Bujold, Lois McMaster
THE WARRIOR'S APPRENTICE
Lois McMaster Bujold
Nelson Doubleday BCE
HB 268pgs
Due to his mother being subjected to poisonous gas while pregnant with him, young Miles Vorkosigan has grown up to be a runt with frail bones. Yet he hungers for the traditional life of a Barrayaran lord...military service...just like his father and the many generations of Vorkosigan males before him. But he has just failed the physical portion of his eliminations for officers candidacy into the Barrayaran Imperial Military Service, in fact he has broken both his legs jumping from a wall on the obstacle course, so the life of his dreams seems out of reach.
Still wallowing in self-pity, Miles, with his bodyguard Bothari and Bothari's daughter Elena (who Miles secretly loves), decide to vacation with his maternal grandmother on Beta Colony. Beta Colony is a liberal, almost decadent society, especially when compared with the rigid social structuring of the Emperor-ruled Barrayar, but because of this loose social structure, opportunities abound. So after intervening in the lives of two wayward men, one a space pilot and the other a military deserter, Miles suddenly finds himself with a growing entourage, a space freighter, a debt and a great idea on how to straighten it all out.
Little does he realize this will mark the beginnings of the legendary Dendarii Mercenaries, with himself as their leader, thwarting space fleets and solving wars, utilizing Miles' greatest attributes as primary weapons...his quick wit and his unflinching ability to lie, mislead and misdirect.
This is a rollicking great story, hovering between space opera, military adventure and Marx brother comedy. Our pint size hero Miles is an infectious leader, part Napoleon, part logistics gambler extraordinaire, ever with an angle, drawing the troops together at the last minute and scoring the big points to win the game. Yet, author Bujold allows our hero to be ALMOST unbeatable. For although Miles ultimately succeeds, it's not without huge personal losses and assorted failures along the way, thus making both the story and Miles as a character, far more enjoyable to read and to cheer for.
Highly Recommended
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