Cryoburn

A Miles Vorkosigan Adventure

By: Lois McMaster Bujold

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Kibou-daini is a planet obsessed with cheating death. Barrayaran Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan can hardly disapprove—he’s been cheating death his whole life, on the theory that turnabout is fair play. But when a Kibou-daini cryocorp—an immortal company whose job it is to shepherd its all-too-mortal frozen patrons into an unknown future—attempts to expand its franchise into the Barrayaran Empire, Emperor Gregor dispatches his top troubleshooter, Miles, to check it out.

On Kibou-daini, Miles discovers generational conflict over money and resources is heating up, even as refugees displaced in time skew the meaning of “generation” past repair. Here he finds a young boy with a passion for pets and a dangerous secret, a Snow White trapped in an icy coffin who burns to rewrite her own tale, and a mysterious crone who is the very embodiment of the warning “Don’t mess with the secretary.” Bribery, corruption, conspiracy, kidnapping—something is rotten on Kibou-daini, and it isn’t due to power outages in the Cryocombs. And Miles is in the middle—of trouble!

Lois McMaster Bujold is one of the most honored writers in the fields of science fiction and fantasy, having won five Hugo Awards and three Nebula Awards. Her second novel, The Warrior’s Apprentice, introduced young Miles Vorkosigan, one of the most popular characters in science fiction. The mother of two, she lives in Minneapolis.

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

©2010 Lois McMaster Bujold (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Fans…will not be disappointed by this thoughtful tale…Deft and absorbing writing.” (Publishers Weekly)

A beautiful turn of phrase

This is the first time that I have listened to this book, but I had read it a number of times. The author is so skillful, and even though this is not my favorite of her books, the last 503+ words are like a beautifully balanced scalpel.

Powerful

This is a wonderful and simple story that ends on a note of power and emotion the equal of anything in fiction.

A perfect listening experience

I just finished my third listening of this Audible recording and write through many emotions that will tug at your heart when you reach the ending....beautifully rendered story by Grover Gardner. He manages to capture the essence of a wide range of memorable characters, from young boys and girls to elderly women to middle aged men and women...honestly, he really comes into his own with this performance.

I can't say enough good things about the extraordinary talent of Lois McMaster Bujold and her beloved Miles Vorkosigan. I *think* this is my favorite of all her books...exquisitely plotted, just complicated enough, and a fabulous array of characters, both believable and richly unique.

HIGHLY recommended, especially if you never dreamed you would consider "space opera."

Miles!

Probably not a good place to start the series, but if you have been with Miles from the beginning your gonna have a lot of fun here.

Well read by Grover Gardner as always.

great thoughtful scifi fun

I ended up getting this book out of order from the rest of the series, but giving it a listen all the same and really enjoying it! McMaster Bujold is a wry, fun writer who provides charming secondary characters, a sympathetic and sort of vaguely Holmesian protagonist, and an interesting and complex political backdrop. I loved the story from start to finish. It made me remember what a cool romp good scifi can be.

Read this if you liked Harry Harrison, Douglas Adams, Roger Zelazny. Alternatively, look them up if you enjoyed this!

Great Book but....

As usual, Bujold delivers an intriguing mystery for our favorite Lord Auditor, and after a slightly odd start you just need to keep listening to, the book becomes a view through not only the eyes of Miles, much of our narration is supplied through the eyes of a certain trusty, tall and reliable Armsman Roack(sp?)
However..
(non-spoiler) We find out far, far too much in passing. It has been ten years since Miles was revived from his cryostorage- no, this has nothing to do with the title- and during chats between Miles and Armsman Roack we learn of gigantic changes to Miles and other beloved characters, events at which we as fans simply deserved to be "present", much like Winterfair Gifts. Simply put, too much time has passed between Diplomatic Immunity and this book. Thus, although this is a good book, it is missing so much critical information that at the very dramatic ending, you simply feel ripped off. And that is too bad, because if those "missing time" books were there, then the ending certainly would have had more of an impact. This book deserves to be on your "Miles" shelf, but either Bujold feels about Miles as Agatha Christie once did about Poiroit, and she has tried to tie everything up in a glop, or we deserve more books to fill in some huge gaps!

The best modern science fiction author

Another outstanding novel from Lois McMaster Bujold. When I was young I thought the great science fiction and fantasy masters were Asimov, Tolkein, and Heinlein. I would now add Bujold to that group and would probably put her ahead of Heinlein. Miles Vorkosigan is the best character in modern science fiction. This book, once again, extrapolates current science to create an interesting backdrop to an excellent plot and excellent characters.

Great to have him back

It was a darn good yarn. Like sitting down with an old friend-- it was great hearing Gardner bring Bujold's BEST character back. Hope she keeps them coming.

Always an entertaining trad

As usual the sorry be is fun with twists and strong personalities throughout. And the narrator brings a real life to each character.

While maybe not the most thought provoking story, unlike some of the other series which can seem to drag on after the first several books, I can always rely on one of these books to be easy and enjoyable listening.

Cyroburn, a good read!

I will say from the first that I am a big fan of Lois McMaster Bujold and particularly of her Miles Verkosigan series. But this one is very well done. enough action, lots of Miles at his "best" as an Imperial Auditor, and plenty of good story. It injects a bit of "serious" at the end that is heart wrenching in a way that no other series can approach. the most dreaded words Miles could ever hear.

"Count Vorkosigan, Sir!"

thank you Lois! Please continue this story! it really is wonderful!