I do like the two messages Nikki gives Miles, from Uncle Gregor and the Emperor, very nice. Also, you've introduced me to some new words describing bits of architecture, for which I thank you. Incidentally, I also am enjoying the scattering of proverbial sayings in this fic, which give it an air of solidity and tradition.
Thanks again. Architecturally I must confess to having raided a technical dictionary for that ruined alure and machicolations, though I knew what sort of words I wanted. The same book taught me 'voussoirs', which pleased me so much it crept in to the next section.
And yes, proverbs, aphorisms &c. are an interesting element of world building. LMB is very good at it, and while sometimes you can see the adaptation from something familiar, sometimes it just seems like Barrayaran originals. I'm still working in that!
Fair enough--I am of course skipping *very* lightly over much that would be politically necessary ... But then again, it's not as if LMB usually bothers us with those details, and I could put up a case (as Miles summarily does, in his own way)that Barrayaran ministers are really no more than senior civil servants. Gregor makes policy--and one thing I *am* doing is taking seriously what absolute rule means, as both Barrayarans and Cetagandans do, in spades.
I feel more and more sorry for the Professora as this weekend continues. It's a dream come true for her, of course, but with every thing that happens, you can feel her desperate need to sit every last Vorkosigan down, wring as much history out of them as possible, and then use the information to write several rather more accurate and in depth biographies of various Vorkosigans and Vorbarras than the bland security-cleared ones currently available. The way pretty much every snippet of information she is acquiring comes with the implication of another story she hasn't been told, plus the security blackout covering pretty much everything said and unsaid must be infuriating her
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In my mind (and I think in my text, somewhere) the change of name was Nikki's decision, and related directly to discovering what his biofather's genetic legacy really means for his dreams of jump-piloting. I think Vassily just got told by Nikki what he had decided to do, and after his previous experience with trying to impede Ekaterin and Nikki had the good sense to keep his head as far down as he could while nodding complete acquiescence.
I'm really enjoying the story. This chapter had a couple of things that felt out of place/wrong - and they were a line apart, which is why I was prompted to write about it
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Hi Cruiser/Bob!!, and welcome aboard the Peaceful Vorkosiverse. I'm delighted you're enjoying the tale (and very happy to get a real comment -- my last half-dozen LJ notifications have turned out to be ******* spambots).
You make good points, but I'm not sure I'm persuaded. I have the Professora being warier with Aral, in just the manner you suggest, but I think her situation with Cordelia is a little different. Remember that Cordelia responds very positively to her first encounter with the Professora, on the night of the disastrous dinner party in ch. 9 of A Civil Campaign : in ch. 10 she says to Mark that "Aral and I had an extremely enlightening talk with Professor and Professora Vorthys--now, there's a woman with her head screwed on straight", and during the proposal scene in ch. 19 Miles sees the two older women exchange loaded looks, and suddenly wonders what they've been up to without him knowing (or Lois reporting). I allude to that somewhere, with a line about both women having enjoyed shepherding manic son and wounded niece
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Reading your arguments regarding the Professora & Cordelia, I'm persuaded by them. Having been a while since I read ACC, I hadn't remembered that detail, and well, exchanging vids isn't as quick a way to become close friends, but it's certainly not unreasonable, especially given Cordelia's comments about the Professora having her head screwed on straight.
Very much enjoying the Professora POV. I too was recalling that bit in ACC where the two women exchange looks and Miles wonders what's been going on between them behind the scenes.
Helen really grew on me, partly for herself and her congenially academic mind, but also as a p-o-v with slightly more distance on Miles and Ekaterin. I had thought I'd have a lot of chs from Ekaterin's angle, but as things progressed Helen became a preferred substitute and works better, I think.
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And yes, proverbs, aphorisms &c. are an interesting element of world building. LMB is very good at it, and while sometimes you can see the adaptation from something familiar, sometimes it just seems like Barrayaran originals. I'm still working in that!
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In my mind (and I think in my text, somewhere) the change of name was Nikki's decision, and related directly to discovering what his biofather's genetic legacy really means for his dreams of jump-piloting. I think Vassily just got told by Nikki what he had decided to do, and after his previous experience with trying to impede Ekaterin and Nikki had the good sense to keep his head as far down as he could while nodding complete acquiescence.
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You make good points, but I'm not sure I'm persuaded. I have the Professora being warier with Aral, in just the manner you suggest, but I think her situation with Cordelia is a little different. Remember that Cordelia responds very positively to her first encounter with the Professora, on the night of the disastrous dinner party in ch. 9 of A Civil Campaign : in ch. 10 she says to Mark that "Aral and I had an extremely enlightening talk with Professor and Professora Vorthys--now, there's a woman with her head screwed on straight", and during the proposal scene in ch. 19 Miles sees the two older women exchange loaded looks, and suddenly wonders what they've been up to without him knowing (or Lois reporting). I allude to that somewhere, with a line about both women having enjoyed shepherding manic son and wounded niece ( ... )
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