8.8 /10 1 Votes
4.6/5 Audible Audio read by Grover Gardner Language English Publication date 1989 Publisher Baen Books Followed by Mirror Dance | 4.2/5 Goodreads 4.5/5 Barnes & Noble Country United States Series Vorkosigan Saga Originally published January 1989 Genre Science Fiction Preceded by Borders of Infinity | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Similar Works by Lois McMaster Bujold, Vorkosigan Saga books, Science Fiction books | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brothers in Arms is a science fiction novel by Lois McMaster Bujold and is part of the Vorkosigan Saga. It was the fifth book published in the series, and is the twelfth story, including novellas, in the internal chronology of the series. Brothers in Arms was first published by Baen Books in January 1989, and is included in the 2002 omnibus Miles Errant.
Plot summary
Shortly after rescuing thousands of prisoners of war from the Cetagandans, as detailed in the novella "Borders of Infinity", Admiral Miles Naismith and his Dendarii mercenaries arrive on Earth, fleeing Cetagandan retribution and needing to repair the damage to their ships.
Miles visits the Barrayaran Embassy in London to obtain payment for their last mission. He reports to Captain Duv Galeni, his Imperial Security superior and a Komarran whose aunt was one of the victims of an infamous massacre of civilians allegedly committed by Miles' father. As the funds will have to come from the nearest sector headquarters in another star system, Miles resumes his real identity as Lieutenant Vorkosigan and is assigned to the embassy as third assistant military attaché, under Galeni's command. He finds his cousin Ivan Vorpatril is the second assistant military attaché. Galeni later mysteriously disappears.
During his wait, Miles is abducted, and his place taken by a clone created and trained as an assassin by Komarran diehards determined to free their planet. The Komarrans are led by Ser Galen, Galeni's own father who had been presumed killed while fighting against the Barrayarans. Miles is locked up with Galeni, who has been interrogated using drugs, but has resisted attempts by his father to get him to join the Komarran resistance. Just before Miles and Galeni are to be executed, they are rescued by his Dendarii subordinate (and lover) Elli Quinn.
Galen captures Vorpatril and uses him to force a tense meeting with Miles, who unexpectedly brings along Galeni. Galen disarms them, then orders the clone to kill Miles. However, the talks Miles has had with his clone bear fruit. The clone shoots Galen instead, then flees. Complicating matters are Cetagandan and Barrayaran assassination squads (targeting Naismith and the clone, respectively), a Dendarii contingent and the local police, all converging on their location. Miles, with his usual tactical wizardry, is able to get himself, his clone, Vorpatril and Galeni safely away. As an added bonus, the Cetagandans see them together, "proving" that Naismith and Vorkosigan are not the same person.
By Betan law, the clone is Miles' brother, and Miles is well aware his Betan mother would be greatly displeased if he got rid of his troublesome new sibling. According to Barrayaran tradition, his brother would be named Mark Pierre Vorkosigan. Miles gives the psychologically scarred "Mark" a considerable sum of money and an invitation to claim his Barrayaran heritage, if he wants to—or dares, then lets him go.