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Miles, Mystery & Mayhem
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The Vorkosigan Saga

Miles, Mystery & Mayhem (collective work) (edit title/settings)

by Lois McMaster Bujold (Author) (edit contributors)

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Description edit see section history

Diplomat, soldier spy -- Lieutenant Lord Miles Naismith Vorkosigan of the Barrayaran Empire, a.k.a. Admiral Miles Naismith of the Dendarii Free Mercenaries, is a young man of many parts.

Miles and his handsome cousin Ivan are called upon to play a simple diplomatic role on the capital... read more

Books in This Collection

  1. Cetaganda

    Cetaganda

    by Lois McMaster Bujold (Author)

    When the Cetagandan Empress dies, Miles Vorkosigan and his cousin Ivan Vorpatril are sent to Cetaganda for her funeral as diplomatic representatives of Barrayar. But when the lifelong attendant of the Empress is found murdered, Miles and Ivan...

  2. Ethan of Athos

    Ethan of Athos

    by Lois McMaster Bujold (Author)

    Our hero is a quiet, upstanding citizen of Athos, an obstetrician in a world in which reproduction is carried out entirely via uterine replicator, without the aid of living women. Problem: the 200-year-old cultures are not providing eggs the...

  3. Labyrinth

    Labyrinth

    by Lois McMaster Bujold (Author)

    Twenty-three year old Lieutenant Miles Vorkosigan challenges the criminal underground on the planet Jackson's Whole to rescue a research scientist.

Summary edit see section history

In CETAGANDA, Miles and Ivan are sent to the homeworld of the Cetagandan Empire to represent Barrayar at the Imperial funeral of the dowager Empress, mother of the current Emperor. They soon become entangled in an internal Cetagandan plot which leads to murder.

Miles forms an unusual... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

In CETAGANDA, Miles and Ivan are sent to the homeworld of the Cetagandan Empire to represent Barrayar at the Imperial funeral of the dowager Empress, mother of the current Emperor. They soon become entangled in an internal Cetagandan plot which leads to murder.

Miles forms an unusual alliance with Rian Degtiar, the "Handmaiden of the Star Crèche", who is charged with the duties of Empress until the new one is chosen. Miles solves the complex mystery and prevents the Cetagandan Empire from fragmenting into nine dangerously expansion-minded parts. Then, much to his chagrin, he is publicly awarded the "Order of Merit", the highest Cetagandan award, by the Emperor himself. He also picks up clues to a Cetagandan genetic experiment, which becomes the object of much skulduggery in Ethan of Athos.

ETHAN OF ATHOS tells the story of Dr. Ethan Urquhart, Chief of Biology at the Severin District Reproduction Centre on the planet of Athos, and his quest to Kline Station to find out what happened to a shipment of vital ovarian tissue cultures.

For religious reasons, Athos was founded and maintained as an exclusively male-populated planetary colony, whose continuing reproduction relies on uterine replicator technology and ovarian tissue cultures. However, after 200 years of service, the ovarian cultures are deteriorating into senescence. The Population Council attempts to mail-order new ovarian cultures from another planet known as Jackson's Whole, but instead they receive an unusable mixture of dead and animal tissues. The Council dubs Ethan their planetary ambassador and sends him offworld in search of a fresh batch of tissue cultures, and (if possible) a refund from the original supplier, House Bharaputra.

Ethan's first encounter with a woman occurs when he asks directions from Commander Elli Quinn, a rather unorthodox intelligence officer with the Dendarii Free Mercenary Fleet, who is on home leave for the first time in ten years. Ethan learns that women in general are not the monsters he was taught; they are as varied as any man and range from honorable to devious to helpful to selfish. Ethan is attacked by military agents from Cetaganda who are seeking the fugitive Terrence Cee as well as the lost tissue cultures, but Elli rescues him.

Terrence approaches Ethan with a request for asylum, and turns out to be the last surviving creation (originally labelled as L-X-10-Terran-C) of a Cetagandan genetic project to create telepaths. Although his telepathy is reliable, it has a small range and can only be triggered for a short amount of time by ingesting large doses of the amino acid tyramine. Terrance’s female counterpart Janine (J-9-X-Ceta-G) was killed in the escape, but he managed to preserve her body and convey it to Jackson's Whole, where he bribed House Bharaputra to splice her genes into the ovarian cultures that were sent to Athos. Terrence had intended to escort the cultures to their destination but was delayed on his way to Kline Station, and is now horrified to learn that they disappeared and were replaced by the useless material which ultimately arrived.

After Terrence's departure from Jackson's Whole, the Cetagandans attacked House Bharaputra, killed the researchers who had worked with him, and destroyed their records. These Cetagandans followed him to Kline Station, and are the same agents who attacked Ethan. In turn, the Bharaputrans hired Elli to track down the Cetagandan agents, although she is also gathering information for the Dendarii.

It turns out that for petty personal reasons, a minor official on Kline Station "threw out" the Bharaputran tissue cultures with Janine's genes. Elli defeats the Cetagandans and attempts to recruit Terrence to the Dendarii, but he is far more attracted to the isolated, uncomplicated life on Athos. He does give Elli a small genetic sample to take back to the Dendarii, but not before Ethan asks her for (and receives) some of her own ovarian cells to create a new tissue culture.

After her departure, the original Bharaputran shipment unexpectedly turns up intact and usable, not destroyed. Ethan buys a new set of ovarian cultures anyway as a cover, uses their packaging to relabel the cultures with Janine's (and now Elli's) genes, and returns with them and Terrence to Athos.

In "LABYRINTH," Miles takes the Dendarii cruiser Ariel on a mission to Jackson's Whole ostensibly to buy weapons, but also to smuggle geneticist Dr. Hugh Canaba away from his current employer (almost certainly House Bharaputra) and into Barrayaran hands. Canaba throws a wrench into the works when he refuses to leave without certain experimental samples which he has injected into one of his earlier projects, a prototype "super-soldier" created from human, wolf and horse DNA. Even worse, it has been sold to the paranoid and sadistic Baron Ryoval whom Miles has recently offended.

Miles breaks into Ryoval's laboratory, but is caught and imprisoned in a utility sublevel where they are also keeping Canaba's dangerous specimen, "Nine". This turns out to be an eight-foot-tall person complete with fangs, claws, superhuman strength and speed, and a ravenous appetite. Miles is shocked to find that the creature is female, and, despite her fearsome appearance, she is an intelligent and emotionally vulnerable young woman. She challenges him to prove that he believes she is human - by making love to her. Miles gets to indulge his weakness for tall strong women... He offers her a new life with the Dendarii, and a name: Taura. They spend several hours trying to escape and commit one supreme act of sabotage and revenge before Dendarii Captain Bel Thorne manages to negotiate a ransom.

Miles finds several aspects of the Deal unacceptable and the exchange turns into a minor battle with Ryoval's security. Despite her lack of combat training, Taura demonstrates spectacular raw ability and contributes mightily to her own rescue. They escape and are pursued, but manage to reach the Ariel and depart the Jackson system. Miles creates confusion and avoids pursuit by telling different lies (and a couple of vital truths) to Ryoval and his rival half-brother, weapons dealer Baron Fell.

Characters/People edit see section history

  • Miles Naismith Vorkosigan: A Lieutenant; son of Aral and Cordelia; Lord Vorkosigan. In his alter-ego he is Admiral Miles Naismith, commander of the Dendarii Free Mercenary Fleet.
  • Ivan Vorpatril: A Lieutenant; son of Alys Vorpatril and Padma Vorpatril (deceased); Lord Vorpatril. Miles' cousin.
  • Lisbet Degtiar: The late Dowager Empress of the Cetagandan Empire.
  • Lord Vorob'yev: Barrayaran ambassador to the Cetagandan Empire.
  • Lord Vorreedi: Protocol Officer at the Barrayaran Embassy on Eta Ceta IV; really an ImpSec Colonel & Chief of ImpSec on Eta Ceta IV.
  • Bernaux: Marilacan Ambassador to the Cetagandan Empire.
  • Lady Gelle: A Cetagandan ghem-lady.
  • Lord Yenaro: A Cetagandan ghem-lord; a scent-artist.
  • Mia Maz: Assistant Chief of Protocol for the Vervani Embassy on Eta Ceta IV.
  • Rian Degtiar: A Cetagandan haut-lady; Servant of the Celestial Lady and Handmaiden of the Star Creche.
  • Ba Lura: The Celestial Lady's most senior servitor.
  • Lady Arvin & Lady Benello: Two Cetagandan haut-ladies; friends of Lord Yenaro.
  • Dag Benin: A Ghem-Colonel in Cetagandan Imperial Security.
  • Este Rond: Cetagandan haut-lord; Satrap Governor of Rho Ceta, Barrayar's nearest Cetagandan neighbor.
  • Slyke Giaja: Cetagandan haut-lord; Satrap Governor of Xi Ceta.
  • Ilsum Kety: Cetagandan haut-lord; Satrap Governor of Sigma Ceta, and the youngest Satrap Governor.
  • Fletchir Giaja: Emperor of the Cetagandan Empire.
  • Chilian: A Cetagandan Ghem-General working for Satrap Governor Ilsum Kety.
  • Millisor: A Ghem-Colonel working for the Star Creche.
  • Lady d'Har: Haut wife of Ghem-Admiral Har.
  • Lord Har: Ghem-Admiral; commander of half the Cetagandan Fleet.
  • Vio d'Chilian: Haut wife of Ghem-General Chilian.
  • Pel Navar: A Cetagandan haut-lady; Consort of Eta Ceta.
  • Nadina: A Cetagandan haut-lady; Consort of Sigma Ceta.
  • Naru: A Ghem-General third in command of Cetagandan Imperial Security.
  • Ethan Urquhart: Chief of Reproductive Biology at the Sevarin District Reproductive Center on Athos.
  • Georos: The Night Shift Team Leader at the Sevarin District Reproductive Center.
  • Brother Haas: A farmer in Crystal Springs on Athos.
  • Desroches: Chief of Staff at the Sevarin District Reproductive Center.
  • Janos: Ethan's foster brother and Designate Alternate.
  • Elli Quinn: A Commander in the Dendarii Free Mercenary Fleet.
  • Dom: A crewman on the courier ship on the Athos run.
  • Rau: A Captain; a mysterious kidnapper/interrogator.
  • Terrence Cee: A fugitive.
  • Okita: Muscle.
  • Dale Zeeman: A crewman in Atmosphere Control on Kline Station.
  • Teki: A crewman in Ecobranch: Recycling on Kline Station.
  • Helda: A Biocontrol Warden.
  • Lara: A Security Officer on Kline Station.
  • Sara: Teki's girlfriend.
  • Captain Arata: A Security Officer on Kline Station.
  • Bel Thorne: A Betan hermaphrodite in the Dendarii Mercenaries; captain of the Ariel.
  • Georish Stauber: Baron Fell; head of House Fell.
  • Luigi Bharaputra: Baron Bharaputra; head of House Bharaputra.
  • Nicol: A quaddie in Baron Fell's pay.
  • Ryoval: Baron Ryoval; head of House Ryoval
  • Deem: A manager in Baron Ryoval's Sales and Demonstrations Department
  • Nout: A Corporal in the Dendarii Free Mercenaries.
  • Canaba: A House Bharaputra geneticist. Using the name "Vaughn" as a cover in an attempt to emigrate to Barryar.
  • Murka: An ensign in the Dendarii Free Mercenaries; Thorne's second-in-command on a raid.
  • Laureen Anderson: A sergeant in the Dendarii Free Mercenaries; a pilot.
  • Moglia: House Ryoval's Chief of Security.
  • Nine: Result of a failed experiment to create a super-soldier; the experiment involved splicing human genes with those of horses and wolves, among others.
  • Lois Mcmaster Bujold: Add a description of this character.
  • Terrence Gee
  • Taura
  • Prince Slyke
Show all 57 characters
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Quotes edit see section history

  • “Thirty-two stab wounds in the back, worst case of suicide they ever saw. . .”
    Ivan Vorpatril
  • “I'm just having an attack of limericks.”
    Miles Naismith Vorkosigan
  • “--"So use your initiative!" --"I don't have initiative. I follow orders, thank you. It's much safer." --"Fine. I order you to use your initiative!"--”
    Miles Naismith Vorkosigan & Ivan Vorpatril
  • “Real facts. As opposed to what other kind of facts?”
    Ivan Vorpatril (to Miles Naismith Vorkosigan)
  • “--". . . I may be completely off-base, and panicking prematurely." --"I don't think so. I think you're panicking post-maturely. In fact, if you were panicking any later it would be practically posthumously."--”
    Miles Naismith Vorkosigan & Ivan Vorpatril
  • “Idiocy by committee, the finest kind. . .”
    Miles Naismith Vorkosigan
  • “Yeah, your favorite kind <of backup> -- unconscious on the floor where I couldn't inject any kind of sense into the proceedings. You took off to get yourself killed, or worse, and everybody would have blamed me. The last thing Aunt Cordelia said to me before we left was 'And try to keep him out of trouble, Ivan.'”
    Ivan Vorpatril
  • “You do have one to spare, don't you? I'd understood women all had two ovaries, in analogue to male testes. You haven't donated before, or had an accident - combat or something - I'm not asking for your only one, am I?”
    Ethan Urquhart
  • “The true secret of the Betan rejuvenation technique - is that there is none. Don't be taken in again. I look the age I do, because it is the age I am. Make of it what you will.”
    Miles Naismith Vorkosigan
  • “It's not what you don't know that'll hurt you. . . It's what you do know that isn't so.”
    Miles Naismith Vorkosigan
  • “I can't believe this. Trapped in Ryoval's basement with a sex-starved teenage werewolf. There was nothing about this in any of my Imperial Academy training manuals. . .”
    Miles Naismith Vorkosigan
Show all 11 quotes from this book

Setting & Locations edit see section history

Show all 18 settings

Organizations edit see section history

  • ImpSec: Barrayaran Imperial Security.
  • Dendarii Free Mercenary Fleet: Galactic mercenary fleet commanded by Admiral Naismith and secretly employed by the Barrayaran Empire.
  • Athos Population Council: The branch of government which oversees all issues of population on Athos -- the Reproductive Centers, Immigration, etc.
  • Athos General Council: Athos' governing body.
  • Kline Station Biocontrol: Called the "Ecology Cops," this organization is charged with keeping Kline Station free of biocontaminants; to effect this end, they have unlimited search and seizure powers.
  • House Dyne: The Jackson's Hole Syndicate that specializes in laundering money.
  • House Fell: The Jackson's Hole Syndicate that specializes in weapons.
  • House Bharaputra: The Jackson's Hole Syndicate that specializes in illegal genetic engineering.
  • House Ryoval: The Jackson's Hole Syndicate that specializes in "Dreams Made Flesh."
  • House Hargraves: The Jackson's Hole Syndicate that works as a fence for high profile stolen goods.

First Sentence edit see section history

"Now is it, 'Diplomacy is the art of war pursued by other men,'" asked Ivan, or was it the other way around?

Table of Contents edit see section history

Cetaganda
Ethan of Athos
"Labyrinth"
Author's Afterword
Vorkosigan Saga Timeline

Glossary edit see section history

  • Ba: A neutered Cetagandan servant class to the Emperor. Many are hairless.
  • The Celestial Lady: The polite term for the Cetagandan Empress.
  • The Star Creche: The Cetagandan-haut gene bank.
  • Uterine Replicator: A machine designed to replace the mammalian uterus; allows gestation of human fetuses outside the female body.
  • Social Duty Credits: Accumulated by performing "social duties" such as community service, military service, etc.; men must accumulate a certain level of Social Duty Credits before they can begin gestating a son.
  • Designated Alternate: A partner in parenting; no man may begin gestating a son without choosing a D.A. who has the required number of Social Duty Credits.
  • Fast-penta: A truth drug.
  • Quaddie: A genetically engineered human (designed for free-fall) with four arms instead of two arms and two legs.

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

  • Reproduction: The three stories in this volume are linked by their focus on exploring the way a single speculative reproduction technology (a uterine replicator) might be used/abused in three different human societies.
  • Gender Roles: Describe this theme.

Series & Lists edit see section history

This book is in The Vorkosigan Saga. (standard series)

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Lois McMaster Bujold (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Baen Books
Country: U.S.A.
Publication Date: 2001
ISBN: 0671318586
Page Count: 505

Classification edit see section history

  • Library of Congress: 2001043348
  • Dewey: 813.54

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Young Adults

There are no major adult themes in this novel (meaning only a little mild sexual innuendo and a little violence having to do with a murder investigation); however, the vocabulary is moderately challenging.

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • The Naked Sun
  • Chasm City
  • Six Moon Dance
  • Carnival

Books with Additional Background Information edit see section history

   
  • The Vorkosigan Companion
  • Dreamweaver's Dilemma
  • Federations

Books That Influenced This Book edit see section history

   
  • Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (Hornblower Saga)
  • Whose Body?

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