Customer Reviews

Shards of Honor

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Series fiction has requirements very different from the single novel, or even multiple books forming one long story such as Tolkien's Ring Trilogy. The multi-book single storyline can be - probably is - so self-referential you have to read every book in the series, in order, to understand what's happening in later books. But the author of a true open-ended series like Lois McMaster Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan novels knows readers may start with any book in the series, and read them in utterly random order. Thus, while each book must build on, and ideally add to and enrich what's come before, it must also be self-contained and not require having read any other book in the series to enjoy. Bujold has always been aware of this, thus for new readers interested in her tales of Miles Vorkosigan, it's not really necessary to begin with Shards of Honor. On the other hand, if you are a brand-new reader to this series, why NOT start at the beginning? (Bujold's novel Falling Free takes place within the same fictional universe but, being set approximately 200 years before Miles' birth, features none of the series' familiar characters. Eventually you'll want to read Falling Free, but it doesn't matter when; you can insert it into your Bujold reading experience anytime.)

Shards of Honor is Bujold's first novel (not merely the first novel she ever sold, but the first she ever wrote, thus disproving the axiom, "All first novels are unsaleable trash"). She begins writing it in December 1982. In mid-'83, having worked through the Shards material and about a third into what would eventually become Barrayar, Bujold realizes her manuscript is becoming too long to submit as one book (the "wisdom" at the time being a thin manuscript is more likely to be picked off the slush pile than a thick one). Bujold finds a logical breaking point for her tale (Cordelia's arrival on Barrayar), puts it in final draft form, and mothballs the partially finished "rest of the story."

Bujold submits Shards and begins working on another book, The Warrior's Apprentice. She's about halfway through that when Shards comes back rejected with an editorial suggestion she tighten it up. She finishes Warrior's, then cuts about 80 pages out of Shards, giving her two good unpublished novels. In 1985, around the time she finishes her third novel, Ethan of Athos, Warrior's makes it over the transom at Baen, and suddenly she goes from unpublished wannabe to successful novelist with three books (Shards, Warrior's, Ethan) SOLD. Shards is published in 1986.

Shards of Honor stars Captain Cordelia Naismith, commander of a survey team for the Betan Expeditionary Force, and Captain Aral Vorkosigan, victim of a mutiny on his Barrayaran warship. Both stranded on an unexplored alien planet, officers on opposite sides of the Betan-Barrayaran War, they reach an agreement of honor: they will trust and rely on each other for survival as they travel across a planet seemingly intent on throwing all its resources into killing them before they can reach Aral's ship. And then there's the little problem of overcoming the mutineers.... In the process of their adventures, Cordelia and Aral fall in love.

This story is told from Cordelia's viewpoint (as is the novel completing this particular story arc, Barrayar). Thereafter in the series Miles, with very few exceptions, takes center stage. Never again will Cordelia be the main character. But for these two books she emerges as one of the most well-realized, loving and vulnerable but still tough-as-nails female SF protagonists ever.

The next book in the series you'll want to read is Barrayar, or you can read Cordelia's Honor, which collects the entire story arc, Shards of Honor and Barrayar, between the same covers.

Shards of Honour is one of those incredible books that is almost completely unknown outside of the sci-fi genre. This is a loss to the people who think that sci-fi consists of nothing more than strange aliens, ray guns, and sex in outer space.

Lois McMaster Bujold has the amazing talent of mixing characters and science and fiction in exactly the proper amounts. Cordelia Naismith is an astrocartographer from Beta Colony, heading a company of scientific prima donnas on an expedition to map out and catalog flora and fauna on a newly discovered planet. Sounds simple enough, right? Unfortunately Cordelia wasn't expecting to be ambushed by a bunch of blood-thirsty, out of control Barrayarans, or to get stuck in a trek for survival with their leader, Aral Vorkosigan, better known as the Butcher of Komarr. And that's only where the trouble begins.

How do two people from distinctly different cultures survive in their situation, which I'm not going to expound on as it will spoil some of the best moments in the book? How will love survive an intergalactic war? How can someone survive after sacraficing honour, only to find that the necessary, vital result will never replace it? And, of course, the most pressing question to be asked: how much sexual energy do two people have to spare while hiking forty kilometres a day, concussed, stunned, diseased, on poor food and little sleep, alternating caring for a wounded man with avoiding becoming dinner for every carnivore within range, and with a coup to plan for at the end? Lois McMaster Bujold handles the characterisation so well that you almost forget that you don't actually know Cordelia and Aral. Highly, highly recommended.

I was reading a book yesterday which made me feel like I was in an exciting new world. I absolutely fell in love with the main characters, and there were moments of excitement, true love and romance, terror, mirth and of delight. The experience was lovely.

After finishing the book, I found that I was so in love with the characters and the experience of sharing their lives, that I felt sadness, even grief over not being able to continue in the world created by this author. After all, one can only read a book once in awhile to experience it fully, because the feelings evoked, the sense of interest and excitement fades with familiarity.

After this experience, I found myself pondering what was so important to me about this book, what made this experience so positive, so important. Why did I wish with all my heart that these people lived in my world? Why did I yearn to be a part of their lives in a real way? Why did I want to be them, or know them?

As I pondered my feelings, I realized that these characters, which so fascinated me, lived with a very deep code of honor, sometimes at great personal expense. This code was an intrinsic part of the make up of their being. The ongoing struggle to live according to these deep values was exciting, and created tension and drama. Over and over again, it was evident that these characters struggled with the importance of personal honor, of keeping one's word, of living consistently by their code. Sometimes they succeeded, and sometimes they had to set aside the code, for the greater good.

Does living by a code of honor make things humorous; I don't know. Or perhaps honor gives one a way of looking at the world that facilitates laughter sometimes, and then tears as well, sometimes.

Villains were portrayed as humans that had so immersed themselves in vice that they had lost their code, and turned into monsters, albeit predictable monsters, capable of the most hideous acts of depravity against others. In fact, the ability to brutalize those that were trying to live by honor gave them pleasure and satisfaction. Personal honor was not important to these characters, except the ability to undermine it in others and enjoy their pain. Feeding their lust for physical and emotional sensation was an important motivator for them. Gratification of their egos was important, winning was important, but honor was not.

And there was one key character to whom loyalty was the only code of honor. This character was honorable within his relationships to key dominant characters, but he had no code otherwise, and could be influenced to perform horrific acts. Although his emotional make up was warped and sadistic, this character was ultimately sympathetic as he struggled with his own flaws, and tried to redeem himself from acts that are almost beyond redemption.

Although this is probably the third time I have read this book over the years, reading it this time moved me every bit as much as when I read it the first time. I wish I could forget it and then read it again. The experience was lovely, and I recommend it highly.

Shards of Honor is, chronologically, the first book in the Miles Vorkosigan series. In fact, Miles isn't even in it. It's the first book of two that explore the character of Cordelia Naismith, Miles' mother. It's also the first book that Lois McMaster Bujold ever wrote, though it's not the first published. As she explains in the afterword to Cordelia's Honor (the compilation of both Shards of Honor and Barrayar), this book was written first and submitted, rejected a few times, and then her first published book, Warrior's Apprentice, was accepted by Baen publishing. Thus, Shards was published almost as a prequel to a series that she had already started.

So how is Shards? It's very, very good, especially for a first novel. Cordelia Naismith is on a survey mission for her home planet, Beta, when her landing party (to borrow a phrase from Star Trek) is ambushed and almost completely wiped out by a Barrayaran force that is using the planet as a supply depot. Cordelia is captured by Captain Aral Vorkosigan, the commander of the Barrayarans. However, things aren't quite what they seem, as Vorkosigan's crew seems to be divided between loyalty to him and mutineers. Vorkosigan was left for dead by the mutineers, and so he and Cordelia (along with an injured member of Cordelia's team, who's mind has been blown away by a Barrayaran weapon) have to make their way to the supply depot. The mutineers are the ones who wiped out Cordelia's crew, as Vorkosigan is too honourable a man to do something like that. She finds herself being drawn to him during the many days of their journey, and a bond develops between them. Cordelia ends up helping Aral in dealing with his crew.

Once this section of the book is over, they separate, but events transpire to bring them together again, and their bond grows. The book details the story of how their relationship develops, deepening into a love that is a lot more mature than relationships are sometimes portrayed in science fiction. Usually, the heroes that get involved in romances are very young, where sex is the most important thing. The romances seem very physical. That doesn't happen in this relationship, though, as both parties are drawn to the mind of the other person, their honour and how they react to people. It was very refreshing.

The book also shows how, even as a Betan and not a Barrayaran, she gets involved in Barrayaran politics. The political intrigue in this book is very interesting. Clashes of honour make the character interaction fabulous. Cordelia has problems at home based on her captivity. She can't tell anybody what really happened when she was captured as it would make Vorkosigan's political life very difficult. So she takes that difficulty on herself instead. All of the main characters are well-rounded, with valid reasons for doing what they do, even if it's obvious that their actions will cause themselves grief. The sheer inevitability of the events, and how the characters deal with them, make this a great book.

If you are a regular follower of the Vorkosigan series, then this book (and it's companion, Barrayar), make an interesting look into the history of the Vorkosigan family. A lot of the events that have been referred to in the series are finally shown here. It's nice seeing how Cordelia and Aral's relationship developed, considering how set in stone they are now. The love that has always been visible between them finally has a genesis. It's very cool to look at this and see how our favourite characters became who they are now.

It's hard to believe that this was Bujold's first book. While the prose isn't the most wonderful thing, it stands high above the usual first-timer's writing. Some of the military aspects of the novel are a bit unbelievable, but that has gotten better over time as she continues the series. What you will get in this one are great characters in a science-fiction setting. It really is a romance, though, even though it doesn't really have the trappings of one (there is no bodice-ripping, for one thing). Even if romances turn you off, you should enjoy this, though. It is intelligent sci-fi.

It's a familiar plot in SF fan fiction: good-guy female character finds herself trapped with ominous bad-guy male character, but gradually wins his respect and then passionate love. And in fact, "Shards of Honor" had its first incarnation as a tale of a Star Trek Federation officer making a forced trek with a Klingon. But instead of disappearing into a fanzine, it morphed into an original tale, spawned a new universe, and began one of the most popular SF series in recent years.

Cordelia Naismith, commanding a survey expedition from the high-tech, sophisticated world of Beta Colony, is captured by Aral Vorkosigan, a warrior lord of the backward planet Barrayar. Barrayar has just emerged from a centuries-long isolation during which its people seemed to entertain themselves largely by fighting each other. Their skills stood them in good stead when they were invaded by the imperialist Cetagandans, and they promptly brought themselves up to speed technically and launched their own program of galactic conquest.

Cordelia is an intelligent, courageous woman, and Aral is just dripping with conflicted tormented warrior angst, so their falling in love is predictable and satisfying. But this isn't a Harlequin with rayguns; the characters are products of two widely differing cultures, and represent their cultures in the increasingly tangled political and moral dilemmas they encounter. And Aral isn't an ordinary ship captain. He's a high-level player in Barrayaran politics, where the feudal interests of the old Counts clash with the centralization of the new Ministers, the mad Crown Price and his degenerate cronies are pushing for war, and the enigmatic Emperor manipulates them all for his own ends. Barrayar's harshness has shaped Aral's moral reflexes; he assumes that the weak are useless and dispensible, winner takes all, and his only choices are which side to take in the constant declared and undeclared wars that rage among his planet's ruling classes. In Cordelia, he meets someone with courage and honor equal to his own, whose values are often entirely different. She refuses to cooperate with him unless he agrees to spare a severely brain-injured man, and let her care for him. She doesn't know whether the man can be cured (and in fact he can't - the author doesn't insult us with phony happy endings), but she keeps him alive through an arduous trek across a strange planet. Cordelia comes down squarely on the side of compassion and hope, and has the practical skills to make it work. And Aral finds he sorely needs her brand of clear-eyed compassion when his Emperor forces him into resolving Barrayar's most pressing political problems at the cost of thousands of lives and his own honor...

It isn't a grim moral tract, either. The adventures come fast and furious, and there's a good deal of humor in the culture clash of Barrayar vs. everybody else. (Pssst - take note of the freighter pilot Cordelia co-opts in her last escape. You'll laugh even more when reading the book after next.)

I was introduced to Lois McMaster Bujold's work through her fantasy novels "The Curse of Chalion" and "Paladin Of Souls", both of which deserve ten stars at least. Having devoured those books (not literally) I decided to read some other stuff by her - this time in the Science Fiction genre. My library kindly offered up "Shards of Honour" and what a brilliant read it was.

Most fortuitously, I now discover I happened upon the initial instalment of what has become a whole series of books (16 to date) in the Miles Vorkosigan series (I've bought the rest and am working my way through them. I liked this first one that much!) But don't worry that this book is incomplete on its own - it isn't. Although it's the scene-setter for a lot of other books it works on its own as a story of politics, war, human nature, personality and love.

Cordelia Naismith is the captain of a Survey ship that is checking out a new planet. She's off in the undergrowth with her botanist when her base camp is attacked and her colleagues flee in the shuttle. When going back to investigate Cordelia and her companion are attacked and she loses consciousness. When she wakes up, there is a soldier guarding her.

And from this point the story diverges from a basic "heroine rescues herself from tricky situation" type story. Cordelia and her 'captor', who says he is Captain Aral Vorkosigan, have to make a journey 200kms across this unknown and, as it turns out, rather dangerous planet in order to find a cache of stores and a way for Vorkosigan to communicate with his ship. It appears that there has been a mutiny in his command and he was knocked out and left on the surface of the planet. Cordelia has to accept his help in making their way to the cache and also with her botanist who was badly injured in the attack by Vorkosigan's colleagues, the Barrayarans. The Barrayarans are known as a warlike and rather uncivilised planet compared to Cordelia's Betans and she knows that Vorkosigan has the nickname "The Butcher of Komarr" from the story that he killed all the prisoners of another planet, Komarr, after they surrendered.

But nothing is as it seems - for Cordelia, and especially not in Barrayaran politics. In their six day journey they come to understand something of each other, and the fact that they both have a sense of honour that, although different, is complementary. Cordelia is eventually rescued from her prisoner status on Vorkosigan's ship by some of her Betan colleagues, but the dividing line of "goodies" and "baddies" is no longer clear. Especially after Vorkosigan proposes marriage to her.

The story continues with them meeting again - in the middle of a war - and Cordelia's brush with the evil side of Barrayaran culture. Once again she is returned to Beta Colony, but now she no longer fits there, and in fact discovers the bad side of her planet that cannot understand the Barrayarans and cannot allow them redeeming features. Cordelia has to escape her own people to be reunited with Vorkosigan. The enemy has become her home.

What's so powerful about this book is that although the writing is light and the story moves on with pace, there is great depth to the characters. You feel like you really get to know them, understand them, understand what they see in each other, and understand why neither of them is at home with their planet because they are intelligent enough to see beyond the obvious to the disadvantages of both of their ways of life. The love affair side is understated but very well done at that, and the politics is explained in such a way that it works well in the story and is actually interesting. No mean feat!

Some of the characters in this story appear in the others, particularly Cordelia and Vorkosigan, and the book "Barrayar" is the direct sequel to this and deals further with Cordelia, Aral Vorkosigan and their son Miles (the rest of the books are mostly set 20-30 years after the events in this book).

It's a great start to an excellent series, and yet worth reading in its own right - over and over again.

Rating System:
1 star = abysmal; some books deserve to be forgotten
2 star = poor; a total waste of time
3 star = good; worth the effort
4 star = very good; what writing should be
5 star = fantastic; must own it and share it with others

STORY: Cordelia Naismith meets Lord Aral Vorkosaigan while on opposite sides of the war. In the midst of political pressures and physical dangers, they dare to fall in love with each other while trying to avoid their destiny.

MY FEEDBACK:
I picked this up because so many other books in this series have won the Hugo and/or Nebula. This book definitely sets the stage for what is to come: high political intrigue and assassinations; dangers that require bravery and courage; and events to challenge friendships and loyalty; and of course some romance. This book has all these in one sense or another.

The friendship and loyalty of characters really stands out and makes you really love the character of Aral Vorkosaigan. This is also an intelligent story, where solutions are not only resolved by chance or brute force but clever use of what resources are at hand. It gave me the grand and subtle pleasantness I had when reading Asimov's Foundation series. It had just enough science in the fiction to be appreciated and it had just the right touch of romance so as not to turn some of us testosterone males off to the story. I really enjoyed this story and found it a very easy read.

I have been a fan of Lois McMaster Bujold's books for many years now, and I love audiobooks. So I was thrilled when I heard that The Reader's Chair planned to release all of Bujold's books in unabridged audio format. It took me a while to make the plunge ($42 is not cheap), but I don't regret a second. I loved SHARDS OF HONOR on first reading, and I was not disappointed in the audio version. It took some time to get used to two voices reading all of the roles, but both Carol Cowan and Michael Hanson have the ability to alter their voices just enough to give separate voices to the different characters. Several of the dialogue scenes were riveting when spoken. I have since bought the audio version of BARRAYAR and, most recently, THE WARRIOR'S APPRENTICE. These audiobooks are worth every penny. Thanks to The Reader's Chair for putting out such wonderful products. Keep 'em coming...

I have a good friend who to all intents and purposes is a normal everyday housewife, but who just happens to own the most spectacular collection of sci-fi you can possibly imagine. A few years ago she handed me "Test of Honor"; an omnibus containing "Shards of Honor" and "The Warrior's Apprentice", both by legendary sci-fi writer Lois McMaster Bujold. "Prepare to fall in love," she told me, and she was right. McMaster is a must-read for anyone who considers themselves a fan of science fiction. "Shards of Honor" was the first McMaster I read, and while not quite up to the level of "The Warrior's Apprentice" (which was definitely her masterpiece and one of the greatest sci-fi novels of all time), it is still a splendid introduction to her work and the world of Miles Vorkosigan.

"Shards of Honor" details the meeting and subsequent romance of Miles' parents, Cordelia Naismith and Aral Vorkosigan, on a backwater planet during an interplanetary skirmish. Despite belonging to opposing sides of the conflict they fall in love and the rest of the novel chronicles their adventures (together and apart) as they struggle to survive both physically and spiritually in a time of war. This book will be especially interesting to those who love the Miles Vorkosigan character; as he is an exact blend of his parent's more spectacular qualities.

As with all of McMaster's books, "Shards of Honor" moves at a breathtaking pace and is crammed with wonderful dialogue and characters. If you haven't yet read any of her books, "Shards of Honor" is a great place to start, but if you are only going to read one, I would have to say let it be "The Warrior's Apprentice", the next in the series and the first to feature Miles. McMaster hit an all-time high with "Apprentice" which she hasn't yet managed to duplicate, but "Shards of Honor" belongs alongside "Borders of Infinity" as her next-best work. Recommended.

GRADE: A-

I consider Bujold our most unappreciated author of the nineties. Although Mirror Dance, Barrayar and the Vor Game all won Hugos, many readers have yet to read her works. Shards of Honor, not only begins the Vorkosigan story, it also was her first published novel.