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Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold
Sep. 28th, 2007 11:50 pmThe Blurb On The Back:
When enemies become more than friends - they win!
In her first trial by fire, Cordelia Naismith captained a throwaway ship of the Betan Expeditionary Force on a mission to destroy an enemy armada. Discovering deception within deception, treachery within treachery, she was forced into a separate peace with her chief opponent, Lord Aral Vokosigan - he was called 'The Butcher of Komarr' - and would consequently become an outcast on her own planet and the Lady Vokosigan on his.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
I didn't really enjoy this (although I know other people who are big fans of Bujold's work). Ultimately, the characters and situation felt a little too flat and perfunctory for me to buy into them and whilst I admire Bujold's refusal to pander to her readers in terms of showing her world, there were times when I felt that more explanation of what was happening would have been useful. I'll read the follow-up volume, Barrayer, as I understand that it was this that won the Hugo, but I have to say that had I been coming to this series new, I wouldn't have gone further than this book.
When enemies become more than friends - they win!
In her first trial by fire, Cordelia Naismith captained a throwaway ship of the Betan Expeditionary Force on a mission to destroy an enemy armada. Discovering deception within deception, treachery within treachery, she was forced into a separate peace with her chief opponent, Lord Aral Vokosigan - he was called 'The Butcher of Komarr' - and would consequently become an outcast on her own planet and the Lady Vokosigan on his.
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
I didn't really enjoy this (although I know other people who are big fans of Bujold's work). Ultimately, the characters and situation felt a little too flat and perfunctory for me to buy into them and whilst I admire Bujold's refusal to pander to her readers in terms of showing her world, there were times when I felt that more explanation of what was happening would have been useful. I'll read the follow-up volume, Barrayer, as I understand that it was this that won the Hugo, but I have to say that had I been coming to this series new, I wouldn't have gone further than this book.
