One of the most honored authors in the field of fantasy and science fiction, Lois McMaster Bujold transports us once more to a dark and troubled land and embroils us in a desperate struggle to preserve the endangered souls of a realm. Three years have passed since the widowed Dowager Royina Ista found release from the curse of madness that kept her imprisoned in her family's castle of Valenda. Her newfound freedom is costly, bittersweet with memories, regrets, and guilty secrets -- for she knows the truth of what brought her land to the brink of destruction. And now the road -- escape -- beckons. . . . A simple pilgrimage, perhaps. Quite fitting for the Dowager Royina of all Chalion. Yet something else is free, too -- something beyond deadly. To the north lies the vital border fortress of Porifors. Memories linger there as well, of wars and invasions and the mighty Golden General of Jokona. And someone, something, watches from across that border -- humans, demons, gods. Ista thinks her little party of pilgrims wanders at will. But whose? When Ista's retinue is unexpectedly set upon not long into its travels, a mysterious ally appears -- a warrior nobleman who fights like a berserker. The temporary safety of her enigmatic champion's castle cannot ease Ista's mounting dread, however, when she finds his dark secrets are entangled with hers in a net of the gods' own weaving. In her dreams the threads are already drawing her to unforeseen chances, fateful meetings, fearsome choices. What the inscrutable gods commanded of her in the past brought her land to the brink of devastation. Now, once again, they have chosen Ista as their instrument. And again, for good or for ill, she must comply.
Anarchy threatens Barrayar when the emperor dies leaving his five-year-old son as heir, and only one man, Aral Vorkosigan, and his extraordinary wife, Cordelia Naismith, can keep the empire united
Leo Graf was just your average highly efficient engineer: min your own business, fix what's wrong and move on to the next job. Everything neat and according to spec, just the way he liked it. But all that changed on his assignment to the Cay Habitat. Could you just stand there and allow the exploitation of hundreds of helpless children merely to enhance the bottom line of a heartless mega-corporation? Leo Graf adopted a thousand quaddies -- now all he had to do was teach them to be free.
A new edition of Book 11 in Lois McMaster Bujold's multiple New York Times best-selling space opera series, The Vokosigan Saga, winner of five Hugo awards. Forced to abandon his undercover role as leader of the Dendarii Mercenaries, Miles Vorkosigan persuades Emperor Gregor to appoint him Imperial Auditor so he can penetrate Barrayar’s intelligence and security operations, AKA ImpSec. Simon Illyan, head of ImpSec and Miles’ former boss, is failing physically and mentally--which poses a threat to the Barrayaran Empire itself--and Miles sets out to find out who or what hidden force is behind Illyan’s rapid decline. A Hugo and Nebula Award finalist. About Lois Bujold's Memory: "Memory . . . is a tale of growth and change . . . with a startling change in Miles' circumstances. As ever with Bujold, Memory is a delight." —Faren Miller, Locus About Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga: “Fans have been clamoring for Hugo winner Bujold to pen a new Vorkosigan Saga novel . . . her deft and absorbing writing easily corrals the complex plot.”—Publishers Weekly on Cryoburn “Bujold mixes quirky humor with action [and] superb character development … [E]normously satisfying.”—Publishers Weekly. “One of sf’s outstanding talents . . . an outstanding series.”—Booklist “. . . an intelligent, well-crafted and thoroughly satisfying blend of adventure, sociopolitical commentary, scientific experiments, and occasional perils . . . with that extra spicing of romance. . . .”—Locus About Vorkosigan Series entry Captain Vorpatril's Alliance: “. . .this may be one of the most anticipated and long-awaited entries to Bujold’s acclaimed Vorkosigan saga. For years fans have clamored for Ivan Vorpatril’s story, and at last Bujold delivers something that will both thrill the devoted audience and entrance new readers. . .Longtime readers will love seeing a new side of Ivan as well as hearing his views on many of the series characters. New readers can enjoy Ivan’s story on its own. . . Essential for all SF collections and a must-read for Bujold and Vorkosigan fans.”—Booklist About Vorkosigan series entry Diplomatic Immunity: “Bujold is adept at world-building and provides a witty, character-centered plot, full of exquisite grace notes. . . fans will be thoroughly gripped and likely to finish the book in a single sitting.”—Publishers Weekly The Vorkosigan Series in Chronological Order Falling Free Shards of Honor Barrayar The Warrior's Apprentice The Vor Game Cetaganda Ethan of Athos Borders of Infinity Brothers in Arms Mirror Dance Memory Komarr A Civil Campaign Diplomatic Immunity Captain Vorpatril's Alliance CryoBurn Omnibus Editions MILES, MYSTERY & MAYHEM contains Cetaganda, Ethan of Athos YOUNG MILES contains The Warrior's Apprentice + stories CORDELIA’S HONOR contains Shards of Honor, Barayarr MILES, MUTANTS & MICROBES contains Falling Free, Diplomatic Immunity MILES IN LOVE contains Komarr, A Civil Campaign MILES ERRANT contains Brothers in Arms, Mirror Dance
Injured in his mother's womb, Lord Miles Naismith Vorkosigan, born a dwarf with brittle bones, faces off against his brother, a cloned stranger created to murder Miles and replace him. 35,000 first printing.
This edition is the first generally available printing of this book in hardcover. The Vor Game, won the Hugo for Best Novel of 1990. It continues Miles' story as he graduates from the Imperial Military Academy. Introduction by Jo Walton. Dustjacket art by Robert M. Brown and design by Alice N. S. Lewis. Edited by Suford Lewis.
A man broken in body and spirit, Cazaril returns to the noble household he once served as page and is named secretary-tutor to the beautiful, strong-willed sister of the impetuous boy who is next in line to rule. It is an assignment Cazaril dreads, for it must ultimately lead him to the place he most fears: the royal court of Cardegoss, where the powerful enemies who once placed him in chains now occupy lofty positions. But it is more than the traitorous intrigues of villains that threaten Cazaril and the Royesse Iselle here, for a sinister curse hangs like a sword over the entire blighted House of Chalion. And only by employing the darkest, most forbidden of magics can Cazaril hope to protect his royal charge -- an act that will mark him as a tool of the miraculous . . . and trap him in a lethal maze of demonic paradox.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER in hardcover. With new cover treatment for trade paperback. A new installment in the award-winning Vorkosigan science fiction adventure series. Captain Ivan Vorpatril sometimes thinks that if not for his family, he might have no troubles at all. But he has the dubious fortune of the hyperactive Miles Vorkosigan as a cousin, which has too-often led to his getting dragged into one of Miles’ schemes, with risk to life and limb—and military career—that Ivan doesn’t consider entirely fair. Although much practice has made Ivan more adept at fending off his mother’s less-than-subtle reminders that he should be getting married and continuing the Vorpatril lineage. Fortunately, his current duty is on the planet Komarr as staff officer to Admiral Desplains, far from both his cousin and his mother back on their homeworld of Barrayar. It’s an easy assignment and nobody is shooting at him. What could go wrong? Plenty, it turns out, when Byerly Vorrutyer, an undercover agent for Imperial Security, shows up on his doorstep and asks him to make the acquaintance of a young woman, recently arrived on Komarr, who seems to be in danger. That Byerly is characteristically vague about the nature of the danger, not to mention the lady’s name, should have been Ivan’s first clue, but Ivan is no more able to turn aside from aiding a damsel in distress than he could resist trying to rescue a kitten from a tree. It is but a short step down the road of good intentions to the tangle of Ivan’s life, in trouble with the Komarran authorities, with his superiors, and with the lethal figures hunting the mysterious but lovely Tej and her exotic blue companion Rish—a tangle to test the lengths to which Ivan will go as an inspired protector. But though his predicament is complicated, at least Ivan doesn’t have to worry about hassle from family. Or so he believes. About Captain Vorpatril's Alliance: “. . .this may be one of the most anticipated and long-awaited entries to Bujold’s acclaimed Vorkosigan saga. For years fans have clamored for Ivan Vorpatril’s story, and at last Bujold delivers something that will both thrill the devoted audience and entrance new readers. . .Longtime readers will love seeing a new side of Ivan as well as hearing his views on many of the series characters. New readers can enjoy Ivan’s story on its own. . . Essential for all SF collections and a must-read for Bujold and Vorkosigan fans.”—Booklist About Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga: “Fans have been clamoring for Hugo-winner Bujold to pen a new Vorkosigan Saga novel. . . her deft and absorbing writing easily corrals the complex plot.”—Publishers Weeklyon Cryoburn “Bujold mixes quirky humor with action [and] superb character development…[E]normously satisfying.”—Publishers Weekly. “One of sf’s outstanding talents . . . an outstanding series.”—Booklist “. . . an intelligent, well-crafted and thoroughly satisfying blend of adventure, sociopolitical commentary, scientific experiments, and occasional perils . . . with that extra spicing of romance. . . .”—Locus About Vorkosigan series entry Diplomatic Immunity: “Bujold is adept at world-building and provides a witty, character-centered plot, full of exquisite grace notes. . . fans will be thoroughly gripped and likely to finish the book in a single sitting.”—Publishers Weekly
A New York Times hardcover bestseller, this is the long-awaited NEW installment in the hugely-popular, award-winning science fiction adventure series. Miles Vorkosigan, troubleshooter for the Barrayaran Galactic Empire, takes on the corrupt and dangerous ruling elite of a world where immortality is a commodity to be bought, sold and bartered for power. Kibou-daini is a planet obsessed with cheating death. All well and good, so long as they kept to themselves. But now the Kibou-daini are attempting to franchise out their Fountain of Youth wares to the rest of the galaxy and the Barrayar Galactic Empire is none too pleased with the implications. Cue Miles Vorkosigan, malformed royal troublemaker—but also heir and savior of empire. On Kibou-daini, Miles unearths a war of generations as the oldsters in charge refuse to die and their descendants threaten outright patricide, matricide and maybe even genocide—the prize being a big fat slice of the immortality pie. Bribery, corruption, conspiracy, kidnapping–something is rotten on Kibou-daini, and Miles is up to his neck in trouble and adventure once more. About Cryoburn: “Fans have been clamoring for Hugo winner Bujold to pen a new Vorkosigan Saga novel. . . her deft and absorbing writing easily corrals the complex plot.”—Publishers Weekly About Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga: “Bujold mixes quirky humor with action [and] superb character development…[E]normously satisfying.”—Publishers Weekly. “One of sf’s outstanding talents . . . an outstanding series.”—Booklist “. . . an intelligent, well-crafted and thoroughly satisfying blend of adventure, sociopolitical commentary, scientific experiments, and occasional perils . . . with that extra spicing of romance. . . .”—Locus About Vorkosigan series entry Diplomatic Immunity: “Bujold is adept at world-building and provides a witty, character-centered plot, full of exquisite grace notes. . . fans will be thoroughly gripped and likely to finish the book in a single sitting.”—Publishers Weekly
When a Komarran merchant fleet is impounded at Graf Station after a bloody incident involving a security officer from the convoy's military escort, Miles Vorkosigan and his wife are called in to untangle the diplomatic snafus, treachery, and dark secrets.