"Mountains of Mourning" & The Vor Game

[flourish]

I fail at discussion-starting.

Any initial thoughts on these readthroughs? Here's a couple of mine:

Mountains of Mourning

• This is the first time we actually learn about the Dendarii hill country, but it ultimately becomes pretty important in the series, both as character background for Miles and as a metaphor for Barrayar.
• This is also the first time we learn about the extent to which Barrayar is filled with subsistence farmers. We've heard it before, but it's different to see it. Specifically, until now, we've seen Barrayar as a place that's essentially in the 20th century or a little advanced with regard to technology. Here, we see that those technological advances are actually very recent, and haven't filtered down.
• How much is this based on Appalachia?

The Vor Game

• Apparently, the US armed forces genuinely do have a place that's the equivalent of Kyril Island.
• Is there something special about Miles' affinity for drains? Other than the fact that he's so small. I wonder whether his eventual Lord Auditor status could be considered the equivalent to being a "plumber," the "fix-it man." :P
• It's so clear that this is the other half of The Warrior's Apprentice in theme, not just for Miles but for Gregor. Seeing Gregor in this book makes me regret very much that we don't get to see him in The Warrior's Apprentice.
• Is Metzov intended as a dark mirror of Miles' father? 

What are your thoughts?

I should add: We press on on July 15 to Cetaganda and "Labyrinth," which I think are thematically connected enough to read together.

Comments

[tel]

I think Gregor's coming of age is only half the story, though. The main focus of the book is what a crap ensign Miles makes :P

[cjk1701]

Yes, but I'm biased and don't like Miles much until Memory, so I chose to pay attention to the non-Miles bits first and foremost. :)

I wonder what kind of ensign Aral was. And what kind he would have made had his older brother been alive and Piotr not there to desperately impress.

[krait]

Heh, yes. I think that "well, there's a start on the insubordination problem" line was pretty telling! :D Miles will never make a good ensign.

(And will probably never be the best at commanding ordinary men; he does his best work, it seems to me, with the extraordinary ones. Be they extraordinarily bad/troubled -- Baz, Arde, Cavilo -- or extraordinarily good and driven -- Quinn, Tung.)