desertvixen | Cryoburn - Reading Reaction

I finished it today. The non-spoiler version - not her best, but better than Diplomatic Immunity.

Here's my take, under a cut for spoilers.

I liked the animals, and was happy that nothing bad happened to them. The mini-Sphinx was interesting, although kind of in the kitten-tree realm for me. I'm not sure exactly why, but it made me a little squicked.

I'm a fan of Roic (even when he's not half-naked and covered in bug butter) and had a nice smile about the romance hinted at between him and Pym's daughter.

The description of Ekaterin seemed like a reasonable growth from what we see of her in ACC.

The running theme of Barrayarans being proud of their bad guys (being competent, at least) made me smile.

The scene where Roic contemplates the appeal of suicide vs having to report Miles dead was one of the scenes that touched me.

I liked the consulate crowd, particularly Stefin Vorlynkin. I started out feeling sorry for him, having lost the Auditor, but he reacted quite well to being drafted into Miles' somewhat convoluted personal mission. I also liked the role he played in the family related subplot. I think he makes an excellent prince for this particular fairy tale.

The whole part where Miles is explaining how exactly he got this job from Gregor made me laugh, quite a bit. Especially because I could hear the other voices in my head. Glad to know Laisa and Gregor have done the heir production thing (and of course they're scarily smart, look at their family) but it would be awesome to SEE THEM.

"The world is made by the people who show up for the job." Lines like these remind me of why I love LMB. It's not just this story, but all of them. Barrayar as we currently know it is the way it is because Aral and Cordelia (and crew) showed up for the job.

The bait-and-switch of the first revival - knowing what happens at the end, that one hit me harder.

"Snow White with just one dwarf" - LOL

"History does not so much repeat as echo, I suppose" - excellent.

"Where I come from, someone's head in a bag is generally considered the best revenge." - She almost killed me with this part. Literally. I started choking on my lunch because I started laughing so suddenly. Shopping trip, anyone?

The brothers working on the life-extension therapy, with Aral in mind - in light of what I know is coming, is a little heartbreaking.

The bit about the Jacksonians getting over their upbringing - slowly - made me grin.

"It seems mean, to give her wings she can't fly with" - this, and the grooming issue, I think, was part of what made me squicky about the sphinx.

"karma delivery service" - We could all use it now and again.

Miles has a "way of un-relaxing people" - I guess that's a pretty apt description for both Miles and his mother and their talent.

"For a moment, Consul Vorlynkin frowned, as if worrying whether to try to look decorative or functional, but settled on diplomatic, which suited him better anyway." - LOL! I love this bit.

Miles, acting like the rules don't apply to him? Say it's not so. (of course, Barrayaran rules were rather rough on him, but still...) I also like the image of Miles as Gregor's stirrup-man, in both senses.

Aral as hard act to follow - for the people who've reread this part, knowing the ending, does anyone else feel like screaming "Stop screwing with us"?

And with three words, an era comes to an end. "Count Vorkosigan, sir?" Even on a reread, even knowing what has happened, the whole ending paragraph makes me tear up. It's not the first time LMB has made me cry, or touched me deeply, which is why I - and others on my f-list read her. Her writing, her stories, her characters matter. There is truth in her fiction, and emotion, and reality dressed up in make-believe. Everyone's story must end, and no one can say Aral hasn't had a full story - love and tragedy and betrayal and everything in between. I think

mmegaera said it best when she wrote that the book was like getting all prologue, and just prologue. Like everything that happens in the book is just setting us up for Aral's death.

The drabble Aftermaths. I liked them, thought it was a fresh approach. Cordelia's I agreed with, but I think that's because I'm of the school that doesn't want extreme measures taken if it was me. But Miles' plea in that also rings true.

And if I hadn't been in public, Gregor's would have had me bawling my eyes out. I'm crying a little now writing this. It's so true to the characters, so right. Lady Alys would be keeping everyone sane and focused on doing things, and Gregor would help carry Aral.

I think it might be affecting me a little by reminding me of my grandmother's funeral this last year, where I was one of the pallbearers, a memory I will carry with me always.

I think it's time for a double feature re-read of Memory and A Civil Campaign...

DV (picking the less appropriate, but less spoilery icon)