The Hugo Project: The Mountains of Mourning, by Lois McMaster Bujold (1990 Winner)

Yes, I realize I've reviewed an awful lot of Bujold works. Is it my fault she's won her weight (at least) in Hugo Awards? Or that she writes what is perhaps my favorite sub-genre of science fiction, the space opera?

This review will be a little different, however. Number one, The Mountains of Mourning is a Hugo Award winning novella rather than a novel, which means it might be manageable even for the non-readers in the audience (wink-wink, nudge-nudge). Secondly, this time around, you the reader don't have to settle for my humble opinions on the work in question even if you're flat broke, as The Mountains of Mourning is available at the Baen Free Library here. Do take a look! I don't believe you'll be disappointed.

Those introductory comments out of the way, let us proceed with the review.

Plot Synopsis:

"M'lord," said Karal carefully, "it's true I suspected the possibility."

Suspected, hell. You knew.

"But I felt — and still feel, strongly" — his eye flashed a wary defiance — "that only more grief would come from a fuss. There was nothing I could do to help the baby at that point. My duties are to the living."

"So are mine, Speaker Karal. As, for example, my duty to the next small Imperial subject in mortal danger from those who should be his or her protectors, for the grave fault of being" — Miles flashed an edged smile — "physically different. In Count Vorkosigan's view this is not just a case. This is a test case, fulcrum of a thousand cases. Fuss..." he hissed the sibilant; Harra rocked to the rhythm of his voice, "you haven't begun to see fuss yet."

When Harra, a young woman from the back country, reports that her infant daughter has been murdered by her husband for the "crime" of being born with a cleft lip and palate, Count Vorkosigan decides that this case provides an excellent opportunity to further the fight against the practice of infanticide on Barrayar and sends a reluctant Miles out to Silvy Vale to investigate.

Upon arrival at the back country settlement, Miles meets Serg Karal, the local Speaker, who insists that the infant's death was accidental. Miles notes pointedly that such accidents seem to happen often, and he demands that Harra's husband Lem be brought in for questioning under fast penta. Lem, however, has already fled, likely due to a warning from his relatives.

While he waits for Lem to turn up, Miles turns his attention to gathering forensic evidence. The physician accompanying him on this mission conducts an autopsy on the dead infant Raina and discovers that her neck was indeed broken, though by man or woman the physician cannot say. Miles then questions Harra, who tells him she went to pick berries while Raina was sleeping. Miles estimates that she was away for roughly two hours, which means virtually anyone could have walked into Harra's cabin and killed her baby. Frustrated with uselessness of the information he's gathered so far - and the general caginess of Karal and others - Miles entertains the idea of interrogating everyone in Silvy Vale under fast penta, but he ultimately decides that the best course is to wait and observe. Miles returns to Karal's cabin, where he is entertained by Karal's wife and the other inhabitants of the village. Among the many people he meets are Mrs. Csurik, Lem's mother, and Mrs. Mattulich, Harra's mother. Mrs. Csurik insists that her son is innocent, but otherwise refuses to cooperate. Mrs. Mattulich is equally hostile.

Later that night, Miles is awoken twice by disturbances outside. The first time, someone throws a flaming torch onto the military issue tent Miles loaned to Karal's children (fortunately, the tent is fire resistant and no one is injured). The second time, an unknown attacker slices open Miles' horse's neck. Just when Miles starts to think the situation is no longer one he can handle, however, Lem Csurik turns himself in, agreeing to a fast penta interrogation on the condition that he not be asked about the whereabouts or actions of anyone but himself. Just before Miles stops Lem's interrogation (thereby keeping to his word), Lem reveals that he left the baby crying in his cabin - and met someone on the path on his way out.

Miles has, by this point, figured out who was truly responsible for Raina's death and tells the physician to ready another fast penta dose. When Ma Mattulich enters Karal's cabin, she is hit with the fast penta. Under its influence, she confesses that she killed Raina and two of her own children because, in her mind, they were "muties" that could not be allowed to corrupt the gene pool. Miles ultimately sentences Ma Mattulich to a life without rights of any kind - she cannot own property, enter into any legal agreements, or write a will, nor will an offering be burned for her after her death.

Miles then arranges for Harra to go to a teachers college so that children of Silvy Vale can get the education they so desperately need. From this experience, Miles has learned that he has a duty to the poorer residents of his district.

Overall: 9.7 - This is a beautiful, nearly perfect story with a powerful message to deliver about the value of even the smallest human life.

Characterization: 10

The example which best illustrates Bujold's careful, nuanced characterization in this story is Ma Mattulich. Ma Mattulich has thrice committed a heinous act - something the author makes crystal clear - yet you still understand the belief system that led her to it. Indeed, you even get the sense that, at heart, she feels terribly guilty for what she has done; hence her defensive posture when her crimes are finally revealed:

"Murdered?" said Ma Mattulich. "No! I cut them out. I had to. I had to do the right thing." Her chin lifted proudly, then drooped. "Killed my babies, to please, to please... I don't know who. And now you call me a murderer? Damn you! What use is your justice to me now? I needed it then — where were you then?" Suddenly, shockingly, she burst into tears, which wavered almost instantly into rage. "If mine must die then so must hers! Why should she get off so soft? Spoiled her... I tried my best, I did my best, it's not fair..."

Ma Mattulich's sense of abandonment - and her awareness of her own damnation - in this outburst is profoundly tragic. For a moment, you feel for the woman - and that is an indication of the author's genius.

Plot/Pacing: 9

The final reveal seems to occur rather suddenly, but otherwise, this story unfolds nearly flawlessly. Even the descriptive passages have their place within the greater whole, as they reveal how broken Barrayar is as a world - and thus why the beliefs of so many of its inhabitants are so harsh and unforgiving of difference.

Message: 10

I haven't any idea what Lois Bujold's religious affiliation might be - if she has one at all - but her general sensibilities have squared with my own Catholic attitudes more than once - and The Mountains of Mourning is one extremely important example. It's not often that I've found a defense of human life - all human life - as explicit as this in fiction:

"Mlord," said Karal. "I've been Speaker of Silvy Vale for sixteen years now. In all that time nobody has had to go to the district magistrate for a Speaking, not for water rights or stolen animals or swiving or even the time Neva accused Bors of tree piracy over the maple sap. We've not had a blood feud in all that time."

"I have no intention of starting a blood feud, Karal. I just want the facts."

"That's the thing, m'lord. I'm not so in love with facts as I used to be. Sometimes, they bite." Karal's eyes were urgent.

Really, the man was doing everything but stand on his head and juggle cats — one-handed — to divert Miles. How overt was his obstruction likely to get?

"Silvy Vale cannot be permitted to have its own little Time of Isolation," said Miles warningly. "The Count's justice is for everyone, now. Even if they're small. And weakly. And have something wrong with them. And cannot even speak for themselves — Speaker."

We live in a time in which this basic principle has fallen out of favor in certain circles. Do you realize, for example, that around 80-90% of all unborn babies diagnosed with Down Syndrome do not live long enough to be born? How many beautiful, loving people have we lost to our own societal prejudices - to our own limited perceptions?

We are simply not wise enough to make declarations regarding whose lives are worth living, says Bujold here. Not by a long shot. Equal rights should be granted absolutely - not according to some rubric designed by fallen human minds.

Miles is also moved by genuine pity for the poor and is merciful to the guilty - both laudable - and Catholic - characteristics. The punishment Miles chooses for Ma Mattulich is about as firm a punishment as one can imagine short of death - but he also recognizes, wisely, why those who live in the back country think and feel as they do and acts to rectify, at least in part, the social inequality that has left the people of Silvy Vale so far behind in their technology and mores. In other words, he uses punishment and rehabilitation in tandem - the perfect balance.

This story has many profound things to say about what makes a good leader. Some of the essential qualities that Miles embodies as a developing noble leader have already been discussed above: a leader must honor the sanctity of human life; he must feel sympathy for the people under his charge; and he must be firm, yet merciful. But Miles also learns once and for all to whom he is truly responsible - and this is probably the second most important message I take away from the story: that a leader is charged to care for the vulnerable and the weak, not the strong. And at this point, I must conclude this review with the story's beautiful final paragraphs:

Miles had sworn his officer's oath to the Emperor less than two weeks ago, puffed with pride at his achievement. In his secret mind he had imagined himself keeping that oath through blazing battle, enemy torture, what-have-you, even while sharing cynical cracks afterwards with Ivan about archaic dress swords and the sort of people who insisted on wearing them.

But in the dark of subtler temptations, those that hurt without heroism for consolation, he foresaw, the Emperor would no longer be the symbol of Barrayar in his heart.

Peace to you, small lady, he thought to Raina. You've won a twisted poor modern knight, to wear your favor on his sleeve. But it's a twisted poor world we were both born into, that rejects us without mercy and ejects us without consultation. At least I won't just tilt at windmills for you. I'll send in sappers to mine the twirling suckers, and blast them into the sky....

He knew who he served now. And why he could not quit. And why he must not fail.

This is an ending that moves me to tears.