A Civil Campaign

Originally posted at FanLit.

I was afraid I wasn't going to like A Civil Campaign as well as the previous VORKOSIGAN novels because, according to the description, the plot takes place all on the planet Barrayar and it deals mostly with relationship issues for several of the characters. Most of the various editions of the book sport covers with couples dancing or getting married. So, yeah, I thought it was a romance novel.

Well, A Civil Campaign is a romance novel, but because it involves the romances of Miles Vorkosigan, his clone brother Mark, and his tomcatting cousin Ivan Vorpatril, it is, thankfully, a lot more than that. Along with the romance, Bujold weaves in a few funny subplots that both entertain and advance the plot of the VORKOSIGAN series on the non-romantic fronts, too.
Miles' goal in this book is to convince the widow Ekaterin Vorsoisson to marry him. (We met her in Komarr.) Ekaterin's first marriage was painful and she is not inclined to repeat the experience. That's just one problem. The other is that Ekaterin is beautiful and a Vor. Since beautiful single Vor women are rare on patriarchal Barrayar (the previous generation genetically selected for boys), they are in high demand. Miles has to court Ekaterin without scaring her away while he attempts to fend off all other suitors and while he tries to maintain his dignity as an Imperial Auditor. Other romances are going on, too. Gregor's wedding is being planned by Ivan's mother. Mark is courting one of the Koudelka girls (her father is not pleased!) and Ivan has suddenly realized that while he has been happily carousing for years, all the best girls were getting snatched up.

Meanwhile, since Aral Vorkosigan is off planet, Miles is left with his father's political duties and the counsel has to deal with a couple of inheritance disputes. One of them involves the problem of patriarchy and the other involves racism. Lois McMaster Bujold has a way of commenting on these issues using humor instead of a hammer -- it's both effective and entertaining.
Along with the all the romance and politics, Bujold serves up a hilarious storyline in which Mark, who now considers himself an entrepreneur, teams up with a brilliant but socially inept scientist to genetically engineer insects that vomit up a cheap and nutritious creamy substance that they hope to market to the universe. They set up a lab in Vorkosigan house and get the lovely Koudelka girls to be their lab assistants. This slapstick storyline is a little over the top, but I thought it worked well as a contrast to the politics and romance. Bujold weaves all of these plots together for a synergistic effect that's quite pleasing.

There are some niggling little problems with A Civil Campaign, at least for me. One was that I couldn't muster up the attraction for Ekaterin that Miles seems to feel. I am not sure why he loves her -- she's kind of dull. Also, her reaction to the discovery that Miles was trying to sneakily court her was unreasonable, and his reaction to her reaction was even more unreasonable. This has to do with my second complaint which is that Miles and Mark are both in their thirties but act like they're eighteen. Miles is an Imperial Auditor, in fact -- a very distinguished position in the empire. I forgave their immaturity in previous novels because it seemed like the messes they got themselves into weren't really their faults. In this novel, though, they don't have such a good excuse... On the other hand, this juvenile behavior, which culminates in this case in a disastrous dinner party, is exactly what makes the plot so entertaining, isn't it?

I'm listening to Grover Gardner narrate the audio version of the VORKOSIGAN saga. He's awesome.

Lord Miles Vorkosigan, no longer a mercenary commander, seems to be settling in nicely in his new career as the youngest Imperial Auditor -- and if you don't know what any of that means, then you need to go back to the beginning of the series because far too much history has already taken place for you to jump in here.

In the previous volume, Miles and one of his colleagues solved a mystery and averted possible disaster on Komarr, the gateway world Barrayar captured for its own protection a generation before. And in the process, he lost his heart to a young woman -- now, conveniently, a widow -- who was a member of the minor Barrayaran aristocracy. Now they're all back on their own world and Miles is planning a campaign to win her hand. Her previous marriage was very unhappy and a great psychic strain, so he knows he has to give her time -- but, of course, romance and military strategy don't have much in common and Miles manages to get it all wrong.

Meanwhile, his clone-brother, Mark, whose talents run to financial matters, not the military, is trying to set up a new enterprise involving human-food-producing insects that could be worth millions, . . . if only the little critters weren't so repulsive. Mark has his own romantic involvement, with one of the Koudelka sisters (who have been supporting players in the series for years now), but he's having problems getting her parents to take him seriously.

Meanwhile, Emperor Gregor (with whom Miles has had a close personal relationship all his life, his father the Count having been Regent and then Prime Minister) is finally getting married, to a Komarran girl -- which is a great relief to Miles and his cousin, Ivan, because it will put more heirs between them and the throne. Anyway, security for the wedding, the first event of its kind in more than a century, is extremely high, which brings more problems.

Meanwhile, in the area of domestic politics, two of the key counts' districts are in danger of switching from the Progressive faction to the Conservative, and Miles becomes personally involved in both those matters, too, mostly because the other side was foolish enough to piss him off. (As Ivan notes, you really don't want to challenge Miles's ingenuity.)

And there are several other supporting plot-lines, as well, all of which add up to a nicely complex and very enjoyable romp. In fact, it's very nearly light opera. Bujold subtitled this one "A Comedy of Biology and Manners," and that pretty much nails it.

Imagine if Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer could have collaborated to set a comic romance in a "Star Wars" or "Star Trek" setting with a hint of "The West Wing" thrown in and you have an idea what this side-splittingly funny book is like.

The Miles Vorkosigan series of adventures is a strong contender for the description of the most amusing comedy science fiction series ever written. This is the ninth Miles Vorkosigan adventure, and in my opinion the funniest book in the series.

It is slightly different from the other nine books in the series - the first eight and the last one all have elements of action adventure, mystery and detection. This one, on the other hand, can best be understood as a "Regency Romance" style farce set several hundred years in the future on a planet which in some ways is used to high technology and in others is a quasi-feudal militaristic Empire. In other words, it mimics the style, and has a very similar plot, to the popular genre of romantic novels set in Georgian England during the "Regency" period in the early 19th century.

The Miles Vorkosigan stories, and four other books set in the the same future universe, can stand on their own. However, a number of them, of which this is one, will give you something extra if you have previously read some of Bujold's books set earlier on the same timeline.

If you have not previously met Lord Miles Vorkosigan, he is

1) a brilliant intriguer who at one stage was juggling at least three identities;
2) physically very small, having been injured in his mother's womb by poison gas;
3) a former spy for Imperial Barrayan security, former mercenary admiral and present "Imperial Auditor";
4) desperately trying to find a wife; and
5) hysterically funny to read about.

The book is set in the run-up to the wedding of Miles' cousin, the Emperor, which is shown on the front cover. The handsome, tall man on the cover with his bride is Emperor Gregor, and not the hero of the stories, Lord Miles Vorkosigan. Miles is neither tall nor handsome, but he makes up for it in other ways - some of the time, anyway.

Several other people are thinking about love and marriage, including Miles himself, as he is very much in love with Ekaterin who he met in the previous book, "KOMARR".

Miles' friend Duv Galeni, his clone-brother Mark, and his cousin Ivan also have their own romantic plans, and their various romantic intrigues collide not only with each other, but with the ambitions of various scheming nobles who are fighting over the inheritance of two titles, the plans of Ekaterin's idiotic relatives, and the attempts to do their job of two luckless Escobarran policemen.

At one point, Miles' mother Cordelia has to sort out the angry parents of Miles' childhood friends the Koudelka sisters. If you want to understand some of the references here, you will have to read the story of how the previous generations of Vorkosigans and Koudelkas got together, which can be found in the books "Shards of Honor" and "Barrayar (Vorkosigan)." These two books have been published individually, and also together in one volume as "Cordelia's Honor (Shards of Honor & Barrayar)".

Sound complicated? It is. That's why there is a lot to be said for reading these stories in sequence. Having said that, you can read this book on its own and it is still funny.

The full sequence of books in this Universe is

"Falling Free" (set 200 years before Miles is born)

The story of the romance between Miles' parents:
"Shards of Honour"
"Barrayar"
(Published in one volume as "Cordelia's Honour")

The Miles Vorkosigan adventures:

"The Warrior's Apprentice"
"The Vor Game"
"Borders of Infinity"
"Cetaganda"
"Brothers in Arms"
"Mirror Dance"
"Memory"
"Komarr"
"A Civil Campaign"
"Diplomatic Immunity"

And a separate adventure for Miles' friend Elli Quinn:
"Ethan of Athos"

All these books are excellent and strongly recommended.

I'm probably committing heresy by saying that I generally like Bujold's fantasies better than her space operas, but I am really sold on this episode in the life of Miles Vorkosigan. The audible download file is about18 hours long and I gulped it down in two sessions, one beginning Saturday afternoon and then finishing up on Sunday.

The reader, as in the other Miles books I have listened to, was Grover Gardner. While I'm not as keen on his narration as I was on Lloyd James' reading of The Curse of Chalion, he does a good job in distinguishing the characters by voice without going overboard.

While some people want to focus on the various love stories in this book, my favorite part was the political wrangling that is tied to together oh, so neatly in the end. There's a good bit of comedy as well as action and mystery.

I've read some of the Miles books but thought this one did a good job of standing alone with just enough information to help the reader understand who is who in the large cast of characters.

Something I really did not like was the cover used for the audiobook. The backlit bride and groom facing away from the viewer is rather puzzling given that the only person actually getting married in the story is the Emperor Gregor. If the male figure is meant to be Miles, it honestly doesn't look like the various descriptions given by Bujold. In fact, if required to describe the male character on the cover it would be as an old geezer, not Miles in his mid 30's.

Anyway, highly recommended. And the audio download from audible is a bargain compared to the price of the CD.

For fans of Ms. Bujold in general, and her highly popular character Miles Vorkosigan in particular, this book takes her writing to a new level as we go on a highly entertaining adventure, following Miles Vorkosigan as he wages war against an enemy unlike any he's ever faced before--Love.
For those unfamiliar with this series, "A Civil Campaign" is set on the planet Barrayar, a conservative, militaristic society with a turbulent past. It's slowly being transformed into a modern, liberal society, much of which is caused by Miles' mother, Cordelia Naismith, who comes from the highly liberal society of Beta Colony. The relationship that formed over thirty years ago between her and Miles' father, Aral Vorkosigan, the legendary war hero often referred to as "the Butcher of Komarr," resulted in an upheaval that over the years has opened Barrayar's once closed society, a transformation whose growing pains still show today.
Miles Vorkosigan is a member of the powerful Vorkosigan family. He's a living example of Barrayar's violent history, having been poisoned while still in his mother's womb. The attack resulted in Miles being being born with many handicaps, including dwarfism and extremely brittle bones. Driven by the desire to live up to his father and grandfather's military legacy, Miles managed to over-achieve, using a combination of strategic brilliance, indomitable spirit, and more than a little luck to carve out his own legacy as a member of the Barrayan secret service.
After an incredible galactic military career, Miles is discharged, having survived death itself, but resulting in crippling seizures, a result of being frozen and later revived. He then finds himself grounded on Barrayar, but still highly involved in the inner intrigues of the government, serving as a Lord Auditor, one of the legal justices of the Emperor.
After his first task as Lord Auditor in the book Komarr, where he meets Ekaterin. Miles later returns home, and in A Civil Campaign, launches his greatest strategic assault ever, to win the love of the recently widowed Ekaterin, who's currently struggling to find her own identity after years with a domineering husband. Of course, nothing ever comes easy for Miles. In the course of trying to win Ekaterin's heart, they both become embroiled in political intrigue and a wild business venture by Miles' clone brother Mark, who's also pursuing a lady love of his own.
This book has romance, politics, humor, and above all, characters that you'll fall in love with in just a few pages. The book stands well on it's own, but if you ever pick this one up, you'll find yourself in the bookstore looking for the rest of the series. I'm a long time reader of SF, and this is one of the most creative and fun series I've ever read.
Give A Civil Campaign a try!

Did you think that Miles was the definitive example of how far the Vor will go to be Vor? You were wrong. Someone else has Miles beat by, um, miles. But that's okay; Miles, as usual, has his own problems. There's his brother Mark's new business venture, which involves some rather unattractive bugs, currently stashed in an old laundry room in Vorkosigan House. There's convincing Ekaterin that the fact that she made a mistake in marrying Tien at twenty doesn't mean that she's forever incapable of making good marital choices. There's convincing Ekaterin that he's not trying to manipulate her, which is tough, because he is. He's Miles, after all; it's easier for him to skip breathing for a few days than to skip manipulating people for a similar period. There's Miles' old friend Count René Vorbretten, whose unfortunate and previously unsuspected Cetagandan ancestry is endangering his possession of the countship--and risks turning that vote in the Council of Counts over to the Conservative Party. There's the rumors going around that Miles murdered Ekaterin's first husband. There's the other countship that's in dispute, with one of the putative heirs trying to blackmail Miles to force the Vorkosigans to support him when the Council of Counts votes on who's the real Count. There's the most disastrous dinner party in, possibly, the history of Barrayar. (Well, perhaps not. Nobody dies, after all. It's just that some people wish they had.)

And he can't even run away to be Admiral Naismith anymore. Aside from the fact that Admiral Naismith is dead and everyone knows it, his uniform doesn't even fit anymore.

No one has time to give him any sympathy; everyone has their own problems. Ekaterin has persistent unwanted suitors, and annoyingly helpful relatives and in-laws. Mark has his business partner Enrique, and his on-again off-again romance with Kareen Koudelka, and Kou and Drou's reaction when they find out. Ivan has been formally assigned as an aide to Lady Alys, while she manages the arrangements for Gregor and Laisa's wedding. And then there's the startling discovery he's made about his old love, Lady Donna Vorrutyer...

Great fun. And I don't recommend that you annoy any Lady Vorkosigan, present or future; it seems to be bad for your career prospects.

This review contains a minor spoiler for the previous book in the Miles series, "Komarr."
"Dear me. I think I'm beginning to like this Ekaterin. And I haven't even finished being properly introduced to her yet. `I'd like you to meet...she's getting away!' seemed a little...truncated." Cordelia Vorkosigan
This book has everything you could want. It has romantic tangles, political intrigue, a little bit of action, and some of the most wonderful characters that I've ever read about. Anybody who's been following my reviews knows that I think Miles is one of the best characters in science fiction today. He approaches most things in a military point of view, including his love life. He hatches tactical plans, strategic withdrawals and schemes in order to win Ekaterin. Unfortunately for him, these tend to blow up in your face when they're applied to the dating game. The plan culminates in a dinner party of huge comedic proportions. First, Mark's business plan ends up interfering in it, then a misplaced word here and there creates chaos. I was literally laughing out loud for four straight pages.
The other plots are winners too. Bujold effortlessly weaves her tale among five narrators. This is the first time she's done that, as she usually just uses one. It's nice to get other people's viewpoints finally, especially the outsider's view of Miles. This is the first book where we've seen Ivan's point of view, and it's a classic. In previous books, we've only seen Miles and his exasperation at Ivan's antics. This time, we see it from the inside, and his view of Miles is just great. Ivan's always getting trapped in Miles' schemes, and it's great fun watching him try to avoid it, only to get trapped in his own.
The best character in the book, though, is Cordelia. Miles' mother has always been wonderful (so wonderful that Bujold went back and told the story of how she and Aral Vorkosigan met and fell in love). She is smart, sarcastic, always able to hit the problem on the head. She looks on knowingly, but she never butts in until she's either asked, or she realizes she has to. Personally, I think she's the best character Bujold has created, and I always want to see more of her.
Don't worry if you're turned off by mushy romance dialogue and situations. Bujold handles them all so they don't become sickeningly sweet or cloying. Believe me, I don't really care for romances that much, but I would read anything on the subject by Bujold. She has a way of making it palatable. Instead, you get to revel in the fun of watching these events unfold, watching all of the mistakes get made, and wondering if the situations are going to turn out for the best. She's not afraid to take her characters in different directions, unlike most series writers. I won't say whether or not things turn out all right in the end, but the good thing about Bujold is that you don't know.
This is definitely not a book you want to start with in the Vorkosigan series, though. While it is perfectly understandable without reading anything else, you will miss out on a lot. At the very least, read the previous book, Komarr. That book is where Miles first meets Ekaterin. If you do read this book first and get entranced with the characters, read the rest of the series and then read this one again. But, that being said, this is definitely a book you want to read if you like to be entertained.

To fully appreciate this book, it helps to have read Miles's previous adventure, "Komarr", which ends just about exactly where this one picks up. However, Ms Bujold does include enough backstory in this volume to get by on.
The author's dedication includes several ladies listed only by first names -- among them "Jane" (Austen) and "Georgette" (Heyer). Certainly, the ladies' spirits are hovering close ocer this story, because it is a thoroughly enjoyable Comedy Of Manners from start to finish.
Part of the fun, though one tends to cringe as one looks ahead, is in watching the step by step manner in which Miles Vorkosigan, the resourceful former covert ops whiz and youngest Imperial Auditor, who *always* comes out ahead no matter how hopeless the situation, meticulously setting up an inevitable Hideous Flaming Social Disaster for himself. Only the truly brilliant can be truly stupid when they Miss The Point and push on, anyway, and Miles is beyond brilliant.
Miles, you see, has Fallen In Love. For real and for permanent, this time, it looks like. And he has no clue at all as to how normal people connect up and pair off in the Real World.
Of course, he has helpers, partners and accomplices in setting up his own humiliation -- his clone-brother Mark arrives with a true Mad Scientist in tow and sets up a lab in Miles's basement.
Three beautiful sisters with conflicting motives and plans for various of the male characters help to stir the brew.
And then there are the butter bugs... but we won't talk about the butter bugs here, except that they are Rather Important to the plot.
"Mother, Father, I'd like you to meet... She's getting *away*!"
If you enjoy a romp through society's ins and outs; if you have enjoyed Georgette Heyer's wonderful Regency romances, then you must try this book.
And if you like it as well as i think you will, and decide you *must* know more about Miles and his family and Barrayar, then either jump *all* the way back to "Cordelia's Honor", which is the two novels that are earliest in series order ("Shards of Honor" and "Barrayar"), or you might want to jump back to "The Warrior's Apprentice", which is the beginning of Miles's adventures.
Or you might just want to pick up any of the series and enjoy yourself.

The latest entry in the Vorkosigan Saga is a return to form for Bujold, after some recent entries that I felt were not quite up to her standard, and a continuation of the evolution of the series from its space opera origins.
The early volumes of the Miles Vorkosigan series emphasized action with lots of space battles and narrow escapes. In the more recent volumes, Miles has been forced by politics and injuries to end his career as a mercenary admiral and return to his homeworld of Barrayar. The most recent books, "Memory" and "Komarr", were essentially detective stories with Miles unraveling plots against the Barrayar Imperium. Although Bujold's first attempt at combining the SF and Mystery genres, the novella 'In the Mountains of Mourning' from "Borders of Infinity" is the finest blend of the two styles I've ever read, better than Asimov's Robot mysteries, these books never quite took off.
In "A Civil Campaign", Bujold adopts yet another genre and writes a 'comedy of manners and biology' with a dedication to 'Jane [Austen], Charlotte [Bronte], Georgette [Heyer] and Dorothy [Sayers?]'. The result is a brilliant success, in many ways the best book in this superior series. For all her gifts and all her skill in describing high society dinner parties, Jane Austen regrettably never stopped to consider the possible ways they could be thrown into chaos by sex-change operations or genetic engineering run amok. Bujold does, and the disastrous party in the center of this novel is, all by itself, worth the price of admission.
The action that dominated earlier installments and slowed down in recent ones is altogether gone in "A Civil Campaign". There is one ambush, where Miles is not present, and a 'battle' fought with tubs of bugbutter, a gooey product of genetically redesigned bugs off which Miles's clone brother Mark hopes to make his fortune.
The slower pace and greater length of this book allow for further development of the characters. Miles is developed, of course, but his longtime sidekick, Ivan Vorpatril, also is very visible, and for the first time playing an independent part. Cordelia is back, more prominent than she has been for some time, and the Koudelka daughters make their first appearances as prominent adult characters, with various adult romantic entanglements. Comic situations often appeared in earlier installments, but usually as bits of relief thrown in between the action sequences. Here the comic situations are also more fully developed than in earlier volumes, producing the funniest Vorkosigan novel to date.
This book is heavily dependent on the complex back story created in earlier volumes and would probably be frustrating for a reader not familiar with the series.

The writer has, in other books such as Mirror Dance, planned her plots on unbelievable coincidences. In Mirror Dance (a Hugo Award winner), there are enough of these in the first 50 pages to do for five books. I forgive her. Her emotional and social intelligence (as understood by this psychologist)are way out of my league though I can follow her - mostly. Maybe I will learn to be better at these. She skewers people as well or better than Miss Manners, my heroine in matters of taking the puff out of puffed-up people. I am afraid she will never get the credit she is due, despite many Hugo and Nebula awards. Serious literature at present does not make room for happy endings, all frayed strings of plot neatly tied up, though never as hilariously as here. I wish that I had taken her books in some order, but I have bought all of them and will have many happy hours. I can only agree with Anne Mccaffrey - boy can this woman write.

I almost made a mistake. I almost failed to read this book. As a big fan of the Miles' series, I was dismayed and disappointed to read that A Civil Campaign would be a romance. A romance! I do not like romances! But a friend loaned it to me, and I grudgingly opened it and...and...the book reached out, grabbed me and wouldn't let go until I finished it. Bujold takes the romance conventions and simply uses them to frame a wonderful story. There's a dinner party that I can only compare to Charlie Chaplin at his best, i.e. just when you think nothing else could go wrong--something else does until just about every guest at the dinner party is just about ready to kill every other guest. This is definitely a "don't miss" for Miles fans. I would not recommend it though to beginners in the series. I think it would be hopelessly confusing. For anyone who hasn't read the series, I suggest starting with Shards of Honor and working your way down through the series. Know that I and the other fans envy you as you read these stories for the first time. But for long-time fans like me, don't let the fact that its a romance stop you. This actually is one of the best in the series. My only concern is that Bujold is tying up all the loose ends too well. Is the series ending?(Tell me it ain't so!)

This book proves that there is life beyond the nerve disrupter!
I don't think that Bujold has written her best book yet, but it's so reassuring to see that characters can still grow & plots can still be hatched without the familiar (even comfortable) background of the Dendarii... Miles is enough of a person to survive on his own merits, with or without a small(ish) Mercenary fleet for support.
Other reviewers appears to have been offended by Miles' seemingly clumsy and ham-fisted behaviour towards Ekaterin - Haven't any of you ever been in love, and didn't any of you read the bit where Mark so succinctly puts his finger on the problem - to paraphrase - "he's always gone for women who know what they want and how to get it, for the first he time has to do the running and he doesn't know how!" Poor Miles!
I think that the next book(s) will reinforce that Bujold is a master of her craft, and even if "A Civil Campaign" doesn't win the Hugo, there's plenty of life left in Miles for her to work on - and of course, there's always Ivan's story. He's going to come of the metaphorical closet soon, I can just feel it!
A very entertaining read-in-one-sitting book (many thanks to Baen for their generosity in pre-publishing...)

If you've never read encountered Lois McMaster Bujold before, I strongly urge you to lay hands on any volume bearing her name. The adventures of Miles Vorkosigan top the list, however. With charm, a lively sense of adventure and ripping humor, Bujold chucks her hero into the breech and we anxiously wait to see whether he sinks or swims. Miles' successes are as monumental as his screwups. Miles suffered teratogenic (*not* genetic) damage before birth and has had to find ways to overcome his brittle bones, lack of height, innumerable surgeries, and cryo-revival in a society that has a history of killing mutants at birth. He's a "hyperactive little git", a genius, and incredibly lucky. His defects neatly balance his assets, so it is easy to cheer him on. He's not a perfect hero.
As usual, there are many situations going on in this book. The Emperor is getting married, Miles' clone-brother is starting up a business in Vorkosigan House, genetics interfere (once again) in the political world of the Counts, and Miles is on a single-minded hunt to make a lovely widow his Lady. This book is great as a stand-alone volume, but it does help to have read the other books in the series first.
I love this series and am not-so-patiently waiting for the next installment.

If you've never read encountered Lois McMaster Bujold before, I strongly urge you to lay hands on any volume bearing her name. The adventures of Miles Vorkosigan top the list, however. With charm, a lively sense of adventure and ripping humor, Bujold chucks her hero into the breech and we anxiously wait to see whether he sinks or swims. Miles' successes are as monumental as his screwups. Miles suffered teratogenic (*not* genetic) damage before birth and has had to find ways to overcome his brittle bones, lack of height, innumerable surgeries, and cryo-revival in a society that has a history of killing mutants at birth. He's a "hyperactive little git", a genius, and incredibly lucky. His defects neatly balance his assets, so it is easy to cheer him on. He's not a perfect hero.
As usual, there are many situations going on in this book. The Emperor is getting married, Miles' clone-brother is starting up a business in Vorkosigan House, genetics interfere (once again) in the political world of the Counts, and Miles is on a single-minded hunt to make a lovely widow his Lady. This book is great as a stand-alone volume, but it does help to have read the other books in the series first.
I love this series and am not-so-patiently waiting for the next installment.

The saga of Miles Vorkosigan continues, in the space opera tradition of the earlier books in this series. As we've come to expect, there's action, adventure, humor, and a bit of romance. This time, though, the balance is different. The action is mostly political infighting and backbiting, and romance takes center stage.

Well, as romantic as Miles ever gets. That means reconnaisance, strategy, and a series of graduated attacks on the target of his affections, ineptly weilding gifts and notes instead of the usual weaponry. Miles being Miles, the results are about the same, including a predictable success in the end. Comic relief comes largely from the absent-minded professor and the fruits of his life-work: big ugly bugs, for which he has fatherly fondness.

This installment doesn't fall into the "military SF" category as squarely as other books in the Vorkosigan series. Still, it's all you'd hope for; feel-good stories about grand lords and ladies, and everyone (good or bad) getting what they deserve in the end.

//wiredweird

This is a hugely entertaining read. Bujold has created vivid characters and placed them in extraordinary dilemmas. She whisks the story through several remarkably charged scenes, and doesn't let the reader relax.
A reader who is new to the Vorkosigan series (like I was), will probably be immensely frustrated at the huge amount of back story that surrounds the players. The crucial details are eventually explained, though, in some respects, the reader is left in the dark in ways that certain characters are, so, no, it doesn't make a good "starting point." New readers may find themselves scratching their heads. Unfortunately, despite her apparently devoted fanbase, none of Bujold's ardent readers have seemed to built up an up-to-date web-site reference to Vorkosigan universe.
But the real point of the novel, despite its obvious fixture as a shifting point in an epic series, is the development of the characters. It is clear that Bujold gives great thought to the emotional drives of each person she writes about. This is the value of the story, and where it shines.

Loved it, but I pretty much think that Bujold can do no wrong. The Vorkosigan books are among my favorites across all genres. A CivilCampaign was a fun, funny, romanti adventure (even if it didn't have a big "Miles mission" in it). This is something like book 14 in the series, so it's nice to see all the familiar/favorite "faces" (Ivan, Gregor, Miles parents, Mark, Simon etc) getting closure and happy endings. I've been reading a lot of books lately where the heroes all die, and sometimes it's just nice to see characters you love get what they want and deserve.

This book is just awesome. It has everything you could ask for in a book: lovable and complex characters, humor, and a great plot. Miles in romeo/domestic mode is just plain hilarious. Using his Admiral Naismith-methods of wooing Ekaterin, a widow who has sworn off marriage, he causes scene after scene of humor, disasters, and clumsiness. Combine that with Mark's get-rich-quick scheme involving bugs that make butter, strong female characters, and a fight in corriders of a high Vor house involving "bug butter" splashing... and you have the recipe for a great book. I mean, Miles' parents meet the girl with an introduction from Miles of "Let me introduce you to.... she's getting away!"
There isn't so much scifi to this book as there is romantic comedy. But, it isn't just for girls. It has political intrigue and a good strong plot as well. It's a chance for the readers to see Miles struggling to be something besides a soldier, and Bujold does a beautiful job.
Unfortunately, the Vorkosigan saga (and this book in particular) has set a new standard for me with the scifi genre. Now I want everything, especially a unique society such as the Vor one. So I find myself unhappy with most of my books, feeling they just aren't putting enough effort in.

Perhaps the title should have been "Civil Campaigns," becasuse there are more than one. Miles and Mark are each engaged in a civil campaign. The course of love does not run smooth for either. Miles is the target of blackmail by a Vor lord who wants to be confirmed as a Count, and Miles' love quest is unintentionally sabotaged by one of his friends. The would-be Count learns that Miles' response to attempted blackmail is not quite what he had anticipated, he attempts revenge with surprising, delightful, and hilarious results.

You will enjoy this book more if you have already read the other Vorkosigan books. Start with Cordelia's Honor if you can, and read the rest in order. Every one is a delight. And, speaking of Honor, check out the Honor Harrington books by David Weber, beginning with On Basilisk Station (Honor Harrington Book 1) also great fun to read.

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A Civil Campaign (1999) is the twelfth SF novel in the Vorkosigan series, following Komarr. This work, its prequel and its sequel are included in the omnibus edition Miles In Love. The initial work in this series is Shards of Honor.

In the previous volume, Miles was working with Vorthys on oversight of a serious incident in the Komarr system. An ore freighter had collided with a space mirror over Komarr. The mirror satellite had provided extra insolation to the planet for its terraforming.

The satellite damage was starting to adversely effect the transplanted biology on the planet. The Komarrans wanted the satellite fixed as soon as possible. It was becoming a political issue on Barrayar as well as on Komarr. Gregor wanted Vorthys and Miles to determine if the incident resulted from sabotage.

After arriving in the Komarr system, Professor Vorthys and Miles first observed the efforts of the probable-cause team. Then they went down to the planet to find quarters. Ekaterin invited them to move in with them.

Ekaterin ordered a grav bed for Miles and then prepared dinner for the Lord Auditors and her family. Tien was very cynical about the mutant Lord Auditor and Ekaterin wondered how he obtained his injuries. Nikki had a number of ship models and was very pleased to learn that Miles has traveled aboard many of those ships.

In this novel, Miles Naismith Vorkosigan is the son of Aral and Cordelia. He no longer has fragile bones; they have all been replaced with synthetics. He has resigned from the Barrayaran Imperial Service and now is an Imperial Auditor.

Gregor Vorbarra is the Emperor of Barrayar. After the death of his mother -- Princess Karenn -- he was raised by Miles' father, the Regent. Gregor is engaged to marry Laisa, a woman from Komarr.

Ivan Vorpatril is a Captain in the Imperial Service. He and Miles have the same great-grandfather; their grandmothers were sisters. Unlike Miles, Ivan is tall, handsome and charming.

Alys Vorpatril is the mother of Ivan and the widow of his father. She is a friend of Miles' mother and the official party organizer for Gregor. She is trying to marry off Ivan and have grandchildren.

Georg Vorthys is a retired Professor of Engineering Failure Analysis at the Imperial University of Barrayar. He is also an Imperial Auditor and is Ekaterin's uncle.

Ekaterin Nile Vorsoisson is a Barrayaran from the South continent. Kat was married to Etienne -- now deceased -- and is the mother of Nikki.

Nikolai Vorsoisson is the son of Etienne and Kat Vorsoisson. He is very enthused about spacecraft.

Mark Pierre Vorkosigan is a clone of Miles. He was created by House Bharaputra of Jackson Whole for Komarr separatists. He impersonated Miles until caught, but was freed to find his own destiny.

Kareen Koudelka is the youngest of four sisters. Her father had been an aide of Count Vorkosigan during the Regency and her mother has been a bodyguard of the Countess and then of the young Emperor.

Enrique Borgos is an Escobaran genetic entomologist. He has developed a new breed called butter bugs.

In this story, Gregor and Laisa are to be married at Midsummer. Everybody is talking about the wedding. Alys, Ivan and Miles are working on the preparations.

Miles will be Gregor's Second in the ceremony. Alys is charged with the planning and direction of the ceremony. Ivan is performing odd jobs for his mother.

Miles is trying to arrange a marriage of his own. He has fallen in love with Ekaterin, but realizes that she still hasn't recovered from her former marriage. So he is getting involved in her life, but laying off marriage proposals.

Miles has some competition for Ekaterin. Ivan is attracted toward her, but he definitely is not ready for marriage. Miles gets him to swear on his name that he will not court Ekaterin. Yet Ivan is a bit peeved at going that far and gets a coworker interested in pursuing the woman.

Meanwhile, Alys is issuing tasks to Miles and Ivan. She even has ImpSec involved for the security aspects. The wedding will be the prime event of this generation.

Then Kareen comes to Barrayar. She has been living with Mark on Beta Colony and doesn't quite fit the same with her family. She is waiting for Mark to return.

This tale brings Mark back to Barrayar. He has brought Enrique with him as a business partner. Kareen soon starts spending time with Mark.

Miles plays Barrayaran politics in this story. The next installments in this sequence are the novella "Winter Gifts" from Irresistible Forces and Diplomatic Immunity.

Highly recommended for Bujold fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of imperial weddings, political intrigue, and tangled romance. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

Lois McMaster Bujold has been the best writer of characters in science fiction for years, but with this book she moves completely away from action and into the never-before written area of drawing room-SF-comedy. Delightfully plotted, wonderful characters, great plot twists. It's as good as her best books (probably *Barrayar* and *Memory* -- but my opinions change depending on what I read most recently). It seems odd to say so, but this is the closest to a Jane Austen book ever attempted in science fiction, I'm sure.
Over the years, I've read each of Lois's books at least twice. Her weakest books are still pretty entertaining, and her best books shine in the memory for weeks afterwards. At times the world of Miles Vorkosigan seems as real as my own.
You can't start with this book; but please go back to her earlier books. And don't plan anything else for a few weeks.

Picks up steam after a somewhat slow start, then you can't stop. I was a bit concerned about the "romance" bit, but this is no sappy tearjerker. (Miles Vorkisogan and Ekaterin Vorsoisson have their feet too close to the ground for that.) Perhaps the most humorous of the series: the scene where Viceroy and -reine Vorkosigan return to the mansion to find [no, I won't give this away] is pure slapstick, as is a scene where Ivan meets a former (voluptuous female) lover who returns after a gender change operation. And there are enough other sub-plots to keep you entertained. If you own part or all of Bujold's books, you'll certainly want to buy this one. For a first read, I would rather recommend "Cordelia's honor" (a joint reissue of the first two books) or the awesome "Mirror Dance". Yet I can't bring myself to give out less than five stars.

Lois McMaster Bujold has long ago become my favorite author. This is certainly one of my favorite Miles Vorkosigan adventures also. In this book you won't find dendarii mercenaries nor even a huge lord auditor investigation...just good old Miles screwing his love life. In the romantic scene of the Imperial wedding Miles is set on conquering the heart of Ekaterin, whom he met on Komarr. Unfortunately, conquering is too precise a word and Miles will hit quite a few walls in his lame attempts. LMB again unfolds her magic in showing us yet another side of Miles. As in Memory he will face situations that will require he takes a close look at himself and either grow and learn or... But Miles is not alone! Mark rejoins House Vorkosigan with quite a love problem of his own and Ivan can't seem to settle down. And along these problems of the heart the Barrayaran political scene is in turmoil and the council of counts is in full activity. This book is a true adventure of the heart, mind and soul. Nobody does it better than LMB. She conceives wonderful and entertaining plots but the stars are her characters: they live and breathe.

Aptly subtitled "a comedy of biology and manners", A Civil Campaign is probably the best volume in the Vorkosigan series since Mirror Dance.
A Civil Campaign has Miles, Mark, Ekaterin, Ivan, Kareen, and a surprisingly large number of the series' supporting characters(almost all of them, except for the Dendarii)entangled in romantic confusion and intrigue related to two cases of succession for countship on Barrayar.
And it's a delight, from beginning to end.
A word, if you are new to the series: this is not the best place to start reading Miles--I'd advise reading all of the books prior to this one (start with The Warrior's Apprentice) before diving deep into it. But please do so. Once you get the forward momentum, you won't be able to stop.
The best book I have read this year, after Vernor Vinge's A Deepness in the Sky. And that is saying a lot.

If this book was a Shakespeare play, it would be "Much Ado About Nothing". It's like extracting all the light moments from all the death and mayhem of the previous Vorkosigan books and concentrating them into into one -- and five stars for that, because it's been done so well. Bujold tends to make her characters realistic, believable people, even the minor ones. The one part which I think goes over the top in silliness is the bug butter.

That said, this is not a good entry point to the Vorkosigan series, because if you're not familiar with the background, you'll be wondering why Bujold chose to write SF if she just wanted to write a romance novel with a minimum of spaceships and plasma arcs. But for those who are fans already, well, we've all wanted to see Miles find a Lady Vorkosigan at last.

In my opinion the series peaked with Mirror Dance, and althoughthe last three books were enjoyable none of them really comparedwith it. Mainly, I thought, because of too little action and a bit too much romance. Therefore I wasn't expecting much more from A Civil Campaign after reading the subtitle (A Comedy of Biology and Manners). It is an understatement to say that my expectations were exceeded.
This was one of the best romantic comedies that I have ever read. Chapter 9 (the dinner party) took me over a half hour to read as I was interrupted every minute by another bout of uncontrolled laughter! This is a brilliantly written book. I only have two cautions. The first is that if you got into the series because of the action and adventure, and have found the recent books annoyingly gun free, well, this is probably the worst of the lot. My other caution is that the book throws a number of characters from earlier books (esp. Memory) at you, so you might want to do some rereading while waiting for A Civil Campaign to arrive. I highly recommend this book to fans of the series!

The allusions to previous episodes in the life of Miles make the story richer (as in when the Vicerene drags out a certain old couch), but it has all the hallmarks of a classic, self contained "Miles" story. All of the old gut-wrenching changes in altitude and attitude - and a deft handling of character and life that I am just now (after 10 books and mumble-many years) beginning to appreciate.
Miles finds his road to maturity rocky. . . dosen't everyone? But with an assured happy ending, it *still* took me by surprise at the way it all worked out with logic, self-consistency, and characters that ring true. If you don't know what you're missing, think back to the last novel that made your heart ache for the fictional characters as much as it does for real ones in your own life. I cannot stress this enough - READ THESE BOOKS.

Ms Bujold does it better and better!
I must admit, that I had already considered Ms Bujold to be on my top writers list and was prepared to buy just about anythig as soon as it is out in hardback. But even after pice-by-piece readin of first 20 chapters I was not completely prepared for such a glorious as a whole book. I think now, the best way to get hooked on Bujold is to read Memory, than Komarr and than, for a killer - A Civil Campaign. The storylines are seemingly predictable, but you can never be absolutely sure..The dialogues are brilliant, some characters are so real you can say, Hey, that's my Sgt. Bot! And .. well.. you should read it!

To enjoy this book to its fullest, the reader must be among those who have read other books in the series, AND also reads and enjoys Regency Romances. Judging from the other reviews, there are a number of her readers that fit in this category. If you have not yet read this book and fit into the catagory as well, rush to acquire the book. For those who understand what is going on in Mile's life and the conventions of a Regency Romance, A Civil Campaign is the funniest book ever. I read it when it first came out at the World Con, and made quite a spectacle of myself in the lounge reading and chortling away. The people who panned it need to become more ecclectic in their tastes -- most of us who liked this read military SF, which is why we are reading the Miles books, and Regencies as well. You are missing out in life that you have never read even one Georgette Heyer book.

This has got to be the best Vorkosigan book ever. I wouldrecommend this to anyone who loves to read, even if they've never read SF before. I love how Bujold creates a true story. It has everything you could want, from true Milesian strategy, imperial politics, and technological consequences to intimate romance (that doesn't have to mean sex), the human condition and bug butter wrestling. If you've never read a Vorkosigan book, I'd suggest reading Komarr first, but even without that Civil Campaign is enjoyable. For all of you who have read all the books(and I know there's a lot of you out there.) Bujold seamlessly meshes references to previous events that make you fall down laughing. I just CAN'T WAIT for the next book! I have a feeling it could include a confrontation between Mile's new life and his old. That would be perfect. There are so many ways to continue the story, I can't stand it. I agree with all previous reviews that compare Bujold to Jane Austin. Bujold has the characters as the most important part of the story. She gets inside them, so you see out of their eyes. I love the not so abject letter "...possess the power of your eyes...". There's something in this for everyone. You have to read it!

Bujold's Vorkosigan series is one of the best things going in science fiction. This entry is lighter, less serious, and somewhat less exciting than others. While not reaching the heights achieved by classics such as The Warriors Apprentice and Vor Game, this book still entertains. While at times the book strains to achieve a consistent tone, it is filled with humor, well-drawn characters, and Bujold's trademark epigrams.
If you haven't read the other Vorkosigan books, I wouldn't recommend starting here. If your not sure whether you'll like this book, the publishers web site has 10 chapters online...

I would not recommend this book as a starting point for those who have not read any of the other volumes in the Vorkosigan saga. At the minimum you should read the previous book, Komar. But for those who, like me, have read all the previous books (in my case several times)I don't see how this book can fail to entertain. Although it has very little action (one brief gunbattle with stun guns, it is highly entertaining in all other respects. I laughed out loud so many times I lost count, and there were occasionally tears in my eyes that I could not ascribe to the laughter. If you know and love Miles, his friends, and his family, you can't help but be amused and moved by this story. My only complaint is that now I have to wait untold months before another volume of the saga comes out. Meanwhile I will go back and reread the entire series from start to finish once more. And here's hoping ImpSec is keeping close watch to make sure nothing stops the delightful Ms. Bujold from the swift completion of the next book, and the next, and...

Since my intoduction to Miles in Warriors Apprentice, I have read all of the books in the series. Each book is different, which is necessary, because the character grows up and changes in each book. In Civil Campaign, the author has set a new high. Miles has outgrown his past and has settled into his new life and he has a new love. The only problem is that he has told everyone about his plans, except her. Miles, being Miles has a great plan, but he has forgotten that great plans can be disastrous if they don't work! Predictably, the plan fails and that is the last predictable thing about the book. This book has everything from sex changes to the sins of countesses long dead and it all fits together. This is the best book yet. But a word of advice, read it twice - you miss too much at one reading. I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK.

LMB has done it again. This latest adventure in the Vorkorsigan series has Miles trying to court the lovely Ekaterin without her knowledge. Events proceed to a dinner party, where everything that can go wrong does go wrong. Does Miles get Ekaterin? Or does she go the way of Eli Quinn. I won't tell you here; read the book. I will tell you I'm waiting impatiently for Bujold's next book. She has two ways to continue this series: either a straight sequel, or a novel that goes back into the history to expand on an anodote that Miles mentions to his father. I want both.

I consistently laugh aloud every time I re-read this book, which I've done a few times now. It's always somewhere in the dinner-party scene.

It's a gutsy move to take your military space opera series and write a comedy-of-manners book in it, and I know not every fan was delighted. I include myself among those who were.

The dinner party is an absolute perfect storm, and the butter-bugs are hilarious.

What happens when a hyperactive, self-obsessed, results-oriented genius, who is also a bit dwarfish, the son of the ex-regent of his planet, and former commander for a group of galactic mercenaries decides to court a widow that is sour on marriage? Well, it has to be comedy, there is just no other choice.
A Civil Campaign (A Comedy of Biology and Manners) is all about Miles Vorkosigan, and his somewhat inept efforts at courtship. Add to the mix, his brother's newest business endeavor, butterbugs (bugs that produce food), combine a dash of political intrigue, a sex change operation and some dense relatives, and the results are hilarious.
I found this book vastly entertaining. It made me laugh. It made my heart ache. It made me cry. I loved it.
If you don't know Miles Vorkosigan already, this book probably isn't the best one to start with. But if you know him, and love him, read it. If you haven't experienced the Vorkosiverse, do it now, as this series is fabulous. Start with Shards of Honor, Barrayer, The Warrier's Apprentice, etc. and read them all. It will be a treat.
These books are so well written, I read them over and over again, and am always entertained. In some ways I envy those who have not read these books, because the experience is fabulous. I've introduced several folks, and they are now confirmed addicts.

As usual, the critical voices are few and far between. And their criticisms lack substance. One negative reviewer obviously did not even read this book, basing her review entirely on the cover and her own antipathy towards short men and popular culture.

In this volume, Bujold treads new ground with Miles. This book is about relationships, not space battles. Again, widget-lovers should go elsewhere. Based on the negative review that I read I hazard that pretentious blowhards should stay away as well.

Like many people, I have read all 9 Vorkosigan books, and was waiting for this one. And like many others, I hope no newcomer reads this one first. If you don't know the Vorkosigan's already, this is not the place to start.
This book shows Miles at his most mature and immature both/ While it is not as action packed as the others, it does show a lot of "mind action" - a comedy of manners and biology truly. We finally get to see everyone grow up, and get on with their lives. I can't wait to see what's next!

The most difficult task in rebuilding a life?

Recovering from a hideous marriage? A death in the family? Relocating to strange land? Changing career? Daring to love again?

No.

Moving faster than light? Submitting to the will of God?

No.

The hardest thing to do, when your life is in tatters, is to keep shoes on the boy.

Romantic comedy in a science fiction setting, how can you get better than that? Lois - you are the best. I love all of her books, she puts so much passion into them. She is one of my favorite authors. I re-read all her books time and again. My god when Mile's dinner party is "breaking up and sinking, all souls feared lost" I laughed for about 10 minutes. If you like Georgette Heyer, you will like all of the author's work.

The book is great, really funny, happy endings anywhere you look.. and you have to look, cuz if you don't you'll start tripping over them..happy endings..oh no! Horrors! Everyone's getting married and striving for "unalleviated domestic dullness"! Miles has really retired from his space opera life style! He's out of Impsec, mixing with the Vor in the council of Counts, at peace with the Cetagandans, Naismith is really dead, & Miles is about to get domesticated! The clones are comfortable, Commander Koudelka's all blond commando team too are all portioned off..But Ivan is still loose- Ivan could be a contender! Ivan finally woke up & got the Emperor's ominous nod of approval- Hey, maybe Ivan will get a life of his own ! since Miles is evidently going to calm down, get all stuffy, Ivan can pick up where he left off. Then he can make Aunt Alys happy, marry a galactic femme fatale, and when Nikki grows up HE can move into the top spot.. It's the only hope I see for the continuing saga.. please, Madame Vorbujold, don't stop here!

Bujold does it again, absoluotly priceless.
Haveing read Warrior's Apprentice when first published I have to say that Bujold is one of three authors I would reccomend as must read SF. (Harry Harrison's Stailess Steel Rat series and C J Cherryh's Company , Chanur, and Foriegner series are the others).
I loved Warrior's Apprentice. I fell in love with the series at the epilouge of Shards of Honor. (made me cry, no BS... and me a { now former}soldier ). Fans of swashbuckling space opera may be a bit put off by the lack of violence but it's a nice change of pace from so much of the tripe that is out there. The dinner scene was priceless. "should prove popular with the...Miles, WHAT has that animal got in it's mouth..." had me in tears. I should have known better than to take a Bujold book to work. How does Bujold do it? How does a mom of two in MN write so damn convincinyly in the mind of not only a certain pint sized Imperial Auditor but all the other charactors in this book and the past ones? (Mark on Jackson's Whole..) To the detractors of this book: All I can say is please go out immediately and buy up Cordelia's Honor (Shards of Honor and Barrayar all in one) and Young Miles (first three Miles books) and get back to me. Better yet, finish up with Brothers in Arms, Mirror Dance, ( how did she get the multiple personality part so right?) Memory and Komarr. Then get back to me. This book is so rich with bits from the past books I could have died.
"Her parents looked nothing so much like, hmmm... like two teenagers caught screwing on the living room couch." Priceless.
One worrysome note, I hope Bujold doesn't end the Vorkosigan series here. One thing I'd like to see is stories of the "history" of Barrayar. these teasing bits of history in the story like "Lord Midnight, who always voted Neigh..." are soooo tempting. Might we see a young Count General Piotyr during the Cetagadan Occupation or possibly Young Aral during Mad Emperor Yuri's rein? Vorkosigans of the time of Isolation? Dorca the Just? It all beggs for futher detail. A few volumes of short stoies from leading Authors would be welcome. Something on the line of the Bolo short story series first created then edited by Laumer.
Please, Ms Bujold. Don't leave me hanging for my fix...

After reading this book, which is an emotional roller coaster that will have you grinding your teeth, laughing, screaming, wincing in sympathy and just counting the seconds before you get to watch the charaters realize they've walked off the cliff with out noticing. It will leave you thoroughly glad Lois (delightfully evil woman that she is) isn't in charge of your love life. And then you like me, will wonder where you are going to find the money to give copies to all your friends and family.

Lucky selhat to get a complete advance copy of "A Civil Campaign"; my comments are based only on the first nine chapters currently available on Baen's website.
But believe me, the hook is set deep and I'll be paying hard cash to finish this book.
As an unabashed admirer of Miles Vorkosigan and Lois Bujold's writing, it would be tough for me not to want to buy the book. But thinking of coming cold to the universe Ms. Bujold has created, I think any sci-fi reader would first want to find out how this particular story worked out, and second go out and buy all the other stories in the series (lucky you for not having to wait all these years for the whole series to expand as all the committed fans have done.)
What happens? The hero, Miles Vorkosigan, a 30-year-old near-Count in a fuedal society turning Galactic, wants to marry a widow who doesn't think she will ever marry again. His clone brother is trying to make a buck with a gene-adapted bug modeled on a honey-bee. His hunky cousin Ivan is beginning to despair of a permanent relationship in a society which is short of females. And if that doesn't make you laugh, there are complications more to make this truly a comedy of manners in a society whose rules resemble very little those in force in late 20th century America.
"A Civil Campaign" should appeal to any reader who enjoys the worlds of fantasy but who will accept the lack of magic---and to the reader of hard science fiction who will accept that certain aspects of current-world limitations will eventually be explained (perhaps we will find "wormholes" to make "jumps" through to other parts of the sky). I think you'd pass only if you require your hero to overcome a life-threatening force closing in on him (there's enough of that in earlier Vorkosigan adventures...starting with his mother).
Not since reading Larry Niven in the 1980's have I found such enjoyable, credible writing. I look forward to finding out how it all turns out.

I just discovered Ms Bujold's work last month. Having blazed through the books, A Civil Campaign provided a more than nice finish. I was so pleased by the book that I refused to go to sleep last night until I finished - and though it was late this was no struggle. A compelling romance, this book lacks some of the elements that might draw others in. I was overjoyed, truly, by this book, but I imagine if I had been waiting for a year after reading Komarr (instead of 5 min.)I might have been a little disappointed. No swashbuckling, no space - no matter. I found this book to occasionally move me to tears and to outspoken delight - remember that? Remember when you were 12 and so wrapped up in characters and plot that key moments would elicit unbidden exclamations from your excited lips? This book can make you 12 again. Take this with the caveat that not much actually happens - it is the least eventful of the books. Nonetheless, I found that I perhaps enjoyed this more than any of the other books. Indeed it was the perfect end to my recent immersion in the Vorkosigan world. I eagerly await the next installment - and there are so many threads available for Ms. Bujold to exploit and develop now. I am sure she will capitalize on a few and there will be action galore in the future!

This is the best Vorkosigan book yet from LMB. While _Mirror_Dance_ was excellent, it did not have the same emotional rollercoaster effect as ACC. I'm using the term advisedly -- think of your favorite rollercoaster, and how it feels out of control while guiding you safely around curves, dips, and loops.
In the course of Miles' "best damn abject ever seen" apology, I was choking down laughter half a page before tears were pouring from my eyes. Brava, Lois, Brava. :-)

I just finished this book late tonight. I began reading this book online at the publisher's website and was so enthralled by the first 9 chapters that I haunted every bookstore in town to get a copy as soon as it came out. This is truly an impressive book, Ms. Bujold sincerely deserves all the glowing reviews posted on this site. Her writing style, while deceptively easy to read, manages to convey an astounding array of emotion and symbolism. This book is a lively and complicated story of romance, biology and, and political intrigue. At times I found myself simultaneously cringing at the terrible predicaments the characters had put themselves in and rolling on the floor with laughter at how gut-wrenchingly funny it all was. A Civil Campaign is an exceptional introduction to an exceptional author for those new to Ms. Bujold's work, but it is also full of allusions to previous books in the series and delightful inside jokes to thrill readers already familiar with the series. If you don't read this book, you are missing one of the best books of any genre written in years. Five stars aren't nearly enough to express how fantastic and impressive this book is.

This is another slam bang smash by Lois. I cannot begin to describe how incredibly funny, happy, sad, intricate and just plain magnificent this book is. If you're a Vorkosigan fan, this is IT. If you're wondering what all the hoopla is about, you should read Komarr first. (That's according to the author). Unlike most Science Fiction, Bujold writes a book that is long on interpersonal interaction and short on My Eyes Glaze Over. The science that is in her books, though, is very good and central to the story. The plot about the Butter Bugs is sure to resonate through the rest of the Miles books.
Oh, and I've never seen a better disastrous sad/farcical scene than the dinner in ANY book.
Damn Fine Read Lois. Great Job!

Love A Civil Campaign & the book right after it, Diplomatic Immunity? Well -- through the magic of out-of-order authorship, we can now go back and enjoy the period *between* those two books!
Bujold has written a new Miles novella called Winterfair Gifts. It's in the anthology Irresistible Forces by Jennifer Roberson, et al., to be released February 3, 2004. The story reportedly covers . . . events presaged in A Civil Campaign.

Despite the cataclismic changes in his life over the past few years, Miles is still, well, Miles. Miles as a politician is the best thing to ever happen to Barrayar. It's heartbreaking to watch the boy work to gain the affection of a woman he loves for the first time in his life. All this talk of weddings makes me think of guest lists... (Uh, Taura, Elli, Elena, Baz-can he even come back to barrayar?, Tung) Taura at least, seems to have a surefire chance of showing up somehow. Ekaterin is exactly what Miles needs. A keeper. This is by far the best Vorkosigan book I've read, but I think the drain incident could have used a little more illustration, but oh well.