Monday Review: Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie

image via annleckie.com

Have I gushed about this book enough?  Clearly not.

Took me a while to get through because life, not because book.  If I’d had my way, I would have hidden in my room or a hotel or a dirty, stinking cave from start to finish and not slept or ate (that’s right, I would have forgone eating) until the things was done.

If you’ll remember from our Big Ass Spaceship Show, Luke had some reservations about a sequel because of the manner in which Ancillary Justice ended.  I had fewer because I didn’t see any other place for the book to have ended and the character of Breq is so rich and had so much room to grow and change; that said I understood his reservations because who wants to see one of her top three books of the year crash and burn in continuation.

Fear not, Luke.  There is only flight.

Leckie changes up the style a bit in Ancilary Sword: still Breq’s POV and still first person, but there is a metric fuckton of added depth due to the fact that, while Breq still has her implants and still has the advantage of her ship’s vast knowledge, she is no longer an integrated part of the collective; she misses it terribly while, at the same time, realizing she can never have it back and, must therefore, adjust to being an individual or go mad.  While, at the same time, keeping the Imperium from utter destruction.  While still being unclear on whose side she should be on and who deserves her wrath.  Or, for that matter, who doesn’t.  Gah.  I cried (in an emotional connection way).  Leckie (in the form of Breq) made me cry.  Books never make me cry.

image via orbit books.com

Leckie also does a masterful “shrinking” of the plot, not in importance or action or interest, but in scope.  Ancillary Justice is a “macro” book; the plot is massive, empire spanning, century spanning.  Ancillary Sword, very much in keeping with its voice character’s change, occurs in a more compact space, a more limited chronology.  This does not in any way diminish the engagement factor; if anything, I think it enhances it because the reader is given a deeper understanding of the Radch via more intimate interactions.  We can see the whole thing now, at every level.  Damn, that’s some world building.

The characters Leckie chose to retain were the ones I wanted to see again.  The new ones she added were well developed, interesting, fit perfectly into the world, and added to the story.  Translator Dlique, a Peresgar envoy, may be my new favorite character of ever.  Possibly literally.

I had every thought of loving the second book in the Imperial Radch series.  I didn’t think I’d like it as much as Ancillary Justice.  But I did.  Considering the conversations we’ve had on the pod about sequels in general, Leckie has pulled one hell of a rabbit out of her hat.

image via i09.com

There had better be more or *fist shake, nerd rage*

Ten out of five fingers on the hand of glory.  And no, that isn’t a typo.

Go ‘ye forth.  If you haven’t read Ancillary Justice, do so, then dive immediately into Ancillary Sword.  If you have read Ancillary Justice, then what the hell are you waiting for?

Also, would someone please make me an, “I love Dyson Spheres” t-shirt?  I would really, really appreciate it.