Memory

Great entry in Miles Vorkosigan's story. Again, Bujold breaks old hero tropes (i.e. physically superior, brave soldier who never doubts himself saves the Universe, gets the lady and moves onto smoothly to the next amazing rescue/battle etc). Miles is a complex character, definitely with a manic-depression disorder. His internal and often sarcastic monologues portray him as a flawed, yet sympathetic hero. He has to work very hard for everything he gets and he does. In each story, Miles faces different challenges that reflect his own (significant) insecurities and physical impediments. The best thing about this series is the way Miles develops and adapt to the challenges he faces. Events and choices have real consequences for him and how he fits into the world. In "Memory", he suffers the loss of his life's dream when he is medically released from the Imperial Forces. Fortunately, he seems to finally come into himself as new paths and opportunities open to him.