A Civil Campaign

A Miles Vorkosigan Novel

By: Lois McMaster Bujold

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Length: 18 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Lord Miles Vorkosigan has a problem that all his new power can't solve: unrequited love for the beautiful Vor widow Ekaterin Vorsoisson. Ekaterin is violently allergic to marriage as a result of her first exposure. But, as Miles learned from his late career in galactic covert ops, if a frontal assault won't do, go to subterfuge.

Miles has a cunning plan, which, of course, has to be worked out in between District succession scandals and plans for the emperor's wedding. And if no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy, just imagine what all Miles' friends and relatives can do to his romantic strategy.

Hi-fi sci-fi: listen to more in the Vorkosigan saga.

©1999 Lois McMaster Bujold (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"The latest Miles Vorkosigan adventure has him campaigning in four plots....Bujold weaves all four actions into a seamless whole that her faithful readers may rank among the best books in an outstanding series." (Booklist)

"Bujold successfully mixes quirky humor with just enough action, a dab of feminist social commentary, and her usual superb character development in a sprightly SF romance that her many fans will find enormously satisfying." (Publishers Weekly)

deftly feminist ina male world

Lous is capable of making a eonderfully feminist story in the male dominated world of Barrayar

Five stars are not enough! Great book!

This is one of my favorite books ever, one I come back to again and again - and even knowing how it ends,it hooks me from start to finish.

Great story, incomparable characters, written with humor and feeling, this is Bujold at her inimitable best.

awesome book

I really did enjoy this book and the reading of it was absolutely superb and I will be listening to it again and again and again and again

Bravo!

There's very little space opera in this book, more Regency romance a la Georgette Heyer. Nonetheless, it is a gem, if only for the joy of Miles having to deal with the intricacies of courting his ladylove in the midst of Emperor Gregor's wedding preparations. There are also complications with the inevitable Barrayaran politics getting physical, as a couple of Countships come into dispute; Ivan has some great moments as he is unwillingly dragged into this. And there's a particularly wonderful bit wherein Miles dons his old Dendarii uniform jacket and for a couple of moments becomes 'the little Admiral' with his Betan accent, which Grover Gardner does with great skill. That part I want to go back and listen to over and over.

I've read the print version several times, but listening to Grover Gardner's voices brings an entire new dimension, a nice enhancement to the story and the character development.

(In part from my Goodreads review)

Sci-fi swashbuckling on a planetary scale.

Nothing is more hardcore than the pursuit of lasers and feelings. Like Downton Abbey with space ships.

I'd Marry Miles in a Minute

What I thought was a slow start (though I didn't really care as I would now read anything written about Miles Vorkosigan) was just a very intelligent set up to the most outrageous of all outcomes. Hurray!!!

Hilarious!

Bujold does a wonderful job with the genre of a comedy of manners. It ends as a proper comedy should, and makes you feel for the characters-- even at the height of their stupidity.

A great story, expertly narrated!

I read this book in print when first published, and enjoyed it greatly. The audible version brings the original story to life, richly. I've listened to many of Grover Gardner's narratives and he does an inspired job on this one! Highly recommended!

Emotion invoking!

I found myself in tears at one point and trying to mimic the smiles and frowns as the story progressed.
Ms. Bujold is an artist that paints the best pictures with her words! My deepest regards!

Spectacular

Each book in the series has held my attention as I got to know and care about Miles and those around him, but this novel, which I came to after mostly reading the others in order, was an extraordinary payoff for coming to love these worlds and their inhabitants… truly, Memory and A Civil Campaign are the double payoff as Miles becomes his mature self and is then in a position to be tested in that new and grown self. I love Ekaterin as well who goes through similar difficulties and growth pains and becomes more fully herself as well - and Mark and all the others entangled in love and friendship and business with the Vorkosigans. A dashing fine read I’m certain I will return to over the years!