There should be a content warning for the Mirror Dance section of Miles Errant; there were some mildly graphic descriptions of highly unpleasant things, mostly torture. I’m also learning that maybe the omnibus editions aren’t the best idea, at least for me. “The Borders of Infinity” doesn’t really fit narrative-wise with the other two novel/las (Brothers in Arms and Mirror Dance) even if they are apparently chronologically in order. Overall, for all three stories, there are some things of interest, but almost as many problems or general mehs, at least for me.
“Borders of Infinity” for me needed more context, although I do realize it is more long short story. It just seemed kind of random in terms of plot. The psychology of the prisoners Miles encounters and makes use of (psychology and prisoner both) is pretty interesting, but something about Miles taking advantage of the whole prophecy thing felt a little off.
I did like Brothers in Arms and Mirror Dance together, especially since they give Miles someone who is very much like him, but who can also call him on some of his weaknesses in spite of being subject to some of them himself. Mark’s observations especially about Miles’ taste in women is both fairly true and also kind of funny. The commentary about both brothers’ personality/moods from themselves and those around them is a little repetitive though; I get that that is a key character trait is some ways at least in this part of the series, but still, repeatedly drawing attention to it doesn’t do much for either plot or character.
Mirror Dance is more about Mark than Miles which is fine, Mark deserves the development he gets, though not how some of it happens, but the method of sidelining Miles (by the Dendarii losing him while he’s in stasis) and some of how that turns out just seems like someone had to come up with a way to get him out of the way for a while, and it doesn’t have a lot of meaning to it. The Duronas are an interesting group but their motives just don’t have a lot of meaning, but Lilly Junior though is an uncomfortable figure for a couple of reasons.
