In June 1998, acclaimed speculative fiction writer Lois McMaster Bujold returned once again to the Vorkosigan saga. This time, an incident has occurred on Komarr, but was it an accident or was it treachery? Synopsis: Accident or treachery? Komarr could be a garden--with a thousand more years work. Or an uninhabitable wasteland, if the terraforming fails. Now the solar mirror vital to the terraforming of the conquered planet has been shattered by a ship hurtling off course. The Emperor of Barrayar sends his newest Imperial Auditor, Lord Miles Vorkosigan, to find out why. The choice is not a popular one on Komarr, where a betrayal a generation before drenched the name of Vorkosigan in blood. In the political and physical claustrophobia of the domed cities, are the Komarrans surrounding Miles loyal subjects, potential hostages, innocent victims, or rebels bidding for revenge? Lies within lies, treachery within treachery--Miles is caught in a race against time to stop a plot that could exile him from Barrayar forever. His burning hope lies in an unexpected ally, one with wounds as deep and honor as beleaguered as his own.
The novel opens with Ekaterin learning about her Uncle, Imperial Auditor Vorthys, landing with Miles Vorkosigan. Gregor wants them to check out the accident, but Vorthys is mainly there to visit. Ekaterin's husband, Etienne Voroisson--plagued with Vorzohn's Dystrophy--mocks Miles throughout his stay. While Vorthys visits the place where Etienne works, Miles stays at the Voroisson's house and catches up on the daily dispatches. Later, Vorthys tells Ekaterin a bit about Miles' history. Not a lot, but enough to somewhat sate her curiosity. Etienne takes Miles and Vorthys on another tour of the solarra project. Ekaterin admits to herself that she hates her husband for making him hate herself. While shopping for a wedding gift for Gregor and Laisa, Ekaterin learns more about Miles from Miles. Vorthys tells Miles that another body turned up, male and unknown. Miles isn't happy about that. Miles and Nikki--Ekaterin and Etienne's son--look at a display of jumpship models; they seem to bond, but Etienne interrupts them. Miles tells Etienne that he wants to do a surprise inspection of Etienne's office; Etienne calls Soudha and informs him of it--Ekaterin overhears this. Ekaterin tells Etienne that she's leaving him because of his embezzlement and lies, but he threatens her skellytum plant and throws it out the building, but Ekaterin isn't cowed anymore. He promises to change things and goes to get Miles and reveal all to him, but when they arrive at the station, both Miles and Etienne are ambushed. After being chained to a railing and trying to get free, Miles watches Etienne die because his breath mask wasn't fully charged. Ekaterin gets a call from Lena Foscol about the location of Etienne and Miles; when she arrives there, she frees Miles and finds Etienne dead. They call the local ImpSec Captain Tuomonen and tell him to arrive with a forensics team; Tuomonen is pissed the Miles left him out of the loop about this sojourn. Miles knows about Soudha now and wants blood. Miles notes that his Imperial Auditor seal and data case were stolen. Ekaterin undergoes fast-penta talk with Tuomonen; Miles observes and notes that he's in love with her. Days later, Miles and Vorthys are busy with the investigation, and Ekaterin picks up Aunt Professora Helen Vorthys, but a Komarran terrorist, Arozzi, captures them. Arozzi is with Soudha and Foscol; Ekaterin tells that that Etienne's dead, but Foscol doesn't want to believe it. They argue over the past, specifically the Cetagandan Invasion of Barrayar and Barrayar's Invasion, but Soudha insists that the Cetaganden's were right and the Barrayaran's must be forced off Komarr by any means necessary. Miles and Vorthys track the terrorists down and stop the sabotage. In the end, it all works out. Ekaterin and Nikki move back to Barrayar where she's going to learn.
All in all, Komarr is an amusing tale that has some good times, some mediocre parts, but is nevertheless an enjoyable read. I recommend this books to the old and new fans of the series. Crazy book, but a good kind of crazy.
The novel opens with Ekaterin learning about her Uncle, Imperial Auditor Vorthys, landing with Miles Vorkosigan. Gregor wants them to check out the accident, but Vorthys is mainly there to visit. Ekaterin's husband, Etienne Voroisson--plagued with Vorzohn's Dystrophy--mocks Miles throughout his stay. While Vorthys visits the place where Etienne works, Miles stays at the Voroisson's house and catches up on the daily dispatches. Later, Vorthys tells Ekaterin a bit about Miles' history. Not a lot, but enough to somewhat sate her curiosity. Etienne takes Miles and Vorthys on another tour of the solarra project. Ekaterin admits to herself that she hates her husband for making him hate herself. While shopping for a wedding gift for Gregor and Laisa, Ekaterin learns more about Miles from Miles. Vorthys tells Miles that another body turned up, male and unknown. Miles isn't happy about that. Miles and Nikki--Ekaterin and Etienne's son--look at a display of jumpship models; they seem to bond, but Etienne interrupts them. Miles tells Etienne that he wants to do a surprise inspection of Etienne's office; Etienne calls Soudha and informs him of it--Ekaterin overhears this. Ekaterin tells Etienne that she's leaving him because of his embezzlement and lies, but he threatens her skellytum plant and throws it out the building, but Ekaterin isn't cowed anymore. He promises to change things and goes to get Miles and reveal all to him, but when they arrive at the station, both Miles and Etienne are ambushed. After being chained to a railing and trying to get free, Miles watches Etienne die because his breath mask wasn't fully charged. Ekaterin gets a call from Lena Foscol about the location of Etienne and Miles; when she arrives there, she frees Miles and finds Etienne dead. They call the local ImpSec Captain Tuomonen and tell him to arrive with a forensics team; Tuomonen is pissed the Miles left him out of the loop about this sojourn. Miles knows about Soudha now and wants blood. Miles notes that his Imperial Auditor seal and data case were stolen. Ekaterin undergoes fast-penta talk with Tuomonen; Miles observes and notes that he's in love with her. Days later, Miles and Vorthys are busy with the investigation, and Ekaterin picks up Aunt Professora Helen Vorthys, but a Komarran terrorist, Arozzi, captures them. Arozzi is with Soudha and Foscol; Ekaterin tells that that Etienne's dead, but Foscol doesn't want to believe it. They argue over the past, specifically the Cetagandan Invasion of Barrayar and Barrayar's Invasion, but Soudha insists that the Cetaganden's were right and the Barrayaran's must be forced off Komarr by any means necessary. Miles and Vorthys track the terrorists down and stop the sabotage. In the end, it all works out. Ekaterin and Nikki move back to Barrayar where she's going to learn.
All in all, Komarr is an amusing tale that has some good times, some mediocre parts, but is nevertheless an enjoyable read. I recommend this books to the old and new fans of the series. Crazy book, but a good kind of crazy.
