Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Borders of Infinity by Lois McMaster Bujold ISBN: 0-671-72093-7 Publisher: Baen Books Pub. Date: 22 May, 2001 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.53 (17 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: A collection of short stories in the Vorkosigan series.
Comment: This is a collection of short-stories in the Miles Vorkosigan space opera series. Each story takes place at a different point in Miles' career. One of these stories, "The Mountains of Mourning" (1989), where Miles has to deal with the prejudices of his own planet, won a Nebula Award for best science fiction short story of the year. If I could, I would probably award the book three-and-a-half stars.
Rating: 4
Summary: An excellent collection despite...
Comment: This collection of novellas was my introduction to Miles Vorkosigan, and while I suspect that the first book (The Warrior's Apprentice) Might have been a better opening, it did convince me to read every one that our libraries contained, and finally to begin collecting the series.
This collections contains three complete novellas and a, well, best described as sort-of-a-story to connect the three very different events in Miles' career. This wrap-around story is the main reason I gave the collection a mere four stars; it contains a suggestion of a rather scanty plot against Lord Aral Vorkosigan via Miles' more unusual adventures (Or rather, his monetary expenses), which serves no purpose except to perhaps introduce the idea of the imperial Auditors used in the later book Memory (And much better introduced within that book itself). As another reviewer said, the novellas could probably stand alone safely.
As for the three stories themselves, they vary immensely in theme. "The Mountains of Mourning" is a tale of Miles Vorkosigan's early years, and in theory it is a murder mystery, but the emotional impact on both Miles and myself as reader was quite incredible. This is probably the best of the three stories.
Following this, "Labyrinth" is a bit of a surprise; an almost rollicking adventure of Miles as the little "Admiral Naismith". It was grerat fun, but there was very little real emotional impact. It contained another excellent character, but felt to me like it was lacking depth - it was a plot-driven story, and shamelessly so. Having reread it sicne, it is better than my first impression, but the difference between the two stories was a bit of a shock.
The last story, "the Borders of Infinity", combined the two nicely - a rapid-paced adventure with a strong heart and some emotional twisting. Here Lois achieves something amazing in itself - she shows the story from the point-of-view of the one character who *really* knows everything that's going on, yet doesn't give away her own plot in so doing.
All in all, this hooked me on the little hyperactive madman; I've sought out every book of hers I can since.
Rating: 4
Summary: Great stories to add to series - but watch what you buy
Comment: The stories of Miles are wonderful and Lois McMaster Bujold remains one of the most talented writers in sci-fi literature today. Her style is rapid, full of dialogue, and you hardly notice that you're reading - it's so smooth.
This book is a collection of stories about Miles, who recounts them to Simon, his boss in the imperial secret services. Miles himself is in hospital and cornered by Simon to cough up some details on the somewhat ambiguous reports Miles has been sending in. Like a rat caught in the corner, Miles has no choice but to spill the details.
The first is a story of Miles' younger years when his father sends him off to judge on an issue that happened among his own people. Barrayar, unfortunately, still murders babies that are deformed. It's a short murder mystery.
The second story revolves around Jackson's whole and the dubious activities that go on there. Miles' mission is to "collect" a person; but it's never as easy as it seems.
The third is the strangest yet. Miles ends up in an enemy prison camp. At first it's not obvious how he got there, but Miles being Miles, he soon gets people moving.
Bujold's writing certainly deserves five stars, as do the stories about Miles. The reason I give this only four stars is that two out of the three stories featured in previous "collections". It's very confusing to the buyer: which novel comes before which? And although Bujold has a lovely table in the back of each book to help you with the chronology, it's almost impossible to buy books that only feature the stories you want. I now own three versions of the same story, and I resent having spent money on the same thing (not to mention the waste of trees that produced the paper for this).
 |
Title: Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold ISBN: 067187845X Publisher: Baen Books Pub. Date: October, 1997 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
 |
Title: Cetaganda by Bujold ISBN: 0671877445 Publisher: Baen Books Pub. Date: October, 1996 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
 |
Title: Komarr: A Miles Vorkosigan Adventure by Lois McMaster Bujold ISBN: 0671578081 Publisher: Pocket Books Pub. Date: 01 April, 1999 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
 |
Title: Brothers in Arms by Lois McMaster Bujold ISBN: 0671697994 Publisher: Baen Books Pub. Date: May, 1994 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
 |
Title: A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold ISBN: 0671578855 Publisher: Baen Books Pub. Date: 01 August, 2000 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
