I also liked many aspects of Swordpoint, and not so much the sequel. I liked Kushner's framing device for the first novel, her prose style, and the world she built. The characters . . . well, I only wanted to slap one of them regularly. I liked Richard, and most of the secondary characters a lot. And I could see why Alec was the way he was. But boy howdy, I still wanted to slap Alec.
You two carried me through that war. Now I need you to carry me just a little bit further. If you can.
Tracy ,'The Message'
We're Literary 2: To Read Makes Our Speaking English Good
There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."
Calli - Sep 15, 2004 10:34:38 am PDT #5858 of 10002
I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul—Calvin and Hobbs
JohnSweden - Sep 15, 2004 10:36:04 am PDT #5859 of 10002
I can't even.
I liked Swordspoint quite a lot, too.
Finding the LMB discussion interesting because I never really paid much attention to the romance aspect of the Vor books, except when she forced me to be aware of the pillow-fluffing or matchmaking aspects for political reasons. The whole Bothari thing is important on many levels. It's odd, it seems like LMB compartmentalizes people into their raving luney, broken, psychotic, violent aspects and their everyone needs a perfect match aspects. Maybe that's my damage, or maybe it is another representation of Vor society. Irretrievably savage and unbelievably mannered.
Atropa - Sep 15, 2004 10:49:07 am PDT #5860 of 10002
The artist formerly associated with cupcakes.
I liked Swordspoint. I also liked the sequel, but not as much as the original book.
I have never read any Bujold. What one should I start with?
sumi - Sep 15, 2004 10:50:16 am PDT #5861 of 10002
Art Crawl!!!
I think that there was entirely too much time in between Swordspoint and it's sequel.
Betsy HP - Sep 15, 2004 10:53:12 am PDT #5862 of 10002
If I only had a brain...
I like Shards of Honor, which is the first chronologically. Barrayar, the sequel, was written out of sequence and is Bujold at the height of her skills.
Jesse - Sep 15, 2004 10:55:45 am PDT #5863 of 10002
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
They've been releasing chronological (in the verse timeline) compendiums (is that what I mean? Multiple books in one volume), so you can get Shards of Honor and Barrayar together as Cordelia's Honor. These re-releases have a timeline in the back, too.
Jessica - Sep 15, 2004 10:56:11 am PDT #5864 of 10002
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
I have never read any Bujold. What one should I start with?
The early ones have been republished a few times in various configurations -- I think the current "first" Vorkosigan book is Cordelia's Honor. (Though Miles himself doesn't appear until Young Miles.)
There's a complete list on Baen's website here.
Consuela - Sep 15, 2004 10:57:50 am PDT #5865 of 10002
We are Buffistas. This isn't our first apocalypse. -- Pix
t cough Julie Fortune t cough
Betsy HP - Sep 15, 2004 10:58:19 am PDT #5866 of 10002
If I only had a brain...
I think she's also RLC, isn't she?
Consuela - Sep 15, 2004 10:59:43 am PDT #5867 of 10002
We are Buffistas. This isn't our first apocalypse. -- Pix
Yes, Betsy. RLC changed her fic pseud to JF within the last few years.