A collection of three novellas, a couple of which came from Analog, and another from a book. This is taken none too seriously with a Miles under investigation for accounting irregularities linking sort-of-story.

Borders of Infinity : Borders of Infinity - Lois McMaster Bujold
Borders of Infinity : Labyrinth - Lois McMaster Bujold
Borders of Infinity : Mountains of Mourning - Lois McMaster Bujold

Undercover recover uprising bustout.

3.5 out of 5

Werewolf nookie rescue.

3 out of 5

Infanticide investigation experience.

3 out of 5

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2007/08... ( )

Great stories to add to series - but watch what you buy: The stories of Miles are wonderful and Lois McMaster Bujold remains one of the most talented writers in sci-fi literature today. Her style is rapid, full of dialogue, and you hardly notice that you're reading - it's so smooth.This book is a collection of stories about Miles, who recounts them to Simon, his boss in the imperial secret services. Miles himself is in hospital and cornered by Simon to cough up some details on the somewhat ambiguous reports Miles has been sending in. Like a rat caught in the corner, Miles has no choice but to spill the details.The first is a story of Miles' younger years when his father sends him off to judge on an issue that happened among his own people. Barrayar, unfortunately, still murders babies that are deformed. It's a short murder mystery.The second story revolves around Jackson's whole and the dubious activities that go on there. Miles' mission is to "collect" a person; but it's never as easy as it seems.The third is the strangest yet. Miles ends up in an enemy prison camp. At first it's not obvious how he got there, but Miles being Miles, he soon gets people moving.Bujold's writing certainly deserves five stars, as do the stories about Miles. The reason I give this only four stars is that two out of the three stories featured in previous "collections". It's very confusing to the buyer: which novel comes before which? And although Bujold has a lovely table in the back of each book to help you with the chronology, it's almost impossible to buy books that only feature the stories you want. I now own three versions of the same story, and I resent having spent money on the same thing (not to mention the waste of trees that produced the paper for this).

This is a very good set of three novellas set in the Miles Vorkosigan universe. There are a lot of linkages to other stories in the sequence.

The narrative which links the three novellas is set in Miles' hospital room, where he is recovering from major surgery while aged 25, just after the events of "Brothers in Arms." Simon Illyan, the dreaded head of Imperial Security, visits him in hospital to get a more detailed report of two missions Miles had previously carried out. (Illyan needs the details in order to respond to awkward questions being asked by opposition politicians who hope to discredit the Prime Minister, Miles' father Aral Vorkosigan, by suggesting that Miles has been padding his expenses.)

The memories of these two missions which Miles has to remember so as to answer Simon Illyan, and one earlier story of which he is reminded by Simon's questions, constitute the three stories which make up the book.

Three great short stories about Miles Vorkosigan, spoiled only by the useless linking narrative. Skip the conversations with Simon Illyan and just read the stories. ( )

A collection of three stories that appear in different anthologies, each short story addresses a turning point in Miles' life.

In 'Mountains of Mourning' The Count sends a young Miles into the mountains to solve a murder. Miles' own appearance as a 'muty' and his future as leader of the district make him the perfect mediator in the death of the infant.

'Labyrinth' sets the stage for events in a later novel. Miles and Bel are on a covert mission for Illyan, though, as usual with any of Miles' missions, things don't go exactly as planned.

'Borders of Infinity' is my favorite short story in this collection. Miles on a deep undercover mission alone is a recipe for disaster. But this story, more than any other Miles story, serves to prove that Miles' manic personality solves more problems than it causes.

While none of the stories are necessary to know for events in the full-length novels, they provide fascinating filler and are as compelling as any Vorkosigan novels. ( )