Science fiction is a genre of speculative fiction that has been called the "literature of ideas". It typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, time travel, parallel universes, fictional worlds, space exploration, and extraterrestrial life. It often explores the potential consequences of scientific innovations.
The Vorkosigan Saga is a series of science fiction novels and short stories set in a common fictional universe by American author Lois McMaster Bujold. The first of these was published in 1986 and the most recent in May 2018. Works in the series have received numerous awards and nominations, including five Hugo award wins including one for Best Series.
Barrayar is a science fiction novel by American writer Lois McMaster Bujold. It was first published as four installments in Analog in July–October 1991, and then published in book form by Baen Books in October 1991. Barrayar won both the Hugo Award for Best Novel and the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel in 1992. It is a part of the Vorkosigan Saga, and is the seventh full-length novel of the series, in publication order. Barrayar is a direct sequel to Bujold's first novel, Shards of Honor (1986), and the two are paired in the 1996 omnibus Cordelia's Honor.
Note: Aral Vorkosigan served as Regent for the underage Emperor Gregor Vorbarra during his minority. This lasted from the Death of Ezar till Gregor turned twenty, some 16 years later.
Aral Vorkosigan is a fictional character appearing in American writer Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga series of science fiction books. Known throughout this universe as "The Butcher of Komarr", he dominates the imagination of the two main point-of-view characters in the Vorkosigan Saga, Cordelia, who becomes his wife, and their son Miles. He appears, at least briefly or as an important if absent figure, in all the novels of the series except Cetaganda, Ethan of Athos and Falling Free. He also provides the narrative framework for the presentation of three short stories in Borders of Infinity.
Emperor Yuri acquired his nickname by virtue (or vice) of being an extreme paranoid who was so worried about others stealing his power that he sent death squads to kill everyone within the Imperial Blood Line. Aral Vorkosigan witnessed Yuri's death squad execute his mother and other relatives when Emperor Yuri sent a squad to kill the Vorkosigan descendants of Prince Xav, Yuri's half-brother.
Following the murder of Aral's mother, Aral's father, Count Piotr Vorkosigan, joined forces with Ezar Vorbarra in opposition to Emperor Yuri, beginning what would become known as Emperor Yuri's Civil War. When Yuri was finally captured, Ezar orchestrated an elaborate execution for him in which the principal members of the insurgence collectively dismembered Yuri, with young Aral striking the first blow.
- Reign (unknown till Aral Vorkosigan was roughly 13 years old.)
Younger son of Emperor Dorca Vorbarra, half-brother to the Mad Emperor Yuri. Diplomat, ambassador to Beta Colony, from where he brought his wife. One of his daughters was Olivia Vorbarra Vorkosigan, General Count Piotr Vorkosigan's wife and Aral Vorkosigan's mother; the other was Lord Padma Vorpatril's mother.
Vorbarra by Marriage
Kareen Vorbarra
Crown Princess Kareen was the mother of now (as of Diplomatic Immunity) Emperor Gregor, and the wife of Crown Prince Serg. Prior to her husband's death she encouraged a not-entirely platonic relationship with Count Vidal Vordarian, hoping that upon the death of her father-in-law, Emperor Ezar Vorbarra, Count Vordarian would be able to protect her from her husband Serg's cruelty and depravities.
Upon the death of Prince Serg, Count Vordarian first sought to insinuate himself into power through his open courtship of the now Dowager Crown Princess Kareen. Kareen for her part, sought to let the relationship cool, as she no longer needed protection from her husband.
When Emperor Ezar died, Count Vordarian first sought to again exploit his relationship with Kareen to have himself appointed as Regent of Barrayar. When Aral Vorkosigan, Ezar's choice, was appointed by the Council of Counts, Vordarian and his conservative Vor allies fomented a coup d'état, since called Vordarian's Pretendership, in which he seized the Imperial Residence and sought to marry Kareen and have himself declared Regent for her son, the child-emperor Gregor. Loyalists were able to rescue Gregor from the residence, although Vordarian led Kareen to believe he had been killed in the attempt. At that point, Vordarian declared himself Emperor, and compelled Kareen to share his bed, with the intentions of marrying her to cement his claim to the throne.
Kareen was killed by a guard loyal to Vordarian when Cordelia Naismith was able to gain entry into the Imperial Residence and convince Kareen that her son had survived, at which point the emotionally wrought Kareen leveled a weapon at Vordarian.
Princess Kareen was described as pale, even wan, woman with a slender frame, dark eyes and beautiful dark hair that was always highly coiffed and elegant. She was in her early thirties at the time of her death.
Ludmilla "Drou" Droushnakovi was her personal bodyguard before Kareen transferred her services to Cordelia Vorkosigan. "Drou"'s daughter Kareen is named after the Princess.
Laisa Vorbarra (née Toscane)
Wife of Emperor Gregor. She is descended from a wealthy family from the planet Komarr; she holds a doctorate in finance.
Miles Naismith Vorkosigan is a protagonist of a series of science fiction novels and short stories, known as the Vorkosigan Saga, written by American author Lois McMaster Bujold.
Captain Lord Ivan Vorpatril, also known as "That Idiot Ivan" or "Ivan, You Idiot", is a fictional character in American writer Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga series of science fiction novels. He is Miles Vorkosigan's second cousin, foil, burden, workhorse, and - before Miles has children - his formal heir. He is everything Miles is not - tall, handsome, and athletic. He waltzed into the military academy and waltzed right back out into one plum posting after another. He inhabits any uniform - even the Dendarii's - like a second skin.
Komarr is a fictional planet in Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga series of novels and stories.
Simon Illyan is a fictional character in the Vorkosigan Saga science fiction novels by Lois McMaster Bujold.
Sergyar is one of the three planets that comprise the Barrayaran Empire in the Vorkosigan Saga. The other planets are Barrayar and Komarr. The entire planet has been said to be the personal property of Barrayaran Emperor Gregor Vorbarra.
Count is a title and position in the government of Barrayar in Lois McMaster Bujold's science fiction series the Vorkosigan Saga.
Count Piotr Vorkosigan is the father of Aral Vorkosigan and the grandfather of Miles Vorkosigan in the fictitious universe of the Vorkosigan Saga.
In Lois McMaster Bujold's sci-fi series, The Vorkosigan Saga, the Barrayaran Imperial Military Service is the national military force of the planet of Barrayar.
Cordelia Naismith is the name of two fictional characters by American writer Lois McMaster Bujold. One is from the science fiction series the Vorkosigan Saga. The other is the title character of the Victorian era Sherlock Holmes short story "The Adventure of the Lady on the Embankment" included in her anthology Dreamweaver's Dilemma.
Ekaterin Vorsoisson is a character in Lois McMaster Bujold's science fiction series, the Vorkosigan Saga. Her character is first introduced with the Vorsoisson surname, though it changes to Vorkosigan when she marries Miles.
Koudelka is the last name of several secondary characters in Lois McMaster Bujold's science fiction series, the Vorkosigan Saga.
Sergeant Konstantin Bothari is a character in the Vorkosigan Saga of science fiction novels by Lois McMaster Bujold. He is a deeply disturbed foot soldier and a classic example of an anti-hero.
Shards of Honor is an English language science fiction novel by Lois McMaster Bujold, first published in June 1986. It is a part of the Vorkosigan Saga, and is the first full-length novel in publication order. Shards of Honor is paired with Bujold's 1991 Barrayar in the omnibus Cordelia's Honor (1996).
A Civil Campaign: A Comedy of Biology and Manners is a science fiction novel by American writer Lois McMaster Bujold, first published in September 1999. It is a part of the Vorkosigan Saga, and is the thirteenth full-length novel in publication order. It is included in the 2008 omnibus Miles in Love. The title is an homage to the Georgette Heyer novel A Civil Contract and, like Heyer's historical romances, the novel focuses on romance, comedy, and courtship. It is dedicated to "Jane, Charlotte, Georgette, and Dorothy", likely the novelists Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë, Georgette Heyer, and Dorothy L. Sayers or Dorothy Dunnett.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
