It’s been a while since we read the last book in the Vorkosigan Saga, Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen – see my review here – which didn’t feature much about Miles or Ekaterina, so I was thrilled to see this one was in the pipeline…
Still new to her duties as Lady Vorkosigan, Ekaterin is working together with expatriate scientist Enrique Borgos on a radical scheme to recover the lands of the Vashnoi exclusion zone, lingering radioactive legacy of the Cetagandan invasion of the planet Barrayar. When Enrique’s experimental bioengineered creatures go missing, the pair discover that the zone still conceals deadly old secrets.
Those bioengineered creatures alluded to in the blurb are our old friends, the butterbugs, which made a very dramatic entrance in A Civil Campaign during a particularly important banquet. Those of us who read this excellent series won’t ever forget that particular scene… During this incarnation, they are being used to help clean up an irradiated area, when they start to go missing.
Bujold has nailed the pacing of the novella form – not something every author used to writing full-length novels manages to do, so we hit the ground running with this mini-adventure and the pacing is judged perfectly for a really satisfying ending.
In amongst the drama and sadness of their discovery in the middle of this irradiated wasteland, there are also flashes of Bujold humour, ensuring that while I felt emotionally connected and really cared about the outcome, it didn’t overwhelm the scale of the storyline. It was a treat to have Ekatarin’s viewpoint throughout, as she has always been a strong, interesting character who appears in several of the other books.
All in all, this novella is a real treat and my only quibble is that I wanted it to be longer. Recommended for fans of the Vorkosigan Saga and anyone interested in tackling this long-running established series who would like a taster of the world.
9/10
Brainfluff 
I need to read more Bujold, it’s been quite some time since I read something of hers. And yes, I agree. It can be frustrating if you are enjoying something and it’s just too short!
Still haven’t read this author *bangs head on wall*. Ouch. I will do. I really will.
Lynn 😀
Oh, I know that feeling! I have a whole tranche of authors in that category, too…
The butterbugs are BACK!!! 😀 😀
Just seeing their name reminds me of that famous scene from A Civil Campaign, and now there is a big smile planted on my face… And knowing that Ms. Bujold still has some Vor stories to tell makes me equally happy.
Thank you so much for sharing!
I know! That book is one of my alltime favourites – and that scene is one of the main reasons. I was crying with laughter when I first read it…
I still find myself giggling every time I think about it… 🙂
Yes! I do, too…
Ooooh, I still have to get around to this saga! Please, keep reading and reviewing it, so I can have constant reminders ;).
As soon as these come available, I can guarantee Himself will pounce on them as this author is his alltime favourite…
Apart from me, of course!