- Paperback: 272 pages
- Publisher: Earthlight; New edition edition (1 Dec 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0743468422
- ISBN-13: 978-0743468428
- Product Dimensions: 17.2 x 11.2 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 248,834 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Cordelia Naismith is enjoying a baptism of fire. Her first mission is to captain a throwaway warship of the Betan Expeditionary Force on a mission to destroy an entire enemy armada. Discovering deception within deception, treachery within treachery, she is forced into an uneasy peace with her nemesis: Lord Aral Vorkosigan. Discovering that astrocartography is not the soundest training for a military leader, Cordelia rapidly finds herself the prisoner of the Barrayaran Captain Aral Vorkosigan, also known as 'The Butcher of Komarr'. But the notorious captain is not quite the beast Cordelia was expecting and a grudging respect develops between the two of them. As captor and prisoner on an abandoned outpost planet, the honourable captain and the resolute scientist must rely on each others' trust to survive a trek across dangerous terrain, thus sparking a relationship that shares the struggles of culture and politics between their worlds.
About the Author
Lois McMaster Bujold burst onto the SF scene in 1986 with SHARDS OF HONOUR, closely followed by BARRAYAR, and THE WARRIOR'S APPRENTICE, which introduced the physically handicapped military genius, Miles Vorkosigan. Since then she has won four Hugo Awards and two Nebulas. The mother of two, Bujold lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Whilst there is one novel set earlier in the same time-line, this is a 2-in-1 volume of the novels Cordelia's Honour and Barrayar, which form a sort of prologue to the series that is commonly referred to as the Vorkosiverse and most people assume that this is due to the principle protaganist of the latter novels, Miles Vorkosigan. This is the story of his parents. I make this statement because I read Shards of Honour after novels such as the Warrior's Apprentice, the Vor Game, etc, and so this was more of a filling in of the back ground. I'm not sure what I would have made of it if I had read these first. The synopsis above is correct in the essential details although the first mission is actually the survey mission with the "throw-away" ship coming later Whilst quite dark in some places the series is full of wit and humour, as well as excellent writing, and these early novels are no exception. They are, perhaps, a little less polished than the latter ones, but Bujold not at her best is still a lot better than many other writers. These are either an essential read for those already hooked on the series, or a good starting place for those who wish to learn what good SF is all about.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Captain Cordelia Naismith of the Betan Survey found that the planet she and her crew were surveying was absolutely fine for colonisation. There was just one little catch; the planet was already occupied by Barrayaran forces. The brutal reputation the Barrayarans had gained ever since they had been reintroduced to the galaxy appeared to be nothing but the truth when Cordelia found her camp destroyed and a colleague hit by a nerve disrupter. Now all Cordelia had to do was survive a hike across a barely known planet with her badly wounded colleague. And the Barrayaran known as the Butcher of Komarr. In that strange trek, hatred became something else. Something that Cordelia refused to believe was love.
This is the first book in the Vorkosiganiverse and is effectively the first half of a story that is continued in 'Barrayar'(note, both books can be obtained in an omnibus edition 'Cordelia's Honor'). Despite this, it is an assured start with the changing relationship between Cordelia and Aral nicely delineated. The Betan society is not closely examined but the bits we see are nicely done. Most of the Barrayarans are rather stock characters in this book, largely due to the fact that this story and 'Barrayar' were originally conceived as a single book so you would see Barrayaran society over a longer period.
There are a number of characters that we meet here that continue through the series.
This is the first book in the Vorkosiganiverse and is effectively the first half of a story that is continued in 'Barrayar'(note, both books can be obtained in an omnibus edition 'Cordelia's Honor'). Despite this, it is an assured start with the changing relationship between Cordelia and Aral nicely delineated. The Betan society is not closely examined but the bits we see are nicely done. Most of the Barrayarans are rather stock characters in this book, largely due to the fact that this story and 'Barrayar' were originally conceived as a single book so you would see Barrayaran society over a longer period.
There are a number of characters that we meet here that continue through the series.
Format:Paperback
The book (without giving away too many spoilers): Commander Cordelia Naismith is working on an uninhabited planet for her Government's Survey Service. A sudden attack on her camp leads to a long trek through hostile territory; and eventually leads to captivity which - being a rather strong personality - she turns into something quite unexpected. Military strategy mixed with planetary politics mixed with romance, with strong personalities, weak politicians, and evil in various forms.
The author: Lois McMaster Bujold has written several series of books (including the Vorkosigan Saga, of which is the first part, and consisting of a series of full-length books as well as short stories) and several stand-alone novels. She has won the Hugo four times, as well as the Nebula twice, the Mythopoeic Award, the World Fantasy Award, and recently the Skylark Award.
My opinion: Bujold can write like a dream, and does so here. I am a sucker for her style, her imagination, and her personalities: vivid, fully three-dimensional, many things implied and not spelled out completely; humor, love, and a consistent Universe (well, kind of anyway). She writes with *feeling*, with soul; and manages to convey that so you feel a lot of the personalities' grief, fury, fear and joy. I love the whole of the Vorkosigan Saga, and this one is a brilliant start!
The author: Lois McMaster Bujold has written several series of books (including the Vorkosigan Saga, of which is the first part, and consisting of a series of full-length books as well as short stories) and several stand-alone novels. She has won the Hugo four times, as well as the Nebula twice, the Mythopoeic Award, the World Fantasy Award, and recently the Skylark Award.
My opinion: Bujold can write like a dream, and does so here. I am a sucker for her style, her imagination, and her personalities: vivid, fully three-dimensional, many things implied and not spelled out completely; humor, love, and a consistent Universe (well, kind of anyway). She writes with *feeling*, with soul; and manages to convey that so you feel a lot of the personalities' grief, fury, fear and joy. I love the whole of the Vorkosigan Saga, and this one is a brilliant start!
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