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Lois McMaster Bujold
SHARDS OF HONOR
book cover

Book 01
Baen
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Who recommends: Preeti, JW, Edith, Lori, Barbara, Robin, Linda, Rebekah, Lynn, Shelley, Danielle, Kathleen, Isabel, Suzanne, Tanya, Catie
Who discommends:

This is the opening volley in a strong Military Science Fiction series, and IMHO one of the best in that series. Cordelia Naismith is a starship captain forced to join efforts with a hated enemy commander. The adventure and love story that follows is fast-paced and fraught with ethical questions (but never preachy). Cordelia is a ough, intelligent heroine and her impact reverberates throughout the series. Aral's amazement and delight at a female so different than his own culture is fun to watch.--Rebekah

Absolutely loved both SHARDS OF HONOR and BARRAYAR. Cordelia's exasperation with the Barrayaran society and there reaction to her had me laughing out loud several times.--Shelley

One of my all-time favorite books. (I'm glad that Cordelia punched the Betan president, too--I wouldn't have voted for him either.)--Kathleen

Another book, or pair of books, where I'd have liked to know more about the background - in this case, about what happened when contact was made with Barrayar. Cordelia is an intriguing character - probably even mystifies herself - and even in the later, Miles-oriented novels, she's one of the characters whom I look forward to re-encountering. It's another case of going for the 'barbarian', in some ways: Aral is to Cordelia as a Saxon warrior is to a Roman lady ... I guess opposites attract, and they'd have plenty to talk about.--Tanya (30 Jul 99)

This is what I chose to cleanse my palette after Dunnett. And I think it was a good choice. This is not normally my kind of book; I don't like militaristic fiction (despite the Dunnetts) and I'm not a fan of the Star Trek type of soap that uses a consensus space setting to examine moral dilemmas. But I really liked this book. I think the characterisation is what swayed me; Cordelia and Aral are both immensely likeable and seemed real. Bujold's prose style reminded me of the young Robert Heinlein (and in case you weren't sure, that's a compliment). Lingering over character but clean and economical in action. The book's a real page turner and I look forward to reading more. Yes, that's another recommend.--Catie (27 Oct 99)


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