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sheilajenn's review
4.0
This book surprised me. It's not like anything else of Bujold's I've read. Normally, she seems to take delight in torturing her characters-in this book, nothing bad really happened or was at risk of happening at any point. There wasn't an action or external plot at all- it's just a romance and personal plot for Jole. Miles is hardly in it at all. Everyone is their best self all the time, nobody makes any terrible mistakes.
That added up to being, in one sense, a bit of a snooze, not exciting like every other Bujold book I've read. But on the other, it was sort of a relief. Nothing bad happening to the Vorkosigans for once! I think maybe she wrote it to give herself and her poor characters a well-deserved break. And I found it restful too. So it still gets four stars from me, though if you're looking for action or you're not already deeply attached to Bujold's characters, you might not like it.
That added up to being, in one sense, a bit of a snooze, not exciting like every other Bujold book I've read. But on the other, it was sort of a relief. Nothing bad happening to the Vorkosigans for once! I think maybe she wrote it to give herself and her poor characters a well-deserved break. And I found it restful too. So it still gets four stars from me, though if you're looking for action or you're not already deeply attached to Bujold's characters, you might not like it.
stringreads's review
5.0
It seems like LMB's books show up when I most need them, they take me away and they dig deep into parts of me I didn't know I had. I loved that she went back to Cordelia's tale at a time when Cordelia's life is changing and instead of discarding an aging widow LMB has her reborn from the ashes into a new beginning.
This didn't supplant Lord Vorpatrils Alliance as my new favorite vorkosigan book, but I got a hard copy from the library and the audiobook from audible and I'm already looking forward to listening to it soon.
This didn't supplant Lord Vorpatrils Alliance as my new favorite vorkosigan book, but I got a hard copy from the library and the audiobook from audible and I'm already looking forward to listening to it soon.
allauthors's review
3.0
I am a huge fan of Lois McMaster Bujold and the Vorkosigan saga in general, but this particular entry was a bit of a disappointment. The story is almost pure romance novel, but without even the tension of wondering if the lovers will find each other or let their love grow, as this is pretty much a given from the get go. Don't be mislead by the cover summary; Miles has nothing to do with this story and engages in no investigation of any kind within it. The one non-romantic "problem" introduced in the story, a shady construction materials supplier which looks like it might be more than it appears is solved in a complete deus ex machina at the end with no effort or ingenuity whatever on the part of the principles. So if, like me, you are enough of a fan that you must read every entry in the Vorkosigan Saga, because you simply have to know all there is to know, then you will want to read this entry too. But if you are a more casual fan, you may want to give this entry a pass.
spautz's review
2.0
Very different from most of the series, in both content and pacing. I didn't particularly enjoy the first 3/4ths or so -- I summed it up to a friend with a mere "nothing happens" -- but in the final leg either the book changed or my response to it did, and it was ultimately a satisfying read.
There are a lot of references to barely-remembered events and ordeals from earlier in the series: this felt a bit like a move to reconcile the series and bring it full circle, and a bit like an attempt to unify the earliest genre of work with this latest, very different one.
Not my favorite overall, but a unique and mostly-not-too-awkward take on mixing things up and exploring outside of the outlined genre boundaries. Not bad, but I might not include this one if I decide to reread the rest of the series.
There are a lot of references to barely-remembered events and ordeals from earlier in the series: this felt a bit like a move to reconcile the series and bring it full circle, and a bit like an attempt to unify the earliest genre of work with this latest, very different one.
Not my favorite overall, but a unique and mostly-not-too-awkward take on mixing things up and exploring outside of the outlined genre boundaries. Not bad, but I might not include this one if I decide to reread the rest of the series.
maiko's review
3.0
Si yo la aprecio mucho, señora Bujold, pero es que yo quería aventuras espaciales, misterios, acción, intriga política... Y está bien cuando además hay romance y reflexiones vitales, pero esta vez sólo hay romance y reflexiones vitales, y qué sé yo, señora Bujold, me aburro un poco. :( Y el libro está bien, pero la verdad, tengo la sensación de que sólo me interesa porque ya les tenía cariño a los personajes de antes, y no porque nada de lo que ocurre en este libro me haya cautivado realmente. Más PIÑAO PIÑAO y más villanos para la próxima, por favor.
jameseckman's review
3.0
An adult and complex romance combined with a bit of politics. Miles makes a token appearance mostly to receive a well-deserved tweaking from his mother, turnabout is fair play. A fun read, if you're not a military SF fan, you can read it as a standalone novel.
athenalindia's review
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
tsana's review
4.0
Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois McMaster Bujold is the latest instalment in Bujold's extensive Vorkosigan saga. It is, to date, the most latterly set and features Cordelia Vorkosigan and Oliver Jole as the main characters. Cordelia, of course, being Miles's mother, and Jole having formerly been the late Count Aral's senior subordinate. Among other things. I read most of the Vorkosigan books shortly before starting this blog, but I did review the second most recent, Captain Vorpatril's Alliance, when it came out in late 2012.
The first thing I want to say is: this is a romance book. Surprisingly little happened that wasn't at least romance-adjacent, for all that there were some political and logistical things going on in the background. And unlike A Civil Campaign, it is not a comedy of errors. It has it's funny laugh-out-loud moments, but does not compare with some of Bujold's earlier books as far as humour goes. The blurb, which was at the front of my edition, encouraging me to read it when I normally wouldn't, is also quite misleading. It suggests significantly more intrigue than is actually present.
None of which is to say that I didn't enjoy Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen. I had two or three later-than-intended nights because of it. But I do kind of wish the blurb had been more up-front about the fact that this was a romance. I kept expecting Miles to show up and there to be some sort of plot somewhere, possibly involving Cetagandans. But Miles didn't appear in the first half of the book at all and when he did come along he was very much a minor character. Which worked quite well in a book about Cordelia and Jole. I think the moral of this story is to not read blurbs when you know you're going to read the book anyway.
One of the more unexpectedly interesting things in this book are the descriptions and encounters with Sergyar fauna and flora (but mostly fauna). As well as Jole himself becoming increasingly interested in the more exotic wildlife, there are several encounters with more mundane species, like the local equivalent of mosquitoes. (Not actually a type of insect and involved in the most memorable line in the book, which involved "flaming snot". There was much laughing on my part.)
This is a book for fans of the Vorkosigan universe and, particularly, fans of Cordelia. I wouldn't recommend it as a starting point for the series, mainly because it isn't all that representative of most of the other books. However, if you have read at least some of the other books (and don't mind spoilers for certain life events of Miles's and Cordelia'a), then this is an enjoyable read. I would generally recommend having read the Cordelia books (Cordelia's Honour, which contains Shards of Honour and Barrayar) and The Vor Game to get the majority of the older references and reminiscences in Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen.
4 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
The first thing I want to say is: this is a romance book. Surprisingly little happened that wasn't at least romance-adjacent, for all that there were some political and logistical things going on in the background. And unlike A Civil Campaign, it is not a comedy of errors. It has it's funny laugh-out-loud moments, but does not compare with some of Bujold's earlier books as far as humour goes. The blurb, which was at the front of my edition, encouraging me to read it when I normally wouldn't, is also quite misleading. It suggests significantly more intrigue than is actually present.
None of which is to say that I didn't enjoy Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen. I had two or three later-than-intended nights because of it. But I do kind of wish the blurb had been more up-front about the fact that this was a romance. I kept expecting Miles to show up and there to be some sort of plot somewhere, possibly involving Cetagandans. But Miles didn't appear in the first half of the book at all and when he did come along he was very much a minor character. Which worked quite well in a book about Cordelia and Jole. I think the moral of this story is to not read blurbs when you know you're going to read the book anyway.
One of the more unexpectedly interesting things in this book are the descriptions and encounters with Sergyar fauna and flora (but mostly fauna). As well as Jole himself becoming increasingly interested in the more exotic wildlife, there are several encounters with more mundane species, like the local equivalent of mosquitoes. (Not actually a type of insect and involved in the most memorable line in the book, which involved "flaming snot". There was much laughing on my part.)
This is a book for fans of the Vorkosigan universe and, particularly, fans of Cordelia. I wouldn't recommend it as a starting point for the series, mainly because it isn't all that representative of most of the other books. However, if you have read at least some of the other books (and don't mind spoilers for certain life events of Miles's and Cordelia'a), then this is an enjoyable read. I would generally recommend having read the Cordelia books (Cordelia's Honour, which contains Shards of Honour and Barrayar) and The Vor Game to get the majority of the older references and reminiscences in Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen.
4 / 5 stars
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
lizbarr's review
3.0
I deeply resent how this book overcame my dislike for retcons and a couple of other things and LURED ME IN and SEDUCED ME with a bunch of my favourite tropes.