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Winterfair Gifts  By  cover art

Winterfair Gifts

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

This Hugo-nominated novella adds a delightful extra chapter to Bujold's acclaimed Vorkosigan series. Falling in between the novels A Civil Campaign and Diplomatic Immunity, it describes the wedding of Miles and Ekaterin and the events leading up to it.

In the festive season of Winterfair on the planet Barrayar, Lord Miles Vorkosigan is making elaborate preparations for his wedding. The long-awaited event stirs up romance and intrigue among his eccentric family and friends, particularly for bioengineered space mercenary Sergeant Taura and shy, diffident Armsman Roic. But Miles also has an enemy who is plotting to turn the romantic ceremony into a festival of death.

Winterfair Gifts offers another of Bujold's witty, character-centered science-fiction plots with a twist of romance.

Hi-fi sci-fi: listen to more in the Vorkosigan saga.
©2004 Lois McMaster Bujold (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Miles is one of the most enjoyable characters in science fiction." ( School Library Journal)

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


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What listeners say about Winterfair Gifts

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I like this one

When I started the series I didn't really leave the drills and a couple of them look pretty good number 11 was really good I thought but this one I think might be my favorite yes

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Very sweet!

A sweet story, with some romance and a little peril, but overall very heartwarming. Quite interesting to have it told completely in the POV of one of the Vorkosigan armsmen. And I loved Taura’s part in it all!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A treat for fans

I was thrilled to see Taura play a starring role in this story, as well to have a glimpse of Miles and Ekaterin's wedding. My only regret is that I have only one book left before I'm at an end to this excellent series. I'll just have to start at the beginning and listen to them all again. More Miles!

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A wedding to remember

Where does Winterfair Gifts rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is top drawer short story that fills in a gap in the storyline.

Who was your favorite character and why?

No specific favorite. All fit together in the story wonderfully.

What about Grover Gardner’s performance did you like?

Excellent job.

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Excellent

True return to form after the last two books slumped into a lack of action/sci-fi and complete focus on romance. This short book excellently compacts all - the fiction, romance, and some action.

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Very Enjoyable

Nice story that fits in to the Vorkosigan saga well. It makes a nice time in with Mile's old life and his new life.

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It's a wedding story

Miles gets married and Sgt Tara makes a friend. Don't give a hoot about Miles et al, but Sgt Tara gets all my empathy.

A kind-hearted story and a sympathetic new(ish) back-country protagonist overcoming his narrow-minded upbringing.

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Ties up the loose ends

For Vorkosigan fans, this short story about Miles and Ekaterine's wedding is delightful. It features Guardsman Roic and Sergeant Taura and gives us a quick view of other favorite chatacters as well.

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Sorrow and Joy

This might be the most tender of the Vorkosigan canon. Tarrin is an amazing character and this deals with the very different limits of her life and what that means to everyone around her. Most of Lois' work is deeply funny. There's humor here, and completion, but a deeper sorrow than in most of her work. But don't not read it for that. You do want to read it.

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  • Overall
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Such a lovely, and happy, story.

These characters deserve some happiness! I'm glad to see that they got some! Well worth it for the giggles too!

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1 person found this helpful