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queensthiefIf you don't know who Miles Vorkosigan is, he's the protagonist of the Vorkosigan books, written by Lois McMaster Bujold. For this comparison I've mainly used him as presented in A Civil Campaign.
Similarity 1: Neither of them give up.
'"Because the king will not quit, Teleus," said Ornon as he joined them. "You must have noticd," he said. "He whines, he complains, he ducks out of the most obvious responsibility. He is vain, petty, and maddening, but he doesn't quit." Ornon shrugged. "Ever."
"He may not quit, but he will lose."
"Oh, I wouldn't put my money on it. I've seen him suffer setbacks." Ornon looked at the queen and away. "I have never seen him, in the end, lose. He just persists until he comes out ahead. No match is finished for him until he hwas won." Ornon shrugged expressively. "He won't quit, and he won't thank you for interfering."'-- p. 372, King of Attolia
Compare with this:
'"Do you know all those old folk tales where the count tries to get rid of his only daughter's unsuitable suitor by giving him three impossible tasks?"
"Yes..."
"Don't ever try that with Miles. Just... don't."'-- p. 325, A Civil Campaign
Similarity 2: Both are ambiguously viewed from the point of view of someone who is trying to decide the truth about them. Eugenides is viewed from Costis's point of view, who, during the course of the story, is given the above gem of wisdom by Ornon the ambassador. Miles is viewed from Ekaterin Vorsoisson's point of view, who, during the course of their story, is given the other above gem of wisdom by Simon Illyan. Both Costis and Ekaterin discover that there is more to their respective subjects than meets the eye.
Similarity 3: Both have recently undergone significant bodily trauma that caused major life changes, including changes in occupation. Eugenides had his hand cut off, and as a direct result of the subsequent war became King of Attolia. Miles was killed, and as a direct result of the consequent seizures, lost his position in ImpSec and became an Imperial Auditor. Both are still trying to come to terms, more or less, with these changes. Both are also newly involved in politics and policy, Eugenides as king, Miles as the Count's Voice.
Similarity 4: Both are living secretive love lives. Eugenides is concealing from the entire Attolian court that he and his wife are deeply in love; Miles is concealing from his future wife that he is in love with her. Both these secrets are revealed to the respective parties in the dark by the end of the book.
Similarity 5: Both of them are very, very sneaky. Eugenides managed to bluff his way into the megaron at Ephrata to capture the queen; Miles managed to bluff his way into becoming admiral of the (nonexistent) Free Dendarii Mercenaries. Eugenides then used this position of power to become king; Miles then used this position of power to actually create the Free Dendarii Mercenaries.
Similiarity 6:
"Dear Madame Vorsoisson, it began, I am sorry.
This is the eleventh draft of this letter. They've all started with those three words, even the horrible version in rhyme, so I guess they stay.
Her mind hiccuped to a stop. For a moment, all she could wonder was who emptied his wastebasket, and if they could be bribed. Pym, probably, and likely not. She shook the vision of her head, and read on."
Now think back to a similar plot to steal the Wedding Night Scene from Ms. Turner's wastebasket.
My conclusion: Attolia needs butterbugs.
Similarity 1: Neither of them give up.
'"Because the king will not quit, Teleus," said Ornon as he joined them. "You must have noticd," he said. "He whines, he complains, he ducks out of the most obvious responsibility. He is vain, petty, and maddening, but he doesn't quit." Ornon shrugged. "Ever."
"He may not quit, but he will lose."
"Oh, I wouldn't put my money on it. I've seen him suffer setbacks." Ornon looked at the queen and away. "I have never seen him, in the end, lose. He just persists until he comes out ahead. No match is finished for him until he hwas won." Ornon shrugged expressively. "He won't quit, and he won't thank you for interfering."'-- p. 372, King of Attolia
Compare with this:
'"Do you know all those old folk tales where the count tries to get rid of his only daughter's unsuitable suitor by giving him three impossible tasks?"
"Yes..."
"Don't ever try that with Miles. Just... don't."'-- p. 325, A Civil Campaign
Similarity 2: Both are ambiguously viewed from the point of view of someone who is trying to decide the truth about them. Eugenides is viewed from Costis's point of view, who, during the course of the story, is given the above gem of wisdom by Ornon the ambassador. Miles is viewed from Ekaterin Vorsoisson's point of view, who, during the course of their story, is given the other above gem of wisdom by Simon Illyan. Both Costis and Ekaterin discover that there is more to their respective subjects than meets the eye.
Similarity 3: Both have recently undergone significant bodily trauma that caused major life changes, including changes in occupation. Eugenides had his hand cut off, and as a direct result of the subsequent war became King of Attolia. Miles was killed, and as a direct result of the consequent seizures, lost his position in ImpSec and became an Imperial Auditor. Both are still trying to come to terms, more or less, with these changes. Both are also newly involved in politics and policy, Eugenides as king, Miles as the Count's Voice.
Similarity 4: Both are living secretive love lives. Eugenides is concealing from the entire Attolian court that he and his wife are deeply in love; Miles is concealing from his future wife that he is in love with her. Both these secrets are revealed to the respective parties in the dark by the end of the book.
Similarity 5: Both of them are very, very sneaky. Eugenides managed to bluff his way into the megaron at Ephrata to capture the queen; Miles managed to bluff his way into becoming admiral of the (nonexistent) Free Dendarii Mercenaries. Eugenides then used this position of power to become king; Miles then used this position of power to actually create the Free Dendarii Mercenaries.
Similiarity 6:
"Dear Madame Vorsoisson, it began, I am sorry.
This is the eleventh draft of this letter. They've all started with those three words, even the horrible version in rhyme, so I guess they stay.
Her mind hiccuped to a stop. For a moment, all she could wonder was who emptied his wastebasket, and if they could be bribed. Pym, probably, and likely not. She shook the vision of her head, and read on."
Now think back to a similar plot to steal the Wedding Night Scene from Ms. Turner's wastebasket.
My conclusion: Attolia needs butterbugs.
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Date: 6/20/07 05:02 am (UTC)It was mostly never written because the logistics of making it make sense terrified me. But also because the thought of Miles and Gen in the same universe could quite likely make the universe explode from the sheer brilliant awesomeness.
(Of course, Gen hates the army while Miles is military-mad; and Gen ducks out responsibility while Miles gives himself ulcers from taking on far more than he can handle; but I would still swear by all that's holy that Gen is more of Miles's brother than Mark is!)
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Date: 6/20/07 05:04 am (UTC)I think we contemplated at one point what a conversation between Irene and Ekaterin would be like.
And Ivan could come along. And hit on Agape and Heiro. And they could gang up to drop him in the fountain.
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Date: 6/20/07 05:11 am (UTC)I think Ivan would get along well with Aulus and Boagus. They could share stories about putting up with their maddening cousins.
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Date: 6/20/07 05:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 6/20/07 01:23 pm (UTC)Miles was killed, then frozen, then healed. Just for anyone who wasn't sure about that.
Lies - they both lie but Miles feels badly when he does. We've never seen any such attacks of conscience from Gen. Miles's lies cost him his career in ImpSec, but Gen is such an accomplished liar that he seems to get away with everything. I suppose his lies nearly cost him Irene's love when she felt she couldn't believe him.
Both have physical disabilities that some might find repulsive, but not the beautiful women who love them.
*loveslovesloves that letter Miles writes*
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Date: 6/20/07 01:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 6/20/07 01:28 pm (UTC)Aulus would kick Ivan's ass.
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Date: 6/20/07 01:39 pm (UTC)And it would be interesting to see what Simon Illyan and Relius made of each other.
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Date: 6/20/07 01:41 pm (UTC)And they're all pretty since Ekaterin redesigned them so it would work even better! And Gen could give them to her! Oooooooh!
*bows to Checkers's genius*
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Date: 6/20/07 01:42 pm (UTC)You should read Cordelia's Honor, too. It's the prequel about Cordelia and Aral.
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Date: 6/20/07 01:49 pm (UTC)Stop, stop, you're all eating hideous bug stuff! :D
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Date: 6/20/07 02:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 6/20/07 03:04 pm (UTC)I think I'm going to be contemplating that one for the rest of the day--if not the week.
You should really write it, you know.
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Date: 6/20/07 03:18 pm (UTC)>.> Maybe when exams are over.
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Date: 6/20/07 03:21 pm (UTC)I think Ivan does it, too. I love Ivan.
Simon Illyan and Relius would be incredible together. Also Galeni and Tellus?
Costis and Armsman Roic? I'm sure they could commiserate for hours.
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Date: 6/20/07 03:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 6/20/07 04:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 6/20/07 04:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 6/20/07 04:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 6/20/07 04:40 pm (UTC)*adores civil campaign*
That quote - the one about three impossible tasks, is one of my favourites. It's up there with the 'dazzled by the tinsel of neo-fascism' one and several others.
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Date: 6/20/07 04:43 pm (UTC)Also adores Ivan and believes that he has hidden depths.
I agree about Aunt Alys too. I'd love to see a Cordelia type character in the Queen's Thief books.
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Date: 6/20/07 04:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 6/20/07 04:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 6/20/07 05:09 pm (UTC)Ivan and Aris, perhaps? Sidekick character who'd really rather just stay out of trouble but keeps getting dragged into it?
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Date: 6/20/07 05:12 pm (UTC)But Miles has superior firepower. He could call down the Dendarii (or ImpSec, or the Vorkosigan Armsmen, or just his Amazonian girlfriends!) and make things go boom!
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Date: 6/20/07 05:16 pm (UTC)I tried to be the thief of you, to ambush and take prisoner what I thought I could never earn or be given. You were not a ship to be hijacked, but I couldn't think of any other plan but subterfuge and surprise.
Word-for-word what Gen might have felt or said to Irene in Queen of Attolia...
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Date: 6/20/07 05:43 pm (UTC)* Moves Miles back near the top of the Summer Reading List *
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Date: 6/20/07 06:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 6/20/07 06:18 pm (UTC)Miles and Gen are both short, and neither is happy about it. Just a random thought. Another random thought, I should say.
*pulls out A Civil Campaign to reread Miles's entire letter*
too wordy; I need an editor
Date: 6/20/07 10:23 pm (UTC)(For those of you that are just discovering these, all of the Vorkosigan books can be read out of order. I did and I loved them all. The first one I read was Komarr which is one of the later ones. I didn’t own them…then. I was checking them out of the library. I then decided to read the others in order so I read Cordelia’s Honor next. These two are still my favorites. The others I read every which way, because the one I wanted next was always checked out so I would read a different one instead. I am not sure whether I liked Komarr and Cordelia’s Honor best because I read them first or because I liked the feminine viewpoint better. In Cordelia’s Honor (Barrayar portion) there is a line about Bothari sharpening his knife to “molecular sharpness”. Aaahhh! I love Bujold’s (and MWT’s, of course) word selections and this is one of my favorites.
And if you haven’t read her more recent fantasies The Curse of Chalion, Paladin of Souls, and Hallowed Hunt you are in for a treat. I liked the first one best…do you notice a trend…but they have all held up well to remorseless rereading. In fact, I liked the latter two better on rereading than the first time around. I am withholding judgment on her latest book, The Sharing Knife (Beguilement, Vol. 1) until I read the second volume which will be out shortly. Her use of language just sucks you in, but the first volume doesn’t really stand alone satisfactorily.)
Anyway, back, sort of, to the subject. When I read the part in KoA where Costis looks at the drugged Eugenides’ face and realizes how much stress is always otherwise present, it reminded me a lot of the scene in Chapter 14 of Komarr when Ekaterin is administered fast-penta.
Then there is something about the apropos-of-nothing nature of the lines about Heiro’s earrings that have always sort of reminded me of Miles’ remark about Galeni’s boots. In Brothers in Arms (and incidentally shoulder to shoulder with the Galeni’s remark about the “glittering tinsel of neo-fascism”) Miles comments factiously, “What, it wasn’t for the spiffy boots?” Then in Kommarr when explaining why Galeni has taken Imperial service Miles again jokes, “We agreed that it was the shiny boots that turned the trick.”
And last but not least, in Chapter 21 of Komarr Ekaterin thinks, “For all his apparent self revealing babble, the man remained elusive as a handful of water. Water in the desert.”
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Date: 6/21/07 12:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 6/21/07 08:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 6/21/07 04:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 6/21/07 06:36 pm (UTC)*is cyro-revived*
*runs off to read Vokosigan/Attolia fic*
~Feir Dearig
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Date: 7/18/07 05:39 am (UTC)am depressed that conversation finally ends after I run off to library, read books to be able to understand what everyone's talking about, and return to find conversation over.
*sobs*
Must go get butterbug tub and spoon to feel better (aurghlgh!)