I liked the Miles Verosigan saga stories and of all of the winners, the VO game was probably one of my favorites. But does it deserve to be on the Hugo shelf with the masters? No.
The Vor Game (1990)
- ISBN:
- 9781476782232
- Length:
- 350 pages
Genres: science fiction
Lists: …
Similar books
Mirror Dance
Lois McMaster Bujold
1994 · 392 pages · 3 reviews
Others: Leaning positiveMark Vorkosigan hijacks a ship of the Dendarii Mercenaries and flies to the outlaw planet, Jackson's Whole, to destroy the clone creches where he was raised. The mission goes wrong and Miles, his host clonebrother, has to mount a rescue. "Not everyone would envy young Lord Miles Naismith Vorkosigan, even though he had formed his own mercenary fleet before attending the naval academy, and even though his mother was the beautiful Cordelia, the ship captain who has taught the Lords of Barrayar much about the perils of sexism. Even the fact that Miles is third in line to the throne and personally owns a major chunk of his home planet would not tempt any normal person to change places with him. When assassins came to rid the world of his father, his mother, pregnant with Miles, was in the line of fire, and Miles was but an egg for the omelet in an all too literal sense. Thanks to heroic medical intervention, Miles survived his near fatal brush with war gas--as a pain-filled dwarf with bones as weak and brittle as some malign composite of chalk and glass. Miles is often mistaken for a mutant by his mutant loathing countrymen. But there is one who does envy him, who wants to be him: his brother, his cloned stranger formed from tissue stolen from Miles when he was a child. For Mark Vorkosigan was created and raised up for only one purpose: to become Miles, to murder and replace him. In Brothers in Arms that conspiracy was routed and Mark made more or less compliant to his new Miles-less fate. But in the intervening years Mark has learned that without Miles he is... nothing. The new and better Mark doesn't really want to kill his brother, but still it may come to that: Mark to stay, Miles to go..." --Publisher's description.
Why?
What made the match, strongest first
Also science fiction79%Kalanadi loved bothPersonalize your recommendations21%Network Effect
Martha Wells
2020 · 333 pages · 8 reviews
Others: Overwhelmingly positiveMurderbot returns in its highly-anticipated, first, full-length standalone novel. You know that feeling when you’re at work, and you’ve had enough of people, and then the boss walks in with yet another job that needs to be done right this second or the world will end, but all you want to do is go home and binge your favorite shows? And you're a sentient murder machine programmed for destruction? Congratulations, you're Murderbot. Come for the pew-pew space battles, stay for the most relatable A.I. you’ll read this century.
Why?
What made the match, strongest first
Also science fiction79%Kalanadi loved bothPersonalize your recommendations21%The Calculating Stars
Mary Robinette Kowal
2018 · 432 pages · 4 reviews
Others: Mostly positiveOn a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to Earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington, DC. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render Earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process. Elma York's experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition's attempts to put man on the moon, as a computer. But with so many skilled and experience women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn't take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can't go into space, too. Elma's drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her. This description comes from the publisher.
Why?
What made the match, strongest first
Also science fiction79%Kalanadi loved bothPersonalize your recommendations21%A Desolation Called Peace
Arkady Martine
2021 · 496 pages · 15 reviews
Others: Mostly positiveSequel to A Memory Called Empire. An alien armada lurks on the edges of Teixcalaanli space. No one can communicate with it, no one can destroy it, and Fleet Captain Nine Hibiscus is running out of options. In a desperate attempt at diplomacy with the mysterious invaders, the fleet captain has sent for a diplomatic envoy. Now Mahit Dzmare and Three Seagrass—still reeling from the recent upheaval in the Empire—face the impossible task of trying to communicate with a hostile entity. Whether they succeed or fail could change the fate of Teixcalaan forever.
Why?
What made the match, strongest first
Also science fiction80%Kalanadi loved bothPersonalize your recommendations20%Ancillary Justice
Ann Leckie
2013 · 409 pages · 12 reviews
Others: Leaning positiveOn a remote, icy planet, the soldier known as Breq is drawing closer to completing her quest. Once, she was the Justice of Toren--a colossal starship with an artificial intelligence linking thousands of soldiers in the service of the Radch, the empire that conquered the galaxy. Now, an act of treachery has ripped it all away, leaving her with one fragile human body, unanswered questions, and a burning desire for vengeance. Sequels: Ancillary Sword; Ancillary Mercy.
Why?
What made the match, strongest first
Also science fiction80%Kalanadi loved bothPersonalize your recommendations20%Barrayar
Lois McMaster Bujold
1991 · 389 pages · 3 reviews
Others: MixedSequel to "Shards of Honor". The two were later published together under the title "Cordelia's Honor".
Why?
What made the match, strongest first
Also science fiction80%Kalanadi loved bothPersonalize your recommendations20%
Reviews2
It's completely worth reading to start from the beginning in internal chronological order to read all the way through and hit the books like these that have won these awards because it's the height of Bold. They're so good.





