Shards of Honour by Lois McMaster Bujold

[Anthony G Williams]

I have at last got around to reading Bujold's Vorkosigan series and decided to start with the first in the chronological story line, Shards of Honour. I have to agree that all those who recommended her books to me were correct – she's a great writer and storyteller, and I found it hard to put the book down. However, the SF elements in the story are relatively weak. I've posted a full review on my blog.

 

[williamjm]

I have at last got around to reading Bujold's Vorkosigan series and decided to start with the first in the chronological story line, Shards of Honour. I have to agree that all those who recommended her books to me were correct – she's a great writer and storyteller, and I found it hard to put the book down. However, the SF elements in the story are relatively weak. I've posted a full review on my blog.

Personally, I thought that Shards of Honour was one of the weakest books in the series, so you've got plenty to look forward to

 

[Parson]

Personally, I thought that Shards of Honour was one of the weakest books in the series, so you've got plenty to look forward to

I could not disagree more strongly!!! Shards was the very best of the series. The whole thing sank like a lead balloon once Miles was born.

the SF elements in the story are relatively weak.

Sigh! Unfortunately this never improves.

 

[shadow9d9]

I prefer to recommend A Warrior's Apprentice first, but I'm glad you liked it. I liked one of the 2 prequel books, forgot which one... I was only disappointed in the Vor game. The rest, starting with brothers in arms are amazing.

 

[williamjm]

I prefer to recommend A Warrior's Apprentice first, but I'm glad you liked it. I liked one of the 2 prequel books, forgot which one... I was only disappointed in the Vor game. The rest, starting with brothers in arms are amazing.

Out of the two prequels I thought Barrayar was better written than Shards of Honor. I agree The Vor Game was one of the more disappointing Miles books, there were just too many unbelievable coincidences in the plotting.

 

[K. Riehl]

I look at Shards as a great first novel by a new author.

It doesn't hold up in every particular, but it has all of the promise of a good author telling a great story.

In a side note: The 3rd, 4th, and 6th books in the series won the Hugo award for best novel. (The Vor Game, Barrayar, and Mirror Dance) Is this a reflection of the development and maturation of the author? The rabid response of intensely loyal fans? The lack of worthy competitors in the field of Science Fiction?

However you view her work Lois Bujold is one Hugo win away from passing Robert Heinlein for the most Hugo's ever received.

 

[Connavar]

Not really he has 4 normal Hugo and 3 Retro Hugos for books he wrote before 1960. The awards for those books arent worthless cause they are older books.


Those awards doesnt mean that all anyway. Some years there are alot of great books others there are no competion.


Anyway if you wanna read Vorkosigan series, which is better read the first book published or start with prequals?

 

[Somni]

I would start with the first chronologically, Shards, then Cordelias honour as they set the background. However, when I read them I got my hands on one of the ones in the middle and I don't think it really affected my enjoyment.

 

[Pyan]

However, when I read them I got my hands on one of the ones in the middle and I don't think it really affected my enjoyment.

That's the way I did it too - I read the "prequels" mixed in with the Miles books.
But when I'd bought the whole sequence, I started again with Falling Free and ending at Diplomatic Immunity, and enjoyed them that way as well.

A new Miles novel is long overdue, though, LMB having been bitten, temporarily I hope, by the fantasy bug.....

 

[williamjm]

Not really he has 4 normal Hugo and 3 Retro Hugos for books he wrote before 1960. The awards for those books arent worthless cause they are older books.

Anyway if you wanna read Vorkosigan series, which is better read the first book published or start with prequals?

Wikipedia says Heinlein won 4 Best Novel Hugos and 1 Retro Hugo, whereas Bujold has won 4 Hugos (the 3 Vorkoskigan books listed above plus "Paladin of Souls"), so it does seem she could overtake him sometime.

I'd prefer to read the series in chronological order starting with Shards of Honour, Barrayar, Warrior's Apprentice, The Vor Game etc. A book like Warriors Apprentice does make more sense if you know what happened in Shards of Honour.

 

[Anthony G Williams]

I'd prefer to read the series in chronological order starting with Shards of Honour, Barrayar, Warrior's Apprentice, The Vor Game etc. A book like Warriors Apprentice does make more sense if you know what happened in Shards of Honour.

Yes, that's the way I'm tackling them.

 

[Pyan]

Strictly speaking, Falling Free is the earliest novel set in the Vor universe - but it's not really needed to explain anything in the Vorkosigan saga that isn't mentioned in the later books themselves.

 

[Parson]

Strictly speaking, Falling Free is the earliest novel set in the Vor universe - but it's not really needed to explain anything in the Vorkosigan saga that isn't mentioned in the later books themselves.

I read and loved Falling Free. I totally missed that it was set in the same universe as Shards of Honor. I read "Falling Free" much, much later.

 

[Somni]

Talking of which, having read Falling Free last, I thought it was nice how in the Miles books you got to see what a success the Quaddies had made, when they were just going to be abandoned in falling free.

 

[Connavar]

Ok looks like chrono is the way to got at it.

I read an review of one of the books in scifi.com and Miles sounded interesting.

 

[Parson]

Talking of which, having read Falling Free last, I thought it was nice how in the Miles books you got to see what a success the Quaddies had made, when they were just going to be abandoned in falling free.

Now I understand how I missed the Quaddies later success. I stopped reading Miles V books after 2 or 3 disappointing ones. I just could not believe Miles as a person, and the SF aspects were weak at best.

 

[shadow9d9]

Out of the two prequels I thought Barrayar was better written than Shards of Honor. I agree The Vor Game was one of the more disappointing Miles books, there were just too many unbelievable coincidences in the plotting.

Exactly my problem with it.. she relied on serendipity to solve the problems rather than Miles' ingenuity like every other book.

 

[Brian G Turner]

I've started reading this and was mostly enjoying it so far - except for the instalove. However, it's suddenly and inexplicably turning into a rape fantasy. Could someone please advise if it's going to go all the way? Just that I'm going to put it down if it is.

 

[SilentRoamer]

I've started reading this and was mostly enjoying it so far - except for the instalove. However, it's suddenly and inexplicably turning into a rape fantasy. Could someone please advise if it's going to go all the way? Just that I'm going to put it down if it is.

I don't remember LMB ever indulging in rape as a fantasy, although there are a number of difficult scenes throughout her novels that may offend some sensibilities. If you are getting bothered by some of the rape scenes this early on I would say not to read the books that cover Jacksons Whole.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I've started reading this and was mostly enjoying it so far - except for the instalove. However, it's suddenly and inexplicably turning into a rape fantasy. Could someone please advise if it's going to go all the way? Just that I'm going to put it down if it is.

Definitely not.

It was originally Star Trek fan fix between a ST Officer and a Klingon.

I find it the weakest of her books by a long margin because of the insta-love. In fact it put me off reading her for ages - now she’s my fav SO writer