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vik_thorWell, I finally finished Ancillary Sword, after getting (and reading) Ancillary Justice by mistake first. (Though since Ancillary Justice did win the Hugo last year, not as big a mistake as I first thought.) They are the first 2 books in the Imperial Radch trilogy by Ann Leckie.
I haven't been reading a lot of new Science Fiction / Fantasy lately, just rereading older stuff, or getting used books. So I hadn't heard of her before, even though she lives here in Saint Louis.
I will say, I am a bit surprised that Ancillary Justice won the Hugo last year, though that may be a bit unfair, without reading the other nominees. I had some trouble getting through it, because of the structure. It is written in two time periods, the present and ~ 20 years BP, with occasional glimpses to ~1000 years BP. It wasn't bad, per se, just occasionally confusing.
Ancillary Sword is a standard style novel, and I was able to get through it quicker. I did enjoy it, and am looking forward to the third book in the series, Ancillary Mercy.
It is a space opera style series.
The main concept/idea behind the universe is that AIs that control the worships of the Radch Empire use bodies of conquered people as mobile units, or ancillaries. This is played with in Justice, when the ship Justice of Toren gives multiple viewpoints all while using I. Each conquered planet has to give so many of its citizens to be ancillaries. These are adults who are stuck in suspended animation until needed, then revived and implanted with the needed hardware. Justice of Toren is the main character, in the body of One Esk Nineteen now known as Breq.
The Radch Empire is ruled by a 3,000 year old multiple clone who uses the same technology.
Another interesting aspect of the book, the Radch do not distinguish people by gender. Mrs. Leckie uses the female personal pronouns throughout which definitely gives a different flavor to it. In Justice, one of the characters is described (in another language) as a male/him, but in every other reference in the books her/she is used.
In general, they are enjoyable reads. I give Justice 5 out of 10, and Sword 7 out of 10.
Is Ancillary Sword good enough to win Ann Lecke the Best Novel Hugo two years in a row for the same series? Before reading the other nominees, I will say that the others are going to have to be truly bad for me to vote Sword in first place.
(And yes, I know I need to work on my reviewing. :)
I haven't been reading a lot of new Science Fiction / Fantasy lately, just rereading older stuff, or getting used books. So I hadn't heard of her before, even though she lives here in Saint Louis.
I will say, I am a bit surprised that Ancillary Justice won the Hugo last year, though that may be a bit unfair, without reading the other nominees. I had some trouble getting through it, because of the structure. It is written in two time periods, the present and ~ 20 years BP, with occasional glimpses to ~1000 years BP. It wasn't bad, per se, just occasionally confusing.
Ancillary Sword is a standard style novel, and I was able to get through it quicker. I did enjoy it, and am looking forward to the third book in the series, Ancillary Mercy.
It is a space opera style series.
The main concept/idea behind the universe is that AIs that control the worships of the Radch Empire use bodies of conquered people as mobile units, or ancillaries. This is played with in Justice, when the ship Justice of Toren gives multiple viewpoints all while using I. Each conquered planet has to give so many of its citizens to be ancillaries. These are adults who are stuck in suspended animation until needed, then revived and implanted with the needed hardware. Justice of Toren is the main character, in the body of One Esk Nineteen now known as Breq.
The Radch Empire is ruled by a 3,000 year old multiple clone who uses the same technology.
Another interesting aspect of the book, the Radch do not distinguish people by gender. Mrs. Leckie uses the female personal pronouns throughout which definitely gives a different flavor to it. In Justice, one of the characters is described (in another language) as a male/him, but in every other reference in the books her/she is used.
In general, they are enjoyable reads. I give Justice 5 out of 10, and Sword 7 out of 10.
Is Ancillary Sword good enough to win Ann Lecke the Best Novel Hugo two years in a row for the same series? Before reading the other nominees, I will say that the others are going to have to be truly bad for me to vote Sword in first place.
(And yes, I know I need to work on my reviewing. :)