Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Young Miles (Vorkosigan Saga (Publication order) omnibus #2)

by Lois McMaster Bujold (Goodreads Author)

4.33 of 5 stars 4.33 · rating details · 2,727 ratings · 156 reviews

IT ISN'T EASY, BEING VOR...

Being a Vor lord on the war-torn planet Barrayar wasn't easy. Being an officer in Barrayar's military wasn't easy. And being the leader of a force of spaceborne mercenaries while maintaining a secret identity wasn't easy—in fact it should have been impossible, to say nothing of being a capital offense on Barrayar. Not that impossibility or great...more

Paperback, 827 pages

Published July 1st 2003 by Baen (first published June 1st 1997)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams

Life, the Universe and Everything by Douglas Adams

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish by Douglas Adams

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams

Best Comedic Sci-Fi Books

17th out of 257 books — 446 voters

Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Books

444th out of 2,946 books — 12,397 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Oct 21, 2009 Jon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Jon by: Beyond Reality Book Club Series Miles Vorkosigan

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

This omnibus edition contains two novels and one short story.

The first novel, Warrior's Apprentice, delighted and entertained with Miles's wild adventures that created his secret identity as Admiral Naismith of the Dendarri Free Mercenaries.

The short story, The Mountains of Mourning, stayed close to the Vorkosigan estate, in the back country of the Dendarii Mountains. Miles has a mystery to solve and justice to dispense surrounding an infanticide and superstitious traditions and myths.

The fina...more

like 7 likes · see review

May 05, 2012 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Space Opera Fans

Shelves: novels, science-fiction

This is an omnibus edition consisting of three tales. The first novel, "The Warrior's Apprentice," is where I officially fell in love with Miles, who sure isn't the usual square-jawed, bicep bulging sci-fi hero, and he's what made me go and seek out more of the series. It's rare I can say I fall in love with a character in a book, but I fell hard for Miles Vorkosigan, which is why this book gets five stars. Not because it's mind-expanding or has amazing prose--but because I loved the character s...more

like 1 like · see review

Aug 02, 2009 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009-books, fiction, sci-fi

This is an omnibus edition that contains full novels The Warrior’s Apprentice and The Vor Game and the short story The Mountains of Mourning. From the previous book to the beginning of Warrior’s Apprentice, Miles Vorkosigan has grown up (well he’s 18) and usurps the literary center stage from his parents.

Miles is one of those characters it is hard not to be fascinated by. He is less than 4 ft tall and deformed with delicate bones that break at the slightest strain. He makes up for this physical...more This is an omnibus edition that contains full novels The Warrior’s Apprentice and The Vor Game and the short story The Mountains of Mourning. From the previous book to the beginning of Warrior’s Apprentice, Miles Vorkosigan has grown up (well he’s 18) and usurps the literary center stage from his parents.

Miles is one of those characters it is hard not to be fascinated by. He is less than 4 ft tall and deformed with delicate bones that break at the slightest strain. He makes up for this physical deficiency by an enormous personality. He’s smart, quick-thinking, creative and cheeky. He’s the type of character I love to read about but who would make me feel small and stupid if I ever encountered his likeness in real life. And of course he’s the type of character that finds himself in the middle and often in charge of fantastic adventures.

In The Warrior’s Apprentice, Miles has just failed the physical portion of his entrance exam into Barrayar’s Military Academy. As poor consolation, he is sent on a journey to his mother’s home planet of Beta colony. Miles heightened sensitivity to his weaknesses and how they isolate him leads him to try and redeem a couple of misfits he meets shortly after landing on Beta Colony. Through a convoluted set of circumstances, his attempts wind up putting him in charge of a fleet of mercenaries. It is fun watching Miles scheme his way through an increasingly desperate set of circumstances.

The Vor Game begins with Miles anxiously awaiting his first assignment as an Ensign in the Barrayar military. According to the military brass, Miles’ biggest weakness is not his physical issues but his tendency towards insubordination. So he winds up as the weather officer in Barrayars most outposty of outposts and of course ends up joining a mutiny against the harsh commander of the station. After a period of boring desk job punishment he is sent off world as a spy with part of his mission being to re-connect with his troop of mercenaries. He does to spectacular effect. So much happens in this story that I found myself running across references to earlier happenings and wondering if that really happened in this part of the book and not in Warrior’s Apprentice.

I can’t say I liked one of the novels included in this omnibus better than the other. Both had their slower boring bits. The best things about the books is Miles who is such a richly drawn character you can almost feel his anxiety, feel what it is like to be him. My one complaint might be that the books live a little too much in Miles’ head. Miles is so often playing a role, and while we the reader see the real him, the characters around him don’t and it keeps Miles and therefore the reader at a distance from the other characters. Even the characters he is meant to be very close to, we don’t really get to know.
There are some lovely moments like Miles’ love interest and childhood friend Elena turning Miles’ proposal down because there is too much of him and he would subsume her. And the fact that we see Miles’, who takes charge because he can’t help himself and he’s brilliant at it, but who spends the whole time wishing he were somewhere else and developing stress ulcers. It brings him back down to earth.

Overall really great – fast, fun read with some weight.
(less)

like 1 like · see review

Feb 27, 2009 Mike rated it 5 of 5 stars

Full Review at my blog.

If I’m not mistaken Bujold ties Heinlein for the number of Hugo’s she has won. She is a diverse writer dabbling in both fantasy and science-fiction and managing to invest each genre with its own unique style. She is probably most well known Vorkosigan series featuring the energetic, and frequently trouble making Miles Vorkosigan.

While the series properly begins in Cordelia’s Honor, Young Miles is the first book (or couple of books since it is rightly a collection) to featu...more

like 4 likes · see review

Apr 07, 2012 Caleb rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook

I first read The Warrior's Apprentice some time last year, which had been on my queue for quite a while after reading a recommendation by Tycho of Penny Arcade. It was excellent and unique.

When I went to try to find out what book came next, there was much confusion to be found. There were two different accepted orders, one going by publication order, the other by in-universe chronology. Not only that, but there were books that came before this one, but reports varied whether they were necessary....more I first read The Warrior's Apprentice some time last year, which had been on my queue for quite a while after reading a recommendation by Tycho of Penny Arcade. It was excellent and unique.

When I went to try to find out what book came next, there was much confusion to be found. There were two different accepted orders, one going by publication order, the other by in-universe chronology. Not only that, but there were books that came before this one, but reports varied whether they were necessary. I ended up putting The Mountains Of Mourning on my queue, found to my surprise that my local library didn't have it, then promptly forgot about it in favor of some other book recommended by a friend.

Then I happened upon a hardback book in the library, CryoBurn by Lois McMaster Bujold, which had a label on the cover claiming that inside was a CD that had ALL the books in ebook format. So I checked it out, didn't read it as it was far later in the series, but looked at the CD. Amazing: the CD said the contents were freely distributable! Check it out!
http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/24...

I discovered that The Warrior's Apprentice was the first part of this Young Miles omnibus, so I loaded it up and finished the second and third parts. The middle part (The Mountains of Mourning) was different in that it didn't have Miles tromping around the star systems, but instead dealing with a problem in a small village in his home country of his home planet. It was different, and a little depressing, but served to give him more of a background and shows what he will be standing and fighting for.

The third part, The Vor Game was a return to form, but kept me guessing because every time things got into a routine that promised to progress Miles' career, suddenly something crazy would happen that wasn't really his fault but caused all sorts of problems and changes in his life. This happens more than once, and eventually everything escalates so ridiculously you start to wonder how anything could work out. The author manages to stay on this side of the 'unbelievable' line, but there are certainly a lot of funny coincidences, which combined with the crazy situations make for a very entertaining read. (I hate predictable stories!)(less)

like · see review

Mar 19, 2012 Jane rated it 5 of 5 stars

I picked up this book from the "recommended by our staff" shelf at Harvard Bookstore because I was intrigued by what looked like, and turned out to be, a hand drawn cover--stick figures sketched on white paper in a style that reminded me of XKCD. The titular character declared, "I'm short, and awesome!"

Turns out it was designed and printed by a staff member because they felt that the cover (as depicted here) would turn off even some fans of sci-fi, and they wanted us to give it a chance, though...more

like · see review

May 05, 2011 Libby rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: year-of-women, sci-fi

A thoroughly pleasurable read, this volume comprises "The Warrior's Apprentice", "The Vor Game," and a harrowing short story, "The Mountains of Mourning." When crippled, brilliant aristocrat Miles Vorkosigan flunks the physical exams required to enter his home planet's warrior academy, he takes his favorite bodyguard and visits his mother's home planet and manages to get embroiled in an interplanetary conflict and sort-of-accidentally founds a group of mercenaries. Things spiral out of control,...more

like · see review

Mar 06, 2011 James E. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow, where do I begin? This is the beginning of something big. There are many books in this series and I can't wait.

This is an omnibus edition containing the novels Warrior's Apprentice, and The Vor Game, with the novella Mountains of Mourning set between. It is the story of Miles Vorkosigan, the son of the most famous and honored military leader in a generation. His only faults: a brittle bone disease he acquired in utero, and a major problem with subordination. He is young and brilliant and wh...more

like · see review

Feb 17, 2011 June rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Adventure and Science fiction fans

Shelves: adventure, sciencefiction, physical-disabilities, sisters

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. A collection of stories of Miles when he was young. He is a very charismatic and sympathetic character. An extremely intelligent, energetic, physically disabled (his mother was poisoned when she was pregnant with him so his bones are fragile and he is extremely short), a propensity to find trouble, but end up on top. (He reminds me of Ramses Emerson, Amelia Peabody's son.) To get a line on Miles here is a quote from when he is talking to his father's enemy about his physical disabilities. "Mothe...more A collection of stories of Miles when he was young. He is a very charismatic and sympathetic character. An extremely intelligent, energetic, physically disabled (his mother was poisoned when she was pregnant with him so his bones are fragile and he is extremely short), a propensity to find trouble, but end up on top. (He reminds me of Ramses Emerson, Amelia Peabody's son.) To get a line on Miles here is a quote from when he is talking to his father's enemy about his physical disabilities. "Mother... calls it my great gift. Tests are a gift, she says, and great tests are a great gift. Of course...it's widely agreed my mother is a bit strange..."

Warrior Apprentice:

After Miles physical disabilities cause him to fail the physical test for the Barrayaran Military Academy, he goes to visit his mother's planet. While there he buys a spaceship, accepts the pledge of a Barrayaran deserter, and to make a profit he accepts a cargo for of weapons to blockaded planet. He gets his bodyguard killed, founds the Dendarii Mercenaries which he presents to the Emperor after defusing a political plot.

Mountains of Mourning:

A mother comes to plead her case of infanticide to the Count. The count sends Miles to investigate. The baby was murdered due to the unfortunate fate of being born with a harelip. Miles with his own physical disabilities (his mother was poisoned while pregnant) is sent to investigate, dispense justice and try to end the barbaric practice of infanticide for babies born with "mutations."

Vor Game:

After graduating from the Imperial Academy is posted to Camp Permafrost. There he finds a General, who is a homicidal psychopath, prepared to order a massacre. After preventing the massacre Miles is shunted to Imperial Security and sent to find out what is happening with the Dendarii Mercenaries. Miles comes across the Emperor, who ran away from his duties and Barrayar. Miles saves him from slave labor, the Dendarii Mercenaries, Commander Cavilo and stops a Cetagandan invasion.

(less)

like · see review

Dec 12, 2010 Steve rated it 4 of 5 stars

An underdog fan has to love Miles. Born disabled due to an assassination attempt on his parents, Count Miles Vorkosigan (aka Naismith) thrives through the use of his quick mind and despite his deficiency of deference to authority. This is all great fun. From a genre not common for me, science fiction, this volume is really three novella-length pieces chronologically set with main character Miles, following his growth, changes, and development mostly in his late teens. The Hugo and Nebula Award-w...more

like · see review

Jul 06, 2009 Michael rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, science-fiction, review

Review from: Badelynge
For someone who likes Science Fiction it might seem strange that I'm only recently acquainted with the irrepressible Miles Vorkosigan. Better late than never though. I've just burned my way through the first three books featuring the little guy. Maybe it is for the best though, because if I'd read them as they were being published then I wouldn't have been able to read them in chronological order, as some of the books filled in the gaps between previously published books. I...more Review from: Badelynge
For someone who likes Science Fiction it might seem strange that I'm only recently acquainted with the irrepressible Miles Vorkosigan. Better late than never though. I've just burned my way through the first three books featuring the little guy. Maybe it is for the best though, because if I'd read them as they were being published then I wouldn't have been able to read them in chronological order, as some of the books filled in the gaps between previously published books. I'm a linear sort of bloke really. The first book is a roller coaster of a ride, that really gets going after Miles tells his first little untruth to resolve a situation. The fun starts when the little fib snowballs into a web of lies and half truths with Miles at the centre of an expanding net. I know, I shouldn't really try to get away with such an awful mixed metaphor.
The second story, which is more of a novella than a book, ditches the space opera format in favour of a more thoughtful look at the roots of Barrayan society with Miles investigating a Murder in a back woods village. It won the Nebula award. Seeing Miles in such a different setting gives the author an opportunity to show Miles in a different light. It is well handled and the shorter format seems to have focused the author's storytelling and exploration of themes into a more cogent whole.
The third book won a Hugo. Different again. The initial setting of the ice base was one that I was really enjoying. Just as you are getting used to the cold, Bujold pulls the rug out from under you again and we are off into the space opera driven rush of spiraling events, the eventual reunion with the Dendarii mercenaries and all those previously laid lies introduced in the first book. Very enjoyable, with no sense ever that the story is being padded, which is something that often happens to long running series. At the heart of it all though is the character of Miles. He's just a wonderful character. You can't really help but like him. If you could bottle his energy in liquid form I wouldn't drink anything else.
(less)

like 2 likes · see review

Apr 11, 2011 Jon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Warrior's Apprentice: Fun, if somewhat ludicrous, novel. I would have found Miles an annoying jerk were he not rounded out by his internal doubts, and the fact that the situation called for a lot of bluff and bluster.

Reading in internal chronology, The Mountains of Mourning contrasts nicely with Apprentice, as Miles uses the smallest amount possible of his legitimate authority rather than as much authority as he can fake. The problematic implications of Barrayar return to center stage and I don'...more

like · see review

Amy I don't know Bujold's on position on the topic, and you know how uncompromisingly prochoice I am, but the horrendous anti-disability rhetoric that so...more
Apr 10, 2011 04:00pm

Jon (Some spoilers, for people who care.)

Agreed...FWD did a very quick job of persuading me not to accept "quality of life" unquestioningly. To be fair: C...more
Apr 11, 2011 05:07pm

Sep 18, 2009 Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi-space-opera

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Young Miles continues the story of Miles Vorkosigan. While these books were not written prior to Cordelia's Honor, they take place after. The stories do not take place one right after the other, but over a span of years.

The best work in this omnibus was the novella "The Mountains of Mourning": however, are the books are at least enjoyable and fast paced space opera.

Two of the stories, "Warrior's Apprentice" and "Vor Game" make use of coincidences that stretch, if not break, the realm of believab...more Young Miles continues the story of Miles Vorkosigan. While these books were not written prior to Cordelia's Honor, they take place after. The stories do not take place one right after the other, but over a span of years.

The best work in this omnibus was the novella "The Mountains of Mourning": however, are the books are at least enjoyable and fast paced space opera.

Two of the stories, "Warrior's Apprentice" and "Vor Game" make use of coincidences that stretch, if not break, the realm of believability. I might be willing to believe that Elena's mother was one of the people to just pop up in "Warrior's Apprentice", but I find it extremely difficult, nay impossible, to swallow that an intelligent head of security would make so easy for the Emperor to just fall off of a balcony and walk away for a bit. Wouldn't the complex as a whole, and that level in particular, be watched?

Another area where I found myself wishing Bujold has spent more time was in the development of minor characters. I would have liked to see more of Elena and more of Elena's relationship with Baz. I'm not really shown why she is loyal and in love with him, but I am told it, many times. In fact, this is true of most of the minor characters. Only four characters truly stand out, truly seem to be characters. They are Miles, his father Aral, his mother Cordelia, and Bothari. It is unclear if I found this to be the case because of reading Cordelia's Honor or if those characters were in fact better drawn. Regardless, many minor characters feel like little more than shadows upon a stage at times. This is in part due to the focus being on Miles, but it is a tad off putting.

What I particularly liked was Bujold's treatment of Elena Visconti. Her reaction to both Bothari and Elena Jr was believable. Her inability to relate to the younger Elena seemed more realistic than being "Oh, my dear I love you". Is it pleasant reading? No, but it is not a cheap happy ending either. I don't know how I would feel if I was confronted with the child I conceived due to rape, who as an embryo had been taken from my body, and then over 18 years later I'm confronted with her as well as the man who raped me. My one complaint with that storyline is that it’s effect on Elena does not seem to be fully developed or revealed. The reader sees the effect far more on Miles, and true it is his story, but more detail here would’ve added more depth to Elena.

"The Mountain's of Mourning" is a far more serious novella than the two novels it is paired with here. It tells the story of Miles trying to solve a case of infanticide and deals with questions of guilty, education, and societal change. It is a more reflective piece.

Of the two novels, "The Vor Game" is the slightly better one. With that novel, the first half of the story, involving Miles' assignment to an ice island, is the more interesting and better drafted story.(less)

like 1 like · see review

Nov 03, 2010 apple rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi

The first thing you notice about Miles is physically he's a very small person. The second thing is that a little bit of him goes a long, long way.
What's not to love about scheming young Miles..he's always optimistic, funny, never fail to pull a rabbit out of a very unlikely hat..and so damn resilient! I got swept right away in Miles' forward momentum through the 3 books in this omnibus. The Vor Game kind of sagged in the middle but was fun nevertheless.

like 1 like · see review

Nov 27, 2008 Morgan rated it 2 of 5 stars

If you're looking for trashy military sci-fi with a a free-wheeling, fun plot, you've come to the right place. If you're looking for a good sci-fi epic you'll be disappointed. This is no Ender's Game.

(Spoilers ahead)

Bujold is second only to Heinlein for Hugo Best Novel awards, and I have no idea why after reading this. It is a boy fantasy where everything goes right to build the headstrong underdog teen into a mercenary space admiral within one year (which Heinlein is guilty of frequently, but h...more

like 1 like · see review

Jun 18, 2011 Alexandra rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. A conversational review between myself and Tehani Wessely. Originally appeared at www.randomalex.net and www.fablecroft.com.

#1: The Warrior's Apprentice

Tehani:
Warrior’s Apprentice was actually one of the last Vorkosigan books I read, despite it being the very first Miles book in the internal and publication date chronology. I probably couldn’t tell you which book I actually started with, but I know Young Miles (which contains this novel) was the last omnibus I worked through on my first time rea...more

like · see review

Dec 14, 2012 John rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this omnibus. I'd read The Warrior's Apprentice a while back (maybe a couple of years ago), so this review is going to be hazy on the details of that novel, but I read 'Mountains of Mourning' and The Vor Game whilst on holiday and really enjoyed both. However, I feel like it shows that these are early Bujold, having read Cordelia's Honor and Cryoburn already. They are great adventure stories, and I thoroughly enjoyed them both, but I feel like they're simpler stories than some of...more I really liked this omnibus. I'd read The Warrior's Apprentice a while back (maybe a couple of years ago), so this review is going to be hazy on the details of that novel, but I read 'Mountains of Mourning' and The Vor Game whilst on holiday and really enjoyed both. However, I feel like it shows that these are early Bujold, having read Cordelia's Honor and Cryoburn already. They are great adventure stories, and I thoroughly enjoyed them both, but I feel like they're simpler stories than some of Bujold's subsequent work. I was actually quite surprised by how directly The Vor Game follows The Warrior's Apprentice.

The parts of the first tale that have stuck in my mind are probably my most and least favourite parts. (view spoiler) All in all I really enjoyed the first novel, and it was helpfully available for free through Baen's digital library project.

I didn't realise that 'Mountains of Mourning' was a novella until it became apparent that the plot wasn't going to last for the length of a novel. It tells the tale of Miles investigating a murder at his father's request and is a coming-of-age story, in a way. It does well to bridge the gap between the first and second novels, filling in the details of some of the additional responsibilities Miles is being given. I found it interesting, and the twist in the tale was pretty well done.

Lastly, The Vor Game takes place (view spoiler)

This omnibus is well worth a read, and a great introduction to Miles Vorkosigan.(less)

like · see review

Nov 22, 2011 Brendan rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the second omnibus in the Vorkosigan saga, and the first to properly feature the titular Vorkosigan. It features two novels, Warrior's Apprentice and the Vor Game, with a novella The Mountains of Mourning sandwiched in between.

The first, Warrior's Apprentice, is incredibly fun, with a breakneck pace that never seems to let up. The amount of personal growth that Miles and his friends undergo is amazing, as is the way in which he manages to extricate himself from a rapidly worsening series...more This is the second omnibus in the Vorkosigan saga, and the first to properly feature the titular Vorkosigan. It features two novels, Warrior's Apprentice and the Vor Game, with a novella The Mountains of Mourning sandwiched in between.

The first, Warrior's Apprentice, is incredibly fun, with a breakneck pace that never seems to let up. The amount of personal growth that Miles and his friends undergo is amazing, as is the way in which he manages to extricate himself from a rapidly worsening series of predicaments. Miles is one of those oddly charmed, flawed characters. Four feet tall, deformed, fragile, but brilliant and manipulative. Much of the enjoyment of this series comes from watching him outmaneuver everyone else.

Mountains of Mourning, on the other hand, is much more contemplative. A quiet short story situated in the backcountry of the Vorkosigan lands, dealing with the justice of stamping out the superstitious and infanticidal traditions that are a legacy of the time of isolation their mutagenic past. It's thoughtful, and not really in the same spirit as the rest of the book, but still a worthy advancement of Miles's character.

The Vor Game starts off slow, faffling around in the polar regions for a bit before the real plot starts, although it does set up a villain to kill off at the end. However, things get really interesting when Miles resumes his Admiral Naismith persona, managing to simultaneously rescue the emperor and thwart a Cetagandan invasion. It ends pretty much where you'd expect from Apprentice.

There's an interesting remark in the afterward that 'novels of character are being repackaged as military scifi', and I feel it's an important point to make. The brilliance lies in everything that comes before the actual battle. Despite the tactical genius of the characters involved, you don't see much of that, and it's important to keep in mind, because it can feel like something of a let-down. I also feel like we're being teased with the character of Bel Thorne a bit. The hermaphrodite keeps showing up, and its attraction to Miles is mentioned several times by other characters, then the rest of the book proceeds to ignore it. It's been sort of a dangling thread since partway through Apprentice.(less)

like · see review

Oct 12, 2012 Marit rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi

These books were recommended to me by a friend who loved the Miles character that Bujold created. Though the plots are fast-paced and gripping, the character Miles provides the intelligence, spice, and humor that makes these novels far more than sci-fi fun. Bujold excels at dipping into Miles' head just enough to show the reader his deeper emotions but letting his actions and words reveal his great strategic intelligence and wry sense of humor. The sci-fi-ness doesn't every get too distracting o...more

like · see review

Oct 26, 2010 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi

I want so badly to like Lois McMaster Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan books. So many people who share my tastes do like them, but after reading The Vor Game in this omnibus edition of the third and fourth books of this series, plus one novella, I'm still on the fence. Miles is a great character; recklessly brilliant and constantly having to prove himself because of his physical limitations and the pressure of living up to the storied past of his warrior-aristocrat father and grandfather. I want to kee...more

like · see review

Nov 11, 2011 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Overall mediocre. I liked the last book, "Vor Games," and I liked "Mountains of Mourning," but "The Warrior's Apprentice" struck me as utterly contrived and just didn't work.

"The Warrior's Apprentice" was "The Lies of Locke Lamora" done completely wrong. There were far too many coincidences strung together out of nowhere, and I just couldn't suspend disbelief long enough to enjoy the story.

"Mountains of Mourning" was an interesting read, if short. I liked how it helped develop the Barrayan cul...more

like · see review

Sep 09, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-science-fiction

Warrior's Apprentice: Oh, Miles, you're kind of an idiot, and I am not sorry for you at all. Elena deserves so much better. When you're not faking Admiral Naismith anymore, maybe I will be a little more generous, but seriously, grow up.

Mountains of Mourning: Okay, this is good. This is a nice thoughtful exploration of Bujold's Major Issue, i.e. the role of disability in a culture, and Miles does not make me want to punch him!

The Vor Game: I'm kind of torn on how I feel about Miles in this one —...more

like · see review

Jul 03, 2009 Carl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasysci-fi

I believe this is the omnibus edition with two novels and one novella on Miles' early career from Lois McMaster Bujold's series-- a different cover than I have, though. I'd been told that once the series moved from Miles' parents to Miles himself, it really picked up-- and wow, did it ever! I enjoyed these stories immensely. As with the last omnibus I reviewed in the series, not necessarily "high literature", but I don't really care-- it did what it set out to do in an extremely engaging way, an...more

like · see review

Mar 02, 2011 Scott rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book is three books combined, the three separate books are set in chronological order but they are not written in order. It is interesting to see just how Bujold progresses as an author between these three books. I tried to like this book per a friend's recommendation but I just couldn't get into the book at all. There are a few parts that are written quite brilliantly and engaged me as a reader, but for the most part the writing was a little cumbersome. My biggest compliant with this book...more

like · see review

Dec 12, 2012 Tamahome is currently reading it

Read about 50 pages. It's written in a historical style. Sometimes I think it's a little slow but then something really dramatic happens (shades of Peter F. Hamilton), usually to Miles who has some physical challenges (oh that scene at boot camp). I think I'll at least finish the first novel in the omnibus, which is only 300-something pages. This is the first Miles book. But is it science fiction? Reminds me of David Weber; well, they're both Baen. I've tried to start other Bujold books, but thi...more

like · see review

Jul 27, 2012 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Miles Vorkosigan is one of my favorite characters ever. I want to recommend this book without flailing too much and giving things away, but basically Miles is disadvantaged in the warrior society that he grew up in because an attack on his parents when he was younger left him brittle bones and a malformed body. Instead of doing things the usual way, he uses his mad intelligence to not so much go around the system as to make his own system and make it way awesomer than the first. The ability that...more

like · see review

Feb 03, 2011 Caitlin (Ayashi) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction

MILES IS SO GREAT!

What a fascinating character. I'm so happy to have "met" him and I can't wait to keep going... I need to give some time to some other books too, though :)

like 1 like · see review

Jul 23, 2011 Steven rated it 5 of 5 stars

Young Miles is a book that entertains on many levels. Bujold is my new favorite author. I would say Weber with the Honor Harrington series was my favorite before I discovered the Vorkosigan saga. I have now read two of the Omnibus books, Cordelia's Honor and Young Miles. Young Miles includes the separately written stories of the "The Warrior's Apprentice", "The Mountains of Mourning", and "The Vor Game". I, like other reviewers, have difficulty expressing how enjoyable this writing is. I am 56 y...more Young Miles is a book that entertains on many levels. Bujold is my new favorite author. I would say Weber with the Honor Harrington series was my favorite before I discovered the Vorkosigan saga. I have now read two of the Omnibus books, Cordelia's Honor and Young Miles. Young Miles includes the separately written stories of the "The Warrior's Apprentice", "The Mountains of Mourning", and "The Vor Game". I, like other reviewers, have difficulty expressing how enjoyable this writing is. I am 56 years old and have been reading sci-fi books since my teens. I am surprised I never opened a Vorkosigan story before this year. I believe Bujold finished her first Cordelia book in 1985. My excuse is that the cover art, on the paperback in the bookstores, never pulled me in. Well, I have discovered them now. I breezed through the 618 pages of Young Miles over 3 days of hotel room, airports, plane and shuttle rides. I am worried that I will finish the last Vorkosigan story too soon!

Young Miles contains an interesting plot arc and great characters. The stories relate Miles' experience being washed out of Military Academy because of his physical defects and later becoming the accidental admiral of a mercenary fleet. Several different storyline are carried out in this omnibus covering the roughly late teens to early twenties of Miles' life. As wild as the events in the life of the young man, I actually did not feel I was suspending disbelief very much. Sometimes people are looking for leaders in difficult situations. Sometimes your despicable half-insane bodyguard can be useful in dangerous violent encounters. Sometimes the hero does not get the love of his life. Sometimes the success of a military encounter is achieved by the group that makes the least number of mistakes and pulls off a least number of stupid decisions. Too many times in our lives, the decisions we face give us no ideal solution. We are faced with choosing among undesired outcomes.

I love the characters in the book. I care about the major characters including Miles, his mother Coredia, his father Count Vorkosigan and Emperor Gregor. I cared about minor characters Elena, bodyguards like Overholt, technicians and pilots. references to cleaning drains and sewer lines.This was probably the book that had more Someone has to do that work! I even cared about what the future held for villains including Oser, Cavilo and others. I wouldn't say I felt sympathy for the evil people, but I cared enough about the details of their lives to never be bored with hearing about them.

As I was reading this book, I sometimes had a hard time controlling my laughter, so people around me would not be shocked, and I had times of having tears well up in my eyes for moments of sadness. For example what Miles promises for the memory of Raina is still moving. The stories had the virtue of being very light and fun at times, with moments of tension and almost terror and some sitting on the edge of your seat eager to find how characters would survive a dangerous moment. I recommend Young Miles. For me I was glad I read the Cordelia stories first. It was clear because of the experiences of his mother where Miles got his weaknesses and strengths. A bonus in this omnibus is the author's afterward which is 8 pages of relating her experiences writing the stories and getting them published. This alone might make the cost of the book worth it for people interested in the art of writing. Again, I recommend this book higher than any other science fiction novel. (also posted today to LibraryThing)(less)

like · see review

Jan 09, 2011 Greymalkin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: scifi-fantasy

An excellent book, well written. Reminded me of a hybrid of Phule's Company, Dorsai!, and Ender's Game.

I love books where the character is supposed to be a genius and then actually acts like one, but also has complexity of character and motivation. And is convincingly young, but not a brat.

like · see review

Feb 01, 2011 Kim (magicsandwiches) Lawyer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: glad-i-read-it-but-wont-reread

Young Miles is an omnibus of the first three books in the Miles Vorkosigan universe. Miles is brilliant, complex, angsty, snarky and all the other things I absolutely love in a male character. He uses his mind to make up for his physical disabilities and manages to succeed wildly in everything he does. His adventures in space are impressively complex and twisty of plot!

So why can't I get into these books as much as I feel like I should? As awesome as they are, I have no desire to reread them and...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (7)

More editions...

Genres

Science Fiction

191 users

Science Fiction > Space Opera

50 users

Adventure

18 users

War > Military

15 users

Space

14 users

Fantasy

11 users

Science Fiction Fantasy

11 users

Speculative Fiction

8 users

Politics

5 users

Novels

5 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

The Far Side of the Stars
by David Drake
The Vorkosigan Companion
by Lillian Stewart Carl (Editor)
Fledgling (Theo Waitley, #1)
by Sharon Lee
Field of Dishonor
by David Weber
Heris Serrano
by Elizabeth Moon

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

More about Lois McMaster Bujold...

Books by Lois McMaster Bujold

The Warrior's Apprentice (Vorkosigan Saga, #2)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Young Miles

1 quiz

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from Young Miles

“If you're trying to take a roomful of people by surprise, it's a lot easier to hit your targets if you don't yell going through the door.” — 13 people liked it

“Apologizing to me again, thought Miles miserably. For me. He keeps telling me I'm all right—and then apologizing. Inconsistent, Father.He shuffled back and forth across the room again, and his pain burst into speech. He flung his words against the deaf door, "I'll make you take back that apology! I am all right, damn it! I'll make you see it. I'll stuff you so full of pride in me there'll be no room left for your precious guilt! I swear by my word as Vorkosigan. I swear it, Father," his voice fell to a whisper, "Grandfather. Somehow, I don't know how . . .” — 8 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Young Miles
avg rating	preview: Young Miles Goodreads rating: 4.33 (2727 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61916.Young_Miles?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348468817l/61916.jpg[/img][/url] [url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61916.Young_Miles?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Young Miles by Lois McMaster Bujold[/url]

Young Miles (Vorkosigan Saga (Publication order) omnibus #2)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website