Cordelia’s honor is sci-fi with a strong female character. And not strong in that she kicks physical butt, but she is intelligent, brave and caring. She invests in the relationships of those around her and she is both a strong leader and a brilliant second in command. (Please take a second to watch this brilliant youtube video about the importance of the first follower as illustrated through drunken dance).
And then Captain Cordelia Naismith finds herself stranded in an ambush on an unknown planet. She was the leader of an Astronomical Survey team from her home planet of the Beta Colony, now she is the prisoner of a man known as the Butcher of Komarr, Lord Aral Vorkosigan of Barrayar. He has suffered mutiny and is almost as stranded as she is. They manage to fall in love while traversing the planet looking for supplies. Long story short (don’t you just hate people who use that phrase?) Cordelia is rescued, returns to her home planet only to take off in an elaborate escape to be with the man she loves.
Then she is on Barrayar. No longer the the Captain of a battalion (is that the right military word? Eh, who cares) but second in command to a Lord who, when the emperor dies, becomes regent and plunges them into a heap of political trouble.
It’s got it all; action, drama, star crossed lovers, complex political plots and two advanced societies that in their competition manage to highlight everything that is wrong with the world today.
I wanted to love this novel. Unfortunately it had some issues that degrades it to a mere like. But a like-like. I like-like this novel, but you know, love is icky and for grown ups. So let me here say: it’s a wonderful book, you should read it and be greatly entertained. That’s it, you can leave now; from here on only ranting will take place.
- The cover. A part of me did actually love the campy cover art, reminiscent of some horrible sub genre of a pulp novel. It just did not do any sort of justice to intricacy of plot and the well-crafted and diverse people within. I mean it was kinda like some sort of vampy space-porn and didn’t really lend itself to be read where people could see it and not know that Cordelia wasn’t actually a space slave bedding the men of power and using their secret to take down an empire. Well I might’ve read a book like that. Just not in public, y’know.
- Look. She was supposed to be pregnant at some point? She came from a world where in vivo pregnancies were exceedingly rare and both she and the reader routinely forget that she is pregnant. It hardly changes her or colors her outlook of the world. And when the life of her child is in danger? I just didn’t feel the love.
- The whole rape thing. Look. Barrayar is supposed to be super primitive and I get that. Okay bear with me through the soap here: Drou is in love with Kou. She seduces him one night, but then stuff happens and they don’t have a chance to “follow up”, so to speak. Long story short (yeah, sorry) he ends up thinking he raped her. Like holy balls, that was the story line??? And Cordelia and Aral basically laugh at it afterwards? There had been some things before trying to show that Cordelia was progressed on gender issues compared to the people of Barrayar and it just fell flat multiple times. But when Drou and Kou got fucking married EVEN THOUGH HE THOUGHT HE RAPED HER?? Damn, girl.
Okay, just 3 things, not that bad. But really the gender thing was kind of pervasive and weird and didn’t quite work. But the inclusion of cool themes like friendship, motherhood and a functional normal marriage, issues that are often cast aside in space-war novels, redeemed it greatly. If you’re not reading it to review it, and have a summer afternoon in the sun to fully suck the marrow out of; then this is the book you should be reading.
If you like reading my stuff you can read it here in droves…
Contractually obligated to pop in a do a Kermit-flail YAAAAAAAAY! But I see where you’re coming from with the critiques, especially the cover. They’re all like that. I don’t think whoever does Lois’s covers actually reads her books. Their loss!
I’m flailing with you!! <3 <3 <3 Seriously, everybody should read these books. They are tremendous.
The cover of Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance is my “favorite.” It’s just so hilariously awful.
I must be broken in some essential way because I’ve really tried to embrace Bujold, she writes novels that should be my catnip in every way. This was the 3rd one I picked up on the basis of strong reviews and (hides head in shame) never managed to finish. I love her take on science fiction – robust word building with unique and fully-realized characters. But somehow I find them just a tiny bit…dull?
(Goes and hides in shame)
To me, it’s probably because it’s goes a little bit against genre convention. It’s written in a sci-fi language but deals mostly with relationships and the details of everyday life – something the language can’t always carry. I definitely had to learn to read it on the surface like a sci-fi novel and reveling in a different type of story. But I really feel that there should be more stories like this; exploring new worlds, technology and customs is what sci-fi is really about – rather than blowing up space ships.
The only Bujold I’ve read is The Curse of Chalion which I felt nothing but indifference towards, despite several people I know being enthusiastic about it. So many people want me to read Vorkosigan saga, but since sci fi is more often than not miss rather than hit for me, I am just not convinced. As far as I can gather, they’re all naval books set in space – I can’t stand military history or books featuring military campaings(so dull), and then there’s the afore-mentioned sci-fi reluctance.
I don’t want “flail, you just need to read these!”. I want convincing arguments as to why I should give the time and consideration to these books over all the other shiny books on my over-crowded TBR list, considering I have the dislikes that I have outlined above. Should I actually try them, or rule them out once and for all?
If you are into sci-fi that touches upon the core of humanity I think this is a really good example. It reminded me somewhat of Star Trek TOS if they’d stayed longer on a single planet.
I’m not sure I can entirely convince you. I enjoyed the book, but it has its faults as well as its merits. I will say however that it wasn’t nautical, but more along the lines of complex political and intricate social navigations. It really excelled in highlighting some of the uglier sides of humanity and society while still being fresh, witty and exciting.
Alright, I’m going to try to convince you to not only give the Vorkosigan books a go, but to also give Paladin of Souls, the Curse of Chalion sequel a chance. Let’s do this.
The Vorkosigan books. As mathildehoeg said, they’re not really “navy in space” at all. The first two books have the most of that kind of thing and they still don’t have a lot. There’s romance, political intrigue (quite a lot of that), the nature of power and the types of people to both exploit and reject it, exploration of what it means to be human via mutants, clones, genetic engineering, and intense cultural differences. There’s humor, fantastic characters, complex relationships, and well crafted plots. The Vorkosigan are delightful and well worth giving a chance.
Now for Paladin of Souls. You should read it for one simple reason. The main character, Ista dy Chalion. Mother of Iselle, former saint and mad woman. Oh, Ista. She’s bitter and sarcastic and world-weary and she never gives up. Oh, you want Ista on your team. She’s clever and fast and quietly stubborn and so, so awesome. She used to be mad and she learned a lot from it. Shining Ista. She’ll cut a bitch.
Thank you, Amanda, you are the first person who’s actually made me seriously consider reading the books. Since Paladin of Souls is actually a book I own, I was probably always going to read that. But I might try the Vorkosigan saga too. Just not yet.
I’m delighted that you found my arguments compelling! Paladin of Souls is a book that is very close to my heart, so I’m always happy to make a case for it.
… >.> … <.<
If you had not got me all those books we would NO LONGER BE FRIENDS
… >.> … <.<
If you had not got me all those books we would NO LONGER BE FRIENDS
Also the whole academic mother thing whevs, *dramatic eye-roll and flouncing*
Try reading Borders of Infinity. It’s three short novellas about Miles, the main Vorkosigan character, and it’s three pretty different adventures. If none of those strike your fancy, then you’re probably okay to (SIGH) skip the rest. Two of the three are pretty military, but Mountains of Mourning is solving a murder – a baby murder, even! Maybe start with that one and see if it grabs you?
I’m reading the first three books in this series later this year (publication order). I know Shards of Honour is in here, but it’s not the next two. Isn’t it Barrayar or something? ::Shakes fist at omnibuses::
Aaaaand I just saw that the header already answered my question.
Haha, I totally feel you. In this case it just really makes sense that they are collected into one book – I couldn’t imagine reading them separately and enjoying them as much 🙂
Yay!!! I’m glad you got some enjoyment out of this. I do wish for less romance in her novels but it’s usually there as a driver of action and motivation but just for it’s own sake. I want to give a plug for Curse of Chalion, Paladin of Souls, and Hallowed Hunt. They are really a meditation on the nature of the relationship between the divine and humans and I find then fantastically entertaining. Hallowed Hunt is the best paced, the Climax of Chalion is a bit rushed and the end a bit to happily ever after. Paladin of Souls is notable exactly for the heroine, Ista. She is a middle aged woman on a quest to find out what the hell to do with her life after playing the role of mother and queen and going crazy.
Also, the Sharing Knife series is dope (see: romance as a driver of action) and the hero has a disability that drives his development as a person, which is also cool to see.
I have hardcore strong feminist feelings about Bujold and her place in the SF/F pantheon, but it’s half four in the morning and I need sleep so… if you want to know the feels then let me know and I’ll do a Thing. With words. And maybe links. Or even pictures*.
*almost certainly not pictures, sorry. Unless emojis count? I am a fan of winky face.
Do the Thing! I will almost certainly love the Thing, as feminism in SF/F is one of my favorite things ever.
Second vote for doing the thing, yai!