ashleylm's review
4.0
Short, swift, and at one point unexpectedly moving (since I particular like it when a plan comes together, and one of Miles' plans was intentionally more effective than he was letting on to readers at first).
If it weren't for The Hallowed Hunt I'd say Bujold can do no wrong as an author. I'm assured of a good, possibly great time, when I put myself in her hands (with that one exception) and this novella was an almost unalloyed delight ... I'd have preferred it without so much violence—just not my thing—but other than that, it was great.
Plotwise (in case I forget) this is the one where Miles begins as a captured prisoner-of-war in a domed prison created by the Cetagandans—none of whom we meet—and tries to make life better for everyone, in more ways than one.
(Note: I'm a writer, so I suffer when I offer fewer than five stars. But these aren't ratings of quality, they're a subjective account of how much I liked the book: 5* = an unalloyed pleasure from start to finish, 4* = enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = disappointing, and 1* = hated it.)
If it weren't for The Hallowed Hunt I'd say Bujold can do no wrong as an author. I'm assured of a good, possibly great time, when I put myself in her hands (with that one exception) and this novella was an almost unalloyed delight ... I'd have preferred it without so much violence—just not my thing—but other than that, it was great.
Plotwise (in case I forget) this is the one where Miles begins as a captured prisoner-of-war in a domed prison created by the Cetagandans—none of whom we meet—and tries to make life better for everyone, in more ways than one.
(Note: I'm a writer, so I suffer when I offer fewer than five stars. But these aren't ratings of quality, they're a subjective account of how much I liked the book: 5* = an unalloyed pleasure from start to finish, 4* = enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = disappointing, and 1* = hated it.)
jojo_k654's review against another edition
4.0
Chronologically this novella comes before Brothers in Arms and normally I would skip novellas but I think it's beneficial to read this prior to Brothers in Arms for context.
pickett22's review
5.0
Apparently I didn't review this the first time around.
Mountains of Mourning is, of course, incredible.
Labyrinth is what it is.
Borders of Infinity is amazing and incredibly painful.
This time through I realized something. This set of shorts, or novellas, or whatever, is an ongoing treatise to the importance of life. Every life. Disabled, monstrous, one among 10,000; every one of them deserving of the chance to live and grow and be loved. I couldn't figure out for a while why I kept crying, until I made that connection. It's been a hard few years. Hard to remember, sometimes, how important every life is. How valuable. More valuable than five brand new fighter shuttles, to be sure.
Mountains of Mourning is, of course, incredible.
Labyrinth is what it is.
Borders of Infinity is amazing and incredibly painful.
This time through I realized something. This set of shorts, or novellas, or whatever, is an ongoing treatise to the importance of life. Every life. Disabled, monstrous, one among 10,000; every one of them deserving of the chance to live and grow and be loved. I couldn't figure out for a while why I kept crying, until I made that connection. It's been a hard few years. Hard to remember, sometimes, how important every life is. How valuable. More valuable than five brand new fighter shuttles, to be sure.
amyiw's review
3.0
This was my leasted liked of the 3 novellas that come in the anthology. We start with Mile's on a penal colony planet for POWs. This is run by the Cetagandan's who although are sticking to the letter of the law of the treatment of POWs, they are going against every spirit the law entails, pitting prisoner against prisoner. How to get control when might is right and Mile's is thought as a mutant dwarf? Of course he has an alternate plan but being that everything is monitored, he has to just control the situation.
secre's review against another edition
4.0
An enjoyable little novella although it doesn't add a vast amount to the existing canon of the Vorkosigan saga. I suppose it gives some background to the events that are referenced but not explained in Brothers in Arms, but otherwise just a short and easy read to fill in the gaps until Brothers.
vicky216n's review against another edition
4.0
This started as the most ambiguous of the novellas. It starts strangely with Miles been thrown into prison, but it quickly unravels into this engaging story.
Sadly, unlike Labyrinth there are no genetically modified teenage werewolves, but there is an overzealous prophet and a Chosen one.
Sadly, unlike Labyrinth there are no genetically modified teenage werewolves, but there is an overzealous prophet and a Chosen one.
alisterscriven's review against another edition
5.0
Well, this was a fun little adventure with Miles I wonder why there's half an hour left in the audiobook. Oh. Oh no. NO STOP SO MUCH DEATH EVERYTHING IS AWFUL NO WHY.
five stars.
five stars.