Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold

Space Opera is one of my favorite genres. It is derived from 19^th century high adventure tales of the high seas and old westerns. It doesn’t just have the feeling of those, but it actually takes elements from the two genres, including gun battles and (space) ships. The most well-known space opera tale is that of the Star Wars movies, which are still in production.

            This week I read Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold. This book shaped the “golden age of science fiction” between 1950-60. This space opera is all about the adventure of Cordelia Naismith as she treks across an unexplored planet with her captor, Aral Vorkosigan. They are eventually able to work together to help Vorkosigan obtain his old military title and get her home safely while unexpectedly falling in love. But when Naismith finally gets home, people think she’s been brainwashed so she runs back to Vorkosigan and marries him.

            This book poses a big psychological question: what is honor?

“Shards of honor” undoubtedly refers to what little honor that Vorkosigan has left. Also, at the beginning Naismith has a sure definition for honor; but as the story progresses and the characters face various trials, she starts to question her first idea.

            Shards of Honor also gives a perspective to politics and culture. Naismith and Vorkosigan come from completely different lifestyles. Naismith comes from Beta Colony, where you can love freely and choose who you marry. Beta Colony seems to be primarily a non-aggressive culture, preferring science to military conflict. Vorkosigan, on the other hand, comes from Barrayar, where there are arranged marriages and everything from rank to behavior is militarian.

            My favorite part was the beginning when they are trekking across the planet. Bujold does a great job of describing the landscape and dangers of the planet. I also really enjoyed when Naismith gets back to her home and people believe she’s been brainwashed; telling her she has been tortured and tricked into being a Barrayaran spy. I thought this was particularly interesting because I found myself wondering if maybe she had been brainwashed and everything I had read was just her brainwashed memories. But I’m probably overthinking it.