, film/tv subrights, and other business matters should be directed to Spectrum Literary Agency, spectrumliteraryagency.com
A listing of her awards and nominations may be seen here:
http://www.sfadb.com/Lois_McMaster_Bu...
A listing of her interviews is here:
http://vorkosigan.wikia.com/wiki/Auth...
An older fan-run site devoted to her work, The Bujold Nexus, is here:
http://www.dendarii.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 681 reviews
January 12, 2025
*** 4.44 ***
A buddy read with my friends Evgeny and Maria, because we need some Forward Momentum!!!
This book starts about an year after the newly Weds tied the knot and are on their way back after a honeymoon. They are excited because right before their departure they began a family, placing a boy and a girl zigots in uterine replicators and they will be gestationaly mature enough to be born by the time they return home. Miles and Ekatherin are blissfully happy, until the ship is intercepted by an Emperial order for Miles to sort things out on a trade space station.
The station is an Outpost of the Quaddies, a genetically engineered human race with for limbs, only all of them are hands, an advantage for work in Zero Gravity. We have met those very endearing, somewhat naive, joyful and hard working race of people before and I carry enormous love for them! So, it was not a surprise to find them just as wonderful as we did in our first encounter. However, you mix any genetically altered species with our rough-neck military Barrayaran soldiers and things get messy and potentially dangerous. Thus, the presence of the soldiers on top of Komaren trader ships, 1000 uterine replicators full of " fetuses of mammals", a fish-man, missing persons, possible murders, love-sick officer, and a random shooter, make Miles's life substantially more interesting, but just as dangerous... And as fast as he tries to solve the problems and keep the diplomatic damages to a minimum, the bigger the possibility that he might not make it home on time for his kids births increases... As he tries to put the puzzle pieces together, the possibility of never seeing his children at all fast becomes a probability.
This book is much more of a murder mystery than any of the previous volumes. Miles is his usual, although very happily in love, self. His brashness and typical daring approach is somewhat tampered by his personal fears for his loved ones. We get to see Bell, the hermaphrodite, and his quaddy Nicole. It is also really nice to see what asset Ekatherin is when it comes to encouraging him, being his helpmate with her diplomatic manner and easy communication with all around her, and just by loving and believing in him. I was very pleased and impressed by her, despite the author being very subdued in her presentation to us. I also loved fish-man and was really hoping he would find his way to a certain Mercenary company I know of☺☺☺!
For all those who have not taken the plunge into this series yet, I only have one question - WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!???! Miles is one of the best characters ever to hit the Science Fiction genre. Period!!!
Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come!!!❤
A buddy read with my friends Evgeny and Maria, because we need some Forward Momentum!!!
This book starts about an year after the newly Weds tied the knot and are on their way back after a honeymoon. They are excited because right before their departure they began a family, placing a boy and a girl zigots in uterine replicators and they will be gestationaly mature enough to be born by the time they return home. Miles and Ekatherin are blissfully happy, until the ship is intercepted by an Emperial order for Miles to sort things out on a trade space station.
The station is an Outpost of the Quaddies, a genetically engineered human race with for limbs, only all of them are hands, an advantage for work in Zero Gravity. We have met those very endearing, somewhat naive, joyful and hard working race of people before and I carry enormous love for them! So, it was not a surprise to find them just as wonderful as we did in our first encounter. However, you mix any genetically altered species with our rough-neck military Barrayaran soldiers and things get messy and potentially dangerous. Thus, the presence of the soldiers on top of Komaren trader ships, 1000 uterine replicators full of " fetuses of mammals", a fish-man, missing persons, possible murders, love-sick officer, and a random shooter, make Miles's life substantially more interesting, but just as dangerous... And as fast as he tries to solve the problems and keep the diplomatic damages to a minimum, the bigger the possibility that he might not make it home on time for his kids births increases... As he tries to put the puzzle pieces together, the possibility of never seeing his children at all fast becomes a probability.
This book is much more of a murder mystery than any of the previous volumes. Miles is his usual, although very happily in love, self. His brashness and typical daring approach is somewhat tampered by his personal fears for his loved ones. We get to see Bell, the hermaphrodite, and his quaddy Nicole. It is also really nice to see what asset Ekatherin is when it comes to encouraging him, being his helpmate with her diplomatic manner and easy communication with all around her, and just by loving and believing in him. I was very pleased and impressed by her, despite the author being very subdued in her presentation to us. I also loved fish-man and was really hoping he would find his way to a certain Mercenary company I know of☺☺☺!
For all those who have not taken the plunge into this series yet, I only have one question - WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!???! Miles is one of the best characters ever to hit the Science Fiction genre. Period!!!
Now I wish you all Happy Reading and many more wonderful books to come!!!❤
March 7, 2023
Now this is what I call real Miles Vorkosigan adventure! And we get some actual space in this space opera. Even with an occasional space suit. Gods know I loved this one and I think this is where I'm going to stop, since wise people say it's a good idea. Unless... I get too curious one day...
I'll miss you, Admiral Naismith. ;)
I will miss them all.
I'll miss you, Admiral Naismith. ;)
I will miss them all.
August 12, 2017
Beautiful ending to Miles Vorkosigan saga.
Interesting world inhabited by quadies – four armed no legs humans who live in zero gravity. Some mind boggling architecture and culture details here.
Miles confident in his new role and finally happy and content in his new relationship.
Engaging mystery that gets weirder by the minute until it turns into right nightmare. Great suspense.
All this together makes for a great read.
Interesting world inhabited by quadies – four armed no legs humans who live in zero gravity. Some mind boggling architecture and culture details here.
Miles confident in his new role and finally happy and content in his new relationship.
Engaging mystery that gets weirder by the minute until it turns into right nightmare. Great suspense.
All this together makes for a great read.
August 12, 2018
My expectations were much too high, apparently. 2 of 10 stars
May 14, 2017
Buddy read with Choko and Evgeny.
WARRNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!
A return to Miles' galactic adventures. This time as the Lord Auditor :)
Diplomatic Immunity is more of a murder mystery but as fans of the series know Miles can fill any role. And just as always he does an excellent job of it.
Since I'm yet to read Free Fall this is my only exposure to Quaddie space and I have to say I really like the four-armed Quaddies. Unfortunately that can't be said of the Barrayarans, who are notorious in their hate of anything that smacks of mutation. So the tensions run high on a normal trip through Quaddie space. Add a disappearance of a Barrayaran ImpSec officer on one of their stations and you can guess how the trigger happy Barrayarans reacted. And guess who is ordered to put an end to his honeymoon journey and go clean up the mess :D
Upon arrival Miles meets two old friends - Bel Thorne and Nicol. The Betan herm and Miles are still a great team and soon start unravelling the situation that proves to be a much bigger problem than previously thought and with much more dangerous consequences. Those familiar with the series know that whenever there are Cetagandans involved the stakes rapidly climb to the heavens. This time it's no exception and as my friend Evgeny said the Cetagandans are scary and make the other universal bad guys of the Vorkosiverse - the Jacksonians - look like elementary school bullies. If the Cetagandans ever decide that they really want to dominate the entire known space they just need to unleash the haut ladies. Nothing will remain behind. A side note, while reading this book I was listening to the new Ayreon album The Source and it's apocalyptic story was a great background to this book. Thankfully Miles manages to prevent genocide unlike what happens in the album.
Despite my revulsion with the Cetagandans' bioweapons of mass destruction, I can't help but be fascinated by them. Every time the haut ladies show up on page I hold my breath in anticipation. I would love for another book set in the Cetagandan Empire, though maybe not with Miles as the MC. The poor guy needs a break if he is to live long enough to see his children graduate.
Ekaterin played a minor role in this one but it was an important one. She was Miles' sounding board at times, his confidant and at times his interpreter to the outside world. The latter is the most important because few in the universe speak Miles ;) And I'm so glad I had the privilege to learn that language.
WARRNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!
A return to Miles' galactic adventures. This time as the Lord Auditor :)
Diplomatic Immunity is more of a murder mystery but as fans of the series know Miles can fill any role. And just as always he does an excellent job of it.
Since I'm yet to read Free Fall this is my only exposure to Quaddie space and I have to say I really like the four-armed Quaddies. Unfortunately that can't be said of the Barrayarans, who are notorious in their hate of anything that smacks of mutation. So the tensions run high on a normal trip through Quaddie space. Add a disappearance of a Barrayaran ImpSec officer on one of their stations and you can guess how the trigger happy Barrayarans reacted. And guess who is ordered to put an end to his honeymoon journey and go clean up the mess :D
Upon arrival Miles meets two old friends - Bel Thorne and Nicol. The Betan herm and Miles are still a great team and soon start unravelling the situation that proves to be a much bigger problem than previously thought and with much more dangerous consequences. Those familiar with the series know that whenever there are Cetagandans involved the stakes rapidly climb to the heavens. This time it's no exception and as my friend Evgeny said the Cetagandans are scary and make the other universal bad guys of the Vorkosiverse - the Jacksonians - look like elementary school bullies. If the Cetagandans ever decide that they really want to dominate the entire known space they just need to unleash the haut ladies. Nothing will remain behind. A side note, while reading this book I was listening to the new Ayreon album The Source and it's apocalyptic story was a great background to this book. Thankfully Miles manages to prevent genocide unlike what happens in the album.
Despite my revulsion with the Cetagandans' bioweapons of mass destruction, I can't help but be fascinated by them. Every time the haut ladies show up on page I hold my breath in anticipation. I would love for another book set in the Cetagandan Empire, though maybe not with Miles as the MC. The poor guy needs a break if he is to live long enough to see his children graduate.
Ekaterin played a minor role in this one but it was an important one. She was Miles' sounding board at times, his confidant and at times his interpreter to the outside world. The latter is the most important because few in the universe speak Miles ;) And I'm so glad I had the privilege to learn that language.
April 3, 2024
Parece mentira que después de trece libros Bujold siga manteniendo a los personajes frescos y sacando ideas tan entretenidas. Y esto lo consigue gracias a que los protagonistas van evolucionando y les acompañamos en su vida.
Ahora Miles ya se ha casado y están esperando a que sus hijos salgan del replicador uterino mientras viajan en su luna de miel.
Y como le suele pasar a Miles, nada puede ser tranquilo en su vida, ya que se ve envuelto en una serie de acontecimientos, al principio sencillos, pero que luego casi desembocan en la guerra entre dos imperios. Y Miles está en el medio con su inteligencia como única herramienta.
El libro tiene dos partes muy marcadas, una primera al más puro estilo Hércules Poirot en el que Miles intenta entender el asesinato de uno de los oficiales de Barrayar. Y otra segunda parte puro thriller de acción con rehenes y armas biológicas de destrucción masiva que ya querría Hollywood adaptar al cine.
Me lo he leído en tres tardes y eso, después de trece libros, es mucho decir. Qué pena que se esté acabando ya la saga.
Ahora Miles ya se ha casado y están esperando a que sus hijos salgan del replicador uterino mientras viajan en su luna de miel.
Y como le suele pasar a Miles, nada puede ser tranquilo en su vida, ya que se ve envuelto en una serie de acontecimientos, al principio sencillos, pero que luego casi desembocan en la guerra entre dos imperios. Y Miles está en el medio con su inteligencia como única herramienta.
El libro tiene dos partes muy marcadas, una primera al más puro estilo Hércules Poirot en el que Miles intenta entender el asesinato de uno de los oficiales de Barrayar. Y otra segunda parte puro thriller de acción con rehenes y armas biológicas de destrucción masiva que ya querría Hollywood adaptar al cine.
Me lo he leído en tres tardes y eso, después de trece libros, es mucho decir. Qué pena que se esté acabando ya la saga.
October 12, 2020
Listening in the background during chores. Another good Miles Vorkosigan story, although I felt Ekaterina was a bit underplayed after being so prominent in the last two stories. Then again, again, the plot was complicated enough that it was reasonably hard to picture her involvement compared to an Imperial Auditor.
August 16, 2016
Yeah, that was a really good book. Miles Vorkosigan, my favorite hero in all speculative fiction, is on the prowl again in this book, #13 in his own series. On the way home from his honeymoon, he is rerouted to the Graf space station by a message from his Emperor. There are problems on the station: an officer of the Imperial fleet has disappeared, another one has been arrested by the station authorities, the trade fleet belonging (partially) to the Empress has been impounded by the station police, and the entire mess is dumped on Miles’s head to sort out and protect Barrayaran interests.
Unlike many other stories in the series, this one is a clear murder mystery, with sci-fi undertones, set on a space station. As Miles’ clues pile up, and the situation deteriorates rapidly, he has to deal with a crazed murderer, unknown biohazards, a lovesick officer, the irate station officials, and a thousand stolen fetuses in their uterine replicators. Plus a racial tension.
The Graf station is a part of the Quaddiepace, occupied and administered by a bioengineered race of Quaddies – the beings created centuries ago as a slave labor in zero gravity, although they had gained their freedom and independence long ago. Quaddies have two pairs of arms and hands but no legs, and they thrive without gravity, but for the interstellar trade purposes, specifically for the legged humans, a part of their station has gravity. Most Barrayaran soldiers regard the Quaddies as mutants and act accordingly, just like provincial rednecks they are. The Quaddie leaders are not amused and retaliate by arresting a bunch of Barrayaran troublemaker.
Miles has to smooth the ruffled feathers and the sensitive Quaddie CEOs all around the station in addition to looking for the murderer, delving into the mysteries of stolen fetuses and the vanished officer, and preventing an interstellar war. He has his hands full, even though, unlike Quaddies, he only has one pair.
The tension is thrumming from the beginning to the end, the danger is mounting, and the story is galloping so fast, I couldn’t catch my breath. Neither could Miles. I was also glad to renew my acquaintance with some of the characters I loved in the previous novels of the series, as well as meeting the new ones. As always, Bujold is superb in her characterization. Despite having four hands, her Quaddies stand alive from the pages, and so do all the other characters, even the crazy, ruthless murderer.
And of course, Miles shines – a true hero and a real genius. I fell in love with him all over again. It was a joy and a privilege to read this book.
Unlike many other stories in the series, this one is a clear murder mystery, with sci-fi undertones, set on a space station. As Miles’ clues pile up, and the situation deteriorates rapidly, he has to deal with a crazed murderer, unknown biohazards, a lovesick officer, the irate station officials, and a thousand stolen fetuses in their uterine replicators. Plus a racial tension.
The Graf station is a part of the Quaddiepace, occupied and administered by a bioengineered race of Quaddies – the beings created centuries ago as a slave labor in zero gravity, although they had gained their freedom and independence long ago. Quaddies have two pairs of arms and hands but no legs, and they thrive without gravity, but for the interstellar trade purposes, specifically for the legged humans, a part of their station has gravity. Most Barrayaran soldiers regard the Quaddies as mutants and act accordingly, just like provincial rednecks they are. The Quaddie leaders are not amused and retaliate by arresting a bunch of Barrayaran troublemaker.
Miles has to smooth the ruffled feathers and the sensitive Quaddie CEOs all around the station in addition to looking for the murderer, delving into the mysteries of stolen fetuses and the vanished officer, and preventing an interstellar war. He has his hands full, even though, unlike Quaddies, he only has one pair.
The tension is thrumming from the beginning to the end, the danger is mounting, and the story is galloping so fast, I couldn’t catch my breath. Neither could Miles. I was also glad to renew my acquaintance with some of the characters I loved in the previous novels of the series, as well as meeting the new ones. As always, Bujold is superb in her characterization. Despite having four hands, her Quaddies stand alive from the pages, and so do all the other characters, even the crazy, ruthless murderer.
And of course, Miles shines – a true hero and a real genius. I fell in love with him all over again. It was a joy and a privilege to read this book.
February 26, 2020
Very good, but I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I have the previous few installments.
This series has consistently delivered excellent writing, interesting characters, and very solid stories. Diplomatic Immunity is certainly no exception. The couple of things that made it a less enjoyable entry for me were not enormously significant. I missed a bit of the ironic humour more present in some of the earlier books, and I was disappointed that Ekaterine's role was somewhat diminished here rather than expanded given her increasing importance as a character overall.
But, honestly, as usual, this continues to be a highly enjoyable series. Next up is Captain Vorpatril's Alliance. For all that he is a bit of a dolt at times, I do find Ivan pretty endearing.
This series has consistently delivered excellent writing, interesting characters, and very solid stories. Diplomatic Immunity is certainly no exception. The couple of things that made it a less enjoyable entry for me were not enormously significant. I missed a bit of the ironic humour more present in some of the earlier books, and I was disappointed that Ekaterine's role was somewhat diminished here rather than expanded given her increasing importance as a character overall.
But, honestly, as usual, this continues to be a highly enjoyable series. Next up is Captain Vorpatril's Alliance. For all that he is a bit of a dolt at times, I do find Ivan pretty endearing.
October 22, 2018
Part of a Vorkosigan reread with the SpecFic Buddy Reads group in 2017/18. Diplomatic Immunity follows on a year or so after the events of A Civil Campaign and looks in on the Quaddies from Falling Free, Bel Thorne, last seen in Brothers in Arms and the Cetagandan haut politics from Cetaganda. It's a huge endorsement of Bujold's writing that I actually read this for the first time before reading any of the preceding works other than a Civil Campaign and it still made complete sense. Of course, this time around and with the context of having read all of those relatively recently, it was just that much better.
Miles and Ekaterin have been taking their long overdue honeymoon off-world but are now on their way back to Barrayar to attend the birth of their first two children. But on that return leg they're waylaid by a Barrayaran Imperial Courier and redirected to Graf Station in Quaddiespace to mediate in an interstellar incident between some Barrayaran thugs and local Quaddie security. But of course, it's never that simple, and pretty soon Miles is up to his neck in an investigation into far more than just a breakdown in relations with the locals.
While it's great to see Bel Thorne and the Quaddies again, it's a little uncomfortable seeing Ekaterin pushed into being a side character when she'd been a central point-of-view character along with Miles in the previous two books. Quit hogging the spotlight Miles!
Miles and Ekaterin have been taking their long overdue honeymoon off-world but are now on their way back to Barrayar to attend the birth of their first two children. But on that return leg they're waylaid by a Barrayaran Imperial Courier and redirected to Graf Station in Quaddiespace to mediate in an interstellar incident between some Barrayaran thugs and local Quaddie security. But of course, it's never that simple, and pretty soon Miles is up to his neck in an investigation into far more than just a breakdown in relations with the locals.
While it's great to see Bel Thorne and the Quaddies again, it's a little uncomfortable seeing Ekaterin pushed into being a side character when she'd been a central point-of-view character along with Miles in the previous two books. Quit hogging the spotlight Miles!
December 8, 2014
Miles is about to be a father? Huh. That fills me with nearly as much trepidation and delight as it does Miles himself. So naturally, there are lots of hidden strains of what being a parent means, and being able to have children, scattered through this book. They're subtle, as Bujold is great at not hitting you over the head with her themes, but they're definitely there.
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
July 20, 2025
4/5; 4 stars; A-
One of the things I really appreciate about Lois McMaster Bujold is her ability to create such a wide variety of believable and alien characters and make it seem natural.
This book has a few light moments but mostly its another case of Miles and and anyone he can rope in to help, trying to unravel a baffling mystery (without starting a war). Its been a long time since I read Falling Free, so setting the book in Quaddiespace was a treat for me. The somewhat chilling insights into the Cetagandan culture added an edge.
One of the things I really appreciate about Lois McMaster Bujold is her ability to create such a wide variety of believable and alien characters and make it seem natural.
This book has a few light moments but mostly its another case of Miles and and anyone he can rope in to help, trying to unravel a baffling mystery (without starting a war). Its been a long time since I read Falling Free, so setting the book in Quaddiespace was a treat for me. The somewhat chilling insights into the Cetagandan culture added an edge.
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
August 3, 2024
2024 reread My 2022 reread, plus, Miles becomes a dad. Who woulda thunk that would ever have happened?!
2022 reread So very much better than I remembered. What a difference...however many years it has been (certainly more than 10, possibly closer to 15 or even longer).
Anywho, Miles goes on a honeymoon, gets diverted to quaddie space, meets an old friend, and tumbles into a dilemma that blossoms into Milesian proportions. As Miles does.
2022 reread So very much better than I remembered. What a difference...however many years it has been (certainly more than 10, possibly closer to 15 or even longer).
Anywho, Miles goes on a honeymoon, gets diverted to quaddie space, meets an old friend, and tumbles into a dilemma that blossoms into Milesian proportions. As Miles does.
January 24, 2024
I love these Vorkosigan books. Easy to read, extremely entertaining, funny, quirky, hard sci-fi, and Miles with Ekaterina - what's not to love? In this mystery, Miles is mixed up with quaddies, Cetagandans, ships from Komarr and Barrayer...it is a holy mess that only Miles can untangle with bullets, well rivets actually, flying everywhere. More fun than a barrel of monkeys!
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September 7, 2025
5⭐!
Ya no sé qué decir de esta saga... impresionante, sorprendente, adictiva. Yo qué sé, seguir a Miles desde su juventud a la plenitud, con todas las aventuras de su vida, con su personalidad, y todos los personajes que le orbitan, es apasionante.
En este libro, múltiples asesinatos en una estación espacial cuadri, con la flota komarresa atrapada, naves barrayaresas, Bel (qué grande!), Ekaterine, y más lío que no quiero desvelar...y un final apoteósico!
Es trepidante, en serio!
Ya no sé qué decir de esta saga... impresionante, sorprendente, adictiva. Yo qué sé, seguir a Miles desde su juventud a la plenitud, con todas las aventuras de su vida, con su personalidad, y todos los personajes que le orbitan, es apasionante.
En este libro, múltiples asesinatos en una estación espacial cuadri, con la flota komarresa atrapada, naves barrayaresas, Bel (qué grande!), Ekaterine, y más lío que no quiero desvelar...y un final apoteósico!
Es trepidante, en serio!
December 16, 2014
Another cracking adventure with Miles! I didn't want to put it down and quickly picked it back up again. Bujold is a terrific, natural storyteller - and if you've ever read any of her work, you don't need me to tell you that! Incredibly consistent and this is another strong addition to her Vorkosigan Saga.
It doesn't quite hit the peaks of her best, but my top 3 long-running series are now, very firmly:
1) Discworld
2) Dresden Files
3) Vorkosigan Saga
'Nuff said?
I have 40+ books sitting on my 'review-soon' shelf that I just don't have time to write proper reviews for, so I'm going to bash out as many of these mini-reviews as I can before Christmas :-)
After this I read: The Kiss That Missed
It doesn't quite hit the peaks of her best, but my top 3 long-running series are now, very firmly:
1) Discworld
2) Dresden Files
3) Vorkosigan Saga
'Nuff said?
I have 40+ books sitting on my 'review-soon' shelf that I just don't have time to write proper reviews for, so I'm going to bash out as many of these mini-reviews as I can before Christmas :-)
After this I read: The Kiss That Missed
January 2, 2023
I have been on a Bujold binge, catching up with almost all her post-Chalion books. This Miles book remained in my to-buy-one-day list for a long long time, till a copy eventually found its way to me. And oh dear, my instincts were right. Probably the worst Miles book yet.
It´s not actually terrible, or even just bad. There is a mystery with an interesting plot, and for a lot of fans seeing some familiar faces, inner jokes and Miles getting stressed and dazzling lots of bystanders will be precisely what they want. In theory it is precisely the same ingredients of other Miles adventures. But either I changed or this was a bit flatter than the others, lost some of the bubliness. More later, if I get the time.
It´s not actually terrible, or even just bad. There is a mystery with an interesting plot, and for a lot of fans seeing some familiar faces, inner jokes and Miles getting stressed and dazzling lots of bystanders will be precisely what they want. In theory it is precisely the same ingredients of other Miles adventures. But either I changed or this was a bit flatter than the others, lost some of the bubliness. More later, if I get the time.
July 23, 2012
I just don't get it - how can every single book in the Vorkosigan saga be a home run?! It's a smaller cast, only a few of our favorite characters show up, but the book does not suffer for it. Such an imaginative wild ride of a whodunnit. This is a must read!
July 13, 2025
Death, Taxes, and Vorkosigan
8.8
8.8
November 3, 2020
This is an installment in the Vorkosigan Saga, number 13 both in internal chronology (according to Goodreads) and publication order. I read is as a part of Vorkosigan Challenge in October 2020 at Hugo & Nebula Awards: Best Novels group. This novel was nominated for Nebula in 2003.
Lord Auditor Miles Vorkosigan is (finally) happily married and is on their honeymoon voyage across the universe, when an urgent demand to be present is Quaddie space comes from Barrayar. A passing Barrayaran convoy in held there due to a series of misunderstandings, boosted by Barrayar hate toward ‘mutants’ of any kind. Miles and Ekaterin are coming to solve the problem, but with a lot of adventures first.
It should be noted, that, like earlier books it can be read as a standalone, a reader will definitely benefit from knowledge from the previous books, in this volume much more than in previous ones.
The book is solid, but I think a bit less inventive as some earlier volumes. The story is enthralling, but lacking novel ideas or unusual twists. So, a solid read, but weaker than several others
Lord Auditor Miles Vorkosigan is (finally) happily married and is on their honeymoon voyage across the universe, when an urgent demand to be present is Quaddie space comes from Barrayar. A passing Barrayaran convoy in held there due to a series of misunderstandings, boosted by Barrayar hate toward ‘mutants’ of any kind. Miles and Ekaterin are coming to solve the problem, but with a lot of adventures first.
It should be noted, that, like earlier books it can be read as a standalone, a reader will definitely benefit from knowledge from the previous books, in this volume much more than in previous ones.
The book is solid, but I think a bit less inventive as some earlier volumes. The story is enthralling, but lacking novel ideas or unusual twists. So, a solid read, but weaker than several others
April 23, 2024
Re-Read
I'll stick with most of my original review, other than the shaving off the half of star for less deep and thought provoking moments. What was I thinking? There's was heaps! So, let's go with 5 out of 5.
******
I’ve actually read nine books since the last Vorkosigan book, and I must admit I had an attack of the warm and fuzzies when I started Diplomatic Immunity.
Miles is returning from his honeymoon when he receives a request from Emperor Gregor to detour to Graf Station to use his diplomatic wiles to peacefully resolve a dispute involving a Barrayaran military escort. Upon arriving at the station, Miles finds a missing crewman who’s presumed dead, another who wants to desert, and several more cooling their heels in the station cells, facing a variety of charges. Then, just when he thinks he’s getting somewhere in sorting out this mess, he becomes the victim of an assassination attempt, finds evidence of biochemical weapons, and learns that Barrayar and Cetaganda are on the brink of war.
Graf Station is Quaddiespace which was great. I loved Falling Free and it was lovely to see how far Quaddie society had grown in the couple of hundred years since that book was set. If this didn’t make me feel sentimental enough, there is also the unexpected addition of one of my favourite characters from the earlier books (won’t spoil by saying who because it was luckily a surprise to me).
Fans of the more space based books should be happy with Diplomatic Immunity. Unlike the last few Barrayar based books, this one is set entirely in space. LMB takes advantage and makes good use of the whole isolated and claustrophobic atmosphere space ships can provide. In fact, there were a few tense moments in this book. One time in particular was really scary. I don’t usually expect this type of horror-like scenes in Vorkosigan books but it was a really enjoyable change up.
Not to say that LMB doesn’t include her usual trademark humour. Miles’s snappy thoughts always make me laugh. And now, we get the addition of Ekaterin who is just as skilled when it comes to regaling the readers with her dry wit. (They continue to be sooo Harriet/Lord Peter like.)
I got the sense that LMB might have written this book with the idea of ending Miles’s story and the series with it. I know there are now a couple more additions to the series, but I did get the feeling of real resolution at the book’s conclusion. (I’ll have to wait and see if I think she should have left it here until I read the last couple of books.)
The reason I shaved off half a star from my rating was that there’s probably not as many deep and thought provoking moments in this book as there were in the more recent Vorkosigan books. Still, compared to many other books, it was extremely entertaining. 4 1/2 out of 5
I'll stick with most of my original review, other than the shaving off the half of star for less deep and thought provoking moments. What was I thinking? There's was heaps! So, let's go with 5 out of 5.
******
I’ve actually read nine books since the last Vorkosigan book, and I must admit I had an attack of the warm and fuzzies when I started Diplomatic Immunity.
Miles is returning from his honeymoon when he receives a request from Emperor Gregor to detour to Graf Station to use his diplomatic wiles to peacefully resolve a dispute involving a Barrayaran military escort. Upon arriving at the station, Miles finds a missing crewman who’s presumed dead, another who wants to desert, and several more cooling their heels in the station cells, facing a variety of charges. Then, just when he thinks he’s getting somewhere in sorting out this mess, he becomes the victim of an assassination attempt, finds evidence of biochemical weapons, and learns that Barrayar and Cetaganda are on the brink of war.
Graf Station is Quaddiespace which was great. I loved Falling Free and it was lovely to see how far Quaddie society had grown in the couple of hundred years since that book was set. If this didn’t make me feel sentimental enough, there is also the unexpected addition of one of my favourite characters from the earlier books (won’t spoil by saying who because it was luckily a surprise to me).
Fans of the more space based books should be happy with Diplomatic Immunity. Unlike the last few Barrayar based books, this one is set entirely in space. LMB takes advantage and makes good use of the whole isolated and claustrophobic atmosphere space ships can provide. In fact, there were a few tense moments in this book. One time in particular was really scary. I don’t usually expect this type of horror-like scenes in Vorkosigan books but it was a really enjoyable change up.
Not to say that LMB doesn’t include her usual trademark humour. Miles’s snappy thoughts always make me laugh. And now, we get the addition of Ekaterin who is just as skilled when it comes to regaling the readers with her dry wit. (They continue to be sooo Harriet/Lord Peter like.)
I got the sense that LMB might have written this book with the idea of ending Miles’s story and the series with it. I know there are now a couple more additions to the series, but I did get the feeling of real resolution at the book’s conclusion. (I’ll have to wait and see if I think she should have left it here until I read the last couple of books.)
The reason I shaved off half a star from my rating was that there’s probably not as many deep and thought provoking moments in this book as there were in the more recent Vorkosigan books. Still, compared to many other books, it was extremely entertaining. 4 1/2 out of 5
September 17, 2010
Just re-read this one while re-acquainting myself with the later books in this excellent series. It's a good read: we meet lots of old friends from Miles' past, and get to see the Quadies' society up a little closer. There's some good mortal danger combined with those signature crazy-but-just-might-work Miles plans at the end. However, it does not compete with "Komarr" or "A Civil Campaign," its most recent predecessors. Everything is from Miles' POV again, and none of the characters are moved along in any material fashion. It's really just an episode in his life. This has been the last entry in the Vorkosigan series for some years now (although I happily noted there's now a new one in the works): Bujold spent several years on her Chalion and Sharing Knife series afterwards. I suspect she was feeling some "Vorkosigan Fatigue" and I am glad she took time off even if the resultant works lacked a little of the depth and sparkle - I'd hate to see such a great series simply peter out and "jump the shark:" a good author knows when to quit (or at least take a break!)
May 26, 2019
Another rock solid entry in the continuing Vorkosigan saga, this time the theme is babies... with a side of genocide via genetically engineered plague. All in all a solid week’s work for Miles and Ekatarin.
February 12, 2021
Вот это да! Была уверена, что сага совсем скатилась в странный любовный роман, а тут вдруг свет в тёмном царстве, очень даже ничего
December 30, 2020
3,5 Quizás porque ya vaya padeciendo algo de fatiga con la saga y el salto al vacío que fue pasar del punto mas alto de la historia de Miles y Ekaterin, a la anterior novela y a estas historias con cuadrumanos que me resultan tan flojas. La primera mitad del libro se me hizo soporifera y no me estaba importando nada. Una vez que la trama se empieza a complicar es cuando despega, un poco tarde para mi gusto, pero una vez metido en harina ya vuelan las paginas, como lo hace la mente de Miles cuando por fin hacen click todas las piezas. Todo seran preferencias personales, supongo pero si por mi fuera, menos quadris y mas Cetaganda, por favor.
August 19, 2013
Originally posted at FanLit: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Warning: Contains spoilers for previous books.
In Diplomatic Immunity, Miles and Ekaterin are on the final leg of their interplanetary honeymoon and are anxious to return to Barrayar where their two full-term babies (one boy and one girl) are ready to be released from their uterine replicators. But, as usual, something happens to delay their return. In this case, it’s a diplomatic issue — a Komarran merchant ship with a Barrayaran military escort is being held up at Graf Station in Quaddiespace — and Emperor Gregor asks Miles to go straighten it out on his way home. When Miles gets there, he discovers that a Barrayan officer is missing and possibly murdered. His investigation eventually uncovers a conspiracy which could lead to bioterrorism and war.
Some of our favorite characters are missing from Diplomatic Immunity, but fans will be happy to get reacquainted with the gene-manipulating bubble-dwelling haut ladies of Cetaganda; Bel Thorne, the Betan hermaphrodite who Miles had to ask to resign from the Dendarii Mercenary Fleet at the end of Mirror Dance; and Nicol, the Quaddie musician we met in the short story “Labyrinth.” We learn a lot about the Quaddie culture in this novel.
Roic, the big buff armsman is also a main character here and we see him rapidly and gratefully developing into Miles’ right-hand man, a situation that he would never have foreseen after that embarrassing buttered underwear scene in A Civil Campaign. We also once again see Ekaterin as a cooly level-headed woman — something that Miles appreciates immensely. She is important to the resolution of the story in Diplomatic Immunity but, unfortunately, Bujold doesn’t show us some of those important scenes.
Compared to the earlier VORKOSIGAN books, Diplomatic Immunity, a mystery, is darker and more serious. The plot is slower and it lacks the situational comedy elements we’ve seen in previous books. I should think this is a good change since I complained (just a little) in my review of A Civil Campaign that Miles wasn’t acting his age. On the other hand, the comedy is a part of what makes these novels so entertaining and I missed it in Diplomatic Immunity.
This is a solid but not stunning VORKOSIGAN novel. Grover Gardner continues to excel with his narration of the audiobooks. I highly recommend this series in audio format.
Warning: Contains spoilers for previous books.
In Diplomatic Immunity, Miles and Ekaterin are on the final leg of their interplanetary honeymoon and are anxious to return to Barrayar where their two full-term babies (one boy and one girl) are ready to be released from their uterine replicators. But, as usual, something happens to delay their return. In this case, it’s a diplomatic issue — a Komarran merchant ship with a Barrayaran military escort is being held up at Graf Station in Quaddiespace — and Emperor Gregor asks Miles to go straighten it out on his way home. When Miles gets there, he discovers that a Barrayan officer is missing and possibly murdered. His investigation eventually uncovers a conspiracy which could lead to bioterrorism and war.
Some of our favorite characters are missing from Diplomatic Immunity, but fans will be happy to get reacquainted with the gene-manipulating bubble-dwelling haut ladies of Cetaganda; Bel Thorne, the Betan hermaphrodite who Miles had to ask to resign from the Dendarii Mercenary Fleet at the end of Mirror Dance; and Nicol, the Quaddie musician we met in the short story “Labyrinth.” We learn a lot about the Quaddie culture in this novel.
Roic, the big buff armsman is also a main character here and we see him rapidly and gratefully developing into Miles’ right-hand man, a situation that he would never have foreseen after that embarrassing buttered underwear scene in A Civil Campaign. We also once again see Ekaterin as a cooly level-headed woman — something that Miles appreciates immensely. She is important to the resolution of the story in Diplomatic Immunity but, unfortunately, Bujold doesn’t show us some of those important scenes.
Compared to the earlier VORKOSIGAN books, Diplomatic Immunity, a mystery, is darker and more serious. The plot is slower and it lacks the situational comedy elements we’ve seen in previous books. I should think this is a good change since I complained (just a little) in my review of A Civil Campaign that Miles wasn’t acting his age. On the other hand, the comedy is a part of what makes these novels so entertaining and I missed it in Diplomatic Immunity.
This is a solid but not stunning VORKOSIGAN novel. Grover Gardner continues to excel with his narration of the audiobooks. I highly recommend this series in audio format.
August 1, 2012
You know, Miles has an interesting life, and now so does his wife.
Here we have another satisfying addition to the saga of Miles Vorkosigan. Having overcome his challenges had spade command, been a super spy, saved countless lives, become the voice of the Emperor what more does one aspire to? Well, parenthood of course.
But (again "of course") things never go as planned in his life...how many other diplomatic spy military tactical strategists get called away from their honeymoon to prevent a war...or wars and hopefully do it without "breaking the budget" of his home?
Yeah, well Miles does.
This is a good book using humor, action and political intrigue to weave a story that uses both serious and humorous elements. It's great and I recommend it... though I'd advise reading the earlier books first. Not necessary, but might be best, LOL.
Here we have another satisfying addition to the saga of Miles Vorkosigan. Having overcome his challenges had spade command, been a super spy, saved countless lives, become the voice of the Emperor what more does one aspire to? Well, parenthood of course.
But (again "of course") things never go as planned in his life...how many other diplomatic spy military tactical strategists get called away from their honeymoon to prevent a war...or wars and hopefully do it without "breaking the budget" of his home?
Yeah, well Miles does.
This is a good book using humor, action and political intrigue to weave a story that uses both serious and humorous elements. It's great and I recommend it... though I'd advise reading the earlier books first. Not necessary, but might be best, LOL.
August 5, 2014
There are several things going for this novel. First, A return to a much later version of Graff Station and the quaddies. Second, a return to Cetaganda. Third, a return of our favorite hermaphrodite. The only other odd novel out that should have made a return is Ethan of Athos, or at least the first batch of interesting kiddos from that planet. Other than these bits, it may not have been the best Miles book, but it had its moments. The action picked up near the end, but the pacing wasn't exactly full tilt throughout.
It was good at the end, though, and strangely emotional. I probably would have given this one a 3 star, except that the climax was pretty good and made up for a lot.
It was good at the end, though, and strangely emotional. I probably would have given this one a 3 star, except that the climax was pretty good and made up for a lot.
September 8, 2016
I really don't want this series to end.
Read
April 29, 2020This is fully Busman's Honeymoon in space.
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