'The Warrior's Apprentice'

[watervole]

I decided to go back and reread a favourite book while ill, so here's 'The Warrior's Apprentice' by Lois McMaster Bujold.

I've read this book at least three times over the years, but I'd forgotten just how fabulous it was. Reading it for the 4th (ish) time while ill this week, I found myself laughing aloud in pure delight.

Miles is cursed with a hyperactive, intelligent mind in a body that forever lets him down. Brittle bones break all too easily, and in a culture that values physical strength and perfection, that's a big problem.

His resentment at being unable to do the things he really wants to do leads him to help another desperate man, and suddenly he's in a situation where one thing piles on top of another and he's juggling eggs in an evermore complex pattern as he accidentally 'acquires' a band of mercenaries.

Here's where his upbringing comes in handy. Miles has always wanted the military life, he's inherited his father's gift for tactics, but this military life is a trap of a kind that he fails to spot until it is almost too late.

Can Miles stop everything from crashing down around him?

Bujold's characters are wonderful - each of her books usually works as a stand-alone (this one included), but it's great to have extra glimpses of characters whom we've met in the past or will see more of in the future. Her female characters are intelligent and capable of challenging the cultures that surround them.

The book is also funny. Mile's thoughts about his idiot cousin Ivan, his efforts at playing matchmaker, and many other scenes besides.

In a nutshell, the book is wonderful space opera, with great characters. Read it!

Comments

[sharikkamur.livejournal.com]

I second the 'read it!'. I re-read it a couple of months ago for the nth time just to cheer myself up. It's definitely a book at which one can laugh aloud.

[selenay]

That was the first LMB that I found and it's still my favourite. Miles and his attitude to life reminds me a lot of an uncle who has osteogenesis imperfecta :-) LMB writes fantastic characters.

I always describe Warriors Apprentice as being like the woman who ate a spider to catch a fly - Miles seems to get himself into bigger and bigger messes with every turn!

[thebobby.livejournal.com]

I love the Miles books by her. The Vor Game was my favourite book by Lois McMaster Bujold until I read Paladin of Souls.

I love her Science Fiction. Her first fantasy, Spirit Ring didn't do a lot for me, but I enjoyed Chalion, but I keep reading and re-reading Paladin of Souls.

I've got it in hardcover, paperback, 2 different ebook formats and (unabridged) audio book now. I love Paladin of Souls.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Thank you for a challenge!

[watervole.livejournal.com]

You'll love it. If you get hooked and read enough of her books, you'll eventually come to a scene that will remind you of one from Blake's 7. (which was quite deliberate on the writer's part)

So there's an extra inducement - grin.

She's a great writer and many fan friends of mine enjoy her books.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

I can see that I shall have to read the Chalion novels.

[kerravonsen]

Her first fantasy, Spirit Ring didn't do a lot for me, but I enjoyed Chalion, but I keep reading and re-reading Paladin of Souls.
Agreed on all points. Spirit Ring made me think that she just couldn't Do Fantasy, but Curse of Chalion changed my mind on that completely, and Paladin of Souls tends to be re-read more than Curse of Chalion.

[kerravonsen]

Yes. The first two are the best. The Hallowed Hunt wasn't as good, though still enjoyable.

[thebobby.livejournal.com]

I have to agree with this too. Hallowed Hunt was somewhat of a disappointment to me.

Have you been reading 'The Sharing Knife' Series? I like them overall, though i found the second book less engaging then the first and third.

[gair.livejournal.com]

Best. Books. Ever. (You know me and altariel and some other people I haven't met yet are doing a panel on the Vorkosigan books at Redemption, y/y?)

[watervole.livejournal.com]

I intend to be at that panel!

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Love the icon!