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A Civil Campaign

(Vorkosigan Saga (Publication) #12)

Lois McMaster Bujold (Goodreads Author)

4.43 · Rating details · 14,849 ratings · 724 reviews

Miles Vorkosigan has a problem: unrequited love for the beautiful widow Ekaterin Vorsoisson, violently allergic to marriage after her first exposure. If a frontal assault won't do, Miles thinks, try subterfuge. He has a cunning plan... Lord Mark Vorkosigan, Miles' brother, also has a problem: his love has just become unrequited again. But he has a cunning plan... Lord Ivan ...more

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Paperback, 544 pages

Published August 1st 2000 by Baen (first published January 1st 1999)

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Apr 29, 2017 Evgeny rated it liked it

Shelves: scifi

A buddy read with Choko and Maria.

Dear book it is not you, it is me. You are great and I sincerely wish you more new satisfied readers in the future. I just had different expectations, sorry. I expected you to be dashing, daring, take the risk and hell with the consequences type. Instead I got a romance. A well-written, entertaining, mostly funny, but still romance. A series which started as an excellent space opera became (you guessed it) a romance with the only relation to space being word "planet" used twic ...more

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Apr 26, 2017 Choko rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy, historical-romance

*** 4.85 ***

A buddy read with Evgeny and Maria because we love Science Fiction and Miles!!!

"...“Reputation is what other people know about you. Honor is what you know about yourself.... The friction tends to arise when the two are not the same....There is no more hollow feeling than to stand with your honor shattered at your feet while soaring public reputation wraps you in rewards. That's soul destroying. The other way around is merely very, very irritating. ... Guard your honor. Le/> *** 4.85 ***

A buddy read with Evgeny and Maria because we love Science Fiction and Miles!!!

"...“Reputation is what other people know about you. Honor is what you know about yourself.... The friction tends to arise when the two are not the same....There is no more hollow feeling than to stand with your honor shattered at your feet while soaring public reputation wraps you in rewards. That's soul destroying. The other way around is merely very, very irritating. ... Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards.” ..."

If you expect a typical Sci-fi adventure or one more reminiscent of the early books in the series, you will be disappointed. However, if you enjoy Romantic Comedies on the backdrop of political intrigues with some slapstick pie-in-the-face distractions on the side, this is the perfect book for you. For me, involving Miles Vorkosigan and his family in the middle of all the madness is a formula for optimal enjoyment!!!

Miles is in love, and this is LOVE, not just infatuation. Miles does everything loud and grand, so no wonder this situation turns into a national crisis. As the fans of the series know, our little in stature guy has not lacked in female companionship since he created his Admiral Naismith persona, and he has dated some remarkable women. But there was always the problem that those women were in love with Admiral Naismith, not Miles Vorkosigan, the Lord of a Berryarren district and second in line for the throne of that backwards world. Not one of those remarkable and gloriously independent women wanted to get stuck in the rigidly traditional Planet on which women were still looked upon as secondary citizens and wives were just procreation blood bags with utureses. Once Miles was grounded and gainfully employed Planetside, he had to come to terms with needing a wife who would not mind playing the Lord's wife and have similar upbringing in order to be able to function in his country and culture. Well, he met the perfect woman in the previous book but the circumstances were unfavorable for him to approach her in that manner, mainly she just lost her husband under some horrible conditions, and the young widow and her son needed time to learn to cope with their new reality.

The other issue Miles recognized is that he had never had to court his ex girlfriends. More or less, they always found and won him over. So now he is faced with his first attempt at attracting a woman who might also have other suitors and he has no idea how to go about it. However, Miles knows how to go at a military campaign and takes his extensive experience as a blueprint. Thus we get the "Civil Campaign" to attack and Conquer himself a wife!!!

"...“Not that I haven't leaped up into the blinding light of competence now and then. It's sustaining the altitude that defeats me.” ..."

All of this happens amidst the preparations of the Emperor Gregor's marriage and love is in the air, spreading like a contagious virus. It feels like everyone is in love and planning on making it forever. Mark, an intelligence officer and a newly minted Vor man are all looking forward to possibly becoming related by marring 3 Koudelka sisters, to the overwhelming horror of the girls parents. Mark Vorkosigan has also decided to get rich by investing in the edible bi-product of some very interesting insects 😁😁😁!

Miles and family are wonderful, bigger than life, passionate, charismatic, funny, smart, and overall lovable misfits who shamelessly pander for our affections and we can't help but love them!!! All this charm and hilarity steal your heart and even if you are not a fan of romantic comedies these sharp characters will win you over for the cause.

"...“You don't pay back your parents. You can't. The debt you owe them gets collected by your children, who hand it down in turn. It's a sort of entailment. Or if you don't have children of the body, it's left as a debt to your common humanity. Or to your God, if you possess or are possessed by one.

The family economy evades calculation in the gross planetary product. It's the only deal I know where, when you give more than you get, you aren't bankrupted - but rather, vastly enriched.” ..."

I laughed my behind off reading this mish-mash of plotlines and family affairs. All I can say is, READ IT!!!! IT WOULD BRING A SMILE TO EVEN THE CLOUDIEST OF TIMES!!!

I wish you all Happy Reading and may you always find what you need in the pages of a Good book!!! ...more

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Apr 09, 2008 Sara rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science-fiction, books-i-love-to-bits

This has to be my favorite of the Miles Vorkosigan books, and considering how much I love *all* of them, that's saying something. Bujold dedicates this book to "Jane, Charlotte, Georgette, and Dorothy"--Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Georgette Heyer, and Dorothy Sayers. The Grandes Dames of women writers.

Here you will not find the covert ops rescue missions or epic space battles of Mile's past. Instead, he's facing something much, MUCH harder: dealing with real, domestic life. Like trying to co ...more

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Feb 27, 2015 André rated it it was amazing

Shelves: library

Alternate titles for this book:
-Let's Get All the Koudelka Girls Married
-Everyone is Very Excited about Bug Vomit
-Ivan and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
-Seriously How Has a Patriarchal Society with Men Like THIS in Charge Survived So Long?
-Oh Right it's Because the Women Actually Control Everything
-Miles You Dweeb

I think I'm going to reread this book whenever I get sad and my life will improve 5000%

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Jan 02, 2013 Maria Dimitrova rated it it was amazing

Shelves: buddy-reads, favorites, barrayar

Buddy read with Choko and Evgeny.

Romantic Comedy the Vorkosigans' style! This is probably the most hilarious book in the entire series but if you were looking for the space opera style of the earlier books you'll be disappointed. In the two previous books Miles moved to a new stage in his life and this is a natural result of it. But don't be afraid - this is more of an interlude, a breather between the heavier stuff.

That being said there were still some pretty interesting social and economical pro ...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Clouds rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2013, reviewed, pub-1990s, science-fiction, vorkosigan-saga

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 FINISHING THE SERIES! list.

I loves me a good series! But I'm terrible for starting a new series before finishing my last - so this reading list is all about trying to close out those series I've got on the go.

Oh, Countess Bujold, you spoil us.

There are three BIG series (10+ books) which I adore: ...more

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Sep 13, 2007 Mark rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: anyone

Shelves: sciencefiction

The Miles Vorkosigan series is one of the best in science fiction. This is not "hard" science fiction, though...so don't expect scientifically accurate explanations of faster than light travel.

There are also no aliens in this universe, only genetically altered strains of human beings.

Miles is a unique hero in that he is a "little person", a dwarf. His physical body was damaged in-utero by a poison gas attack on his mother, a countess, during a revolutionary war on his home planet of The Miles Vorkosigan series is one of the best in science fiction. This is not "hard" science fiction, though...so don't expect scientifically accurate explanations of faster than light travel.

There are also no aliens in this universe, only genetically altered strains of human beings.

Miles is a unique hero in that he is a "little person", a dwarf. His physical body was damaged in-utero by a poison gas attack on his mother, a countess, during a revolutionary war on his home planet of Barrayar.

Miles wears many hats throughout this excellent series of books: Mercenary commander, spy, diplomat, and detective. In this one, he wears a new hat: that of a love-struck romeo.

In the previous book, called "Komarr", Miles met and fell in love with Ekaterin Vorsoisson, a recent widow.

In this book, Miles sets out to win the heart of Ekaterin by any means necessary. He treats it like a military mission, which ends up exploding in his face.

Subplots abound with Mile's brother Mark also trying to win the love of his life, a woman surgically changing her gender in order to become a member of the ruling council of counts, and a very amusing subplot involving creatures called "butter bugs".

This book is full of good humor about falling in love and how screwed up the whole process of getting together is. Often, it is our own insecurities and hang ups that get in our way, as well as society's concept of what is proper and what isn't. Love isn't easy or simple, but it's worth fighting for. That's pretty much the theme of the book.

The good thing about the Miles Vorkosigan series is that it's pretty much standalone, so you can read a book, leave the series for a couple of other good reads, and then return to read the next book in the series.

The books of the series, in their chronological order, can be found here.

I suggest you start with "Shards of Honor".

If you're looking for some hard scientific sci-fi, then I don't think this will be your cup of tea. If you're looking for literate science fiction with intriguing characters, you can't go wrong with Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga. ...more

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Jul 12, 2013 Sineala rated it liked it

Shelves: e-books, science-fiction, paper-books, owned, romance, fiction

This is an unpopular opinion, I know, I'm sorry, but this is my least favorite Vorkosigan book.

If the dedication (to Austen, Brontë, Heyer and Sayers) hadn't clued you in, this is, more or less, a romance. A comedy of manners, if you will. It's not a common genre for mainstream SF, and Bujold pulls it off perfectly and clearly with a lot of love. It is, however, not a genre I am fond of.

Basically, Miles is in love with Ekaterin, and everyone in Vorbarr Sultana knows this. ...more

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Apr 27, 2015 Lindsay rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science-fiction, romance

Part of a Vorkosigan reread with the SpecFic Buddy Reads group in 2017/18. This has long been my favorite of the Vorkosigan series, and it's nice to see that it still holds up on rereading.

Miles is back from Komarr with a new goal: to win Ekaterin Vorsoisson. And being Miles he establishes a grand strategy to conquer all before him in the pursuit of his goal. But this is Miles as Lord Vorkosigan, Lord Auditor and sitting proxy for Count Vorkosigan while his father is Viceroy of Sergyar. E Part of a Vorkosigan reread with the SpecFic Buddy Reads group in 2017/18. This has long been my favorite of the Vorkosigan series, and it's nice to see that it still holds up on rereading.

Miles is back from Komarr with a new goal: to win Ekaterin Vorsoisson. And being Miles he establishes a grand strategy to conquer all before him in the pursuit of his goal. But this is Miles as Lord Vorkosigan, Lord Auditor and sitting proxy for Count Vorkosigan while his father is Viceroy of Sergyar. Everything he does is political, and it's a time of political upheaval on Barrayar with the wedding of Emperor Gregor imminent and the effects of Galactic technology and social mores on Barrayaran society being felt all over the place.

This is an odd book in a series that has been predominantly an adventure SF series that explores the effects of technology on societies. This one leans in hard on the latter themes but structures it mostly as a romantic comedy from many more viewpoints than previous books. We get Miles and Ekaterin as in the previous one, but we also get Ivan Vorpatril, Lord Mark Vorkosigan and Kareen Koudelka.

Barrrayar is an interesting place, a society that has transformed from a feudal barely-surviving human colony through a brutal military occupation to a military-dominated fledgling empire which is integrating itself into the wider galactic society. But that integration comes with access to things like Betan bio- and reproductive- technology and the social upheaval that those things bring. This book looks at the generation immediately after those things have become available and looks at the changes that have already happened, are still happening, and still to come. With the recent attention to transgender rights in the US and elsewhere, and the looming possibility of re-regulation of reproductive technologies in the US, this all feels very relevant.

Yes, some of the attitudes are dated. The book is 20 years old. It's still remarkably relevant, both as an allegory for the societal change brought about with the introduction of the female contraceptive pill and for modern society. ...more

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Jan 12, 2011 Lis Carey rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, f-sf, romance, favorites

Did you think that Miles was the definitive example of how far the Vor will go to be Vor? You were wrong. Someone else has Miles beat by, um, miles. But that's okay; Miles, as usual, has his own problems. There's his brother Mark's new business venture, which involves some rather unattractive bugs, currently stashed in an old laundry room in Vorkosigan House. There's convincing Ekaterin that the fact that she made a mistake in marrying Tien at twenty doesn't mean that she's forever incapable of Did you think that Miles was the definitive example of how far the Vor will go to be Vor? You were wrong. Someone else has Miles beat by, um, miles. But that's okay; Miles, as usual, has his own problems. There's his brother Mark's new business venture, which involves some rather unattractive bugs, currently stashed in an old laundry room in Vorkosigan House. There's convincing Ekaterin that the fact that she made a mistake in marrying Tien at twenty doesn't mean that she's forever incapable of making good marital choices. There's convincing Ekaterin that he's not trying to manipulate her, which is tough, because he is. He's Miles, after all; it's easier for him to skip breathing for a few days than to skip manipulating people for a similar period. There's Miles' old friend Count René Vorbretten, whose unfortunate and previously unsuspected Cetagandan ancestry is endangering his possession of the countship--and risks turning that vote in the Council of Counts over to the Conservative Party. There's the rumors going around that Miles murdered Ekaterin's first husband. There's the other countship that's in dispute, with one of the putative heirs trying to blackmail Miles to force the Vorkosigans to support him when the Council of Counts votes on who's the real Count. There's the most disastrous dinner party in, possibly, the history of Barrayar. (Well, perhaps not. Nobody dies, after all. It's just that some people wish they had.)

And he can't even run away to be Admiral Naismith anymore. Aside from the fact that Admiral Naismith is dead and everyone knows it, his uniform doesn't even fit anymore.

No one has time to give him any sympathy; everyone has their own problems. Ekaterin has persistent unwanted suitors, and annoyingly helpful relatives and in-laws. Mark has his business partner Enrique, and his on-again off-again romance with Kareen Koudelka, and Kou and Drou's reaction when they find out. Ivan has been formally assigned as an aide to Lady Alys, while she manages the arrangements for Gregor and Laisa's wedding. And then there's the startling discovery he's made about his old love, Lady Donna Vorrutyer...

Great fun. And I don't recommend that you annoy any Lady Vorkosigan, present or future; it seems to be bad for your career prospects. ...more

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Aug 06, 2013 Jim rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 1audio, 3series, 2fiction, scifi

It's amazing that such a long running series can keep such momentum, even get so much better. This story is a culmination of some wonderfully sketched characters throughout with dollops of history brought round for leavening. The Vorkosigans & all their friends & enemies are at their best in this somewhat convoluted tale. We know that both Miles & Mark have a propensity for trouble, but with both of them in the same house at the same time on the eve of the Imperial wedding, the mixtu It's amazing that such a long running series can keep such momentum, even get so much better. This story is a culmination of some wonderfully sketched characters throughout with dollops of history brought round for leavening. The Vorkosigans & all their friends & enemies are at their best in this somewhat convoluted tale. We know that both Miles & Mark have a propensity for trouble, but with both of them in the same house at the same time on the eve of the Imperial wedding, the mixture was frothing away, exploding at random, & drenching innocent bystanders all over the planet.

I listened to this as an audio book in every second I possibly could spare & a few I couldn't. My wife told me I seemed demented as Miles as I knitted, mowed the lawn, or weeded the gardens, chortling & hooting as the story unfolded. She was quite concerned during one particularly memorable passage - the least boring dinner party I've ever had the pleasure to attend. (OK, I wasn't really there, but it sure seemed as if I was the proverbial fly on the wall & it was a rare treat.) Unfortunately, my wife thought I was having some sort of seizure & I suddenly realized she was bent over me with real concern on her face. Ah, that uncomfortable feeling when you come out of a book & realize the rest of the world hasn't shared the experience...

The only complaint - if complaint it is - that I had was Bujold's propensity for ending chapters on a cliff hanger & starting the next in a completely different setting. It was quite wrenching, but I'd soon be immersed in the new setting & eventually I'd get back to finish up where I'd left off. I was happy to, even though I really wanted to know how the other situation finished up.

As entertaining as this was, Bujold also managed to include some very sage examples for life. Yes, we made bad choices at times & managed to live through them. We are what we've made of ourselves. If things had worked out differently, we wouldn't be the people we are now & if you're happy with that, there is no time nor reason for regret. How true.

On to the next! Winterfair Gifts, a short story. ...more

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Jan 13, 2009 Ferret rated it really liked it

Shelves: sf, chicklit

The first time I read it, I liked it. Then I read Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice and returned to it and found to my surprise and pleasure that Bujold had consciously and cleverly incorporated parts of those plots here. Then I read Gaudy Night and all the pieces fit together and I saw that Bujold was celebrating the discovery of love in ways that were newer and excitinger because they built on history.

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May 03, 2012 Kat Hooper rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobook

Originally posted at FanLit: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...

I was afraid I wasn’t going to like A Civil Campaign as well as the previous VORKOSIGAN novels because, according to the description, the plot takes place all on the planet Barrayar and it deals mostly with relationship issues for several of the characters. Most of the various editions of the book sport covers with couples dancing or getting married. So, yeah, I thought it was a romance novel.

Well, A Civil Campaign is a romance novel, but because Originally posted at FanLit: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...

I was afraid I wasn’t going to like A Civil Campaign as well as the previous VORKOSIGAN novels because, according to the description, the plot takes place all on the planet Barrayar and it deals mostly with relationship issues for several of the characters. Most of the various editions of the book sport covers with couples dancing or getting married. So, yeah, I thought it was a romance novel.

Well, A Civil Campaign is a romance novel, but because it involves the romances of Miles Vorkosigan, his clone brother Mark, and his tomcatting cousin Ivan Vorpatril, it is, thankfully, a lot more than that. Along with the romance, Bujold weaves in a few funny subplots that both entertain and advance the plot of the VORKOSIGAN series on the non-romantic fronts, too.
Miles’ goal in this book is to convince the widow Ekaterin Vorsoisson to marry him. (We met her in Komarr.) Ekaterin’s first marriage was painful and she is not inclined to repeat the experience. That’s just one problem. The other is that Ekaterin is beautiful and a Vor. Since beautiful single Vor women are rare on patriarchal Barrayar (the previous generation genetically selected for boys), they are in high demand. Miles has to court Ekaterin without scaring her away while he attempts to fend off all other suitors and while he tries to maintain his dignity as an Imperial Auditor. Other romances are going on, too. Gregor’s wedding is being planned by Ivan’s mother. Mark is courting one of the Koudelka girls (her father is not pleased!) and Ivan has suddenly realized that while he has been happily carousing for years, all the best girls were getting snatched up.

Meanwhile, since Aral Vorkosigan is off planet, Miles is left with his father’s political duties and the counsel has to deal with a couple of inheritance disputes. One of them involves the problem of patriarchy and the other involves racism. Lois McMaster Bujold has a way of commenting on these issues using humor instead of a hammer — it’s both effective and entertaining.
Along with the all the romance and politics, Bujold serves up a hilarious storyline in which Mark, who now considers himself an entrepreneur, teams up with a brilliant but socially inept scientist to genetically engineer insects that vomit up a cheap and nutritious creamy substance that they hope to market to the universe. They set up a lab in Vorkosigan house and get the lovely Koudelka girls to be their lab assistants. This slapstick storyline is a little over the top, but I thought it worked well as a contrast to the politics and romance. Bujold weaves all of these plots together for a synergistic effect that’s quite pleasing.

There are some niggling little problems with A Civil Campaign, at least for me. One was that I couldn’t muster up the attraction for Ekaterin that Miles seems to feel. I am not sure why he loves her — she’s kind of dull. Also, her reaction to the discovery that Miles was trying to sneakily court her was unreasonable, and his reaction to her reaction was even more unreasonable. This has to do with my second complaint which is that Miles and Mark are both in their thirties but act like they’re eighteen. Miles is an Imperial Auditor, in fact — a very distinguished position in the empire. I forgave their immaturity in previous novels because it seemed like the messes they got themselves into weren’t really their faults. In this novel, though, they don’t have such a good excuse… On the other hand, this juvenile behavior, which culminates in this case in a disastrous dinner party, is exactly what makes the plot so entertaining, isn’t it?

I’m listening to Grover Gardner narrate the audio version of the VORKOSIGAN saga. He’s awesome. ...more

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Feb 02, 2012 Carrie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romantic-elements, romance-lovers-book-club, audio, sci-fi-rom, science-fiction, sfr-reading-challenge-2012, humorous, read-2012

SFR Reading Challenge 2012

Grade A+

Miles is in love! Unfortunately, he seems fairly inept at wooing the object of his affection. Miles met Ekaterin on the planet Komarr (and in the book Komarr) when he went to investigate an accident involving a solar mirror. Ekaterin is widowed during that time and returns to Barayar with her young son. Miles plots a campaign to win her heart and beat out all the other eligible men who are soon showing up on Ekaterin's doorstep. Woven seemlessly ...more

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Jul 10, 2013 Carly rated it liked it

Recommends it for: Vorkosigan fans interested in a comedy of manners and romantic farce

Recommended to Carly by: the other dozen or so Bujold books I've read

Shelves: romance, scifi

**edited 02/01/14

Ever since I read The Warrior's Apprentice and fell in love with the Vorkosigan Saga, I've been told, "Just wait until you get to A Civil Campaign! Best Vorkosigan book ever...", etc. In some ways, I can see why.A Civil Campaign is light and fun; a romantic comedy much in line with the dedication (Jane, Charlotte, Georgette, Dorothy), with the added joy of butter-bugs gone wild (don't ask). But as it turned out, it wasn't one of my favourite books in the series, and it's taken ...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Bradley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sci-fi

This one is easily one of my favorites, but mainly because I'm a lousy sucker for comedies and romance. The whole mess of the book was so delicious that I had to read it in one sitting, laughing out loud, and generally making a disturbance of myself. I am unrepentant.
Marriage in fiction can be a wonderful thing, and while the actual marriage in question doesn't actually occur in this novel, the pertinent requisites were more than enough to amuse and have me on the floor.

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Aug 26, 2016 Nathan rated it it was amazing

Five or Six separate plot lines juggled perfectly and one of the funnest scenes I have ever read. Wonderful book. The entire series is worth reading for this one alone.

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May 21, 2019 Trike rated it it was amazing

Shelves: politics, read-in-2019, 2019-s-l-laser, audiobook, science-fiction, humor

This comedy of manners was delightful fun. The blend of physical slapstick, political intrigue and humorous dialogue was perfectly balanced, like a well-engineered machine. There are so many moving parts that it’s impossible to briefly sum up what happens in the story, as each plot thread twists and tangles with the others.

This is really Part Two of the story which began in Komarr, and it works best when read that way. I assume the next book will be an immediate continuation of the story, b ...more

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Jul 17, 2018 Stuart rated it liked it

Shelves: satirical-humorous, humanistic-sf, strong-female-characters

Pride and Prejudice for Miles Vorkosigan Fans
This one is for the fans. If you've followed the many adventures of Miles Vorkosigan, Ivan Vorpatril, Emperor Gregor, and Ekaterin in Komarr, you'll understand all the intricate character details and background that give this story the proper context to enjoy it. If you just read it on its own, be prepared for a lengthly series of comic romantic mishaps among Miles and his friends. It really doesn't feature any space adventure or substantial political ...more

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Feb 22, 2016 Laura (Kyahgirl) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy, romance, space-opera, absolutely-beloved-character, humour, part-of-a-series, audio-books

4/5; 4 stars; A-

I recently re-read the very first books in the Vorkosigan Saga because I wanted to re-visit Cordelia and Aral but then I skipped towards the end of the series in preparation for finally getting caught up with the ones on my shelf and the latest coming out. I skipped to this one because I remember it being so very funny. Grover Gardner is an excellent narrator and he did a great job, as usual, on the variety of voices and acting out of the various scenes. This book has ...more

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Mar 21, 2014 Megan Baxter rated it really liked it

Just imagine me giving a huge satisfied sigh right about now. That's what I was waiting for. More of that manic Miles energy. I've liked the couple of other Vorkosigan books I've read between The Warrior's Apprentice and A Civil Campaign, but they lacked a certain something that caught me about the first book. It's back in this one, and I couldn't be happier.

Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I cam ...more

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Jun 30, 2018 Freya Marske rated it it was amazing

AN UTTER DELIGHT. It's nice to have such a perfect example to throw at people's heads if anyone ever asks 'what kinds of books do you aspire to write one day?' Hijinks, romance, trade, politics, more romance, MORE HIJINKS. And a food fight.

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Dec 16, 2011 Andreea Daia rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, humor, read-2012, hugo-nominee

Before I start my review I want to point out that, till this book, I thought that Ms. Bujold can do no wrong, so to speak (just check my other reviews of her books). I don't just like her writing style: I'm in LOVE with her technique. So this being said, for the last three days I've struggled to read this novel (I'm only 66% through) and, at this point, I'm almost ready to put it away and move to the next one, in hope of something more.

So what went wrong and what went well? (And I'm ...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Mike (the Paladin) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

This one started out slowly.....FOR ME. I put that in caps as I suspect it' not true for many readers.

Let me explain. I'm just not a fan of romances and this is not only a romance...it's romances. There are romances of almost every imaginable type and so convoluted, complicated, confused....and so on as to satisfy any fan of romances. I on the other hand found my mind wandering and my interest waning. Oh there was a smattering of humor and the beginnings of the political intrigue we've come to ...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Hannah rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, science-fiction-futuristic, audio, sci-fi-romance, read-2012, romance-lovers-book-club

It took me a little while to warm up to A Civil Campaign. The plot development is slow at the beginning while Bujold introduces (or, for long-term fans of the series, reintroduces) her cast of characters and sets them on a series of seemingly unrelated story threads. As the book progresses, however, those threads weave together in delightful and often hilarious ways to form a riveting, cohesive whole. By the end of the novel, I was on the edge of my seat to find out how everything would turn out. I wasn' ...more

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Dec 15, 2011 SA rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2011

"Miles Learns That Love Doesn't Quite Conquer All. Especially When You're an Idiot."

It doesn't' really seem fair to compare this book to the rest in the series--it's so different, dramatically so. Even aside from the regency-esque romance, the internal politicking is such an interior, class-oriented focus that it reads very far from the space adventures Miles had previously been involved in, though many of those were political in nature.

The book is also set off by the number of narr ...more

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Jan 26, 2011 Isis rated it it was amazing

Shelves: glbt, ebook, science-fiction

I think this might be my favorite so far of the Vorkosigan series, which is sort of an embarrassing admission because this is the most like a traditional romance novel - not the straightforward Harlequins I went through a phase of loving (and now can't stand), but those fat baroque novels with multiple romance threads winding through subplots of adventure, intrigue, family drama, pirates, ninjas, and so on.

All right, no pirates or ninjas here. But the political intrigue is awesome, the cast of ...more

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Jul 15, 2008 Melissa McShane rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, own, politics, romance, space-opera, science-fiction

Re-read 5/10/17: Everything I said below still applies, with the added emphasis that I actually love the side plots (particularly Lord Dono Vorrutyer) more than I do Miles's disastrous courtship. I'm not sure why that is. I certainly love Ekaterin, and want the two of them to end up together, but--butter bugs! And Lord Dono! Listening to this as an audiobook was outstanding.

Read 7/11/12: This is a real departure from the rest of the Vorkosigan books, and much as I love it, I'm not su ...more

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Nov 15, 2013 Melody rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: heard, favorites

Brilliant. Just plain brilliant. This would be an excellent entry point to the series, but I think it's even better when one knows all the players really well. I love watching Aral and Cordelia grow old together, and I love the way their family expands. This is probably the flat-out funniest Vorkosigan book, but it has its moments of insight and beauty as well. I defy you not to stand up and cheer, tears running down your cheeks, during the scene at the Council of Counts.

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Dec 05, 2015 mich marked it as on-kindle-to-read

I'm trying to better catalog what's on my kindle w/my GR tbr right now, and I have to ask...why the fuck do I own so many random not in order books in the Vorkosigan Saga?? When did I do that? and why? so weird!

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Fantasy Buddy Reads: Civil Campaign [Sep 6, 2018]	10	38	Nov 07, 2018 07:11PM
Play Book Tag: A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold - 4.5 stars	1	7	Sep 30, 2018 12:40PM
Science Fiction A...: A Civil Campaign	23	38	Apr 25, 2014 09:02AM
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About Lois McMaster Bujold

Lois McMaster Bujold

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Lois McMaster Bujold was born in 1949, the daughter of an engineering professor at Ohio State University, from whom she picked up her early interest in science fiction. She now lives in Minneapolis, and has two grown children.

Her fantasy from HarperCollins includes the award-winning Chalion series and the Sharing Knife tetralogy; her science fiction from Baen Books features the perennially bestse ...more