The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold

Hello, Stranger.

Let's talk about Lois McMaster Bujold's The Vor Game.

The Short of It

Plot: Miles Vorkosigan gets his first real assignment - a frozen outpost, where nothing happens. Somehow he still gets into trouble.

Page Count: 364

Award: 1991 Hugo

Worth a read: Yes
Primary Driver: (Plot, World, or Character)
Bechdel Test: Pass
Technobabble: Minimal.
Review: Highly enjoyable though somewhat disjointed, as the first part was originally a separate story. An engaging mix of different genres at play make this more mystery and thriller than anything else. Pacing is a bit odd, as each main plot has a standard three act structure... but this happens twice within the same book. Character work stays strong, including added depth to side characters introduced in the previous three volumes. Continues to expand the Vorkosigan universe.

The Medium of It

Spoiler Free!

Even this early on in the Vorkosigan Saga it is probably clear that Bujold is comfortable with straddling the lines between multiple genres. Shards of Honor focused heavily on romance, Barrayar on politics, The Warrior's Apprentice is more of a classic spacefaring romp. The Vor Game is, for much of its duration, more of a mystery/thriller than anything else.

The first portion of this book was originally a separately published short story and that is extremely clear when reading. We are introduced to new characters who have their own backstories, motivations, and so on. We see a part of the planet we did not know was there - the arctic wastes. And we have a full story arc transpire. None of these are problems. A few characters are a bit flat but most are themselves fleshed out. Seeing more of the world helps with a pretty standard issue for space SF - the feeling that every planet is totally homogenous. How is all of Tatooine just one big desert? Seeing ice gives a feeling that Barrayar is actually a planet, not just a capital city and rich estates surrounding it. And the story at the base is fun! It's a nice mystery, which is partially enjoyable because of its low stakes.

But that is all just the setup for the remainder of the book. We need to do the same steps again - meet new players, explore a new part of the world, and reestablish the main plot - and it's chapter six. Again, it's all well executed. It just feels very split. 

This is a short review - once again, it's worth a read, and it's quick and enjoyable. 

If you want to give this one a spin, consider using the link below! I'll get a few cents at no extra cost to you.

The Vor Link

The Long of It

Spoilers Ahead!

With a series like this, stakes become an issue. Four books in and interplanetary war has come up three times. Also nefarious conspiracies have been in... all of them so far? I think this is what makes the starting segment with the arctic base so satisfying - it comes across as a simpler, smaller scale issue. Something that still needs to be addressed, and lives do hang in the balance, but not millions of them. It works well for Miles, and he is at his most compelling when he is solving a murder that he thinks does not matter.

The big twist here is that the obnoxious superior officer - who was involved in the death from the start - turns out to be part of a big conspiracy, and is one of the villains at the end. This is one of those things that just does not land well. He comes off as a bit too crazy and inept at the start to be part of a conspiracy later - and yes, the point is that he's a dupe, but nonetheless. My guess is that this was a choice made after the fact, once Bujold had decided to stitch together the opening story and the rest of the book.

It's odd writing up these reviews after having read the full series - very few books truly stand out. At the same time, I enjoyed all of them, and feel real attachment to the characters. I need to flip back through each one and look at my notes to figure out what happened in each one - but my overall opinion of them stays high.

Don't join a conspiracy, Stranger.

And don't forget to read a book!