The Vor GameThe Vor Game
Score Modern
What it's about
Miles Vorkosigan graduates from the Barrayaran Imperial Military Academy and gets the assignment he dreads: weather officer at a frozen arctic base. Miles, whose brittle bones and small stature make every posting a fight, soon finds himself at odds with his commander, and then caught up in an interstellar crisis that puts him back in charge of a mercenary fleet and puts the young Emperor Gregor in danger.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Hugo Award for Best Novel. It's a fast, funny and clever military space adventure, and Miles is one of science fiction's most engaging heroes.
You'll love it if you liked
Barrayar
Mirror Dance
Ender's GameGood to know
It follows The Warrior's Apprentice, and reading that first helps. The Vorkosigan Saga can be read in several orders.
By the numbers
- Readers88 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics56 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller19 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #36 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #46 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #191 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #380 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Epic
More by Lois McMaster Bujold
Barrayar
Paladin of SoulsMirror Dance
MemoryIf you like this, read next
A Game of Thrones
The Fifth Season
Dungeon Crawler Carl
Gideon the Ninth
Red Rising
OutlanderExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Vor Game worth reading?
Yes. It won the Hugo Award for Best Novel. It ranks #380 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 80.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Vor Game about?
Miles Vorkosigan graduates from the Barrayaran Imperial Military Academy and gets the assignment he dreads: weather officer at a frozen arctic base. Miles, whose brittle bones and small stature make every posting a fight, soon finds himself at odds with his commander, and then caught up in an interstellar crisis that puts him back in charge of a mercenary fleet and puts the young Emperor Gregor in danger.
How long does it take to read The Vor Game?
About 9 hours (343 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The Vor Game won?
Hugo Award winner (1991).
What should I read after The Vor Game?
If you liked it, try Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold, Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold or Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.