Archive for the ‘Ann Leckie’ Category
Ancillary Justice, by Ann Leckie
Posted on: December 4, 2013
Ancillary Justice, by Ann Leckie
published October 2013
where I got it: received review copy from the publisher (Thanks Orbit!)
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The mission of the Radchaai is to bring civilization to humanity. The word radchaai itself, means civilization, implying that anyone who isn’t Radchaai isn’t civilized. Their empire has always expanded, annexing colonies and planets, bringing civilization and culture to the far corners of the galaxy. Those who resist are taken prisoner, and either destroyed or turned into corpse soldiers, to become ancillaries for the massive AIs that run the Radchaai ships.
Breq is one such AI. Twenty years ago, Breq answered to the name One Esk, and was the ship AI for the ship Justice of Toren. One Esk controlled and embodied thousands of ancillaries who ran the ship and served the human officers on board. Twenty years ago an annexation went horribly wrong, The Justice of Toren was destroyed, and Breq was left alone with only one human body, one set of ears, one brain, no friends or allies, and a burning hatred.
Breq is still trying to figure out what happened on Justice of Toren. Yes, it’s true, that ancillaries of the Radchaai supreme leader Anaander Mianaai secretly came aboard and swore One Esk to secrecy, and then possibly changed something in the AI’s memory banks. For twenty years, Breq has been looking for the single weapon that can get past the scanners, get past the security that surrounds Anaander Mianaai. For the good of Radchaai, Breq is plotting to destroy the creator of their empire.
The blogosphere is much a-fire about this book. Author Ann Leckie should probably start looking at flights to London for next summer:
Ana: Dare I? I can’t really think of a single thing that is not right about the book. So Yeah: 10
Thea: 10 – Utter Perfection
– The Book Smugglers
This is a book to watch out for, and if it doesn’t garner the author a Hugo nomination, I’ll be very much surprised.
– A Dribble of Ink
Ann Leckie’s Ancillary Justice does everything science fiction should do. It engages, it excites, and it challenges the way the reader views our world. . . . Ancillary Justice might be the best science fiction novel of this very young decade.
– Staffer’s Book Review
the Little Red Reviewer 
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