June Books 32) The Vorkosigan Companion, edited by Lilian Stewart Carl and John Helfers

It will be fairly obvious that I spent most of the weekend sitting in the garden reading in the wonderful weather we have been having; my back is still not completely right so I have been taking it easy. I am relieved to report that this book brings me to the end of my Hugo reading, as the only other nominee in its category is an art book which I am not going to buy. (Though if anyone wants to send me a review copy...)

It feels a bit elegiac, and if anything belated, to look at a handbook to Bujold's Vorkosigan universe. It is five years since the latest story of the cycle was published, and the most recent novel came out in 2001. Bujold continues to publish, but has switched to fantasy these days, and her silence about the likelihood of a return to the world of Miles and his family is increasingly deafening edited to add see thette and papersky's comments below for the latest on this.

I must say we do a brisk trade in this house of lending the books out to visitors, who usually return them gratefully, asking for more and complimenting us on our taste; and they are favourites to reread as well.

The Companion is rather thin for its price. It starts with several interesting bits from Bujold herself, but then has some not very inspiring essays on various aspects of her works. The best by far is Marna Nightingale's description of Bujold fandom; I'll shout out also to Doug Muir for his introduction to The Warrior's Apprentice. But I couldn't really recommend the book to anyone who is not a Bujold completist, and I'm afraid it goes fourth on my Hugo ballot for Best Related Book, which therefore looks like this:

1. Rhetorics of Fantasy
2. What It Is We Do When We Read Science Fiction
3. Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded
4. The Vorkosigan Companion