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.
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?
I think that there was entirely too much time in between
Swordspoint
and it's sequel.
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.
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.
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.
t cough
Julie Fortune
t cough
I think she's also RLC, isn't she?
Yes, Betsy. RLC changed her fic pseud to JF within the last few years.
