Bujold fan looking for a Georgette Heyer introduction

I am an avid fan science-fiction and fantasy and, more importantly, of Lois McMaster Bujold.

Lois McMaster Bujold is a dedicated fan of Georgette Heyer.

So I come to you fair folk to ask, "Which book of Georgette Heyer's would you most recommend to me?"

Thank you

My favourite is Cotillion, which is a comedy of manners. Plenty of humour and great characters. That would be my personal recommendation, but I know others will be along shortly to recommend other favourites.

That said, The Grand Sophy is another comedy of manners that makes a good introduction to Heyer. The Reluctant Widow and The Talisman Ring are also excellent, and have strong mystery plots. (I want to be Sarah Thane from The Talisman Ring.) The Unknown Ajax is another excellent story with some romance and some suspense.

A Civil Contract is a more serious story - not much frivolity, but to my mind still excellent. And among the historicals Beauvallet is a good swashbuckling tale.

Footsteps in the Dark is my favourite among her contemporary mysteries.

I really must get round to re-reading some of these (again) in 2010.

I just finished readng Venetia, which I really enjoyed.
Among my favourites are also Frederica and Arabella, as well as Cotillion. Friday's Child is very good too.

My first GH was Devil's Cub, my lifetime favorites are Venetia, Faro's Child and Sylvester. It's hard to go all the way wrong. Reviewers say that her final novel, My Lord John, published dutifully after her death, is poor. I find that her comedies are better than either her mysteries or the more seriously historical novels.

BTW - I am a Bujold fan currently in the middle of a systematic reread of all her Vorkosigan works.

Ooh, I love Venetia and Arabella, too. Picking one or two is so hard!

I particularly like The Quiet Gentleman and Sylvester, or the Wicked Uncle is also very good.

I'm a huge Bujold fan too - devoted both to Miles and the fantasies.
My favorite Heyers at the moment remain False Colours and Frederica, but I will finish Cotillion today and it's wonderful! AND I really enjoyed A Civil Contract earlier this year; there's a practical-minded little sister who provides comic relief, and all ends well. I hope to reread the mysteries in 2010 and recall that they were well-plotted. I think Footsteps in the Dark was my favorite too. Trai, you are in for a good time whatever you choose! Let us know what you think!

I think for starting out I would recommend The Grand Sophy or Frederica. They are "typical" Heyer stories, they are easy to find, and most importantly, they are very good!

Hi again Trai. Is all this happy and varying advice making you crazy? Or are you going to start with the one that gets the most votes by the time you decide to make up your mind?

I will list the suggestions with notations and then check briefs on the books. Then buy whichever appeals the most to me.

All the quick suggestions are very appreciated and I seem to be retaining my sanity.

Thank you.

Not much makes a Heyer fan happier than spreading the message and creating new fans. Enjoy.

Cotillion and Friday's Child are my top faves so far. If you can find them, I highly recommend the audiobook versions read by Phyllida Nash and Eve Matheson, respectively. Try interlibrary loan — they're totally worth it! :)

Cotillion is my favorite, but it is hard to pick a favorite - i have loved them all. A Civil Contract might appeal to the Bujold part of you. You should, I think, not stop with one. It took me a few to realize the consistent excellence of the style and the characters. They are all very very good.

The Unknown Ajax!!! The Heyer I haven't enjoyed are the two that are pure historical novels. One was about Spain and the other.... hmmm.

Enjoy discovering her!
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Agree with Ajax, but I have just finished rereading The Black Sheep - just delightful!

I love Grand Sophy,that was my first and I never looked back (except for re-reading it, LOL

Grand Sophe. I entered the Heyer world with that book

I read "The Foundling" way back int eh 1970s and when I first read Bujold, I was reminded of the hero (short, sickly as a child, protected, with a tall cousin). Not as much romance in the book, but that, too, reminded me of Bujold.

My first Heyer novel was The Talisman Ring, when I was 15-16. It was a Christmas gift from my mother. The only book she ever bought me that wasn't a "story" book for children.

I've just entered the world of Heyer with Black Sheep. Fabulous introduction!

Yay, Nancy! Don't look back!!
I'm not loving and adoring Faro's Daughter at the moment, but it's not hard to keep reading. I'm only half through, so it may get better. Her witty dialogue is my favorite feature, and right now *F'D* is not featuring that. We have another favorites thread, but I don't think anybody here has mentioned The Unknown Ajax, and it ranks right up there with *Cotillion* and *Talisman Ring* and the others mentioned here.

The Unknown Ajax is a fave for both me and my husband. He is a large gentleman himself.

I've read all GH's period romances, and vote Sylvester, The Convenient Marriage, and Devil's Cub, her best!