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Ethan of Athos Mass Market Paperback – December 15, 1986

by Lois McMaster Bujold (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,242 ratings
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Our hero is a quiet, upstanding citizen of Athos, an obstetrician in a world in which reproduction is carried out entirely via uterine replicator, without the aid of living women. He faces a problem: the 200-year-old cultures are not providing eggs the way they used to, and attempts to order replacements by mail have failed catastrophically.
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  1. Book 3 of 16
    Miles Vorkosigan
  2. Print length
    256 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Baen
  5. Publication date
    December 15, 1986
  6. Dimensions
    4.19 x 1.1 x 6.75 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    067165604X
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0671656041
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Our hero is a quiet, upstanding citizen of Athos, an obstetrician in a world in which reproduction is carried out entirely via uterine replicator, without the aid of living women. Problem: the 200-year-old cultures are not providing eggs the way they used to, and attempts to order replacements by mail have failed catastrophically. But when Ethan is sent to find out what happened and acquire more eggs, he finds himself in a morass of Cetagandan covert ops and Jackson Whole politics--and the only person who's around to rescue him is the inimitable--and, disturbingly, female--Elli Quinn, Dendarii rent-a-spy.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Baen; Reissue edition (December 15, 1986)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 067165604X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0671656041
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4.5 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.19 x 1.1 x 6.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 1,242 ratings

About the author

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Lois McMaster Bujold

Lois McMaster Bujold

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A science fiction legend, Lois McMaster Bujold is one of the most highly regarded speculative fiction writers of all time. She has won three Nebula Awards and six Hugo Awards, four for best novel, which matches Robert A. Heinlein's record. Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan saga is a massively popular science fiction mainstay. The mother of two, Ms. Bujold lives in Minneapolis.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
1,242 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Kat Cameron
5.0 out of 5 stars Fine Addition to the Series
Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2015
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While this book is part of the Miles Vorkosigan universe he is not in this book. Don't let that stop you from reading this finely crafted novel. There are lots of other reviews that give plot points so I won't repeat. Just let me add that the characters are compelling, their growth is real, and the story moves in ways both predictable and very unpredictable. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and loved this book as much as the others I've read. They all add to the fascinating picture that is the universe Miles lives in.
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Michael Lynn McGuire
4.0 out of 5 stars Book number eight (in chronological order) of a sixteen book space opera series
Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2021
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Book number eight (in chronological order) of a sixteen book space opera series. However, some people call this a military science fiction series. There are several other books and short stories in the Vorkosigan Universe. This series won the Hugo and Nebula awards for best series in 2017. Also, several of the individual books in the series have either won awards or been nominated for awards. I have read this book at least twice. I reread the well printed and well bound new MMPB published by Baen in 1986 that I just rebought on Amazon. I have rebought the rest of the books in the series in various formats, mostly MMPB.

Dr. Ethan Urquhart is Chief of Biology at the Severin District Reproductive Center on the planet Athos. Athos is a planet of men only, no women are allowed or even mentioned in polite society. All babies are genetically engineered to be male and grown in uterine replicators.

However, the base human egg cell lines are having problems dividing after 200 years of performance. So they ordered new human egg cell lines from Jackson's Whole. But, the new cell lines that showed up on the annual space courier ship were dead cow parts. So, the reproductive council sends Dr. Urquhart on the courier ship to purchase new human egg cells. And Dr. Urquhart meets his first woman, Elli Quinn, subcommander of the Dendarii Free Mercenary Fleet, at the Kline Space Station.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating look at consequences of extreme societal and genetic engineering
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2019
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I think this book, while admittedly only "solid" in the story category, is an absolutely fascinating look at possible future societies. It explores how a technology that "replaces" woman for the purposes of bearing children , one that might come about in the relatively near future, could potentially be used and what societies might result from all of that. I think the perspectives, the predictions of some uses, the societal predictions, etc, make this book easily 5 star.
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4.0 out of 5 stars What happens when an espionage thriller meets 13 Going on 30
Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2020
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Why Ethan - shy, pious, and guileless - is chosen as his all-male planet's ambassador to the galaxy after a vital supply of genetic material goes missing is frankly a mystery in itself. But it does make for quite the spectacle. I found it thoroughly entertaining to read as this objectively accomplished young man fumbles through everyday interactions with women (and the men who, quite unlike himself, find them irresistible) like a home-schooled tween, wrong-footed at every turn by his own profound cultural ignorance. As he attempts to accomplish his relatively simple goal, he finds himself at the center of an interplanetary espionage affair, where he is somehow even more thoroughly out of his depth. The writing is wonderfully dry for such a funny book. The characters are solid and well developed, and the story manages to weave many well-worn elements (fish-out-of-water, single-gender societies, spy vs. spy, comically uninformed misogyny) into something I found quite enjoyable.
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randall s morris
3.0 out of 5 stars Better than anticipated
Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2020
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I've read almost every Vorkosiverse book multiple times, barring only this one and "Falling Free," which I ignored because they stray from the central characters and storyline. Then came quarantine. Sooo...
The main character was extremely engaging, the plot was great, although I have to admit I'm not 100% sure what actually happened at the end. It was interesting to see Quinn through dispassionate eyes. She's a character who's always been relegated to supporting status, more of an accessory to Miles than a person in her own right. I'm afraid that impression was not changed by this story.
Unfortunately, the story really shows it's age in its representation of galactic social norms. The main character is from a planet colonized by misogynistic religious fundamentalists, and other are no women in their population. This means they reproduce technologically, and any romantic or sexual relations are same-sex. Ok. It's written in a very straightforward, non-allegorical way and it works fine. BUT, the planet is the target of discrimination by galactics, not for its misogyny or its provincialism, but for its homosexuality...which does not in any way jibe with the galactic mentality that Ms. Bujold has described in subsequent books. The most recent (and probably last, pout) Vorkosigan book was "Gentlemen Jole and the Red Queen," and, well, come on.
But it's still pretty darned good. A mediocre book by Bujold is better than most of what's out there to read. If you've avoided this book for the same reason I have, there couldn't be a better time to treat yourself. "Falling Free" next!
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Joe Pardue
5.0 out of 5 stars I was prepared to hate this book, but then...
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2014
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I was prepared to hate this book. A planet of gay men run out of ova so they send a guy off planet to places with, horrors - WOMEN - the root of all evil - to try to get a new supply of ova so that they can continue to reproduce. What a really lame premise, but somehow the author not only pulls it off, she deftly dances around all the absurdities to weave an enchanting story. Even after reading this I still think the overall concept is ridiculous, but none the less I ended up loving it. The lady can tell a story.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Greg Smyth
5.0 out of 5 stars Another Excellent Side Story
Reviewed in Canada on November 28, 2021
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This is a really good read, and adds a lot to the Vorkosigan saga without even featuring a Vorkosigan!
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Susan Carveth
5.0 out of 5 stars Ethan of Athos
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 21, 2019
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This is not directly linked to the Vorkosigan Saga although set in the same universe, and Elli Quin is one of the minor characters involved. An excellent novel - demonstrates Bujold's ability to create cultures extremely different from our own, while not alien.
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Peanut
5.0 out of 5 stars Ein LGBT-Thema in der Literatur
Reviewed in Germany on August 29, 2018
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Ich bin auf diesen Roman über einen Wikipedia-Eintrag über LGBT-Themen in der Literatur gestoßen und habe mir die deutsche Version besorgt, weil ich mich mit dem englischen Original ein bisschen schwer getan habe. Es handelt von einem Arzt/"Kinderzüchter" auf einem Planeten, auf dem nur Männer leben, die sich asexuell durch die Zucht rein männlicher Kinder reproduzieren. Da eine dazu benötigte Eierstockkultur nicht auf Athos angekommen ist, muss der Arzt sich in die "richtige" / heterosexuelle Welt hinaus begeben, um die Eierstockkultur aufzuspüren, und dabei mit dem schlimmsten aller Wesen zusammenarbeiten: einer Frau.
Ich muss sagen, dass sich der Gimmick dieses Buches bei mir relativ schnell abgenutzt hat, aber es ist ein unterhaltsamer Science-Fiction-Roman, ein bisschen einem Star-Wars-Roman über Han Solo vergleichbar. Mit der Söldnerin Ellie Quinn, die den Arzt unterstützt, hat die Autorin eine starke Frauenfigur als treibende Kraft geschaffen, was in der Science-Fiction-Literatur ja nicht unbedingt selbstverständlich ist.
Der Planet Athos ist übrigens nach einem Berg in Griechenland benannt, der von Mönchen bewohnt wird, und zu dem Frauen keinen Zutritt haben.
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Non.Mouse.
5.0 out of 5 stars One Star
Reviewed in Australia on February 4, 2016
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I do not have time to write reviews.
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ReadWriteWish
4.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable
Reviewed in Australia on April 5, 2020
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Ethan of Athos is classed as a stand alone book in the Vorkosigan saga but I must admit I did find that, although Miles wasn’t present for any of the action, he was mentioned so much he really did become part of it.

Ethan is a doctor from Athos, an all male planet. The planet uses replicator technology (which has been introduced in previous Vorkosigan books) to breed their [male only] children. For their reproduction they obviously have the male part of the equation sorted but a catastrophe awaits when their latest ovary shipment is contaminated. In the end, it’s decided Ethan will need to go out into the big bad world where real life women roam the streets (well, the space stations catwalks, in this case) and negotiate for a new ovary supply.

I sort of had the idea -- maybe from the blurb, maybe from the cover -- that Ethan would go off-world and he’d have a romance and would be the first man from Athos to breed in the conventional way and start a revolution on Athos. And I guess, with a bit of a twist, that almost happens but I should have probably known LMB wouldn’t make it that boringly normal.

The other main character, Elli, did feature in Warrior’s Apprentice briefly. Her extended role has her proving to be tough and resourceful with a humorously sweet crush on Miles. The only problem I had with her was that I didn't think she displayed as much depth as Ethan. Ethan is a lovely character, intelligent but quiet and sweet. I really enjoyed his scenes and was really cheering him on for his happy ending.

Overall the humour was great in this book. I didn’t think Centaganda was very funny and was glad LMB got back into her comic groove with this title. I especially laughed at Ethan’s reactions to women.

There was a heap of action for those readers who enjoy that aspect of LMB books. Elli is on a surveillance mission for Miles’s mercenaries when she crosses the path of Ethan and they realise his original shipment has something to do with her assignment. Their investigation is quite fun plus there are lots of close shaves for Ethan and Elli involving dangerously armed villains, leading to the couple needing to come up with some very inventive ways to get themselves out of these tight spots. (Although I must say there are moments it almost felt like an episode of XFiles.)

There’s also a lot to think about. LMB always manages to make you think differently about sexuality and gender and she does it again with this book. She also brought parenting into the mix this time, with some questions surrounding the debate of genetics vs environment, not to mention the importance society today places on child rearing (or lack thereof).

Actually, now that I think about it she certainly packed a lot into the [shorter at approx 224 pages] novel and I will admit to being surprised how much I enjoyed it.

4 out of 5
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