Review: Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen, by Lois McMaster Bujold (mild spoilers)

[jeriendhal]

Summary: Three years after the death of her beloved husband, Aral Vorkosigan, Sergyar's Vicerine Countess Betan Survey Capt. (ret.) Cordelia Vorkosigan is finally emerging from her fog of grief to begin her life again for the third time. At 76 she's middle-aged for a Galactic, and serving Barrayar for the rest of her life isn't in her plans, but

Comments

[sraun]

Just got back from her reading / signing. She read from a new Penric story.

In the Q&A, she said that the relationship between Jole & Aral goes back to when she was first writing The Vor Game, and that there have been the occasional off-hand not-quite-pointers to it since then. But they've all be seen by Miles, and he's ... got a little blind spot when it comes to his parents.

I may have to re-read a bunch of the books to see if I can catch the references.

[jeriendhal]

Here's an excellent summary of Jole's appearances and references throughout the series, which works out to four times in a 17 book span.

[silver_chipmunk]

Thanks for that link, that was fascinating analysis. And your review is spot-on, too. I have to say, I wasn't as enchanted with this book as with others she's written, it seems too easy and smooth somehow. Yes, there is conflict, but very little really, and as you point out, for only one character.

[jayblanc]

I'd basically sum it up as "A pleasant and comfortable retirement for the series, that lets the space opera step back to allow the slice-of-life romance trappings of Bujold's writings take centre stage."