Science Fiction Aficionados discussion

This is such an awesome series. Read it through more times than I can count. Looking for something along the same lines . . . Is there anything out there that resembles this series? Especially the humor . . .

I haven't read it (and so I'm pretty unsure about the humor), but I have heard from many corners that the adventures of Honor Harrington are nearly as good. the first book in the long-running series is On Basilisk Station

Everything is subjective.
There is the "Alex Benedict" novels from Jack McDevitt.

Similarities: A main character Miles vs Alex, Both are genius that solve problems, each has a ship that roams the galaxy, some humor.

Differences: Alex does not have a family background, Miles does, Mile is a Mercinary, Alex is an Archeologist.

However, I like the Alex Benedict series more than the Vorkosigan series.

Anne McCaffrey's Freedom series is some what similar. It's not as long, I think it's only 3 or 4 books. I loved the Vorkosigan Saga, I thoroughly enjoyed every one. I too liked the sense of humor so you might like another of my favorite series, Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. Its not SciFi but urban fantasy.

This might be a stretch, but has anybody else read Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles? Now it's historical fiction, no science fiction or fantasy at all, but it has the same sort of super-intelligent swash-buckling hero and a lot of humor.

Jerry Pournelle has a couple of series you might like.

Alexa, I completely agree with you regarding Dorothy Dunnett! I also enjoy Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey and Maturin series in the same way. I think it is because of the excellent character development that drives the stories.

Hmmm. Sandy Mitchell's Ciaphas Cain: Hero of the Imperium is also humorous military SF.

It takes a lot to make me laugh. I really don't read science fiction for this purpose. The only series I know of that has good adventure, character development from book to book, and is a whole lot funnier than the Vorkosigan series is the Stainless Steel Rat series by Harry Harrison. I read the series in publication order, mostly, but I bet it would be even cooler to read it in chronological order. So my recommendation is to start with A Stainless Steel Rat is Born if you like to laugh.

are you not a fan of the Vorkosigan saga? or is it just not funny to you? personally I don't consider it a comic series, although it does have its many amusing moments.

Snarktastic Sonja wrote: " . . . Is there anything out there that resembles this series? Especially the humor."

I like the Vorkosigan series. Not enough to read it entire, but I have read perhaps three of the titles and enjoyed them to varying degrees averaging four stars.

I don't know if you have ever met Ms. Bujold. I have, sort of. I attended a somewhat small and lengthy talk she and John Ringo held at a Dragon Con a few years back and asked a couple questions at it. Ringo the entire time was sickeningly sychophantic towards Bujold, and I have no idea why. Was he trying to get laid? I've seldom seen anyone kiss ass so long, so hard, and so obviously. I haven't read a work of his since then.

Anyway, to Bujold's credit, she acted unaffected by the endless flattery. Bujold talked of her body of work, especially the Vorkosigan saga, openly and honestly. She struck me as a likable person of considerable intellect, but she was serious, somewhat cold, rather distant--maybe it would be fairer to say instead that she was highly formal--both to her audience and Ringo. (If you're going to make it to first base with her, you're going to have to slide, John.) Still, she listened carefully to audience questions and gave complete answers, which was kind of her.

I don't mean to imply she is humorlessly serious by any means. She is straight on, means what she says, and did not strike me as subtle, or layered. Serious, I think, is Bujold's default. I am not sure how or why anyone would try to attach humor as an attribute of her work, or personality, but I would not. I don't mean this in a negative way. Bujold just has higher (or completely different) priorities than being funny.

that sounds exactly like the Bujold I've always imagined!

ugh, John Ringo. hack.

Bujold may not appear funny in person, but I've seldom seen a writer do tongue-in-cheek and even slapstick humor more effectively! The butter-bees?! And yet when she's serious she's wonderfully heartbreaking too - Memory.

ah, Memory. one of my favorites. along with Mirror Dance and Shards of Honour. such a fantastic series!

I've noticed that Ms Bujold is really good at answering questions here on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/1609...

this was wonderful. her answers are so insightful and really gave me a glimpse of who she is as a person and not just an author. thanks Kirsten!

Mickey wrote: "Everything is subjective.
There is the "Alex Benedict" novels from Jack McDevitt.

Similarities: A main character Miles vs Alex, Both are genius that solve problems, each has a ship ..."

Although I have not read Bujold, I second this recommendation as I love McDevitt's books.

Alex does have some family background that comes into play in the latest book.

I haven't read any of the Alex Benedict books, but I really like the Academy/Priscilla Hutchins series.

I like those as well. The Benedict books are a bit lighter.