Paperback, 330 pages
English language
Published Dec. 26, 2015 by Orbit.
For just a moment, things seem to be under control for the soldier known as Breq.
Then a search of Athoek Station's slums turns up someone who shouldn't exist — someone who might be a refugee from a ship that's been hiding beyond the empire's reach for three thousand years.
In the meantime a messenger from the alien and mysterious Presger empire arrives, as does Breq's enemy, the divided and quite possibly insane Anaander Mianaai —ruler of an empire that's at war with itself.
Anaander is heavily armed and extremely unhappy with Breq. She could take her ship and crew and flee, but that would leave everyone at Athoek in terrible danger.
Breq has a desperate plan. The odds aren't good, but that's never stopped her before.
This was definitely my least favorite of the trilogy. It trended preachy, and while there was some cool gate-jumping action, the vast majority of this book was people getting lectured by Breq on how to be better people. Which made for a relatively boring read.
More with our other favourite (but much less violent) rogue AI. Perhaps too much time spent on emotional intricacies rather than plot. The alien Translator and the Ship/Station AIs are quite pleasing though.
“Every ending is an arbitrary one. Every ending is, from another angle, not really an ending.”
The third book in the trilogy, concluding the story of Fleet Captain Breq, formerly one of hundreds of co-connected ancillary slaves to the AI starship Justice of Toren. After supreme ruler of the Radch empire Anaander Mianaai fragments into civil war with herself, and murders Justice of Toren, the ancillary Breq is all that remains. Now commanding Mercy of Kalr, she spends the third book dealing with the problems of Atheok Station, itself an AI but caught up in the same civil war between Anaander Mianaai factions.
Breq has been attempting to get the station in order and resolve the already problematic unrest between the classes, when one of the Anaander Mianaai fragments arrives with three warships in tow, and suddenly Breq has to find a resolution before Anaander has everyone on the station …
“Every ending is an arbitrary one. Every ending is, from another angle, not really an ending.”
The third book in the trilogy, concluding the story of Fleet Captain Breq, formerly one of hundreds of co-connected ancillary slaves to the AI starship Justice of Toren. After supreme ruler of the Radch empire Anaander Mianaai fragments into civil war with herself, and murders Justice of Toren, the ancillary Breq is all that remains. Now commanding Mercy of Kalr, she spends the third book dealing with the problems of Atheok Station, itself an AI but caught up in the same civil war between Anaander Mianaai factions.
Breq has been attempting to get the station in order and resolve the already problematic unrest between the classes, when one of the Anaander Mianaai fragments arrives with three warships in tow, and suddenly Breq has to find a resolution before Anaander has everyone on the station killed (including Station itself). Complicating matters, a new and equally incoherent Translator from the alien Presger is observing all the goings on.
I would have liked a bit more character development from Ekalu in particular, and really all the secondary characters, but since it's all told from Breq's point of view we only see them through her eyes and don't really get a lot of their perspectives.
Overall, this wrapped the trilogy up well, although I think the second book was slightly stronger and more concerned with bigger philosophical issues. This book was more action, as the entire system and all the ships in it seem to be spiraling towards civil war and chaos and Breq and crew have to find a way to salvage the situation. Definitely read the other two books first though, or you'll be completely lost.
Fantastic resolution to a fantastic trilogy. This very quickly became one of my favorite Science Fiction series to date. Expert world building, enthralling story, and not-so-subtle political parallels. All of my faves.
I enjoy the Douglas Adams aliens very much.
This series really fell off a cliff.
I enjoyed the introduction of Presger translators (so very alien in culture). Also, more ships, a conclusion! But reading the trilogy straight through made me feel a little over the Imperial Radch setting, which I think, again is on me, rather than Leckie.
Strong end to a fantastic trilogy. Along with developing everything that Sword set up, it does a fantastic job of deploying comedy. I can think of very few other writers who've managed to have real laugh-out-loud comic relief that not only doesn't detract from all the serious things in the book but actually develops the plot and builds the world further.
I really want to read more about the Presger, and to read a book or short story that looks at Breq through other characters' eyes.
Strong end to a fantastic trilogy. Along with developing everything that Sword set up, it does a fantastic job of deploying comedy. I can think of very few other writers who've managed to have real laugh-out-loud comic relief that not only doesn't detract from all the serious things in the book but actually develops the plot and builds the world further.
I really want to read more about the Presger, and to read a book or short story that looks at Breq through other characters' eyes.
Each time I sit down with one of Leckie's books this happens. About a chapter in, the prose makes me so happy I know I'm going to have to dole the pleasure out to myself gently. A few hours later, I find myself covered in cats at the end of the book going back to the first chapter and considering starting again.
I adore Leckie's writing, both in terms of the words themselves, their play on the page, and the characterization and construction throughout. This final book in the Ancillary series was both a logical progression from the first two, and an utterly satisfying completion of the series.
Easily the best science fiction / social construct stuff I've read in years, and likewise one of the very best stories I've read, period.
Excellent on re-read, too.
Synnerligen trevlig trilogi. En stark fyra. En del recensenter tycks klaga på att de dricker te ofta... Nja, bara behagligt: "Indeed" som huvudkaraktären emellanåt säger.
Utmanar och stimulerar fantasin om person eller personlighet visavi samhälle, individ visavi kollektiv.
Olika kulturer, bland annat kring genus, där det i berättelsens eller berättarjagets civilisation Radch blir svårt att överhuvudtaget konceptuellt begripa att någon kan heta något annat än "hon". Kräver ansträngning när möte med andra folk som tänker annorlunda.
Sci-fi i subgenren "rymdopera", som jag själv skulle placera denna trilogi i, finns i en del annat samtida: Om man önskar sig såväl högkvalitativ som njutbar läsning så finns förutom som här Ann Leckie också exempelvis Christopher Ruocchio. Uppföljaren till närmast absurt spännande Empire of Silence utkommer i juli i år:
Howling Dark.
A very good end to a very enjoyable series. I think it says a lot that this book doesn't come to a grand, satisfying ending - that would make it clear it's a story. Rather, you're left with a somewhat unsatisfying realism, a sense that the saga continues to play out long after we've stopped peering into their universe; after all, nothing really ends. It's hard to build a universe that does that, so my hat's off to Ann Leckie.
Ancillary Justice starts right where Ancillary Sword ends. There is more action thatn in Ancillary Sword, I found it hard to put down and found myself neglecting my podcast feed.
An Alien ambassador adds comic relief.
In Ancillary Justice I felt that the gender politics assosiated with the Ancillary trilogy finally became significant, as conflict resolution via fire power and coercion is pitted against conflict resolution through manipulation of relationships and feelings.
I blew through this book in just under a week, it was so good. The characters are coming into their own, there's humor, and Breq's manipulation of everyone is fun to read. The Presger translator may be my favorite supporting character in the book, but I also have lots of love for Kale Five and her tea sets.
Great conclusion to the trilogy.
Leckie has said that she's through with Breq's story, but I hope she has many others to tell in this universe.
