REVIEW: Barrayar, by Lois McMaster Bujold
Alan Wexelblat
Barrayar
by Lois McMaster Bujold
Review Copyright (c) 1991 Alan Wexelblat
Five bucks for a paperback novel. Sheesh. I don't know about you-all, but
this latest jump in book prices is going to affect my buying. Simply put it
means fewer books and more hardcover buying (they last longer and the author
gets a bigger percentage). For me to pay that price means I need to have a
pretty good idea of what I'm getting, or it has to be something I can't get
any other way. Both apply to Lois Bujold's work.
There's not much I can say about this book that isn't already known. It is
part of the Miles Vorkosigan series, now grown to six novels and three
novellas (I refuse to count "Falling Free," even thought the chronology in
the back of the books lists it). Even though all the stories do not
directly involve Miles, they all concern his history and actions.
"Barrayar" fits nicely in the mold. I'd rate it as third best in the series
after "Brothers in Arms" and "Borders of Infinity."
The action takes place on the planet Barrayar after Miles' parents have
settled in. As readers of other books already know, Aral Vorkosigan is more
or less forced to become Regent which makes him a target for every
malcontent on or off the planet. One of these attacks damages the fetal
Miles, requiring that he be placed in a uterine replicator where
physiological damage may be undone. Unfortunately, Aral is deposed by the
Vordarian pretendership and Miles is put in serious danger.
What makes this book worthwhile is that Bujold deviates from a simple
retelling of already-known history into a deep exploration of the character
of Cordelia, Miles' mother. She is very much the alien on Barrayar, being
from an independent background and thrust into the male-dominated world of
Vor. Other books from Bujold have not shown things from a female
perspective, so this makes for a refreshing change. Other than that,
though, there's not much new in here. I keep hoping Bujold will break out,
do something different, but it hasn't happened yet.
%A Lois McMaster Bujold
%T Barrayar
%I Baen SF
%G ISBN 0-617-72083-X
%O $4.99
%D 1991