Bujold, Lois McMaster - Winterfair Gifts (v4) [htm,F].rar
118kb. html w/jpg-cover.

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blurb's & reviews:


        Winterfair Gifts is a 23,000 word novella set against the backdrop
    of Miles's and Ekaterin's wedding.
   
        It was written explicitly to be a romance/science fiction cross-over
    for an anthology edited by Catherine Asaro, to be titled "Irresistible
    Forces" and to be published in 2003 by NAL/Roc.
   
        The volume will include half a dozen pieces by writers both
    primarily SF and primarily Romance, including Catherine and me, plus
    such Romance heavy-hitters as Jo Beverley and Mary Jo Putney (both
    regulars on the NYTimes lists) and we're hoping for a large cross-over
    audience to introduce readers from both sides of the genre divide to the
    nice green grass on the other side of the fence.
   
        ---
   
        "Winterfair Gifts" by Lois McMaster Bujold is a Miles Vorkosigan
    story told from a slightly different angle, the point of view of Miles'
    Armsman Roic who gets a crush on one of Miles' unique guests.
   
        It is Winterfair time in Vorbarr Sultana, but also time for Miles'
    wedding. [Fit this into the storyline just after A CIVIL CAMPAIGN.]
   
        "Winterfair Gifts" is just as well written as the rest of Bujold's
    excellent Vorkosigan Saga and is a special treat to see Miles' beautiful
    wedding.
   
        ---
   
        In "Winterfair Gifts," Miles Vorksigan and Ekaterin Vorsoisson are
    preparing for their upcoming wedding. However, a plot to kill Ekaterin
    is discovered by Roic, an armsman in the Vorksigan household, and
    Sergeant Taura, a bioengineered wedding guest and a friend to Miles.
   
        While Miles and his lady are instrumental in the plot; the plot
    really centers around the relationship between Roic and Taura.
    "Winterfair Gifts" is a delightful science fiction romance, which has
    great world-building.
   
        ---
   
        "Irresistible Forces" is a vehicle for the "Winterfair Gifts" the
    missing and much delayed chapter in the Vorkosigan saga. The story has a
    bit of a saga of its own.
   
        Bujold wrote the story specifically for "Irresistible" at least two
    years ago as part of IF's originally planned publication date of Feb,
    2003. Publication, for reasons unknown, had been delayed for over a
    year.
   
        In the meantime however Bujold sold translation rights to a number
    of countries, including to a publisher in the Czech Republic/Croatian
    (where apparently she is very popular).
   
        Up until publication of "Irresistble Forces" this meant that the
    only way to read "Winterfair Gifts" in english was to read a covertly
    circulated version that had been back-translated from Czech to English.
    (an undertaking- which Bujold seemed to be very amused by, during a
    speaking engagement.)
   
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MaK.