BarrayarBarrayar
Score Modern
What it's about
Cordelia Naismith, a scientist and ship captain from a peaceful, progressive world, has married Aral Vorkosigan, a warrior from the militaristic planet Barrayar, and moved there. When the dying emperor names Aral regent for a five-year-old heir, Cordelia, pregnant with their first child, is plunged into court intrigue, assassination attempts and civil war, in a society with very different ideas about women and power.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Hugo Award for Best Novel and was a Nebula Award finalist. It's one of the most beloved books in Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga, combining political thriller, adventure and a fierce story about motherhood.
You'll love it if you liked
A Memory Called Empire
Paladin of Souls
DuneGood to know
It follows Shards of Honor, which tells how Cordelia and Aral met; many editions combine the two. It's a natural starting point for the series.
By the numbers
- Readers90 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics67 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller21 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #21 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #117 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #232 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Epic, Dark
More by Lois McMaster Bujold
Paladin of Souls
Mirror Dance
The Vor Game
MemoryIf you like this, read next
The Lord of the Rings
Fantasy in Death
Soldier of the Mist
A Game of Thrones
The Fifth Season
Dungeon Crawler CarlExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Barrayar worth reading?
Yes. It won the Hugo Award for Best Novel and was a Nebula Award finalist. It ranks #232 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 82.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Barrayar about?
Cordelia Naismith, a scientist and ship captain from a peaceful, progressive world, has married Aral Vorkosigan, a warrior from the militaristic planet Barrayar, and moved there. When the dying emperor names Aral regent for a five-year-old heir, Cordelia, pregnant with their first child, is plunged into court intrigue, assassination attempts and civil war, in a society with very different ideas about women and power.
How long does it take to read Barrayar?
About 10 hours (402 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Barrayar won?
Hugo Award winner (1992).
What should I read after Barrayar?
If you liked it, try A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine, Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold or Dune by Frank Herbert.