Mirror Dance

A Miles Vorkosigan Novel

By: Lois McMaster Bujold

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Length: 18 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

Hugo Award Winner, Best Novel, 1995

The dwarfish, fetally damaged yet brilliant Miles Vorkosigan has more than his share of troubles. Having recently escaped an assassination plot whose tool was a brainwashed clone of himself, Miles has set the clone, Mark, free for a new chance at life. But when he decides to let his clone brother assume his secret identity and lead the Dendarii Free Mercenary on an unauthorized mission to liberate other clones from the outlaw planet of Jackson's Whole, things get really messy.

The mission goes awry, Miles' rescue attempt goes even more wrong, and Miles ends up killed and placed in cryogenic suspension for future resuscitation. Then, as if that weren't bad enough, the cryo-container is lost! Now it is up to the confused, disturbed Mark to either take Miles' place as heir of the Vorkosigan line or redeem himself by finding and saving Miles.

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

©1994 Lois McMaster Bujold (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"[A]s good a story as ever was offered as science fiction, with Bujold's carefully crafted prose, logical working out of even minor plot points, and inimitable wit all very much in evidence. Deserves the highest recommendation and a hoard of eager readers." (Booklist)

"[An] intricate and rousing new installment of the Vorkosigan adventures....Bujold creates a tapestry of variegated human societies dispersed throughout a colorful galaxy. She peoples it with introspective but genuine heroes who seize the reader's imagination and intellect." (Publishers Weekly)

One of my absolute favorite Vorkosigan books

Profoundly rich characterization, tremendous room for redemption, complex personalities, and a gripping, action-packed plot.

Mark makes some terrible choices, and grows into himself in a way that I find truly likeable in the ways Miles is not.

Miles' Dark Angel

I love this series.. and this is probably one of the best..
In this book we delve deeper into the mind of Mark, Miles' clone brother. On one had you loathe him for the reason why he was created, but these very skills save everyone.
You are on one hand always wanting to see if Mark is as special as Miles.. but in this case he exceeds all expectations.
After reading this you want to read more of Mark and his dark army! Lois, please write another (spin off?) book for Mark!

Miles Good, Mark Boring

I'm not a big fan of this kind of literary shift in a story. I'm invested in the story for Miles and I found this story to be frustrating to wade through. I will grant that the author did a good job in evolving Mark's character, but in the end she failed to get me to care enough about him to justify all the time spent listening to him whine about his lot in life. Unfortunately, this story has such a dramatic impact on all the characters that it is not something that can be skipped.

The Narrator, as always, does a good job of voicing the characters and makes the story bearable despite my issues with the characters.

Interesting Plots

Loved the way Bujold created the plots for the characters. I thought she did a great job getting Mark involved in the Vorkosigan stories. And, Grover Gardner is a terrific narrator, which made the whole thing great.

Touching addition to Vorkosigan saga

Some parts are hard to take, but all in all, another tour de force by Bujold. Touching the listeners emotions and shifting perceptions. Her work is many layered and continues to impress.

Should be an award winner!

Hard to use my puny skills at writing to describe her talent and this book. It is a masterpiece. Lois McMaster Bujold writings are everthng excellent literature ought to be...and more.

Another Step in the Vorkosigan Aaaga

This could be called The Evolution of Mark Vorkosigan. From screwing everything up to brilliantly solving it all, we see how Mark finds himself.

Written with her usual combination of action and humor, Bujold presents us with another masterpiece.

Vorkosigen Rocks

This is one of the best Si-Fi series I have read. The characters are just outstanding, the science is realistic, not crazy, and deals with how genetic manipulation and cloning could affect human relations. But Bujold has wonderful things to say about life and its struggles regardless of the Si-Fi, which she does with a deft, not a heavy hand. The plots are great. If you have read the series in order, this book will grab you and won't let you go. One of the most original plot ideas I have encountered, but if I say why, I will give away the storyline too much.. enjoy the series! The best place to start, available from Audible, is The Warriors Apprentice, but the series actually starts with Shards of Honor, and the universe she creates begins with Falling Free.. here is a link to her web site: http://www.dendarii.com/biblio.html

A Favorite in a Favorite Series

Oh my gosh, is this ever a great book! Grover Gardner, always excellent, does a downright fabulous job differentiating between Miles and Mark (not easy, since they’re clones). Lots of depth here, and action. Definitely one of my favorites in the series so far.

excellent voice and characterization

I loved how Miles and Mark were so similar but their voices and characters were so profoundly different. This book is longer than the previous Vorkosigan novels but it's definitely worth it!