A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster BujoldMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I couldn't resist picking up this novel right after finishing Komarr. I'm glad that I read it while the details of Komarr were still crystal clear in my head. These two books remind me a lot of Sharon Lee & Steve Miller's Liadin Universe series. They have investigations and political intrigue, of course, but the also have a good solid love story at their core. Can Miles Vorkosigan convince Ekaterin Vorsoisson to become Lady Vorkosigan?
Ekaterin wondered at one point why he wasn't being pursued by Barrayaran women. After all, he could charm nine year old boys out of locked bathrooms and Komarran terrorists out of a hostage situation. She is impressed, but very recently widowed and before that had been preparing to leave an emotionally abusive husband. It's hard to trust your relationship instincts after something like that.
Of course Miles blabs too much, but not to Ekaterin, leading to a farcical scene at a dinner party which he hosts. No one likes to feel manipulated, especially after surviving a controlling husband, and Miles realizes too late that he has possibly torpedoed his chances at wedded bliss. I think the turning point seems to be Simon Illyan's observation to Ekaterin that Miles' genius is choosing personnel. He tells her that if Miles has chosen her for the role of Lady Vorkosigan, it is probably has an excellent chance of success.
The lady seems to have similar feelings, and when others attack Miles, she has a strong reaction. I also enjoyed her son Nikki's solution to his relatives' attempt to remove him from his mother's care. Talk about using a missile to swat a mosquito!
Time to move on to other series, but have no doubt that I will return to the Vorkosigan universe soon!
Book number 388 of my Science Fiction & Fantasy Reading Project.
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