Friday Memes: Komarr by Lois McMaster Bujold

Happy Friday everybody!!

Book Beginnings

 

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Becky at Page Turners. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

 

The Friday 56

Rules:

• Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
• Turn to page 56.
• Find the fifth sentence.
• Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
• Post a link along with your post back to Storytime with Tonya and Friends.
• Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

This Friday I have gotten to Komarr in my re-read of the Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold. This is a science fiction mystery/romance where our hero Miles Vorkosigan meets the woman of his dreams - Ekaterin Vorsoisson. However, she begins the book married in a soul-destroying marriage to a man who is involved in Miles' criminal investigation.

Beginning:

The last gleaming sliver of Komarr's true sun melted out of sight beyond the low hills on the western horizon. Lagging behind it in the vault of the heavens, the reflected fire of the solar mirror sprang out in brilliant contrast to the darkening purple-tinged blue.

I like this beginning because it sets up the world and quickly sets up the problem. An out-of-control ore carrier has hit the solar mirror and damaged it. Miles Vorkosigan and fellow Imperial Auditor Vorthys have come to determine if the collision was accident or sabotage.

Page 56 (on the Kindle location 560), sentence 5:

That had become her secret danger signal, when Tien began offering sly sexual slander of his superiors; it meant the job was about to end, again. A new one would be found...though it seemed to take longer and longer to find a new one these days.

These sentences give a brief look inside Ekaterin's marriage to Tien. Her heartbroken dissatisfaction is heart-wrenching to read.