The Warrior's Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold

Hello, Stranger.

Let's talk about Lois McMaster Bujold's The Warrior's Apprentice.

The Short of It

Plot: Miles Vorkosigan, too weak and stunted for normal military service, figures out another route to make his family proud.

Page Count: 315

Award: Prequel to The Vor Game, which won a Hugo.

Worth a read: Yes
Primary Driver: (Plot, World, or Character)
Bechdel Test: Pass(?)
Technobabble: Moderate.
Review: A satisfying transition from Cordelia to Miles as the protagonist of the Vorkosigan Saga. Plot is engaging and successfully balances active choices with reactionary beats - though it still relies on a number of convenient coincidences. Pacing starts slow but picks up appreciably. Characters remain the highlight of the series, though the larger cast here means some lack detail. Significantly expands the scope of the universe that we see and sets seeds for plenty of further storylines.

The Medium of It

Spoiler Free!

The publication order for these books is fascinating. The Warrior's Apprentice is the second book in publication order, coming directly after Shards of Honor. Which means, of course, that the events of Barrayar are all to explain why exactly Miles is the way he is: small, brittle, and weak. Barrayar, of course, does far more than that. What it really does is set the background for how Barrayaran society functions - which shows why, from the start, Miles's weakness is an issue. This also means that parts of the start of The Warrior's Apprentice feel a bit redundant. World-building at the start is there to show how Barrayar runs, and we've just spent a book learning all about that.

There is a common fiction trope in which the weaker person learns that brawn might not be what they needed - that real strength was what was inside them the whole time. And from this, everyone learns a bit of compassion. Maybe being a brawny ape is not the ultimate goal if we can (pushing glasses back up nose) all understand one another better. I unfairly assumed that this was one such story. To its credit, it is not. Miles, despite being a weak little shrimp human, still decides that he wants to be a tough guy. Yes, brains are important too - but I appreciate that he is set up as a part of a civilization where what matters more are strength and prowess, so of course he is a reflection of that.

Characters: I mean, this is going to be in every Vorkosigan post. Bujold is very, very, very good with her characters. In this book the best demonstration of that is Bothari. In the previous two books he was shown to be a loyal monster - someone totally devoted, and trying to be better, but with no qualms. His arc in The Warrior's Apprentice expands on both of those aspects - someone trying to do better, but with a heinous past. Miles has big shoes to fill following Cordelia, and for the most part delivers. He is not in peak form in this book, but all of the elements are there, to be expanded upon. His resourcefulness and determination drive the story, and his frustrations - a powerful person trapped in a weak body - are conveyed expertly.

While character growth remains the focal point of this series, The Warrior's Apprentice offers a plot that is engaging on its own terms. Good action, generally good pacing, and lots of developments. It would stand on its own even if it was not really there in service of exploring characters - but it works for both.

Shards of Honor set up the divide between Betans and Barrayarans, Barrayar added more nuance to Barrayaran society. The Warrior's Apprentice is the first look at the significantly larger universe in which both Barrayar and Beta exist, showing that there are not just these two groups. Other groups do not come off with quite the level of distinct compare/contrast of Barrayar and Beta - which are, of course, perfect foils for one anther. Nonetheless this works to show how many other operators exist, and that there is far more out there. 

This is an excellent way to meet Miles and a good start for the next ten or so books in which he is the main character. Yeah, it's a long series.

If you'd like to give this a test drive, consider using the link below! I'll get a few cents at no extra cost to you.

The Warrior's Link

The Long of It

Spoilers Ahead!

All of the choices made with regard to Bothari are great. He was - and is - a brutal and single-minded monster. He is also fiercely loyal to Cordelia, and through her, to Miles. He does not have a moral compass, exactly, so he uses others for that. His past is pure violence and his does his best to atone for that by caring for Miles and his daughter. Yet his redemption arc is not shown as actual redemption, as we are shown the damage he caused - in the form of one of the women he raped, the mother of his daughter. When she eventually kills him, we know it was deserved, but we still feel for Miles and his daughter. It's an odd mix of emotions to feel: he deserved to die, and it seemed like it would happen. But he was still a protector and father/father figure to others. A lot of complex feelings with one character death.

The weakest character here is Elena Bothari, Sergeant Bothari's daughter. She is the sorta love interest of Miles but comes off as flat. She is also at a disadvantage - the previous two books had established excellent rapport between Cordelia and Aral as our two leads. If Miles is taking on the position of Aral, Elena ends up as ersatz Cordelia, and she does not cut it.

As mentioned above, the brains vs. brawn theme for the book works well - particularly because Miles is opting for brains as a strategy for getting brawn. Military prowess is still the answer to the larger issues that arise, but Miles is able to get himself into a command position so that he is the one directing it. He is then actually in the action, not just planning - still acting out his military dream. His plans manage to straddle the line for brains and brawn, and deliver on both. 

Miles faking his way to becoming Admiral of a fleet is delightful. The conclusion of the book, which sees him hustling home to pledge that same fleet to the Barrayaran Emperor, and thus avoid charges of treason, is a bit less so. It works in context, but it feels like a justification for Miles starting up weak again in the following books. This is somewhat reminiscent of having a base burn down, or a magic item cast into the sea at the end of a story - because if he starts with everything, it's hard to give us a compelling arc.

Still, the whole package is satisfying, and for a book that really could have just been space warfare there is a surprising amount of depth.

Don't get strung up for treason, Stranger.

And don't forget to read a book!