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Komarr (Vorkosigan Saga (Publication order) #11)

by Lois McMaster Bujold (Goodreads Author)

4.24 of 5 stars 4.24 · rating details · 5,252 ratings · 150 reviews

Lord Miles Vorkosigan is sent to investigate a problem on the conquered planet of Komarr, where the name Vorkosigan is drenched in blood. The Komarrans surrounding Miles could be loyal subjects--or rebels ready for revenge.

Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages

Published April 1st 1999 by Baen (first published January 1st 1998)

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Mar 13, 2012 Hannah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, read-2012, science-fiction-futuristic

4.5 stars.

Komarr was my second expedition into Lois McMaster Bujold's "Vorkosiverse" (my first was Shards of Honour), and my first introduction to Miles Vorkosigan. I have to admit that I didn't like this novel as much as Shards of Honour, but it had nothing to do with Miles. Miles was as wonderful as I hoped he would be. No, it was certain elements of the plot, and certain reservations about the heroine, that knocked a half-star off my rating of this otherwise brilliant novel.

I like to call mys...more 4.5 stars.

Komarr was my second expedition into Lois McMaster Bujold's "Vorkosiverse" (my first was Shards of Honour), and my first introduction to Miles Vorkosigan. I have to admit that I didn't like this novel as much as Shards of Honour, but it had nothing to do with Miles. Miles was as wonderful as I hoped he would be. No, it was certain elements of the plot, and certain reservations about the heroine, that knocked a half-star off my rating of this otherwise brilliant novel.

I like to call myself a science fiction fan, but that isn't entirely accurate. The fiction part is great, but sometimes the science part kills it for me. My attention span for technical detail is extremely short, so there were sections of this novel that left me cold. These sections failed to capture my interest long enough to figure out what was going on. As a result, I had to take certain events on faith, since I hadn't paid any attention to the scientific explanations behind them. This emphasis on lengthy technical discussions instead of action sequences meant that parts of the plot lagged heavily, at least in my opinion. (I understand from my scientifically-minded mother that this perception on my part is due to the fact that I consider math the devil and science his demonic first cousin, not due to any failings in Bujold's plot. I think she might be right, but don't tell her I said so.)

My only other reservation about this novel was the heroine, Ekaterin. There was nothing wrong with her as a character, but her vulnerability as the subordinate partner in an unhappy marriage bothered me. I always get irritated with female characters who allow themselves to be victims. Not that Ekaterin really allowed herself to be a victim. (view spoiler) Still, she is not the partner I would have chosen for Miles.

In all other respects, I loved Komarr. Bujold's writing is superb. I especially love her dialog. Her characters talk like real people do, which I appreciate after having read so much stilted dialog in other novels. I also love Bujold's ability to convey a wealth of meaning in a few short sentences. She rarely wastes much time on physical descriptions of people, places, or items, but I always have a clear picture of them in my mind. I'm looking forward to reading more of her books.(less)

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Jun 26, 2012 Christy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-it-audible, did-read-again

Listened to this as an audiobook

It took me quite awhile to get into this book, which I've found is common for me when listening to books that include a huge amount of world building. I suppose my attention is always somewhat fragmented when I'm listening to a book and that works better for books set in a familiar world.

But once I got into it, I really enjoyed Komarr. Miles is certainly not your typical romantic hero but he was terrific nonetheless. I felt great empathy for Ekaterin and look for...more

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Jan 05, 2008 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, fantasy-sci-fi

Miles Vorkosigan makes mistakes. Bujold loves to set up her characters to make mistakes and learn from them, and also to live with the consequences. The most compelling character in this story, though, is not the endearing Miles, but the woman he falls in love with on Komarr. She is learning what it means to have made a mistake by marrying the wrong man, and how difficult it can be to find oneself again after years of emotional abuse. There's an excellent line about how she can no longer shrink...more

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Oct 01, 2012 Smcleish rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned

Originally published on my blog here in November 2000.

Following Miles Vorkosigan's surprise appointment as an Imperial Auditor at the end of Memory - they have the full power of the Emperor behind their investigations, amounting to a completely free hand - Komarr recounts his first case. Komarr is a recently conquered planet in the Barrayan Empire, important strategically because its planetary system contains the only wormhole linking Barrayar to the rest of the galaxy. However, it is barely hab...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Jane Stewart rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi-mystery

I wasn’t excited, but it was ok. It kept my interest.

STORY BRIEF:
Inhabitants of Komarr live in domes and wear oxygen masks when outside. The planet is in process of being transformed into a more habitable place with the use of a solar mirror. The mirror is shattered by a starship. Miles is sent by the emperor of Barrayar to investigate. Miles and his co-investigator stay with Ekaterin and her husband Tien during the investigation.

Ekaterin is unhappy in her marriage. Because of her husband’s dema...more

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May 08, 2011 Zach rated it 3 of 5 stars

One of the more interesting aspects of the Vorkosigan books is the subtle and not-so-subtle reminders that democracy turns you into a big pussy. The heroes of the saga, the Barrayarans, are a militaristic culture with hereditary government and no written law to speak of. The democratic planets, in this case the conquered Komarrans (but most often the famously liberal Beta Colony) have a lot to offer in terms of personal liberty and diversity, but when the shit hits the fan they rely entirely on...more

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Apr 02, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: courtship, science-fiction, political-thriller, terraforming

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I’m somewhat abashed to admit that I picked up this book first in the Vorkosigan series, which is sorta silly as it’s the 11th and Miles is definitely a character who is changed by his experiences. But it was at the library, and I was recently out of law school, and it mentioned terraforming in the first few pages. I had a yearning for new worlds.

It was okay as a stand alone science fiction/political thriller. As part of the overall series, it’s awesome. Miles has settled into his life as an Im...more I’m somewhat abashed to admit that I picked up this book first in the Vorkosigan series, which is sorta silly as it’s the 11th and Miles is definitely a character who is changed by his experiences. But it was at the library, and I was recently out of law school, and it mentioned terraforming in the first few pages. I had a yearning for new worlds.

It was okay as a stand alone science fiction/political thriller. As part of the overall series, it’s awesome. Miles has settled into his life as an Imperial Auditor and is tackling his father’s ghost as the Butcher of Komarr. In the sense that he’s at Komarr, investigating an accident that seriously damaged the solar mirror that focuses more of the sun’s rays on a very cold planet. He’s also falling in love. Again.

It’s a definite change from the previous books in the series. In most of the others, Miles is over his head immediately and talks and charms his way out of it. In this one, he’s . . . thoughtful. Measured. Except for that one bit, where he heads into the unterraformed darkness with the husband of the woman he’s falling in love with. It really isn’t his fault the other guy dies horribly. He really feels bad about it.

It’s subtler than the ones before it. Again, no fight scenes, though the female protagonist does wreck some truly spectacular violence with a float pallet. In many of the previous books, Miles has power without real responsibility. In this one, he has both. It seems to slow him down. Might be some good modeling in there.

I am a little unsettled by the woman who Miles falls in love with, Ekaterin. She’s been in a progressively more abusive arranged marriage for ten years to a man with a mutation from the mutation-fearing Barrayar. She copes by mostly shutting down and pacifying. She has a lot of hallmarks of learned helplessness, but she bounces right back into functionality when her husband dies. She’s not nearly as damaged as I think she would be. She shows great compassion and heroism. She saves Barrayar and probably Komarr too and simply shrugs at the fact that only a handful of people will ever know. That amazing moment doesn’t seem to wash away 10 years of progressive abuse . . . and Miles falls for her. Considering that his last girlfriend’s a mercenary admiral and the one before it a super soldier, that’s a little surprising.

The characters in this book all have to deal with the consequences and benefits of decisions made generations ago. Hundreds of years before, hopeful settlers started a terraforming project. 80 years before, Komarr let an invasion fleet through that killed five million Barraryans. 35 years before, Barrayar conquered Komarr to make sure such a thing never happened again – and someone, with or without sanction, killed 200 of the world’s most prominent citizens to make the point that it was really pissed about the invasion fleet. Now, Barrayar seems to be trying to build a workable alliance, even though a good portion of Barrayan women who go there to study never come back. The existence of the other is unsettling. But whatcha gonna do? Twas ever thus.

The adventure stories are more to my taste, but I really enjoyed the thrumming of science fiction through this one. Lurking underneath is the project of terraforming – building better worlds, and the moral consequences of having the power to do so.
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Mar 27, 2011 Andreas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Now a permanent Imperial Auditor, Miles is sent to Barrayar’s subject planet of Komarr to investigate an “accident” on a solar mirror. The mirror is part of a centuries long projecto to terraform Komarr. Currently, Komarrans live in domed cities. Through a fellow auditor, he makes the acquaintance of Ekaterin Vorsoisson, the unhappily married wife of a Barrayaran terraforming administrator. Miles is smitten. He must now solve the mystery of the accident, while sorting out his feelings for Ekater...more

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Mar 05, 2011 Karl rated it 5 of 5 stars

I regard this book as the best of the Vorkosigan series but it only beats out A Civil Campaign by a hair. But it wins for a reason that most readers don't talk about.

What does SCIENCE have to do with science fiction? On the basis of most reviews I have read of Komarr people care about the characterizations and Ekaterin's rotten marriage and the reason for the story is mere justification for her meeting with Miles. But this story is based on the discovery of NEW SCIENCE which the bad guys try to...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, sci-fi

Newly-minted Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan pays a visit to Komarr in order to investigate the destruction of that planet's invaluable solar array. Was the incident a simple mishap, or an act of sabotage?...

Komarr is a political thriller in much the same vein as Cetaganda. There are no mercenaries, no epic space battles--just Miles's native wit and his Imperial authority (which he is still learning to wield appropriately.) And as in Cetaganda, Miles is once again aided in his efforts by a bea...more

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May 17, 2013 Kathleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, space-opera, reviewed, beauty-beast

4.5 stars for this romantic suspense set on planet Komarr, across the galaxy.

The first thing that caught Miles's eye was the upside-down float cradle. His heart lifted at this inexplicable, welcome sight. "My goodness. You've met with an accident."

"It wasn't us. It was her. The bitch from hell. Or Barrayar, which is almost the same..."

Miles's eyes widened, and his lips parted in breathless anticipation. "Remarkable. Um...how?"

All three Komarrans tried to answer him at once...by which Miles slowl...more

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Dec 19, 2011 SA rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

"Miles Learns There is More to Life Than Work."

Wow, okay, just wow. I--you know how it is when you get too close to a character, and then you kind of watch everyone that comes into his life with a hairy eye because you are invested, okay, you have concerns about the people he gets close too.

All that shit disappeared the moment I met Ekaterin. Oh my god, she's amazing. *I* want to marry her. Just--what a center. What strength and cleverness. It was almost physically painful to watch Miles hold...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Theophania Elliott rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

To really appreciate this book, you need to have read some of the preceding books in the series. However, you can still enjoy it on its own.

In this book, we meet Ekaterin Vorsoisson, unhappy wife of Etienne Vorsoisson, a Barrayaran administrator on conquered Komarr. It's her apartment where Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan comes to stay (with her uncle, Imperial Auditor Professor Vorthys) when investigating the origins of a planetary disaster: was it accident, incompetence - or sabotage?

Interes...more To really appreciate this book, you need to have read some of the preceding books in the series. However, you can still enjoy it on its own.

In this book, we meet Ekaterin Vorsoisson, unhappy wife of Etienne Vorsoisson, a Barrayaran administrator on conquered Komarr. It's her apartment where Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan comes to stay (with her uncle, Imperial Auditor Professor Vorthys) when investigating the origins of a planetary disaster: was it accident, incompetence - or sabotage?

Interestingly, in this book, Ekaterin is the main point-of-view character. In most of the other Vorkosigan Saga books, this is Miles, so this represents a change. But the change works extremely well. Not only do we get to see Miles as strangers see him, but we get the point of view of someone who does not routinely move in the same rarefied social, political and military circles as Miles. Ekaterin grew up in a provincial town; she has followed the socially-acceptable life path for a young Vor girl (wife and mother) but it has not brought her happiness. Now we get to see not only how the 'other half' lives, but also how Ekaterin reacts to Miles' famous forward momentum and you-can-do-anything-and-the-universe-had-better-get-out-the-way attitide.

As usual with Bujold's books, all of her characters are living beings. She manages to write people so that even the ones you never meet - who are only referred to in one line spoken by a walk-on character - seem to conjure up a whole image and personality. Bujold delights in the ridiculous, but she can be serious too, often by stealth. We meet Ekaterin's husband, a lonely, frightened man whose loneliness and fear are all his own fault, or the fault of his clinging to increasingly outmoded social mores. We get to see the effect of this self-destructiveness not only on Etienne himself, but also on his wife and son. We meet Komarrans, too. The inhabitants of a conquered planet, we meet the ones who have accepted the conquest and the ones who have not, and their different ways of dealing with the fact that their once-independent planet is now part of the empire ruled by the people they once dropped in the mire by allowing an invasion fleet through their wormhole. Along the way, Bujold manages to give us a whistle-stop tour of several important issues, but we also get hilarious scenes such as Miles' and Ekaterin's disastrous shopping trip.

This is one of my favourite books in the Vorkosigan Saga, and I've read it many times. There's enough social commentary in there to satisfy the intellect, but enough sheer fun that you always feel better after you've read it. (less)

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Mar 21, 2010 Kathi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I know, I know, each Vorkosigan Saga book I read, I seem to say, this is my favorite. Well, once again, I have a few favorite and it's Komarr.

First and best, it is Miles as Imperial Auditor Vorkosigan, unraveling (with help) a mystery. He is on the planet where his father acted in such a way as to be called The Butcher of Komarr. He is growing into his new role. And he is falling in love.

I found Ekaterin's character to be sympathetic and compelling. She is, in many ways, emotionally frozen, and...more

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Nov 29, 2010 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi

Miles travels to Komarr, a planet connected to his family by blood and tragedy, to investigate a major case of suspected sabotage. The event has heavy political implications, but unfortunately none of the evidence makes much sense. With the help of Ekaterin, an unhappy woman used to hiding her husband's secrets, Miles learns of a ruthless threat to the Empire.

There's a good balance of action, mystery, and character development here. The new characters are interesting, though I do admit that I mi...more

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May 16, 2012 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Space Opera Fans

Shelves: fiction, novels, science-fiction, mystery, romance

Komarr is listed as the 11th book in the Vorkosigan Saga, a series that could be described as space opera. The series features one of my favorite fictional characters, Miles Vokosigan. I've seen one reviewer describe him as a "feminist Captain Kirk." Close enough, even if a short, crouch-backed Captain Kirk, although in a lot of ways Miles reminds me more of Kirk's original inspiration, C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower, only a lot more manic. Bujold in a note on Amazon notes Komarr makes a "go...more

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Mar 01, 2010 Jon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Jon by: Beyond Reality Series Selection March 2010

Shelves: fiction, science-fiction, space-opera, read-in-my-40s

I connected deeply with the character Ekaterin. Her predicament broke my heart at times. Miles' heart melted as well.

Komarr takes place just three months after Memory. Miles acquires an Auditor Mentor in Ekaterin's uncle Vorthys. Both Imperial Auditors arrive at Komarr to investigate a tragic and seemingly inexplicable near space accident involving an ore freighter and the Komarran solar mirror array. Each Auditor brought a different perspective and expertise to the investigation. Vorthys' engi...more

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Jun 16, 2012 David rated it 1 of 5 stars

I cannot for the life of me understand why so many people think Bujold is a good writer, good enough to be nominated for (much less win) major awards. This book is mediocre at best. The prose style is pedestrian, and tends to ramble on about non-essentials which do nothing to advance either plot or characterization. The plot is acceptable but not anything new or exciting.

And for something that purports to be "science" fiction, there is a huge amount of inconsistency and downright anachronism. I...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Leydhen added it · review of another edition

Maravilloso.

Como siempre, empieza poco a poco, para estallar en fuegos artificiales al final. En esta ocasión, Miles es considerablemente más cauto en su papel de Auditor Imperial que como comandante en jefe de la Flota de Mercenarios Libres Dendarii, pero en esencia sigue siendo el mismo.

Con el refrescante añadido de Ekaterine. Ya habíamos visto la vida de las mujeres mercenarias, de las esclavas técnicas, incluso de las emperatrices cetagandesas. Y, aunque hubo pinceladas de la vida de la mu...more

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Mar 08, 2012 Carrie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, humorous, manipulative-friends-family, read-2012, romantic-elements, science-fiction, sfr-reading-challenge-2012, soa-listening-challenge-2012

SOA Listening Challenge: Spread Your Listening-- paranormal/fantasy/SF 4/4
SFR Reading Challenge 2012 5/15

Grade A+

A 5 star review with no hesitation or caveats. Even though I've only listened to Shards of Honour and am just now reading the first actual Miles book, The Warrior's Apprentice, I never felt lost during this story. (I do think I missed a few inside jokes, though.) I plan to go back and read the entire series now.

The writing, the story, the humor, the characters--all pitch perfect. And...more

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Jul 07, 2011 Christine (AR) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book, nook, romance, sff

Miles meets the love of his life, one that might actually work out this time. Even though I loved Ekaterin immediately -- in fact, I feel like I know Ekaterin, in too many real life versions -- I wasn't sure I loved her for Miles, if that makes sense. By the end I wasn't sure I wanted Miles for her, either, because, my God. Let the woman figure out who she is before rushing into another relationship, you know?

Even so. The plot was intriguing, the tension was agonizing and the dialogue, as alway...more

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Oct 27, 2009 Carolyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, science-fiction_space-opera

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 09, 2011 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi

I had put off reading this book because I had been frustrated a bit by Miles in Memory. But Komarr brought back everything that I've enjoyed about this series, including a smart woman as a co-leading character. Cordelia initially drew me into this world and other than the occasional glimpse of Ellie's perspective, I have missed having a woman's point of view. Ekaterin's voice made for a great change of pace.

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Jan 28, 2011 Kylie rated it 5 of 5 stars

this is my favorite sci-fi series ever. I read the first few books long ago, then lost my place in the series and couldn't find the next book. Now if only I can find the next one. A series this good shouldn't be so hard to find. Miles is just about the most endearing hero ever--a disabled, short, genius-smart, feminist, man who succeeds against unbelievable odds and the prejudice of his own society to become a secret agent and commander. In this book he meets Ekaterin and there is more romance t...more

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May 03, 2011 June rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Miles fans

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 12, 2011 Ruth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: space-opera, science-fiction

Another excellent book. Flowed smoothly out of Memory and should flow straight into A Civil Campaign. Could hardly put it down or rather turn it off, since it was an audiobook. Took me a mere 48 hour span to squeeze in the 13 hours necessary.

Bujold just keeps getting better.

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May 01, 2013 Clouds - (¿head-in-the?) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: gifts, science-fiction, science-fiction-series, read-in-2013, reviewed

Following the resounding success of my Locus Quest, I faced a dilemma: which reading list to follow it up with? Variety is the spice of life, so I’ve decided to diversify and pursue six different lists simultaneously. This book falls into my GIFTS AND GUILTY list.

Regardless of how many books are already queued patiently on my reading list, unexpected gifts and guilt-trips will always see unplanned additions muscling their way in at the front.

If you’ve never read any of Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga...more

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Dec 16, 2012 Olga Godim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-scifi, favorites

This is one of my favorite books. Not merely among Bujold’s novels or SciFi novels but in general: one of those books I reread whenever I feel blue and need a dose of cheers. You know, one of those where you remember all the plot twists, can recite some words and passages by heart, but keep reading all the same for the sheer pleasure of it. I’m aware that most people don’t consider this novel the best in the series, but for me, it’s the best. And its impact doesn’t diminish with rereading. This...more This is one of my favorite books. Not merely among Bujold’s novels or SciFi novels but in general: one of those books I reread whenever I feel blue and need a dose of cheers. You know, one of those where you remember all the plot twists, can recite some words and passages by heart, but keep reading all the same for the sheer pleasure of it. I’m aware that most people don’t consider this novel the best in the series, but for me, it’s the best. And its impact doesn’t diminish with rereading. This time, like all the other multiple times I’ve read it, I enjoyed it.
What do I like about this book?
The narrative is terrific, spare and expressive at the same time, showing the master at the top of her game. The scenery of the futuristic world is vivid, giving us the details in 3D and colors. The humor is subtle, not slapstick like most comic writers in America. And the plot is so fast and crazy, and so inherently logical, it leaves you breathless with the courage of the writer.
Unlike most SciFi stories, there are no wars and no villains, no chase sequences (almost) and no shooting contests, except of the minds. The heroes try to outsmart their enemies, not to beat them to a pulp.
But the best parts of this novel are its protagonists. Miles Vorkosigan – everyone who has read the series knows him, a complicated hero, a damaged prince of the SciFi genre. In this novel, Miles finally falls in love. His love interest Ekaterin is no less sophisticated a female protagonist. In her, Miles found his match at last. Half the novel is told from her POV, and I consider her half the best.
Their love story is as complex as its participants. It’s also intertwined with the lesser tales of patriotism and loyalty. In the course of the novel, the heroes ask themselves many questions, some of them quite unique for a SciFi novel, and the answers aren’t always forthcoming or simple; not for them and not for us, readers.
What is marital loyalty and how far does it extend? What is the value of compromise? How far does it stretch before becoming a betrayal? When a woman denies herself to salvage a marriage, is it poison for her soul or medicine for her family? Or both? Or neither? Is it patriotism or terrorism, when you cling to the past long gone and try to terrorize the former enemies? That one is a rather relevant question just now. Who are your enemies anyway? And who are your friends? While many of us shy away from such treacherous subjects or try to ignore them, the heroes wrestle with the answers, simultaneously battling fear and despair, unrequited love and menacing engineers.
And finally, the dialog the characters engage in – it belongs to them. Even without the tags of ‘he said,’ ‘she said,’ just from the lexicon and language structure employed, you can guess who is speaking. None of the cast said a word or used a phrase incongruent with his or her set of mind or vocabulary level: from Miles down to Ekaterin’s nine-year-old son. It’s a pleasure to read the boy’s monosyllabic responses to the adults’ self-important utterances. Contrary to so many children in speculative fiction today, those exchanges are instantly recognizable to anyone who has ever been a parent.
A delightful read. Definitely recommended.
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Sep 24, 2009 Nicolas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: cycle-la-saga-vorkosigan, amour, enquête, mutants, politique, space-opera, rayon-fantasy-et-sf

Dans ce roman, Miles, devenu auditeur impérial, s'en va sur Komarr enquêter sur la mystérieuse destruction partielle d'un miroir orbital (dont le but est de réchauffer cette glaciale planète conquise par les Barrayarans, on le rappelle). Cette enquête vivra des rebondissements divers, mais moins intéressants toutefois que les états d'âme de Miles.
Parce que si ce roman est une enquête, c'est aussi une histoire dans laquelle Miles est séduit par une femme mariée (enfin, séduit, il en tombe spontan...more Dans ce roman, Miles, devenu auditeur impérial, s'en va sur Komarr enquêter sur la mystérieuse destruction partielle d'un miroir orbital (dont le but est de réchauffer cette glaciale planète conquise par les Barrayarans, on le rappelle). Cette enquête vivra des rebondissements divers, mais moins intéressants toutefois que les états d'âme de Miles.
Parce que si ce roman est une enquête, c'est aussi une histoire dans laquelle Miles est séduit par une femme mariée (enfin, séduit, il en tombe spontanément amoureux, plutôt que de tomber dans les filets tendus par une intriguante). Et sans que cette romance ne nuise à ses capacités de réflexion, elle donne un contrepoint à ce qui aurait pu, sans ça, être une intrigue assez plate.
ce qui est bien le comble, je trouve, d'une aventure du petit amiral : bien sûr, il affronte un complot qui est loin d'être simple, et qui mêle naturellement d'anciens résistants à la clique militaire si habituelle de Barrayar. Mais cette fois, d'une manière si typiquement géniale de l'auteur, je crois pouvoir dire que cette enquête n'est qu'un prétexte dans ce roman, prétexte à une romance de qualité (parce qu'il ne s'y passe en fait rien du tout). Et pour moi, venant dans un cycle qui s'est construit dans le monde de la SF militariste est espionnisante (joli néologisme, non ?), cette petite histoire d'amour a un côté incroyablement rafraîchissant et osé. Rafraîchissant, parce qu'il est drôle de voir Miles (qui a séduit des montagnes de muscle, des mercenaires surarmées et tenté sa chance auprès d'impératrices planétaires) rougir rien qu'en discutant avec une femme à laquelle il ne devrait pas s'intéresser (parce que mariée initialement). Et osé parce que naturellement, le fan de combats spatiaux et de problèmes épineux sera contrarié devant se virage radical.
Et pourtant, toute la grâce de l'écriture de ce roman est précisément de nous faire comprendre que ce combat intérieur, ce conflit de loyauté (aussi bien pour Miles que pour Ekaterin) est un combat aussi dangereux qu'une bataille spatiale. Du reste, ces histoires de loyauté sont précisément le coeur de ce roman : Ekaterin doit-elle être loyale à son mari qui se comporte comme le premier des imbéciles ? La loyauté des rebelles Komarrans à leur cause est-elle réellement justifiée, ou n'est-elle plus qu'une espèce de nostalgie d'un ordre que rien ne pourra reconstruire ? Et Miles doit-il user de ses pouvoirs d'auditeur sans discernement ?
Bref, c'est typique des aventures de Miles. quelquesoit le roman, il y est toujours question de hautes valeurs morales, et de la façon de vivre avec ou sans. Et c'est vraiment bien.(less)

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Jun 10, 2010 Oscar rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ciencia-ficción, míos, space-opera, far-future

La saga de Miles Vorkosigan es ya todo un clásico. Bujold acertó plenamente con un personaje nada típico en la ciencia ficción: un genio de la estrategia militar que a causa de un atentado a su madre cuando estaba embarazada, no ha crecido y se ha quedado con la estatura de un niño. La sagacidad de Miles, su ironía y su sarcasmo, su inteligencia, lo convierten en un personaje entrañable. Además, Bujold es una autora que dota a todos sus personajes de un carácter y una psicología que hace que te...more

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About Lois McMaster Bujold

One of the most respected writers in the field of speculative fiction, Lois McMaster Bujold burst on to the scene in 1986 with Shards of Honor, the first of her tremendously popular Vorkosigan Saga novels. She has received numerous accolades and prizes, including two Nebula Awards for Best Novel (Falling Free and Paladin of Souls), four Hugo Awards for Best Novel (Paladin of Souls, The Vor Game, B...more

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“Some people grow into their dreams, instead of out of them.” — 41 people liked it

“All the geniuses I ever met were so just part of the time. To qualify, you only have to be great once, you know. Once when it matters.” — 32 people liked it

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Komarr (Vorkosigan Saga (Publication order) #11)

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