Miles is off to a state funeral on Cetaganda, the generational enemy of Barrayar, but this being a Bujold book, nothing can be easy. He and his cousin Ivan arrive only to find themselves patsies in an epic Cetaganda treason; one which if it succeeds, will see war spill across the galaxy. As usual, it's up to Miles to discover the truth and set things right in the midst of murders, conspiracy, and war.

Bujold knows how to tell a story and keep the plot tense, but by far the most interesting character in this story is Cetagandan society itself. Though it has the trappings of Imperial China, it is actually an immense post-human genetic experiment, with power delicately balanced between genomic breeder matriarchs, the political-cultural contests of the Emperor, and the ghem-Lords who hold the guns. It's a unique and imaginative culture, and while I have no idea how it could evolve, it's plausible enough.

That said, these books are starting to fall into a pattern. Not that patterns are bad, and there are only a handful of major plots, but I'm looking for Bujold to mix it up in the next one. Maybe Miles will get credit for saving the day, maybe he'll be on the attack instead of the defensive, maybe he'll totally fuck it up. Still fun, still reading.