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Diplomatic
Immunity (a Miles Vorkosigan novel) by Lois McMaster Bujold check out website: www.earthlight.co.uk and www.simonsays.com
In a series of books that follow the progress of a young man determined to succeed against the odds, he has reached the age of thirty-two. In the process, he has had his skeleton replaced. That might be the
solution to one of his problems, but Bujold is merciless. She gives
him further problems - seizures caused by the cryogenic process that
preserved his tissues after he was killed in an earlier volume. As
a result his career has had to change tack. Miles is realistic and
adaptable.
There is also a chronology at the end of the volume providing a
useful addendum for those who require it. But beware, you may become
infected with a desire to read all the rest. Diplomatic Immunity begins with Miles and his new wife, Ekaterina, heading home after a honeymoon journey to Earth. (Miles met Ekaterina in Komarr and wooed her in A Civil Campaign). They are diverted to Graf Station where Miles, as Lord Auditor, is expected to sort out the mess that has arisen there. Graf Station is in Quaddie space. Quaddies are genetically engineered humans who have an extra set of arms instead of legs and were designed to work in free-fall situations. There is a great deal of tension and prejudice between Quaddies and
Downsiders (normal humans) which does not help the situation. First,
a Komarran went missing and when his blood is found in an airlock,
conclusions are jumped to. The military escort of the merchant ships
recalls all personnel. One man does not report as requested so the
military go to arrest him and find him co-habiting with a Quaddie.
That team is arrested when they try to remove him by force, a rescue
mission goes in all-guns blazing and loses there is a stand off. Miles is already working against time as he wants to get home before
his children are born (they are developing within replicators). There
is also a suggestion that the Cetagandans are in a state of agitation
(they once occupied Miles' home world of Barryar) and may declare
war. The situation is about to become more complicated as personnel
and cargoes are not what they claim to be. This is a fast-paced space opera. For Miles, it is also an exercise in detection and diplomacy. Don't expect it to be easy or straight forward. He solves problems because he has a lot of experience and background knowledge of the factors involved. He gets into situations because he is human with human failings. He makes mistakes but he also has the intelligence and audacity
to find a way around them. Because he is an evolving character,
expect something to make a profound impact on his future. Bujold has won Hugos for earlier books in this series. She still writes with fondness and freshness about her familiar characters. Pauline Morgan
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OTHER REVIEWS - February 2004
BOOKS The Outstretched Shadow by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory Diplomatic Immunity by Lois McMaster Bujold The Separation by Christopher Priest First Meetings In The Enderverse by Orson Scott Card Dragon Venom by Lawrence Watt-Evans The Dolphins Of Pern by Anne McCaffrey Reach For Tomorrow by Arthur C Clarke The Mammoth Book Of Best New SF # 16 edited by Gardner Dozois 1610: A Sundial In A Grave by Mary Gentle Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynn Truss Trading In Danger by Elizabeth Moon Richard Matheson: Collected Stories Vol. 1 edited by Stanley Wiater The Gates To Witchworld by Andre Norton Star Trek Deep Space Nine: Mission Gamma: Lesser Evil by Robert Simpson The Killing Of Worlds by Scott Westerfeld Star Trek: The Original Series: Gemini by Mike W. Barr MUSIC COMPUTER GAMES Wallace and Gromit - Project Zoo RPGs & WARGAMES MAGAZINES On Spec: The Canadian Magazine
Of The Fantastic vol 15 no. 2 & 3
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There
are very few authors who have the courage to persistently put at
centre stage a character who has obvious physical problems. Miles
Vorkosigan, the main protagonist, was born with stunted growth and
brittle bones after his mother was exposed to a chemical attack
while she was pregnant with him.
Although
this information is useful to the reader, it is not essential. Diplomatic
Immunity is a book that can be read in isolation from the rest
and enough information is given to make sense of the references
to earlier events. 
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