YOUNG MILES (Mass Market Paperback)

Young Miles is a compilation of 2 books and one novella. The three parts of the book are: The Warrior's Apprentice, Mountains of Mourning, and The Vor Game. They have all been published before, so if you own them, don't buy this book expecting anything new. Is it the book's fault some people don't know what they're buying when they purchase it? Cordelia's Honor; Miles, Mystery, & Mayhem, and Miles Errant are also compilations.

This book is the first of the Vorkosigan saga with Miles, a cripple, as the main character, and it starts with him dropping out of military academy because of a broken leg. A member of the Vor (a military caste) class, his father the Prime Minister (former regent)of Barrayar, and living in a society that revolves around the military: this shatters Miles' dreams for his future. That is, until he accidently finds himself the "admiral" of a mercenary fleet and reveals a conspiracy against his father and himself. Unfortunately, being the leader of a private army on Barrayar is punishable by death. In The Mountains of Mourning, Miles is sent to investigate a case of infanticide, with the motive for the murder being an infants deformities. In The Vor Game, Miles has several other adventures, including attempting to stop an interstellar war and save his emperor.

The first book I read by Bujold was Cordelia's Honor, which is a compilation of Shards of Honor and Barrayar. It tells the story of how Miles' parents married and how he became crippled. Cordelia, Miles' mother, was affected by a gas grenade thrown into her room when she was pregnant. Although she survived, her son's bones became twisted and brittle. So, Miles, the hero of this compilation, is 4'10" and has a curved spine, a head the size of a normal 6' person, and brittle bones that snap at the worst times. He's also extremely bright and hyper.

Bujold is an excellent writer that makes each character come to life. There is no such thing as a two dimensional person in her world; each one is so incredibly different and deep. The reader can't help but get attached to some characters, crying and laughing along with them. I found myself giggling hysterically at some points in Young Miles, much to the confusion of those around me. Young Miles, like Cordelia's Honor, is also a page-turner. I read half the night away, only stopping when my eyes couldnt' stay open any longer. It's fast-paced adventure full of politics and military strategies. I often felt like my mind couldn't think fast enough to keep up with the story! It was absolutely wonderful!

For those who have not read anything from Bujold, this is a great starting point in the Vorkosigan saga. It has characters from Cordelia's Honor, but Bujold doesn't expect people reading Young Miles to know everything about them. She does a great job keeping each story independent yet in line with the other stories. I started with Cordelia's Honor, which isn't quite as fast-paced (at least Shards of Honor wasn't) as Young Miles, but it's still an awesome book. It also gives a more in-depth look at Cordelia, Aral, and Bothari (Miles' bodyguard in Young Miles). What's great about these compilations is you get 2-3 books in one! Saves money, and it saves the reader the time it takes to run to the book store to get the next one (which you feel you must have the moment you finish a book). I can't wait to start Miles, Mystery, & Mayhem!

Anyway, this is an excellent book in an excellent saga. A must read for any sci-fi lover! Even if you don't like sci-fi, you're bound to love this saga.