I bought the Cordelia compilation (Cordelia's Honor and Barrayar) awhile back, and have been making my way through it at a nice leisurely pace as opposed to mainlining both books in the time span of 24 hours when I first discovered the series. I always forget just how much Aral Vorkosigan kicks ass, how amazingly brilliant he is (without the ego), and how unlike Miles he is. The thing with Aral is that by the time the reader was introduced to him he had already came into his own - he knew who he was, and what he wanted, all the wisdom that comes with age. He breaks events down to pieces, simplify it down to its molecules, and then reform it, change it, and nothing can stop him, not when he and Cordelia will expect anything less from him. It is all of those things that make Aral Vorkosigan one of my all time favourite male fictional characters ever.

“At a distance, in space, there's the illusion of a clean and glorious fight. Almost abstract. It might be a simulation, or a game. Reality doesn't break in unless your ship is hit.”

Aral Vorkosigan, Shards Of Honor.