The Evolution of Science Fiction discussion

This folder is to discuss December's group reads by Lois McMaste Bujold. The poll was won by the books Women at War and The Warrior's Apprentice.

My library has The Warrior's Apprentice. I expect to start it tomorrow. It will be my first of Bujold.

I wanted to read Women at War but can't easily find a copy. I've been looking on amazon and for some bizarre reason for a second hand copy the hardback is £2.35 and the paperback is £15.29. The problem is I can't easily carry around the hardback. I think i'm going to read the Warrior's apprentice and if it's good I will buy the hardback!

I've started reading The Warrior's apprentice and although i'm not having any problems with it, i'm wondering am I missing anything by not having read anything else in the Vorkosigan saga as this one is listed as 2 by Goodreads?

I've just started it, too. I had a little trouble getting into it but after several chapters, it's become rather enjoyable. Perhaps those first few chapters would have been helped by having read the first book in the series, but now that I'm into the adventure, I don;t feel like I've missed anything. It's unlikely that I'll read the whole series, so I just shrugged it off and I've got no problem reading #2.

This website lists it as #1 of 13 (https://www.worldswithoutend.com/nove...)

Buck wrote: "I've just started it, too. I had a little trouble getting into it but after several chapters, it's become rather enjoyable. Perhaps those first few chapters would have been helped by having read ..."

Thanks Buck, it's strange Goodreads has Shards of Honour as the first, but worlds without end has this as Cordelia Vorkosigan: Book 1. I guess the 13 in the Vorkosgian saga follow Miles but there are other books in the Vorksogian world follow different characters. Anyway if it is the first about Miles I guess i'm not missing anything which is good.

The earlier books & stories in the series aren't really necessary. The first is a short story 200 years earlier or so & does introduce a race encountered in the third book or so. 'Shards' is Miles' parents meeting. Then there's another short story that I don't recall. Neither is that important to this story.

Barrayar is also about Miles' parents & isn't necessary, but nice to read. The biggest reason is that it explains Bothari far better. He's a pretty fascinating character. Bujold gives enough clues though & the mystery adds to the story, I think. I read this one well after since it was published 5 years after The Warrior's Apprentice. I've since reread the series in chronological order & it's every bit as good.

I finished The Warrior's Apprentice this morning. Here's my review:

This is my first Bujold and my first in the series of the saga of Miles Vorkosigan. One of my initial thoughts was 'Why are so many space operas based on imperial aristocracies?' After some mild character confusion in the early chapters, most likely because I was unfamiliar with the back-story, it settles into something of a military space opera adventure. Miles has something of the audacious character of Hans Solo, with a dose of Bret Maverick. Wise beyond his 17 years, he inadvertently accumulates a mercenary army and space fleet. The book is an easy enjoyable read, but instead of culminating in an exciting climax of Miles' adventures, it dissolves into arcane aristocratic etiquette and political posturing. I expect that I may read some more Bujold - I have her Barrayar on my reading list - but I'm really not a reader of series and The Warrior's Apprentice didn't persuade me to pursue this one.

I enjoy Bujold's worlds. They are well thought out and make some sense. This is the third in the saga, but the first in which Miles is the protagonist.

Think of Barrayar as Texas, Beta Colony as California. Cetaganda as a eugenics based culture and you start to follow the threads.

LOL! That's the best way I've heard the worlds described, Jon.

Out of interest if you read on in the Vorkosigan saga is there an underlying story running through the next books or is it more individual stories set within the worlds Bujold has created?

There's Miles' growth & that of many other characters. They all fit together pretty well with recurring characters in various parts of the universe.

Women at War is an anthology of military SF stories by women. Did anybody read it? I didn't, being up to my armpits in anthology with Dangerous Visions and Again, Dangerous Visions.

Buck wrote: "Women at War is an anthology of military SF stories by women. Did anybody read it? I didn't, being up to my armpits in anthology with Dangerous Visions and [book:Again, Dangerous Vi..."

For various reason which meant lack of time in December I didn't get round to this one. I really do want to read it though so am going to try and get a copy and read in 2015.