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A review by trike
Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen by Lois McMaster Bujold
4.0
This feels like an extended coda for the entire Vorkosigan saga. It is decidedly low stakes, with its focus on Cordelia’s imminent retirement from imperial duties and her decision to stay on Sergyar, where she met Aral all those decades earlier, along with the other POV of Admiral Oliver Jole as his 50th birthday party looms. This is not the sort of derring-do and fireworks that have featured in previous installments, although fireworks *do* figure prominently in the climax at the party among a swarm of local insects.
I suspect if someone had been waiting a few years between novels this might be something of a let-down, but as I’ve eagerly consumed almost the entirety of the series over the past three months, this was a satisfyingly gentle landing.
This has the feel of finality about it, being the last novel in the series. However, Bujold did write a prequel novella which was published a year ago in May 2018, so maybe we’ll see further adventures of the next generation of Vorkosigans in due time. If this is it, so be it. No complaints from me.
I suspect if someone had been waiting a few years between novels this might be something of a let-down, but as I’ve eagerly consumed almost the entirety of the series over the past three months, this was a satisfyingly gentle landing.
This has the feel of finality about it, being the last novel in the series. However, Bujold did write a prequel novella which was published a year ago in May 2018, so maybe we’ll see further adventures of the next generation of Vorkosigans in due time. If this is it, so be it. No complaints from me.