Ethan of Athos by Lois McMaster Bujold, Book #3 of the Vorkosigan saga by publication order and #7 by chronological order.
Introduction
Ethan of Athos by Lois McMaster Bujold is the third published novel of the Vorkosigan saga. It is also the seventh novel of the internal chronology of the saga. It is one of the few novels in the series where Miles Vorkosigan is not the protagonist of the novel. Dr. Ethan Urquhart is a reproduction specialist on the planet of Athos. This is a very important job because the population of Athos is only men, and they grow babies in uterine replicators. Without the doctor’s efforts, the population of Athos could dwindle and eventually expire. The cultures he received in the last shipment were unusable. Will Ethan go off the planet, risk being corrupted, and solve the mystery of the unusable samples, or will he doom Athos by doing nothing?
Summary
Dr. Ethan Urquhart is a reproduction specialist on the planet of Athos. Athos was populated only with men, with a monk-like society. They have demonized women as a corrupting force and will not let them in the colony. To continue the colony, they must produce babies by using uterine replicators. Ethan is one of the doctors who monitor the babies’ growth. His latest batch of ovarian tissues is unusable, so he must discover what went wrong to save his planet. The problem is, he must go off the planet to discover the truth and risk corrupting himself by encountering the corrupters, women.
Ethan goes to Kline Station, where the tissues came from, to find answers. Early on he meets Elli Quinn, who is a commander in the Denarii Mercenary Fleet. (Commanded by Admiral Naismith aka Miles Vorkosigan and Elli’s love interest, but that is another story.) They encounter Cetagandians who are looking for the missing tissue samples for their reasons. Reversals occur and Ethan must make hard choices to accomplish his mission of getting ovarian tissue samples to continue the breeding project.
Recommendation
Ethan of Athos by Lois McMaster Bujold is a nice, short, fast-paced spy adventure that comes to a satisfying ending. I appreciated Bujold’s treatment of the colony of Athos. She has taken a thought experiment of how a one-sex colony sustains itself without adding outside members and giving it a face in Ethan. The frank treatment of his sexuality was refreshing, especially since it was published so long ago and in the science fiction genre. Elli Quinn was an excellent character, and I can see why the author goes back to her in subsequent novels. Another novel featuring Ethan would have been interesting, but I am satisfied in thinking that his life in the future was quiet and productive rather than needing a stressful adventure intruding on him.
Links
This is the link to the Goodreads page of Ethan of Athos by Lois McMaster Bujold.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/990093.Ethan_of_Athos
In Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold, they send Miles Vorkosigan and his cousin Ivan to Cetaganda on a diplomatic mission. Miles becomes involved in a complex mystery. Will Miles foil the plot to destroy Cetaganda and save his home planet of Barrayar?
In The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold, they accused Miles Vorkosigan of treason. Will Miles play The Vor Game well enough to escape the treason charges made against him and secure the assignment he desires?
In Warriors Apprentice (Book #2 of the Vorkosigan Saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, Miles Vorkosigan gets involved in another planet’s war. Can he escape the mischief he started?
In Barrayar (Book#7 of the Vorkosigan saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, Lady Cordelia Vorkosigan faces an assassination and the birth of her son. Will she survive the regency and give birth to her son?
In Shards of Honor (Book#1 of the Vorkosigan saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, Barrayaran Captain Aral Vorkosigan takes Betan Commander Cordelia Naismith as a prisoner. They take a hike in the jungle. What happens when they fall in love?
In Falling Free (Book #4 of the Vorkosigan saga) by Lois McMaster Bujold, space engineer Leo Graf must decide between retiring or risking his life protecting his students. The novel is a fun, self-contained space opera romp.