rikercoleman's Reviews (96)

Moving and profound. It’s interesting to read looking back at the contemporary issues LeGuin is writing from—namely the Vietnam War and the nascent environmentalist movement. This is a really clear picture of how science fiction is written in the context of history, which I thought was interesting. 

Really enjoyed this. I suspect that reading the first book in the series first might have helped (supposedly this is the second in a series) but this was just a lot of fun. Hilarious, adventurous, and real. 

Solid, if depressing, look at the tactics of fascism as they were used historically and as they are being used today. 

It was interesting to come back to this book after 10+ years. I remembered the major twist, but not the subtle politics behind the war machine. 

Lots of fun. The dolphin names were a bit hard to keep straight, but I really enjoyed this. The concept is extremely unique, and I liked the adventure. 

Excellent. Tackles the ethical question of the use of violence against oppression while telling an excellent story. 

The story feels both well-polished and emotionally raw. I think it doesn’t land as well for a modern audience as when it was written, but I found it well written and moving in its intensity. 

It was okay. The dark ambition of the main character is interesting, although I didn’t find it all that compelling. 

Fun romp. Miles Vorkosigan is at his best when he’s cleverly solving some problem in a way that no one else likes.