Cryoburn

2010

This is the latest installment in the adventures of Miles Vorkosigan and his stolid side-kick Armsman Roic.

In this story we are on the far planet of Kibou-dani where Miles and Roic have been sent to attend a conference on cryogenics hosted by a corporation that is intending to start a branch on the Imperial world of Komarr, the growth potential at home having come to its natural limit. Whispers had reached the Emperor via family connections of the corporation's rather unlikely tactics.

We open with Miles suffering a typically atypical reaction stuck in abandoned cryocatacombs. By the time he's recovered, he's ensconced in the roof-top eyrie of a young boy along with his unlikely menagerie.

From here Miles has to make contact with Roic, lost in the attack that had separated them, and the local Barayarran embassy. Also along for the ride is Dr Rowan Durona acting as a civilian contractor for Miles and Mark, who sails in as things start heating up.

Is this any good? Yes, though it's been eight years since the last Vorkosigan book Miles has clearly been active as an Imperial Auditor since we last looked at his case files so he's about the age he should be if he had really lived those years. Ms Bujold ends this book in the fashion that she so nearly started Diplomatic Immunity and the nature of this ending does seem to preclude the likelihood of a further sequel..

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