Book: Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance (Series: Vorkosigan Saga)
Published: November 2012 (Baen Books)
Audiobook Narrator: Grover Gardner (Blackstone Audio)
Genre/ Trope: Space Opera, Humor, Meet the Family
Rating: 9 of 10 / Highly Recommended
A perfect feel-good read for a lazy summer afternoon! I was chortling my way through this book about Captain Ivan Vorpatril, a rather laidback bureaucrat in the intergalactic Barrayaran Empire. The good news is that the book can be read as a standalone, and is a very good gateway into science fiction.
Ivan Vorpatril is the scion of a powerful political family in Barrayar, but he isn’t very ambitious. He would just rather stick on at his comfortable government job and enjoy his bachelor’s life. His meddlesome cousin Byerly asks him for a favor to check-in on two immigrant women living under fake identities — and poor Ivan can say goodbye to his uneventful life!
The Plot:
The women are refugees from Jackson’s Whole, after their ruling family was toppled in a coup: Tej Arqua and a genetically modified woman, Rish. Both are in some danger and looking for remaining members of their family. It falls to Ivan’s shoulders to give them some diplomatic protection. Funny events happen one after the other, till what does Ivan do? He marries Tej, of course.
What follows is a Meet-the-Family episode on both sides. Bujold draws some really interesting character sketches: stern and diplomatic mother, amnesiac but crafty stepfather, entrepreneurial cousin, royal cousin, mad genius cousin Miles (hero of the Vorkosigan seris), Ivan’s childhood friends… And Tej’s entire Arqua family — ambitious, eccentric strategists who make for too-close-for-comfort family members. These crazy relatives bring on a disaster near the tail-end, where the Arquas make a really risky ploy for recovering their Jacksonian throne.
The Best Parts of this Book:
Throughout it all, Ivan Vorpatril stays the darling beta hero that he is. Tej calls him “restful”, and he is. He is the perfectly ordinary guy who likes his comfort, and wouldn’t willingly tread where fools rush in. And yet, when trouble comes, he does his best (even if his best is not good enough), and asks his family and friends for help. In this, he is like most of us, not some mythic Lancelot-like hero from lore.
Another blogger recommended the audiobook version of the book — and it really helped! Gardner adds a dry witty tone to Ivan’s thoughts that make this book really delightful. The audiobook ended up winning the 2014 Audie Award for Science Fiction.
13 replies on “Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold”
I have heard wonderful things about this author, but I have never read her. Thanks for this great review.
I feel Bujold is a must try for anyone interested in SFF, hope you’ll read one of her works!
I’m gonna keep this book in mind for the next time I’m looking for an audiobook. I always love the funny ones!
It was an amazing audiobook. Within the first 10 minutes, I was hooked
I always enjoy reading your reviews and wonder if I shouldn’t try harder to read Science Fiction… Why can’t the authors of science fiction just give us names that we can actually pronounce?
Haha, true. Vorkosigan series is modelled on futuristic modernized Russian empire, so names are along those lines…
Ivan sounds like the kind of character I always like. And I’m glad to know this one can be read as a standalone!
Here’s another author I haven’t read! I kind of like the idea of a space opera with a sort of laid back protag. And relatable too. Reminds me a bit of PAusert from Witches of Karres.
I have NOT read Witches of Karres. And now I must go check out that book, if there’s going to be similarities to Ivan!
I love this series and we have all the books – so thank you for a lovely review:)). It hadn’t occurred to me to get hold of the audiobooks, but I can imagine that this one in particular would make lovely listening!
Yep, I’m passing on the audiobook rec — it really changes the book from Good to Too Good. I haven’t read the Miles series, really need to get to those books some day.
I know the author is a big Heyer fan (isn’t one of the books an homage to Venetia) and I liked the one I read (Shards of Honor? I can’t remember) but it was still too SFy for me. I will try again some time, perhaps.
Now that you mention it… Bujold’s Civil Campaign is often listed as a readalike for Heyer’s adventures. I didn’t know that Bujold was a Heyer fan/ Venetia fan though. Thanks, learnt something new today!