Bujold, Lois McMaster: (113) A Civil Campaign

Re-read Lois McMaster Bujold’s A Civil Campaign. Now that time’s given me some perspective on this, I actually like it less than I did when I wrote a review of it—though I still like it very much.

To put it in non-spoiler terms, I think my dissatisfaction boils down to the way external events truncate or remove some of the possibilities inherent in the early plot. The main example of this, in my view, is the resolution of the Vorrutyer subplot, but I do think that Ekaterin & Miles’ relationship ended up moving a bit faster that I would have preferred, as well. All the needed stages are gone through, and yet it still feels just a touch off.

Anyway, just tone down the gushing in my review a bit, is all. Now I shall sit here and twitch for Diplomatic Immunity. I’m being good, though—I read the first chapter that Baen put up as a snippet several months ago, but haven’t read any more; and I haven’t canceled my order at Amazon (which lists it as forthcoming) to put in an online order at Barnes & Noble (which has been shipping copies for several days now). I’ll have to avoid the local B&N, too; I don’t like their brick-and-mortar stores anyway, but I particularly loathe the local incarnation (what is it about slapping up a college name that makes B&N think it can blatantly rip you off?), and if it had copies, the temptation would be really terrible. (Though, you know, I could just read it in the store, since I’m buying a copy anyway . . . )