Shards of Honor

Plot summary

Cordelia Naismith, captain of a Betan Astronomical Survey ship, is exploring a newly discovered planet when her base camp is attacked. Investigating, she is surprised by a soldier, hits her head, and awakens marooned with an injured Betan ensign and Captain Lord Aral Vorkosigan of Barrayar, known as the 'Butcher of Komarr', left for dead by a rival. During a five-day hike to a secret cache, she finds Vorkosigan not the monster his reputation suggests and is strongly attracted to him.

After reaching the camp, Vorkosigan regains command and takes Cordelia and her crewman as nominal prisoners. She meets Sergeant Bothari, a career soldier with mental problems controlled by rules and attachment to a strong commander. Vorkosigan asks her to marry him, but her crew, returning against orders, join his rivals to 'rescue' her. Cordelia helps defeat the mutiny before returning to Beta Colony, realizing the Barrayarans seized the planet for its wormhole access to Escobar.

Reception

In 1996 Christian Weisgerber wrote that the novel enriches standard space opera with intrigues, chicanery, betrayal, mild-mannered humor, good characterization, and a tender love affair, but lacks originality. Thomas M. Wagner in 2004 questioned the plausibility of some elements but called it a fine debut and space opera. Jo Walton in 2009 noted it could not be less like a standard first novel in a series, as it takes place before the main character is born, praising its emotional depth and genuine ethical dilemmas, and stating the protagonist Cordelia grabbed her on every reading.

Sequel and related works

Shards of Honor as originally published was a truncated version of a longer work originally titled Mirrors. The rest appeared as the short story Aftermaths and the Hugo-winning Barrayar, later republished together as Cordelia's Honor. Simon Illyan becomes a major character, while the baby Elena becomes a hostage with the unborn Miles Vorkosigan. The planet where Cordelia and Aral met becomes the Barrayaran colony Sergyar, and they become its viceroy and vicereine after Aral's regency. In The Warrior's Apprentice, Miles and Elena appear as teenagers 17 years after Barrayar.