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The Vor Game  By  cover art

The Vor Game

By: Lois McMaster Bujold
Narrated by: Grover Gardner
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Publisher's summary

Miles Vorkosigan graduates from the Barrayaran Military Academy with high expectations of ship command, but is disappointed with an assignment as meteorologist to Lazkowski Base, an arctic training camp. His tenure in the windy, snow-covered north is cut short when Miles narrowly averts a massacre between the trigger-happy base commander and mutinous recruits. After a brief stay under 'house arrest', Miles is re-assigned to investigate a suspicious military build-up near a wormhole nexus. Reviving his undercover persona as mercenary Admiral Miles Naismith, his routine information-gathering duty expands to a rescue mission when the Emperor of Barrayar disappears during a political conference on a nearby space station. Miles must use his considerable negotiating skills to avoid a showdown between competing powers for control of the wormhole, find the Emperor, and watch his back for the arctic base commander seeking bloody vengeance.
©1990 Lois McMaster Bujold (P)2005 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

  • 2005 Audie Award Nominee, Science-Fiction
  • Hugo Award Winner, Best Novel, 1991

Featured Article: 12 of the Best Sci-Fi Series in Audio


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What listeners say about The Vor Game

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Finally!

Finally some of her Miles series is making it onto audio books. I read this entire series and I loved it. The Vor Game is a great example of the series and is a great moving book about honour and commitments. I recomend any of her books in this series, I have never been disappointed by any of them. Her characters fly from the pages, real and complete, pulling you along through the story as you want to see if Miles manages to succeed, or not. You never quite know for sure what the outcome will be, since he doesn't always get everything he hoped for.

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32 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Nice introdution to Author

This was the first book I have listened to by this author and I was pleasently surprised. I knew she was an award winning author but was a little afraid to read any of her stuff thinking it is more in the fantasy genre. I do love a good space opera and this was a excellent one I loved the characters and the wit that the lead character has. I also like the reader who I have listened to on other books he brings just the right cadence to his read. I highly recommend this book and hope more of this seris is put out for us to listen to.

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22 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great author, great book!

Lois McMaster Bujold is a great author and this book, like all those in the Vorkosigan series, is packed with wonderful characterizations and snappy writing - very readable/listenable and lots of fun. However, this book is several books into the series, so if you are not familiar with the character and backgrounds you might have tough time figuring out how you got here. Unfortunately this is currently the only Vorkosigan book Audible carries, so I suggest you hit the library or bookstore and pick up the first books in the series before listening. Start with 'Cordelia's Honor' and then 'Young Miles' and you'll be up to speed (and hooked!).

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

not much of a game

This book is your basic sappy space opera. Another reviewer loved the characters, but I was not impressed at all. If you have read much science fiction, you will have read lots of other books like this. The characters may be cute, or beautiful, or evil, but they all seem to be two dimensional. The kind of characters that get spray painted on the pages of books that seem to be pumped out by the pound. The plot relies on outragious (unbelievable) coincidence to tie itself togeather, without the background detail and structure to support itself. For example, the young emporer, being guarded by the most advanced security system in the known universe has no problem running away and getting lost. Not to worry about it though, in this book there is no coincidence too farfetched to return him home in safety.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

another great book, great narrator

I'm having a great time with the Miles Vorkosigan books...I must be, I'm gonna end up spending my yearly audio budget on 'em. Plots are pretty involved but not tough to follow, she sprinkles humor all through them, characters likable & believable. The narrator is excellent; pleasant voice, good pacing, just understated enough that he doesn't detract from the book, animated enough that he helps it come alive. I am a forever Grover Gardner fan.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Simple and light, but fun

This is a light read, nothing too complicated but it's a lot of fun. The character is interesting but rather generic, except for a physical deformity which doesn't affect the story much, though it did shape his character. The buildup to the ending was well done. The conclusion was grand.

Two things that bothered me... first, it was a sequel and I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the previous book. The events in this book didn't require the sequel but there were characters and relationships already established. Unfortunately I couldn't get the prequel on audio. Second, apparently our hero was a grand savior in the prequel, but he doesn't get much respect for it in this book. Either I'm missing something explained in that book, or the author broke logic a little to make this book work.

Anyhow, I enjoyed the story and there were several scenes that had me chuckling out loud. I'll be looking for other books in this series to make it to Audible.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Refreshing

Finally an action science fiction book that uses a realistic and fallible hero. I love the dry humour, and the fact that I have to think rather than just listen. A totally engaging storyline, supported by 3 dimensional characters and enough edge of the seat action to keep an old soldier interested. Lets hope you get the rest of the series on Audible in the near future, as this one has really whetted my appetitie. PS. Very happy with your product and service. You guys rock.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Wit and adventure

This is not the first time I've been priviledged to listen to one of Bujold's wonderful Miles Vorkosigan books on a long car trip; Bujold has always been my author of choice for my wife to read aloud to me while I drive.

With Gardner narrating, I was delighted to listen once again to the wry wit and snappy pacing in "The Vor Game". It's more lighthearted and adventurous than Bujold's fantasy novels, yet it continues to display the rich characterization one can reliably expect from this outstanding author.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Listen to 'Warrors Apprentice' First

Bujold is a multifacited writer and gets 'it' right. As another reviewer pointed out, 'The Vor Game' is fourth or fifth in the series and is preceeded by 'The Warrior's Apprentice' which is now available from audble. Listen to that first and then come back to this one. In 'The Vor Game', Miles is in his early twenties and is more mature and less frenetic. He's coming to understand that actions have consequences and some of his snap decisions in the earlier book come back to haunt him - just like in real life for the rest of us. I agree that there is some confuson when Miles shifts between personas. The personas are developed in the earlier book and mature in this one. In this book Bujold matures her concept of personal and individual honor which extends into the rest of her work.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Fast Paced, Fun and Engaging

I really liked this book. Unlike many books, this is tightly plotted so even though it is a space action book it does not have any glaring holes in it. The other thing I liked about it was that it was character driven and not driven by endless action sequences. The mental gymnastics keep my attention throughout.

I'd like to see more of these books as it is apparently part of a much longer series.

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5 people found this helpful