Ahoy there me mateys!  In 2021 the First Mate gave me a treasure trove of the entire Vorkosigan Saga.  I have finally begun exploring this world.  After much internal debate, I decided to read the series in publishing order . . . well mostly.

shards of honor (read 1st)

I have always been told that the series was about Miles though I don't know much beyond that.  Well there was no Miles in this.  Apparently this be the story of how his parents meet.  Cordelia Naismith is leading a research team on an unexplored planet.  Turns out Aral Vorkosigan and his team are already there.  She is taken hostage by Aral.  They have to work together on the hostile planet.  Love ensues.  As does politics because the two are on opposite sides of the struggle.  I loved the first part of the book.  The later half not so much.  It seemed very fragmented and there is lots of torture and rape and it was gross. Bathari made me ill as did the ending.  I was so turned off by these elements that I wasn't sure I wanted to continue.  I was expecting better from the author who wrote the curse of chalion which is one of me favourite books ever.  I wish I did not start with this. Arrr!