Memory: A Miles Vorkosigan Novel [Turtleback]

Lois McMaster Bujold (Author)

Product Details

• Turtleback
• Publisher: Demco Media (April 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0606183760
• ISBN-13: 978-0606183765
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Strong entry in a terrific series, August 28, 2000

By 

Marcy L. Thompson (Sammamish, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Memory (Miles Vorkosigan Adventures) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book marks the turning point of Miles Vorkosigan/Naismith's life. Without giving away the plot, there's not much else to say. Miles faces his life, his choices and himself, in prose so brutally honest that it almost hurts to read. But the writing is beautiful, the plot twisty and surprising, and the characters glorious. This is the culmination of all that has gone before, and I strongly recommend that you read what has gone before. prior to dipping into this novel.

_Memory_ is a fabulous book. It would be well worth reading if it had only the great story, or only the incredibly well-drawn characters, or only the deeper layers of meaning. When you combine all of these, and add in the absolutely sublime prose, you have a fabulous book. Read the precursors, then read this. You won't be sorry.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best of the first 10 books..., March 13, 2000

By 

Colin R. Glassey (Bay Area, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Memory (Miles Vorkosigan Adventures) (Mass Market Paperback)

I will venture the very bold statement that Bujold is the best woman SF writer active today (ealier claiments to that title would be LeGuin and C. J. Cherry). This series of Bujold's (about Miles) is really a remarkable work. Not only is it extensive (10+ books) but it has gone after things in a strongly chronological fashion. Instead of skipping forward and backwards in time, picking off the highlights, this series has (with a few exceptions) moved forward in time very "cleanly". I really get the feeling that I'm reading about a real person's life.

One remarkable aspect to this series is that while it is science fiction, it is very strongly about character development as well. Miles changes over time. Most other people in the series don't change but then, most other people in the books are older than Miles and more set in their ways. Another interesting thing about this series is that the "galaxy" in which this book is set is slowly coming into focus. We only see bits and pieces of the Miles galaxy but even so, it is developing very nicely as a coherent, believable background for the stories.

Now this book, Memory, is a real turning point in Miles life and in the series. It marks (what seems to be) a turn away from "space opera" and towards something new... science fiction for policy wonks? Its hard to describe but the old days of blasting your enemies are replaced by the new, more mature challenges of politics and character assassination. It also represents a chance for Bujold to engage in some "romance".

Don't take this wrong, this is not some romance novel, but it is a novel that in many ways is about relationships. Its rare to read a SF novel that is this carefull balance of comedy, mystery, and character.

Bottom line: Bujold's Miles series started pretty well 15 years ago and has transformed into a series that is unlike anything that has been written before. I find it highly enjoyable and this book is one of the best "installments" in the life of Miles.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A New Career for Miles, July 3, 2002

By 

WFK "alt historian" (Wolfsberg, Austria) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Memory (Miles Vorkosigan Adventures) (Mass Market Paperback)

The first half of the book deals with Miles' old life as Admiral Naismith becoming a memory: he has to re-invent himself (again). Tragic circumstances - his former mentor's loss of memory - open up an unusual opportunity for our hero: to become an Imperial auditor. To quote from the book: "imperial with capital imp".

So the book becomes a mystery with Miles as the investigator and - naturally - his cousin Ivan as the sidekick. And it is a great story with all the colorful, romantic background of Barrayar.

If "Mirror Dance" was the very dark but brilliant story about his clone-brother becoming Lord Mark, then this is Miles' turn to really become Lord Vorkossigan, new suite and kitchen-staff included. There is also romance in the book, but it mostly evades Miles - well, at least the emperor is happy ...

A mystery, romance, a search for oneself - it's all there in this book. I regard it as one of the best of this brilliant series. To read it before "Komarr" (and consequently "A Civil Campaign") is recommended.