Cetaganda

Vorkosigan Saga (Publication Order) #9

by Lois McMaster Bujold

The latest installment in the adventures of Miles Vorkosigan. Miles and Cousin Ivan travel to Cetaganda to play the part of sprigs of nobility doing their diplomatic duty. But when the Empress of Cetaganda dies naturally, and her lifelong attendant dies unnaturally, Miles and Ivan finds themselves in the thick of it.

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fantasy

302 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 1, 1995

About the author

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 bestselling Vorkosigan Saga. Her work has been translated into over twenty languages.

Questions regarding foreign rights, film/tv subrights, and other business matters should be directed to Spectrum Literary Agency, spectrumliteraryagency.com

A listing of her awards and nominations may be seen here:

http://www.sfadb.com/Lois_McMaster_Bu...

A listing of her interviews is here:

http://vorkosigan.wikia.com/wiki/Auth...

An older fan-run site devoted to her work, The Bujold Nexus, is here:

http://www.dendarii.com/

Reviews

[mark monday · Rating 3 out of 5]

this one hit a sweet spot that I didn't know I even had: incredibly beautiful, highly intelligent, aristocratic geneticists who prize elegance and subtlety, float around in their floating chairs while encased in pearly force fields, and never cut their hair! much like the protagonist Miles, I was immediately enchanted.

unlike Miles, the reader is able to quickly discern that these remote and regal ladies actually control their empire. power lies not with the Emperor nor the warlike generals, and certainly not the various upper crust dandies who wander around creating scent-art; all bow to my newly-found sweet spot's authority. perhaps Miles was fooled by titles like "Consort" and "Handmaiden" - but still, it was a little surprising seeing that both Miles' mom and the love of his life are subtle, independent women who are completely in control. well I guess I can understand a little. Miles turns into a walking boner as soon as a "Haut" Lady (yes, that is what they are called, um) opens up her force bubble... and that state is not conducive to clear thinking.

speaking of walking boners, Miles' cousin Ivan is very much a part of this novel and he is just as enjoyable as ever. dim, grouchy-sweet, unimaginative, loyal, lady-killin' Ivan, what's not to like. and speaking of what not to like, Miles actually refers to himself as a genius in this one. oh Miles. you and Kvothe, sweet Jesus, the egos on some of these kids. fortunately, Bujold is aware of Miles' flaws and they are happily skewered. she is also completely aware that a person's flaws are often intrinsically connected to their virtues; one can't exist without the other in Miles, and in so many others. ain't that the truth!

the world-building was especially well-done in this one. not info-dump world-building, but rather slowly drawn-out Let's Figure Out This Mysterious Place Called Cetaganda type world-building. the empire of Cetaganda is a marvelous creation, layered and compelling and very carefully thought-out.

brisk, fun, smart. entertaining!

[Choko · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** 4.74 ***

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

What a great ride!!! I am here to report with complete delight that Miles can never stay out of trouble and he never disappoints!!! What did I do without this lovable character in my life up to now, I have no idea. I would not want to be his mom, since he has one of those and she is great, but I have those protective feelings for him, mixed up with worry, pride and pure exhilaration where he is concerned, so I feel like the favorite aunt who is always rooting for her excessively naughty nephew. As such, I am also kind of reassured and kind of terrified by having my bigger than life at heart, but very fragile in body Miles having as his companion in trouble Ivan, the handsome and womanizing cousin who tries very hard to pretend inadequacy and lack of knowledge in order to stay under the radar and do whatever he likes. This usually means he would like to stay away from danger, be away from his mother, and under any circumstances not get involved in Miles's skiems!!! However, it seems that faith, and very probably Count Vorkosigan tend to stick him as a helpmate and guard for the spirited Miles Vorkosigan and his exaggerated sense of honor and justice. It is a combination which always leads to them almost getting killed, in the middle of political machinations way above their heads, in danger of starting wars between galaxies, meeting some very interesting women, and once out of the mess, getting in humongous trouble at home...

I love, love, love the writing, the storytelling, the adventure, the fact that a reader of every age can read this series, and even if bad things happen and there are evil people who do evil things, by the end of the books you have your faith in humanity and The Light renewed and an overall positive feeling gives you the optimistic attitude to face the day and look forward to the next time you return to this world.!!!

This particular book's action happens on a different planet, in a society based on very controlled genetic engineering and gene manipulation. The last time someone had what we consider to be a natural birth is so many centuries in the past, the concept is repulsive and vulgar to them at present. The more perfect the genes, the higher the status of the individual. They have whole different peoples who are with random genetics *gasp*, who do the regular, dirty work for them. This set up has worked very well, since they are the strongest rival of Miles's world. And that bespeaks of power indeed. The Empress has died and Ivan and Miles are on the planet as envoys of Emperor Gregor, in order to show their respects and condolences. Only just as the door of their shuttle opens at the space port, someone attacks them and a cylindrical sigil is left in their hands. And things get complicated and go down hill fast. In the process, both boys get to meet some very mysterious women and Miles gets his first crush after the disaster that was his infatuation with Elena B. ...

I can not recommend this series enough! It is adventurous, but a very strong core of ethical questions runs through all of the books. The author has an amazing ability to show us the positive and negatives of questions we deal with every day, and just when we see ourselves as the righteous ones, we are put in the other side of the conflict and like it or not, we are given a deeper understanding... All of this is in the core of every story, but not the story itself. This is why I believe that it is accessible and very worthwhile reading by all, regardless of age, gender or preference for genre. You will be enriched by having Miles Vorkosigan in your lives!!!

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

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-Read 2/2/18:

Buddy Read!

Mystery. Intrigue. Politics. A mouth that consistently gets Miles in trouble.

Not much to say here except the world-building is quite fascinating. Cetaganda's culture is a real treat, but I think I'm always going to focus on the trees. You know, the cats. :)

Funny, fast, and it's so WEIRD how Miles is so honorable. Some might say... stupid... with women. Any women. All women.

Boys. lol


Original Review:

I really enjoyed the inner workings of Cetaganda and the intrigue. Miles is always a treat, not only because he's such a brat, but also because he is the author of his own troubles. Without such verve and curiosity, then very little might have come of the plot, but fortunately, we're talking about Miles. No space battles this time, but that's hardly the draw for the novels. Seeing how Miles gets himself into trouble is.
Great fun!

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hate people who are cheerful in the morning.
This has to be the only thing I agree with Miles about.

*sighs*
This apparently is a very well-known and beloved SF series. Which is one of the reasons why I started reading it with my group here. I really enjoyed the first, loved the second and third and thus had great hopes for all novels. However, as soon as Miles entered the stage, things took a dive for me. This book was supposed to be better because it is a relatively typical whodunnit, a murder mystery.

Miles and his cousin Ivan are sent to Cetaganda, the seat of the Cetagandan Empire, for the funeral of the Emperor's late mother. It's supposed to be an easy and uneventful mission, just for them to polish their social skills and establish a few contacts.
However, from the get-go things go wrong (for once, it's not really Miles' fault) and soon there is a body and Barrayar is to be framed.
Therefore, Miles has to find the true culprit and save the diplomatic connections between the two empires for mutual benefits.

As my introduction probably already gave away, this didn't manage to convince me to continue with the series. It completely failed to grab me.
I was actually surprised because I really like murder mysteries and collecting all clues to become a detective myself, hunting for what happened, why and how. Since the mystery wasn't very thrilling / complicated, I basically knew what had happened 30% before we get the official reveal. Thus, the rest was just wordafterwordafterword and I was BORED.
Add to that the fact that I had been bored before this point already because on top of the mystery not being mysterious, the characters were also bland (especially when compared to those of the first three novels). Ivan was only there for flashback glimpses into Miles' childhood, as a sidekick that was also supposed to make Miles look even smarter, and sometimes as a comedic relief but failed to make me even only grin. The other players in the political intrigue were even worse. Too bad, really, as Bujold is quite good at describing weird and alien cultures on other planets. But that simply wasn't enough here.

So this is farewell to the Vorkosigans and the planets in this spacefaring universe.

[Caro the Helmet Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

UPDATED 2017.04.02 with Worst Cover Gallery - check down below and feel free to comment!
_________________________
I had so much fun with this book. It was fast paced, it was funny, it had intrigue and very interesting characters. Miles was his usual self, saving the world (and the lady) in what was a complete improv, but extremely effective one nonetheless.

Ivan was, well, he was real Ivanushka!

I like how Bujold's stories are so well balanced and are the perfect mix of adventure, world building, technologies and simple human stuff. Sometimes they're slower, sometimes faster, like Cetaganda, but never boring (at least so far as now).

One thing was extremely creepy to me though. Why kittens? Because of the kitten willow? Ew. It was supposed to be this way, I know, but...
_________________________
Worst Cover Gallery
There's quite a decent amount of horrible covers for this book, yay! :D

- Turn around/Look at what you see/In her face/The mirror of your dreams (imagine Limahl in the background)
Oh, and for this one credit goes to Skardas...

The winner - magic people, voodoo people!

[Magrat Ajostiernos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Divertido, trepidante y con un worldbuilding genial.
Le he bajado una estrellita porque hubo una parte central (hacia el final) que se me hizo un poco pesado el tema de DESCUBRIR EL MISTERIO (Culpa mía, ya se sabe que yo no soy una persona de misterios y me da igual quien sea el asesino, es que no me importa, soy así xD)
Total, que este libro en el que Miles hace de detective tratando de descubrir un asesino pues no parece el más adecuado para mi, pero es que también hay intrigas políticas, extrañas castas, rollos genéticos turbios y Miles liándola una y otra vez.
Me lo he pasado genial.
Fascinada con Cetaganda y sus mujeres burbuja, con las genialidades de Miles y con el cada vez más zote a la par que entrañable Ivan.
No me cansaré nunca de esta saga, estos personajes son lugar feliz para mi.

[Megan Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cetaganda doesn't have the manic energy of The Warrior's Apprentice, which retains top spot as my favourite Vorkosigan book so far. It lacks that pell-mell, out-of-control sense of urgency that I absolutely fell in love with. But it is still a solid entry into the series, and Miles remains an incredibly appealing character to read about.

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

In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is for my reread of the Vorkosigan Saga with SpecFic Buddy Reads during 2017/18. When I signed on for the series read this is the book I was most curious about. Cetaganda (the place) had been mentioned in earlier books as antagonists and in much later books (notably Diplomatic Immunity), but they always seemed to have a lot of background that I just wasn't getting.

With this Miles and Ivan are on detached duty to visit Cetaganda for the state funeral of an important figure in their government/nobility. Almost immediately they're setup as Barrayaran fall-guys for an internal Cetagandan conspiracy, and they need to navigate there way through it all without getting killed by the conspirators, triggering a new Barrayar/Cetaganda war or getting shipped home in disgrace.

Cetaganda is a fascinating construction of a society, built around layers of genetically engineered aristocracy with a shadowy final goal which is constantly hinted at throughout the book. The plot/mystery/conspiracy is an excellent vehicle to explore the world-building and an interesting supporting cast of various origins.

One thing I am noticing though in reading all of these back to back like this is that I'm getting a little sick of Miles. It's easy enough to realize that he's arrogant, annoying and mostly obnoxious to the people around him while still being brilliant, but month-after-month he feels a bit much. Still, it helps that I know where this series ends up and that he does eventually learn (a little) humility.

[Javir11 · Rating 3 out of 5]

7/10

Le pongo 3 estrellas ya que es de los 3 que he leído el que menos he disfrutado y por ese motivo ha perdido esa estrella.

La acción nos sitúa en Cetaganda, el planeta natal del gran enemigo del imperio Barrayano. Allí serán enviados Miles y su primo Iván en representación diplomática de Barrayar. Obvia decir que nuestro protagonista no tardará en verse metido en problemas y en lo que es peor, una gran conspiración que puede hacer que la relativa paz que reina ahora mismo en el universo se vaya al carajo, salvo que Miles consiga desbaratar esos planes.

Diría que esta novela es bastante continuista con los libros anteriores, vemos de nuevo a Miles haciendo uso de su inteligencia y carisma como punta de lanza para lograr sus objetivos. En esta ocasión le acompaña su primo, al cual ya conocíamos de otros libros, y cuyo comportamiento tontorrón aporta un contrapunto muy interesante a Miles. Los diálogos son uno de sus puntos fuertes, los personajes cumplen bien y la trama sin ser la panacea es interesante. El problema viene a la hora de la ambientación. Llevo 2 libros reclamando que la señora McMaster nos ofrezca más profundidad sobre su worldbuilding y en esta novela que hace ese esfuerzo, no me ha convencido para nada. Lo cierto es que se centra mucho en la sociedad y la política de Cetaganda, ofreciéndonos muchos datos y aspectos culturales muy peculiares de este mundo, el problema es que para mi gusto en ciertos momentos se hace pesado y corta muchas veces el ritmo de la narración en sí. Muchos de esos datos no llegaron a interesarme y claro, al final esa falta de interés lastró la puntuación final. Es curioso como somos los seres humanos, quería más datos y un mundo más profundo y cuando me lo dan, me quejo 🤔

En cualquier caso he disfrutado de esta lectura y seguiré con la saga, tengo que ver que me toca leer ahora, que con ese orden tan raro que tiene de lectura ya no lo recuerdo, así que os seguiré informando de las andanzas de Miles y sus congéneres por el universo.

[Justine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Really nicely written with excellent worldbuilding. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the previous books mainly because it is a mystery set planetside on Cetaganda rather than an action adventure in space or in various locations - so a matter of my taste for stories. But really, this series continues to be excellent.

[Jeraviz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creo que no juega en la misma liga que El aprendiz de guerrero o El juego de los Vor. Es una historia entretenida y genialmente escrita como todo lo que hace Bujold, pero la trama se queda mucho más corta que otras de la saga.
Todos los acontecimientos suceden en una misma ciudad en la que Miles se ve envuelto en un asesinato y conspiración política sin quererlo (como suele pasarle) y apenas hay mucha acción. Se centra en pasajes descriptivos de la sociedad de Cetaganda, diálogos muy largos para dar contexto a la conspiración...he echado de menos la Space Opera de otros libros, a los Dendarii, a los padres de Miles...
El problema de Bujold es que te mal acostumbra a lo excelente, y cuando te da una historia buena no te parece lo mismo.
Aún así, estoy deseando seguir con la saga.

[Clouds · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

The general consensus amongst fans of the Vorkosigan Saga seems to be that while Cetaganda is good, it’s not one of Bujold’s best. This is my tenth book in the series (I’m reading them largely out of order) and as a fully-fledged fan I’ll add my weight to that position. Cetaganda is a fun, solid read, but lacks the extra spark that pushed The Warrior’s Apprentice, The Vor Game and Mirrordance into the realm of emphatic five-star ratings.

We find Miles in detective mode. Following on from his undercover exploits in the guise of Admiral Naismith, Miles is now out and about in his public identity, Lord Vorkosigan. The Cetagandan Empress has died and Miles is sent to the funeral, along with Cousin Ivan, as special envoys. Within minutes of arriving at the orbital docking station, Miles has a weird fight/encounter with a native which leaves him in possession of some kind of seal/key device. When that same native turns out to be the personal servant of the deceased Empress, and its (sexless) body is next seen at the foot of its mistress bier – the mystery is most definitely afoot.

Rather than report events to their host Ambassador (and his security chief), Miles convinces (bullies) Ivan into letting him tackle the problem solo. Skulduggery ensues as Miles ferrets out the identity of the device and its strategic importance in preventing Cetegandan civil war, survives attacks and assassination attempts, makes unlikely allies, unmasks his adversary and of course, against-all-the-odds, saves the day.

Cetaganda is an interesting setting with its genetically engineered Haut aristocracy and their ambitious Ghem courtiers. The jaw-droppingly beautiful Haut ladies, in their floating, opaque bubble chairs, are probably the most memorable aspect (that and the disturbing and sad genetic engineering art-project; the kitten tree). Miles has Ivan along for the ride to trade snarky remarks with and bail each other into and out of trouble. And it’s a good, tangled mystery, with plenty at stake (war between Barrayar and Cetaganda, Miles’ execution, etc).

Despite these strengths, it still felt like punches were being pulled.

By and large, the threat is all a looming potential bad-thing, with very little in-your-face action. Yes, Miles has Ivan there, but without his parents or his brother, Elena, Bothari, Quin, Taura, Tung or Ekaterin (the many starring supporting characters of his other adventures) – without any of them present to bring out different elements of Miles’ complex psychology, this is very much Miles being Miles with no impediment. None of the supporting cast of this adventure really stand out from the background. He runs rings around the Ambassador and his security chief. He runs rings around the Cetagandans. Oh, it’s great fun watching him do it, but this is actually pretty easy, un-traumatic, stuff for Miles. Sure, Bujold tries to give him some heart-pangs by having him fall in love/lust with his Haut lady ally, but even there Miles talks himself out of the worst of it with barely a mention of his true love (at this point), Elena.

As it’s part of such a big series, it’s easy to compare it the high points, but the simple truth is that I was very happy to dive back into this book every lunch break, and as soon as I hit the end I wanted to go find the next in the series. It’s a good book – probably not the best place to start in the series, but for fans of the series very much worth checking out.

NOTE - I split my books into Sci-Fi or Fantasy shelves, and within each of those into Stand-Alone and Series books. When I've read 10 books or more in a series, I spin them out of the Series shelf and onto their own shelf. Previously this had only happened for Discworld and the Dresden Files, but this was the 10th book I've read in the Vorkosigan Saga and has now triggered the creation of a new shelf for the series. Yay for small Goodreads landmarks!

After this I read: Meg On The Moon

[Maria Dimitrova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buddy read with Choko and Evgeny.

It's time to explore a new planet in the Nexus. From the start of the series we've been told about the big bad Cetagandans and their unquenchable thirst for new conquest and it's time to finally meet them face to face. And let me tell you, they sure are something different.

Ever since the first time I read this book I've been fascinated by the complex culture of the Cetagandans. The haut are the ruling class and are the closest thing to aliens in the Vorkosigan Universe. In a future where genetic engineering is just a common tool for humanity (wait until you see what the Jacksonians do!) the haut have taken things to the next level. The scary thing is that this is the best case scenario if a bunch of eugenics adherents have the power to do whatever they please. At first it seems like a good idea, until you put a little thought behind it and realise that this is a total nightmare for everyone involved. Including the haut, if they had the ability to see the cage they have build for themselves. But generations of tinkering and deliberate constriction of the worldview have made them incapable of looking past what they've known all along. The consequences for the galaxy as a whole are terrifying. Just ask the Barrayarans.

This theme is cleverly disguised in an adventure novel, with Miles being the Knight in Shining Armour. Or at least this is what he wants to be. The reality is a little bit different and I find myself, yet again, feeling sorry for poor Ivan who get's sucked into his cousin's harebrained plans. Of all the Vorkosigans Ivan is the only one with enough brains to actively try to stay alive. He plays the role of the fool perfectly because it let's him live his life without too much interference from his famous and rather suicidal relatives. After all if everyone thinks you're dumb as a rock, they won't expect you to risk your neck to save the universe, right? Well, no, because Miles doesn't take no for an answer, is way too curious and needs someone to do his dirty business because he is too physically damaged to do it himself. So Ivan gets conscripted, just like when they were children. Quite honestly, I wonder how Miles friends and family has managed to survive his childhood mostly intact. And why no one has tried to strangle him. Oh yes, I have an answer to the last one! Sergeant Bothari was still alive at the time and no one was crazy enough to try something with him around!

The story is engaging and fast paced. Easy to get into and before you know it you're at the end of the book craving more. Miles has that effect on a reader! Thanks again to Choko and Evgeny! It's a pleasure to see your reactions to miles shenanigans :)

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cetaganda: A murder mystery amid exotic political intrigue
This is the third book about Miles Vorkosigan in internal chronology, and unlike its manic predecessors The Warrior's Apprentice and The Vor Game, there are no space battles, Denarii Mercenaries, Sargent Bothari, Cordelia, Aral, or Emperor Gregor. In fact, Miles's only companion this time is his slightly dim playboy cousin Ivan Vorpatril. Still, as a comic foil Ivan does yeoman work, and this time the story is a murder mystery set in the intricate court of the Cetegandan Empire on the occasion of the death of the Dowager Empress.

The elite part of Cetagandan society is a complex mix of Ghem lords, gender-neutral courtiers, Haut ladies hidden in opaque energy field bubbles, and the the Emperor and Dowager Empress. When Miles and Ivan literally stumble into trouble straight out of the airlock and find themselves in an altercation with a servitor and then in possession of a mysterious key, things quickly spiral out of control in typical Miles fashion, as his quick wits seem to get him as much into trouble as out of it.

This time he falls for the stunningly beautiful Haut lady Rian, and these aristocratic ladies hold the knowledge of the extensive genetic engineering that underpins Cetagandan society. Bujold spends a lot of time describing the intricate details of the society, which gets full points for creative SF world-building that explores the infinite permutations that human societies can take, it sacrifices a lot of the excitement and tension of the earlier Miles space adventures, though I appreciate Bujold wanting to flesh out her larger galactic civilization.

There are a number of comedic episodes involving Ivan, particularly involving an "anti-aphrodisiac", and the larger conspiracies and treasonous plots that Miles uncovers without the permission or blessing of the Barrayar ambassador or his head of security are suitably intricate, so perhaps listening to it in audiobook while riding the London underground is not ideal for keeping track of the many characters and motivations is a difficult task. Nevertheless, the resulting story is certainly entertaining and worthwhile, but perhaps not quite as frenetic as the first two books.

[Milda Page Runner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun misadventure with Miles. Interesting and unusual Cetagandan world, priceless banter with Ivan, series of ridiculous and dangerous events and a tough case for Miles to solve. Probably the most fun book with Miles so far.

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 4 out of 5]

2024 reread
My point still stands from the last reread. Massive flex. We get to see Miles as Lord Vorkosigan instead of Admiral Naismith—and a bit of the conflicting personalities there, along with a hint of what is to come.

Reading this so close together and with a discussion group has really honed on how focused on genetics and the next generation LMB is. It's fascinating, and even more fascinating that it all still holds up!

2021 reread
Not as great as the previous two, but still fascinating...and such a flex. Going from space opera to a socio-political commentary on genetics, cultures and the future, with a little murder mystery and Ivan getting laid splashed in to keep it interesting.

[Lee at ReadWriteWish · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Re-Read*

This is still one of my least favourites of this series. That doesn't mean it's a terrible book! I probably gave it 4 out of 5 this time, but the issue might be that all the others in this series are 5 out of 5s. Funnily enough, when you read other people's reviews and discussions around the series, this often comes up as one people adore. So...

Upon re-reading my last review, it's still about right. If you plan on reading the series, you should still absolutely read this.

***


This, the sixth Vorkosigan book I’ve read, was unfortunately a bit of a disappointment and my least favourite thus far.

I was actually really excited about it as I was aware it was more of a diplomatic mystery set planet-side as opposed to a military space adventure. I thought this would mean the plot would be more grounded and realistic, like the second novel Barrayar, but, in the end, I think the opposite was the case.

Yes, weirdly, considering I love scifi and this is scifi, I found the scifi aspects just too much.

Our series hero, Miles, and his cousin, Ivan, are sent to Barrayar’s long standing enemy’s planet, Cetaganda, to attend the funeral of Cetaganda’s recently passed empress. As the two empires have been at war for so long, the Barrayarans know very little about the Cetagandan society but one thing they do know is if Miles and Ivan are implicated in a murder and theft of an important imperial item pretty much as soon as they arrive, peace between the two empires won’t last long. As such, when someone attempts to frame the Barrayarans for those crimes, Miles keeps quiet and decides to investigate to identify the perpetrator himself.

I suppose I need to remember that this is young!Miles and it is probably realistic to have him acting immaturely and to be as annoying as he was during this book. Aside from his continual need for people to know how clever he is and to receive some sort of praise for all his deeds, I was especially annoyed at how his appearance and disability has become a chip on his shoulder. This comes across as a very unattractive trait and I hope LMB makes him snap out of it soon. And don't get me started on how I find him hypocritical when it comes to looks. He whinges constantly about how he wants all and sundry to see past his looks to the intelligent man inside but then turns around and falls instantly in love with a woman for no other reason than she is stunningly beautiful. Okay then…

I will have to trust LMB is going to sort this out as she is proving to be wonderfully feminist most of the time. This was one nice touch in Cetaganda - the underlining girl power she includes with subtlety.

This book wasn’t half as funny as the others. Usually Miles (and in the first two books, his mother Cordelia) is hilarious, especially his dry inner thoughts. Cetaganda didn’t really make me laugh much except for a couple of funny moments featuring Ivan.

The mystery isn’t really solvable either. Oh, Miles proves again how clever he is and a lot of times it’s fun to see how he’s going to talk his way out of tight spots but there’s nothing you could potentially play along with at home, so to speak. Actually the one shining light in the mystery plot was the Cetagandan Imperial Security officer who is assigned to the case. He was more of a traditional police detective type character and very likeable.

As I said, it was the scifi in this scifi that probably annoyed me the most, in particular the depiction of the Cetagandan technology. Okay, I must admit the floating bubbles the haut ladies use are quite cool. And the bubbles make an excellent device for the guilty parties involved to conceal their real identity but there was just too many additional scifi contrivances used. The book reminded me several times of an eppy of Doctor Who. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love Doctor Who, but we all know a lot of the time they have over-the-top and kitschy scifi sets and costumes as a bit of a joke. If one of the characters had said, ‘moisturise me’ I wouldn’t have blinked an eyelid... There's nothing wrong with lots of scifi elements per se but to me, in this series, it seemed out of place .

The book wasn’t all bad, of course. I am still enthusiastic to continue with the series but I’m not sure if this one is one I'll be eager to re-read.

3 ½ out of 5

[Melissa McShane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember reading this book when it was first published and thinking it was very light by comparison to the rest of the series--well, it followed Mirror Dance, so that made sense. It's still one of my favorites, and I'm impressed by the Cetagandan culture and how Miles and Ivan tromp all over it in their Vor size twelves (or whatever size shoe Miles wears). It's a clever little mystery, very enjoyable, and I cannot get the image of the kitten tree out of my head.

[Daniel Pastor · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐ y seguimos.

Vete tú a saber porqué, nos encontramos a Miles, está vez, en Cetaganda por los sepelios por la emperadora muerta. Y a partir de ahí el lío, un ataque nada más llegar, una llave misteriosa, un asesinato, una trama para inculpar a Barrayar, intrigas en la cúpula cetagandana y, como no!, Miles e Iván por ahí enmedio con sus maravillosas personalidades 😁.
Aunque algo apartada, quizá, de la trama general, es una novela absolutamente absorbente y genial, como el resto de la saga.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much that is fun in this book. The Cetagandan society, Miles trying to figure out what is going on, Ivan providing a lot of amusement. As always the character development is top notch. The book is by turns witty and serious. Miles falls in love (for a time) with a Cetagandan haut woman and tries to save her, not realizing that she is the one with all of the power. The structure of Cetagandan society is at once weird and lovely and stultifying. Are the haut even human. If they are now, will they be in a few generations. It's dangerous for humans in fairyland. The kitten tree is truly horrifying and Ivan's reaction to it is hilarious.

December 13, 2020

Still fun. I've read these books so many times I just kind of meander through them. I still find Ivan funny, my brother has a theory that Ivan is the only person in these books who is really sane. He does have a sense of self-preservation that Miles lacks, and yet despite this always has Miles's back.

[Jake Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bujold has not missed yet. This one definitely feels a little more like a stand alone.

Really cool like at a culture we have only heard of before this in passing.

The book is also just really quietly funny, like I laughed a lot, but it never feels like it is trying to just be funny?

Character work is also still excellent, they are all distinctive and believable and Miles is just a treasure. The combination of fun and depth continues

I will say the tone of the endings do feel a little similar so far, and could be a little more varied.

Not even close to a miss though, another excellent book.

8.7/10

[Althea Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my very favorite in this series so far, but still an excellent mystery/adventure.
Miles Vorkosigan and his cousin are sent as diplomatic envoys to a state funeral on Cetaganda. Basically, all they're expected to do is to show up and look suitably grave.
However, the minute their spaceship docks, a mysterious assault occurs. In a combination of diplomatic tact and egotistical curiosity, Miles stays silent about the event, and embarks on solving the mystery himself.
Murder, politics, an enigmatic beauty, and a colorful society all come into play in a fast-moving story.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

"What did you think you were doing, Vorkosigan?"
"I stopped the Cetagandan Empire from breaking up into eight aggressively expanding units. I derailed plans for a war by some of them with Barrayar. I survived an assassination attempt, and helped catch three high-ranking traitors. Admittedly, they weren't our traitors, but still. Oh. And I solved a murder. That's enough for one trip, I hope."

[Oleksandr Zholud · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an installment of Vorkosigan saga, which chronologically follows The Vor Game. This time the author decided to write a SF spy thriller of James Bond variety. I read is as a part of Vorkosigan challenge at Hugo & Nebula Awards: Best Novels group.

Our protagonist, Miles and his Cousin Ivan go to Cetaganda with a diplomatic mission: the empress died and about to be entombed with a great pomposity. Right after docking, Miles gets a possession of a strange artifact that can start a new war between Cetagenda and Barrayar.

We are presented with a unique Cetagendan society, which is I guess is partially based on Ottoman and Mughal empires. Some allusions are clear, like noble women traveling hidden behind opaque screens and personal neutered imperial servants (eunuchs), others, like two different peoples, ghem and haut, less so (Muslim Mughals and Hindu locals?)

A nice easy going story without deep meanings, a great yarn!

[Wanda Pedersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally, we get to meet the Cetagandians, who have largely featured as kind of a boogey-man enemy for Miles Vorkosigan through the previous volumes. Bujold is great at imagining radically different societies (the Betans, the Barrayarans, and now the Cetagandians) and she gives us a good romp through the upper echelons of Cetagandian society.

Miles Vorkosigan is the Master of Chaos, in that he seems to be able to create it wherever he goes and then surf the chaos waves to an acceptable conclusion. This adventure is no different, as Miles and his handsome cousin Ivan go to represent Barrayar at the Cetegandian Empress’ funeral. What could possibly go wrong?

Plenty, as it turns out, with Miles having to shush Ivan quite a bit and manoeuvre around his superiors as per usual. Ivan manages to becomes extremely popular with the ladies of Cetagandia, and a fair bit of humour is generated through his misfortunes. A very fun romp through the Vorkosigan universe.

Book number 331 in my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this was another fun addition to the series, it struck me as a bit too convoluted & convenient to really work at times. Much hinged on security & technology gaffs that didn't fully make sense, still it was a fun trip featuring Miles & Ivan. They're great characters & if you just go along for the ride, it's quite entertaining.

It was also nice to get a better look at Ceteganda. They're mentioned quite often in other books, but this is the first time we get to see the beasts in their natural habitat. Their philosophy, culture, & world is interesting.

[Lost Planet Airman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystery rather than military SF. for a change, the people that interact with Miles are his equals in intelligence rounding out the story much more convincingly.

[Chloe Frizzle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the contrast between Miles and Ivan in this book. They're perfect foils to each other.

[Michael Finocchiaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miles and his cousin get into big trouble on the planet Cetaganda in this fun romp. Miles is just such a great, atypical protagonist and Bujold does a great job in these books to build a simple but engaging story with twists and turns which are just so entertaining. I needed to read this to get to Mirror Dance which won the Hugo and Nebula Prizes, but I still should probably follow the confusion chronology through Borders of Infinity and Brothers in Arms beforehand. Right?

Fino's Reviews of Bujold Novels
Vorkosigan Universe
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Five Gods Trilogy
- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Consuelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Otra aventura de Miles, tan entretenida como las anteriores. Bujold no defrauda.