Simon Illyan
Encyclopedia
Simon Illyan is a fictional character
in the Vorkosigan Saga
science fiction
novels by Lois McMaster Bujold
.
, a character in The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
.
as he serves on the flagship of the invasion fleet sent to conquer the planet Escobar.
Illyan has had a bioelectronic
device implanted in his head: an eidetic memory
chip that records everything he sees and hears and allows him to recall that information instantly. This was done on a whim by Emperor Ezar
, after he learned that the technology had been recently invented on the planet Illyrica. Since most such implants produced schizophrenia or worse in their hosts, it is clear that Ezar regarded Illyan as expendable.
In later stories Illyan, with the formal rank of Captain, is the head of the dreaded Barrayaran Imperial Security Service, or ImpSec. In the novel Barrayar
, Illyan maintained this title of Captain as a tribute to his former superior Captain Negri, who was killed in the War of Vordarian's Pretendership
. However, his retirement pay is reportedly equal to that of a Vice-admiral.
Illyan's biochip-aided memory added to his mystique as an administrator with ferocious attention to detail. Miles Vorkosigan
, who worked under Illyan as a special agent, surmised that Illyan's successful integration with the chip was due to an innate ability to suspend belief or disbelief in multiple, conflicting sets of facts—an ability also very useful to a spymaster.
Illyan rose to the job of leading Impsec by being Aral Vorkosigan's right-hand man when the previous incumbent, Captain Negri, was killed at the start of the War of Vordarian's Pretendership. However, with Barrayar in relative peace, Illyan was able to move Impsec towards a more benign role on Barrayar while extending its reach to Komarr and beyond, though he had to deal with more than a few harrowing domestic events, such as the Yarrow Incident, in which ImpSec averted an assassination plot on Emperor Gregor Vorbarra
.
In appearance, Illyan is slight and extremely unimpressive. As Impsec chief, he amplified this lack of presence to the point of virtual invisibility, the better to observe others. In his own domain, however, his air of blandness makes him seem all the more menacing.
Miles Vorkosigan
first became a special operative under Illyan after it became apparent that Miles would never be able to work within a strict chain of command. The initial reasoning was to bury Miles deep within ImpSec where he couldn't cause trouble, but Miles startling success on the most difficult cases made him Illyan's top agent (especially in his position as "Admiral Miles Naismith", head of the Dendarii Free Mercanaries
, a Barrayaran Crown Troop covertly posing as a mercenary fleet), despite his unnervingly roundabout and inventive methods that would drive Illyan to distraction. He became Illyan's greatest annoyance and most powerful asset.
Illyan's career ended when his memory chip broke down, causing him to relive events from his past at random. Miles was able to get past the Impsec bureaucracy and order the chip's removal, then was assigned to discover the cause. Illyan made a good recovery but had to retire; after 40 years of relying on perfect bio/electronic recall, his short-term memory was almost nonexistent. First Miles, and then Miles' aunt, Lady Alys Vorpatril, cared for him as he slowly learned to start remembering things for himself again (Memory
).
Illyan currently lives in a nondescript flat, not far from Alys, and maintains an informal relationship with ImpSec. One of his most important roles now is being a go-between between ImpSec and certain covert high-Vor informers (A Civil Campaign
).
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Vorkosigan Saga
Vorkosigan Saga
The Vorkosigan Saga is a series of science fiction novels and short stories set in a common fictional universe by American author Lois McMaster Bujold. Most of these were published between 1986 and 2002, with the exceptions being “Winterfair Gifts” and Cryoburn...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novels by Lois McMaster Bujold
Lois McMaster Bujold
Lois McMaster Bujold is an American author of science fiction and fantasy works. Bujold is one of the most acclaimed writers in her field, having won the prestigious Hugo Award for best novel four times, matching Robert A. Heinlein's record. Her novella The Mountains of Mourning won both the Hugo...
.
Origin of name
Bujold named the character partly for Illya KuryakinIllya Kuryakin
Illya Nickovetch Kuryakin is a fictional character from the 1960s TV spy series The Man from U.N.C.L.E..The series was remarkable for pairing an American Napoleon Solo and the Russian Kuryakin as two spies who work together for an international espionage organisation at the height of the Cold War...
, a character in The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is an American television series that was broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1964, to January 15, 1968. It follows the exploits of two secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who work for a fictitious secret international espionage and law-enforcement...
.
Biographical summary
In Illyan's first appearance, he is a lieutenant in the Barrayaran Imperial Security Service, sent to keep an eye on Aral VorkosiganAral Vorkosigan
Aral Vorkosigan is a fictitious character from Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga series. Known throughout this science fiction universe as “The Butcher of Komarr,” he dominates the imagination of the two main point-of-view characters in the Vorkosigan Saga, Cordelia , who becomes his wife,...
as he serves on the flagship of the invasion fleet sent to conquer the planet Escobar.
Illyan has had a bioelectronic
Bioelectronics
Bioelectronics is a recently coined term for a field of research that works to establish a synergy between electronics and biology. One of the main forums for information about the field is the Elsevier journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics, published since 1990...
device implanted in his head: an eidetic memory
Eidetic memory
Eidetic , commonly referred to as photographic memory, is a medical term, popularly defined as the ability to recall images, sounds, or objects in memory with extreme precision and in abundant volume. The word eidetic, referring to extraordinarily detailed and vivid recall not limited to, but...
chip that records everything he sees and hears and allows him to recall that information instantly. This was done on a whim by Emperor Ezar
Ezar Vorbarra
Ezar Vorbarra is a minor character in Lois McMaster Bujold's sci-fi series, the Vorkosigan Saga.Ezar Vorbarra was the Emperor of Barrayar during the time of the novel Shards of Honor. His son, Crown Prince Serg, was killed during the Escobar War , leaving five-year-old Prince Gregor as the only...
, after he learned that the technology had been recently invented on the planet Illyrica. Since most such implants produced schizophrenia or worse in their hosts, it is clear that Ezar regarded Illyan as expendable.
In later stories Illyan, with the formal rank of Captain, is the head of the dreaded Barrayaran Imperial Security Service, or ImpSec. In the novel Barrayar
Barrayar
Barrayar is a science fiction novel by Lois McMaster Bujold. It was first published as four installments in Analog in July–October 1991, and then published in book form by Baen Books in October 1991. Barrayar won both the Hugo Award for Best Novel and the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel...
, Illyan maintained this title of Captain as a tribute to his former superior Captain Negri, who was killed in the War of Vordarian's Pretendership
Vordarian's Pretendership
Vordarian's Pretendership is a major event in Lois McMaster Bujold's sci-fi series, the Vorkosigan Saga.-Background:The War of Vordarian's Pretendership occurred in the novel Barrayar. Emperor Ezar had just died; his son Crown Prince Serg had died earlier in the Escobar War, leaving only Ezar's...
. However, his retirement pay is reportedly equal to that of a Vice-admiral.
Illyan's biochip-aided memory added to his mystique as an administrator with ferocious attention to detail. Miles Vorkosigan
Miles Vorkosigan
Miles Naismith Vorkosigan is the hero of a series of science fiction novels and short stories by Lois McMaster Bujold known as the Vorkosigan Saga. In an article in The Vorkosigan Companion, Bujold acknowledged several real-life inspirations for the character: T. E...
, who worked under Illyan as a special agent, surmised that Illyan's successful integration with the chip was due to an innate ability to suspend belief or disbelief in multiple, conflicting sets of facts—an ability also very useful to a spymaster.
Illyan rose to the job of leading Impsec by being Aral Vorkosigan's right-hand man when the previous incumbent, Captain Negri, was killed at the start of the War of Vordarian's Pretendership. However, with Barrayar in relative peace, Illyan was able to move Impsec towards a more benign role on Barrayar while extending its reach to Komarr and beyond, though he had to deal with more than a few harrowing domestic events, such as the Yarrow Incident, in which ImpSec averted an assassination plot on Emperor Gregor Vorbarra
Gregor Vorbarra
Gregor Vorbarra is the Emperor of the Barrayaran Imperium in the sci-fi series the Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold.As of CryoBurn, Gregor Vorbarra is the current Emperor of Barrayar...
.
In appearance, Illyan is slight and extremely unimpressive. As Impsec chief, he amplified this lack of presence to the point of virtual invisibility, the better to observe others. In his own domain, however, his air of blandness makes him seem all the more menacing.
Miles Vorkosigan
Miles Vorkosigan
Miles Naismith Vorkosigan is the hero of a series of science fiction novels and short stories by Lois McMaster Bujold known as the Vorkosigan Saga. In an article in The Vorkosigan Companion, Bujold acknowledged several real-life inspirations for the character: T. E...
first became a special operative under Illyan after it became apparent that Miles would never be able to work within a strict chain of command. The initial reasoning was to bury Miles deep within ImpSec where he couldn't cause trouble, but Miles startling success on the most difficult cases made him Illyan's top agent (especially in his position as "Admiral Miles Naismith", head of the Dendarii Free Mercanaries
Dendarii Mercenaries
In Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga, the Dendarii Mercenaries are the mercenary organisation founded by Miles Vorkosigan in The Warrior's Apprentice.-Formation:The mercenary fleet begins almost by accident...
, a Barrayaran Crown Troop covertly posing as a mercenary fleet), despite his unnervingly roundabout and inventive methods that would drive Illyan to distraction. He became Illyan's greatest annoyance and most powerful asset.
Illyan's career ended when his memory chip broke down, causing him to relive events from his past at random. Miles was able to get past the Impsec bureaucracy and order the chip's removal, then was assigned to discover the cause. Illyan made a good recovery but had to retire; after 40 years of relying on perfect bio/electronic recall, his short-term memory was almost nonexistent. First Miles, and then Miles' aunt, Lady Alys Vorpatril, cared for him as he slowly learned to start remembering things for himself again (Memory
Memory (Bujold novel)
Memory is a science fiction novel by Lois McMaster Bujold, first published in October 1996. It is a part of the Vorkosigan Saga, and is the eleventh full-length novel in publication order.- Plot summary :...
).
Illyan currently lives in a nondescript flat, not far from Alys, and maintains an informal relationship with ImpSec. One of his most important roles now is being a go-between between ImpSec and certain covert high-Vor informers (A Civil Campaign
A Civil Campaign
A Civil Campaign is a science fiction novel by Lois McMaster Bujold, first published in September 1999. It is a part of the Vorkosigan Saga, and is the thirteenth full-length novel in publication order.- Plot summary :...
).