Classic Remarks on Cordelia’s Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

I recently discovered the Classic Remarks meme, hosted by Briana and Krysta at Pages Unbound Reviews. I am very late to Classic Remarks, but it looks great and the topic for December 18 is very interesting:

Tell us about your favorite science fiction classic.

So, here it is: Cordelia’s Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold, my gateway read into science-fiction, way back in 2012. In many ways, it’s like stepping into the Star Wars world (the older Star Wars Episodes IV-VI, I mean). This is a repost of my review from that time, for this old favorite.

Cordelia’s Honor is actually an omnibus edition of two books: Shards of Honor (1986) and Barrayar (1991), and won the Hugo and the Locus Awards for best novel in 1992.

Commander Cordelia Naismith is the head scientist for an expedition from Beta Colony to study life forms in other planetary systems. Beta is a peace-loving world, which is much more scientifically advanced than other systems — like Barrayar.

In fact, Barrayar is very different from Beta. Barrayaran empire is aristocratic, military-led and patriarchal (and strangely reminiscent of ancient Russian empire). In recent years, Barrayar has taken on a very aggressive colonizing stance, and is infamous for the bloodbath on the planet of Komarr. The head of that Komarr expedition was Aral Vorkosigan, aka the ‘Butcher of Komarr’.

Shards of Honor (Book 1)

In Shards of Honor, the Barrayaran army mutinies against Vorkosigan and takes Cordelia as a prisoner of war (while she is on the expedition). That’s how Cordelia meets Aral. From there onwards, Cordelia escapes, rescues her team, saves Vorkosigan in a deadly battle… and is captured again, and so forth.

Poor Cordelia! She is a Betan who hates wars but she is constantly thrust into battles and violence. Each situation tests her “honor” or her integrity as a soldier, scientist and team-leader. But here’s the thing: you can always depend on Cordelia to do what is right, even if it is not easy. In Cordelia, Bujold has created a wonderful heroine: honest, authentic, courageous — despite all odds. Read this book for Cordelia.

I really liked the world-building too. Space travel is done by shuttle ‘jumps’ across ‘wormholes’; weapons like stunners, nerve-disrupters and plasma arcs are used; and alien creatures like hexapedal herbivores, fuzzy crabs, and vampiric bubbles are studied by Betan explorers. For the sci-fi newbie in me, it was a whole new world.

Barrayar (Book 2)

Barrayar, begins with the marriage of Cordelia with Aral. Marriage to a Barrayaran is difficult, especially when he is Regent for the minor King. In the beginning, Cordelia, who cannot follow her Betan customs on Barrayar, is hopelessly powerless and spends her time as an anxious and confused wife.

But when an unfortunate assassination attempt imperils her unborn child, Cordelia decides to take matters into her own hands. It isn’t easy. The assassination attempt has left her son disabled, and the planet of Barrayar despises physical deformities (and even medical innovation). But she persists, and the courage of such persistence is remarkable.

I’m not a great fan of Aral Vorkosigan. His past is too shady and demented, and as the Regent, his hands are always tied-down with obligations to the Crown. However — his marriage to Cordelia has saved him from becoming a monster; here too, Cordelia’s innate honor brings out the best in Aral.

Excerpt:: Favorite Scene

My favorite scene from Cordelia’s Honor? When Cordelia coordinates a raid to rescue her son with a small team of four. Here’s a glimpse:

Count Piotr's hand slapped down hard upon the table. "Good God, woman, where have you been?" he cried furiously. 

A morbid lunacy overtook her. She smiled fiercely at him, and held up the bag. "Shopping."

For a second, the old man nearly believed her; conflicting expressions whiplashed over his face, astonishment, disbelief, then anger as it penetrated he was being mocked.

"Want to see what I bought?" Cordelia continued, still floating. She yanked the bag's top open, and rolled Vordarian's head out across the table.

Fortunately, it had ceased leaking some hours back. It stopped faceup before him, lips grinning, drying eyes staring.

Piotr's mouth fell open. Kanzian jumped, the staffers swore, and one of Vordarian's traitors actually fell out of his chair, recoiling. Vortala pursed his lips and raised his brows. Koudelka, grimly proud of his key role in stage-managing this historic moment in one-upsmanship, laid the swordstick on the table as further evidence. Illyan puffed, and grinned triumphantly through his shock.

Aral was perfect. His eyes widened only briefly, then he rested his chin on his hands and gazed over his father's shoulder with an expression of cool interest. "But of course," he breathed. "Every Vor lady goes to the capital to shop."

"I paid too much for it," Cordelia confessed.

"That, too, is traditional." A sardonic smile quirked his lips.

Available as a free read (in parts) at Baen Books.

---

Have you read Cordelia’s Honor? Have you participated in the Classic Remarks meme? What other science fiction classic would you recommend?