First, a word about reading order. This book, Shards of Honor (or Honour) is sometimes labeled Vorkosigan #1 and sometimes #2. It's chronologically the second book in the series (Falling Free is about 150 years before it), but it was the first book in publication order.
This was my first encounter with the Vorkosigan Saga and I didn't feel lost at all by starting with Shards of Honor. It seems like a great jumping off point for the series.
This was a relatively short book by today's standards, clocking in at only 272 pages. I wouldn't have minded if it ran a little longer and gave us a little more space with the characters. The strength of the novel is really in the characters which is something that works for me.
While this is definitely a sci-fi novel, it doesn't dwell tremendously on the "what ifs" of science, though it does have some thought provoking/conversation starting technology which I value in a sci-fi novel. Although both main characters serve in their respective military (or the closest equivalent), the novel doesn't really dwell on the military action going on too much so I wouldn't necessarily call it military sci-fi. I'd tend to put it in the space opera category. There is a huge romance subplot, but it's very contained/subdued, suiting the nature of the characters. There is nothing explicit about the romance at all.
Our main characters are Cordelia Naismith, a Commander of a Survey ship for Beta Colony (generally peaceful, life valuing, non-militarily minded from a fairly hostile-environment planet) and Captain Aral Vorkosigan (aristocratic, honor-bound, from a very hierarchical, military, but beautiful planet). Shortly after the book starts, Cordelia's survey team is attacked by soldiers under Aral's command and Cordelia is taken prisoner. Through some twists and turns, Aral and Cordelia set out together on foot across a planet that hasn't been explored/surveyed yet and get to know each other over the journey. The world building for that planet was pretty solid, but we don't end up spending that much more time there!
Without getting into spoiler territory, Aral and Cordelia are back in space shortly thereafter and from there on there's a lot of political maneuvering, some sabotage, adventures, some creepy villains (though they were introduced so late it almost seemed like an afterthought), crazy psychologists, and love notes gone astray. Aral and Cordelia manage to cover a lot of ground (or space?) in less than 300 pages!
I enjoyed the read and hope to continue on with the series, time allowing! I have a ton of started series that I'm excited about continuing, but the lure of authors I haven't read yet is also strong!
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