Isdihara
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
Which one of your own novels (Fantasy or Science Fiction) would YOU recommend to someone as a starting point? I simply cannot seem to pick one book to get started...
Lois McMaster Bujold
Well, if I'm speaking to prospective readers one-on-one, I usually ask them a few questions about their reading preferences, and take them into account. Do they prefer fantasy or SF? Love or loathe romance tropes? Like mysteries? War stories? Coming-of-age tales, or older heroes? Prefer male or female protagonists? Want a long series or a stand-alone? Are they spoiler sensitive or don't care? Etc.
Long general answer is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/story/show/...
Short answer is Shards of Honor for the SF, The Curse of Chalion for fantasy, The Sharing Knife, Vol. 1: Beguilement for fantasy/romance, or The Spirit Ring for a stand-alone with a YA vibe. That cuts it down to 4; flip a coin twice if nothing jumps out at you. Some of these books have been around for a long time, and I hope will continue to be so. They'll wait for you to catch up. The only wrong choice would be not to read any.
Good luck!
Ta, L.
Well, if I'm speaking to prospective readers one-on-one, I usually ask them a few questions about their reading preferences, and take them into account. Do they prefer fantasy or SF? Love or loathe romance tropes? Like mysteries? War stories? Coming-of-age tales, or older heroes? Prefer male or female protagonists? Want a long series or a stand-alone? Are they spoiler sensitive or don't care? Etc.
Long general answer is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/story/show/...
Short answer is Shards of Honor for the SF, The Curse of Chalion for fantasy, The Sharing Knife, Vol. 1: Beguilement for fantasy/romance, or The Spirit Ring for a stand-alone with a YA vibe. That cuts it down to 4; flip a coin twice if nothing jumps out at you. Some of these books have been around for a long time, and I hope will continue to be so. They'll wait for you to catch up. The only wrong choice would be not to read any.
Good luck!
Ta, L.
More Answered Questions
Deborah Jones
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
This question contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)[
I read 'Shards of Honor' (rapidly followed by the rest of the Vorkosigan series) last year and I adore it. Chapter 14, where Cordelia comes upon Aral in a state of drunken hopelessness, reminded me of a similar scene in a very different but also beloved novel, Georgette Heyer's Venetia. Is there any chance the wicked Lord Damerel had an unconscious influence?
(hide spoiler)]
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