The Vorkosigan Companion

Master the Vorkosiverse!

"I've always tried to write the kind of book I most loved to read: character-centered adventure. Readers return to such books because those characters have become their friends, and there is no limit to the number of times you want to be with your friends again."
—Lois McMaster Bujold, from The Vorkosigan Companion.

It's the companion for everything Miles and Vorkosigan: Insightful essays, encyclopedic entries on the characters, the plots and—most of all—the fantastic world-building! Plus, an extensive story-behind-the-story essay on the creation of the books, and a Bujold mini-biography!

"Bujold mixes quirky humor with action [and] superb character development. [E]normously satisfying."
—Publishers Weekly

Cover Art by Darrell K. Sweet

Hardcover
This is a reference work about works of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

First printing, September 2008

Distributed by Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
The Vorkosigan companion / edited by Lillian Stewart Carl and John Helfers.
       p. cm.
  ISBN 1-4165-5603-6
  1. Bujold, Lois McMaster—Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Vorkosigan, Miles (Fictitious character)—Handbooks, manuals, etc. 3. Science fiction, American—Handbooks, manuals, etc.  I. Carl, Lillian Stewart. II. Helfers, John.

  PS3552.U397Z95 2009
  813'.54—dc22
                           2008032556

Pages by Joy Freeman (www.pagesbyjoy.com)
Printed in the United States of America

ISBN-13: 978-1-4165-5603-9
ISBN-10: 1-4165-5603-6

Copyright© 2008 by Tekno Books, Lillian Stewart Carl, and John Helfers

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.

A Baen Books Original
Baen publishing Enterprises
P.O. Box 1403
Riverdale, NY 10471
http://www.baen.com

Electronic version by WebWrights
http://www.webscription.net

Copyrights

Preface copyright © 2009 by Lois McMaster Bujold.

"Putting It All Together: Life, the Vorkosiverse, and Everything," copyright © 2009 by Lois McMaster Bujold.

"A Conversation with Lois McMaster Bujold," copyright © 2009 by Lillian Stewart Carl.

"Publishing, Writing, and Authoring: Three Different Things," copyright © 2009 by Lois McMaster Bujold.

"A Conversation with Toni Weisskopf," copyright © 2009 by John Helfers.

"Romance in the Vorkosiverse," copyright © 2009 by Mary Jo Putney.

"Biology in the Vorkosiverse and Today," copyright © 2009 by Tora K. Smulders-Srinivasan.

" 'What's the Worst Thing I Can Do to This Character?': Technology in the Vorkosiverse," copyright © 2009 by Ed Burkhead.

"Through Darkest Adolescence with Lois McMaster Bujold, or Thank You, but I Already Have a Life," copyright © 2009 by Lillian Stewart Carl.

"Forward to Falling Free," copyright © 2004 by James A. McMaster. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Forward to Shards of Honor," copyright © 2000 by James Bryant. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"More Than the Sum of His Parts: Forward to The Warrior's Apprentice," copyright © 2002 by Douglas Muir. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Forward to Ethan of Athos," copyright © 2003, revised version copyright © 2009 by Marna Nightingale. Reprinted by permission of the author.

"Come for the Bujold, Stay for the Beer: Science Fiction Writers as Occasions of Fandom," copyright © 2009 by Marna Nightingale.

"A Pronunciation Guide to the Vorkosigan Saga," copyright © 2009 by Suford Lewis.

"An Old Earther's Guide to the Vorkosigan Universe," copyright © 2009 by Denise Little.

"The Vorkosigan Saga Novel Summaries," copyright © 2009 by John Helfers.

"The Vorkosigan Saga Concordance," copyright © 2009 by Kerrie Hughes, John Helfers, and Ed Burkhead.

A Map of the Vorkosigan Universe <copyright language to come>

Timelines of the Vorkosigan Saga <copyright language to come from publisher>

A Brief Guide to Barrayaran Genealogy <copyright language to come from publisher>

BAEN BOOKS
by LOIS McMASTER BUJOLD

The Vorkosigan Saga:

Shards of Honor
Barrayar
The Warrior's Apprentice
The Vor Game
Cetaganda
Borders of Infinity
Brothers in Arms
Mirror Dance
Komarr
A Civil Campaign
Diplomatic Immunity

Falling Free
Ethan of Athos

Omnibus Editions:

Cordelia's Honor
Young Miles
Miles, Mystery & Mayhem
Miles Errant
Miles, Mutants & Microbes
Miles in Love