Lois McMaster Bujold is one of the top science fiction authors today and certainly one of my current favorites. Eleven of her novels, the first published in 1986, have focused on the life and career of Miles Vorkosigian, physcially challenged son of the second most prominent family on the planet Barrayar. His life has taken him all over the human-settled universe (called the Nexus) posited by Bujold; his activities leading a mercenary band and as an acknowledged soldier and, more recently, freelance representative (think combination Minister without Portfolio and Supreme Court Justice) of the Barrayaran Empire have brought him close to (and once back from) death.
Diplomatic Immunity takes place as Miles and new wife Ekaterina on the return leg of their honeymoon, beginning with a vague note from his boss the Emperor that sends them to Quaddiespace so Miles can resolve a potentially costly standoff. Quaddies are humans genetically altered to have four arms with the extra pair where you and I have legs; they were originally developed before (in this future) artificial gravity was developed and when their corporate masters attempted to throw them out as so much trash, escaped to make their own home–this was the subject of Bujold’s first novel, Falling Free.
Many of her loyal readers were wondering, hopefully, if Bujold would ever bring the Quaddies back and she tells a great story here that makes great use of them. Barrayarans are prejudiced against any person who is not fully, naturally human–Miles’ own physical differences, caused by his mother’s being poisoned while pregnant, have been a major source of difficulty through the years–and the Quaddies, with arms instead of legs, bring the attitude out in force. Which brings a blanket resentment and distrust of Miles and the Barrayarans from the Quaddies.
The first order of business is to reconstruct the sequence of events that necessitated Miles’ presence. The Admiral in charge of the trade fleet has one point of view and the Quaddie officials quite another. In the end, the explanation is quite different, involving Barrayar’s main opposing polity, the Cetagandans. Before the resolution, Miles is nearly assassinated when the villain (identity not known at the time) uses a power riveter as a machine gun and then later nearly dies after being poisoned with a bioweapon. Though to the surprise of no reader, he and Ekaterina make it home in time to attend the birth of their twins. Reproduction is different in the future.
Bujold has done a really good job here, matching smart opponents, bringing in the long-desired Quaddies, bringing back a major character we haven’t seen in many books (the Betan hermaphrodite Bel Thorn), and furthering the Barrayaran-Cetagandan relationship. The writing is familiar and, as usual, somewhat more dependant on exposition than really desirable. And I know that even though it will probably be 2004 at least before the next Vorkosigian novel appears, I’ll be jumping to read it.
Definitely recommended
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