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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide attempt, Murder, War
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I know it has no plot, but I just fuckin' love this book. It is ridiculously fun.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a ride. I appreciate Gregor becoming a bit more of a person than just a MacGuffin. My only critique is that the primary antagonist was the definition of a mustache twirling menace, her gender notwithstanding
5 Stars! This book was incredible and addicting. I flew through it. I only wish more time was spent at Permafrost and we got to experience a wah-wah. Haha. But yeah this book really had everything and this series is really cementing itself as a top favorite of mine. Enjoy!
Quotes: (may contain spoilers)
“He found one mud-coated boot, but not the other. Should he save it, on the off chance he might have one leg amputated someday? It would probably be the wrong leg.” (p359)
“Earth and water, versus fire and air. He seemed to be building up a helluva supply of yin, the balancing yang to come had better be stupendous.” (p361)
“Girlfriend?.. Ah yes, human beings had come in two sexes, once upon a time. One smelled much better than the other. Much.” (p366)
“Those who do not know their history are doomed to keep stepping in it… Alas, so were those who did, it seemed.” (p385)
“A weapon is a device for making your enemy change his mind. The mind was the first and final battle ground, the stuff in between was just noise.” (p386)
“Some people’s needs are more compelling than guns.” (p399)
“A short soldier, a short career.” (p402)
“He had also been an expert at hand-to-hand combat, Miles recalled, a weapon no one could confiscate.” (p419) - “Unless you were behanded, of course.” - PF
“His death in a miniature conflict would be just as absolute as his death in a large one.” (p422)
“I’ve learned to be cautious about selling arms to people who might be shooting at me in the near future.” (p424)
“Miles added it to his life’s lessons list. Call it Rule 27B. Never make key tactical decisions while having electro-convulsive seizures.” (p440)
- Page 445! Lol
“Now what? He’d slam his fist into the wall in frustration, but the wall was sure to slam back with greater devastation.” (p490)
“The key of strategy is not to choose a path to victory, but to choose so that all paths lead to a victory. Ideally.” (p493)
“You know Cavilo?.. - Face like an angel, mind like a rabid mongoose?” (p500)
“The thirty or so mercenaries could change from honor guard to prison guard with his next role of the dice.” (p504)
“His chance of getting through this interview with his identity undisclosed equaled that of a snowball surviving a wormhole jump to the center of a sun.” (p508)
“I don’t think I’m destined to die today. I must be being saved for day after tomorrow... I’ll have a much bigger, more public and spectacular chance to blow it all away then. Be able to take thousands more lives down with me.” (p515)
“I want you to think of yourself as a noncommunications officer… Remember, I want maximum inefficiency, incompetence, and error… You’ve worked with trainees, surely. Be creative.” (p532)
- Pages 536-537
“Not that numbers mattered. A million troops with nuclears, one guy with a club; either would suffice when the target was one unarmed hostage.” (p540)
“Drop it! It only takes one nervous twitch to convert you from Imperial fiancé to no one of importance at all. And then to no one at all. And you’re making me real tense.” (p541)
“But don’t you think there’s a certain…hubris, in undertaking field leadership without a prior apprenticing in field followership?” (p543)
“There’s no moral difference between one and ten thousand, I assure you. You are just as thoroughly damned however many you get killed.” (p543)
“Finesse, boy. A retreating enemy should be offered all the face he can carry off. Just don’t let him carry off anything else.” (p563)
“I’m more than ever convinced the regular Service is not the place for you. It’s like trying to fit a square peg—no, worse than that. Like trying to fit a tesseract into a round hole.” (p564)
“It seems you still have a little problem with subordination… - I can’t help it, sir, if people give me the wrong orders.” (p574)
Quotes: (may contain spoilers)
“He found one mud-coated boot, but not the other. Should he save it, on the off chance he might have one leg amputated someday? It would probably be the wrong leg.” (p359)
“Earth and water, versus fire and air. He seemed to be building up a helluva supply of yin, the balancing yang to come had better be stupendous.” (p361)
“Girlfriend?.. Ah yes, human beings had come in two sexes, once upon a time. One smelled much better than the other. Much.” (p366)
“Those who do not know their history are doomed to keep stepping in it… Alas, so were those who did, it seemed.” (p385)
“A weapon is a device for making your enemy change his mind. The mind was the first and final battle ground, the stuff in between was just noise.” (p386)
“Some people’s needs are more compelling than guns.” (p399)
“A short soldier, a short career.” (p402)
“He had also been an expert at hand-to-hand combat, Miles recalled, a weapon no one could confiscate.” (p419) - “Unless you were behanded, of course.” - PF
“His death in a miniature conflict would be just as absolute as his death in a large one.” (p422)
“I’ve learned to be cautious about selling arms to people who might be shooting at me in the near future.” (p424)
“Miles added it to his life’s lessons list. Call it Rule 27B. Never make key tactical decisions while having electro-convulsive seizures.” (p440)
- Page 445! Lol
“Now what? He’d slam his fist into the wall in frustration, but the wall was sure to slam back with greater devastation.” (p490)
“The key of strategy is not to choose a path to victory, but to choose so that all paths lead to a victory. Ideally.” (p493)
“You know Cavilo?.. - Face like an angel, mind like a rabid mongoose?” (p500)
“The thirty or so mercenaries could change from honor guard to prison guard with his next role of the dice.” (p504)
“His chance of getting through this interview with his identity undisclosed equaled that of a snowball surviving a wormhole jump to the center of a sun.” (p508)
“I don’t think I’m destined to die today. I must be being saved for day after tomorrow... I’ll have a much bigger, more public and spectacular chance to blow it all away then. Be able to take thousands more lives down with me.” (p515)
“I want you to think of yourself as a noncommunications officer… Remember, I want maximum inefficiency, incompetence, and error… You’ve worked with trainees, surely. Be creative.” (p532)
- Pages 536-537
“Not that numbers mattered. A million troops with nuclears, one guy with a club; either would suffice when the target was one unarmed hostage.” (p540)
“Drop it! It only takes one nervous twitch to convert you from Imperial fiancé to no one of importance at all. And then to no one at all. And you’re making me real tense.” (p541)
“But don’t you think there’s a certain…hubris, in undertaking field leadership without a prior apprenticing in field followership?” (p543)
“There’s no moral difference between one and ten thousand, I assure you. You are just as thoroughly damned however many you get killed.” (p543)
“Finesse, boy. A retreating enemy should be offered all the face he can carry off. Just don’t let him carry off anything else.” (p563)
“I’m more than ever convinced the regular Service is not the place for you. It’s like trying to fit a square peg—no, worse than that. Like trying to fit a tesseract into a round hole.” (p564)
“It seems you still have a little problem with subordination… - I can’t help it, sir, if people give me the wrong orders.” (p574)
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
The upshot is that I continue to enjoy this series, and the stories really stick with me. Watching Miles gradually grow up in these books is gratifying; his character can be A Lot but the evolution feels really organic so far. That said, the middle of this book REALLY slowed me down. After Kyril Island and the time of penance with Ungari (plus trying to make sense of the Hegen Hub politics) kept me away from this book for months. Once it picked up again, I was hooked; anything involving Elena, Gregor, or Ivan is a treat.
4.5 stars, ish.
This was a fun next installment of the Miles saga but I don't think he personally learned anything here. He's still allowed his special role outside of the regular military. He's been brought up to be special. Which is fine, if that's all Bujold wanted to achieve with this story. But I feel there's something greater in store for Miles.
This was a fun next installment of the Miles saga but I don't think he personally learned anything here. He's still allowed his special role outside of the regular military. He's been brought up to be special. Which is fine, if that's all Bujold wanted to achieve with this story. But I feel there's something greater in store for Miles.