Ancillary Sword (Imperial Radch #2) by Ann Leckie

Book two of the Imperial Radch series did give me answers to some of my questions from book one, Ancillary Justice, and because its written in a linear narrative it isn't as complex as book one. I also took notes so I wouldn't miss as many details as I am sure I did blazing through book one. Anne Leckie switches the character, Breq, using her point of view as a human, not alternating multiple points of view. In book one Breq is the starship, Justice of Toren, that connects her to thousands of human bodies turned into ancillaries with artificial intelligence and a 20-ancillary soldier unit called, One Esk. This story feels like it is setting up for the next book with little action and no battles. I was surprised because book one ends on a the strong possibility of a civil war, but that doesn't happen.

The world building is well done and the economy is explained, but I do think there are some holes in the author's description of artificial intelligence or they lack depth in explaining the mechanics that makes it hard for me to visualize how the systems work together. It might also be me. Science fiction can be hard to follow because the entire world is made up by the author. If the reader can't visualize it, then heck... that's a problem. Maybe if I read more of it I would recognize that the word, "decade," means a military unit or that implants in people control them and when removed it does not mean they die but become something else. Let's just leave it that... certain aspects left me confused and I don't know if it was the writing or my lack of sci-fi. That said, I still found the story engrossing. This plot is not as complex (hence, less surprising) and I missed the everyman character found in Sveivardan who does not have a prominent role in this book. As a result the story is weaker for me, but still entertaining. 

The backstory from book one is a thousand years ago, the Lord of Radch, Anaander Mianaai, takes over other planets in the galaxy annexing the people and forcing them under her rule. Those that resist are killed. In one instance Mianaai committed genocide against one planet. The Lord of Radch is an AI now ruling thousands of ancillaries and controlling outerspace populations. She is at war with herself for decisions she has made such as the genocide and seems to have split into two forms of justice where she is a dictator or autocrat. The result is a civil war caused by her and within herself. When the Lord of Radch needs new bodies she grows them and has thousands that share her identity. I don't quite understand how this works for it is different than how ancillaries are explained in the book. The Lord of Radch uses starships run by a single AI that uses host bodies of soldiers called, ancillaries, to control the annexation of a planet. These starships are being retired and becoming space stations leaving them unhappy with their new job. Breq was once a starship that the dictator side of the Lord of Radch destroyed because it doubted her loyalty. Breq's character arc is one that has been programmed to side with justice, but when the Radch dictator actions become contradictory and unjust Breq acts them out (as she has to) leaving her in grief and unhappy. 

In this book Breq is a human or One Esk ancillary nineteen. The autocratic Lord of Radch has made her captain of the ship Mercy of Kalr and sent her to Atheok Station where the threat from the alien Presgrs is a real possibility and Lieutenant Awn's sister lives. The Lord of Radch knows that it is the latter that will make Breq go to the station for Breq struggles with grief over Awn and must resolve it. While at Atheok, Breq uncovers a corrupt government and sets things right so that the people are united and not divided if an alien or civil war breaks loose at their doorstep. 

Breq is less interesting without Seivarden in the plot messing things up. Seivarden was the Everyman's person, the ordinary character that is thrust into an extraordinary situation who the reader can identify with. Hans Solo was the everyman character to hero Luke Skywalker. I find the everyman character rounds out the hero more. Breq gets a bit preachy at times as the politics unfold to show oppressed natives from an annexation that happened 600 years ago. The character Breq is AI so she isn't going to make many mistakes. She is able to see more than the human eye or brain can and plot twists are lost when Seivarden is put in the background. Lieutenant Tisarwat is not as interesting as Seivarden and I liked how Seivarden would mess up Breq's plans. I didn't realize how much her character pushed the action forward in the first book and it left a hole in the sequel.

As a character, Breq, is interesting because her emotions and stance on situations vary from others due to her artificial intelligence and being one thousand years old. She looks at justice with a perspective others won't have because of her longevity. She understands the unhappiness of the starships and life of an ancillary more than a human ever could and it gives her human qualities because she even deals with machines compassionately. The theme of justice is explored in depth showing the perspective of how a tyrant can justify her actions. The fun word play on gender is dropped and I missed it. I thought it lightened the heaviness of the plot and I enjoyed when the Raadchi gave clues as to who was what gender. Breq's discs with the holograms don't make an appearance in this novel and it is clear she doesn't follow a particular religion. I wasn't sure in book one. Her religious actions were for show. Part of Breq's character arc is to find redemption for her unjust actions against Lieutenant Awn. She seeks it in Awn's sister who understandably rejects Breq. The reader definitely gets to know Breq better in this book, but there is less action and a more straightforward plot. If you liked book one, then give this a go.

4 Smileys

Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch #1) by Ann Leckie

While most of my reviews are middle grade fiction novels, I like to find crossover books for my high readers that are challenging but appropriate. I thought this might be okay based on a review I read but after reading it I'm going to give it to the high school library. This space opera has a plot that is too complex as the reader is dropped into the middle of the action with unique points of view and no textual features to show when the viewpoints have changed. Add alternating chapters in the past and present from a character that is three beings in one body and it is can be confusing, especially at the start. The story slowly unfolds and comes to an exciting climax, but requires patience by the reader. I see why two top readers gave the book back to me saying, "I don't get it." Science fiction can be complex at times. I remember abandoning "Dune," as a kid because "I didn't get it." As an adult, I enjoyed the uniqueness of this book, especially how the author plays with gender. The androgynous-type characters had made me placing my own genders on them in order to visualize them. Not only is the reader customizing the story to his or her preferences, it exposes internal biases in the process creating good discussions on the topic of self-identity.

The main character is a robot with multiple points of view that refers to herself as "she" : she is Justice of Toren, or the artificial intelligence of a starship; she is Justice of Toren One Esk, or a twenty-unit ancillary serving a Lieutenant; and she is Breq, a single ancillary that has lost all other connections. Ancillaries are dead soldiers that have been modified to work as many units linked to one starship or in this case, Justice of Toren. Basically, the main character is in a human or ship's body but has artificial intelligence. I didn't "get" this out until well into the book which is why I think my two young readers abandoned it. Breq is in the current story and on a mission to kill the creator of the universe while the alternating story is about One Esk that is serving a Lieutenant in a city in outerspace. The robot is detached from events and doesn't express emotions except anger now and then. However as the story progresses the robot's actions show that she cares for others and is committed to doing the right thing.

The setting and world building are complete with religion, politics, and social structures. The setting takes place thousands of years in the future with one Radchaai ruler and an autocratic government. This ruler has lived for thousands of years and controlled human beings making the Radch citizens believe they are superior to others. I never got a good grasp on how the ruler, Anaander Mianaai, lived so long. She's portrayed as human and leans on the Justice of Toren's artificial intelligence to make decisions, but she can't be human to have lived as long. Maybe she's alien? I probably missed something here. The Radch economy is not clear, but the society and its classes are divided and distinct creating a caste system of sorts. I didn't have a clear sense of the Gerentate people where Breq is from except her planet is in another galaxy. The discs Breq carries that have holograms of people are not explained in great detail, but they hint at the Gerentate's religion and her personal background. They left me with several unanswered questions. Perhaps the sequel will address some of my questions.

Breq's narrative is detached emotionally which might make it hard for some readers to connect with her. Her actions show compassion and she even puzzles over why she does something that seems emotional. Toward the end it seems that human beings have affected her a bit more and she expresses anger and indignation at treatment that puts her in an uncivilized class. The fact that Breq collects songs and sings to calm herself was enough to make her more "human" for me. She's definitely a robot, but has human characteristics. I did find her hard to visualize along with the other characters which has more to do with the authors creation of a culture that doesn't use gender pronouns to show what sex the characters are in the plot. At one point I thought I read a description of One Esk having three mouths, but later my brain kept dropping the extra mouths as she showed more human characteristics.

Throughout the story almost everyone is referred to as "she." I found myself a bit confused at first and wondering if it was going to be an androgynous society, but then found it interesting how my brain kept forcing characters into gender groups. I found I couldn't stick with the androgynous society. Later the author shows how the Radchaai society does use gender pronouns and once in a while, (not every time), the sex of some characters is revealed; several whom I had originally thought were the opposite sex. Rather than be annoying, it became fun and surprising. In our society, gender identity is a formation of social identity. One of the most unique aspects of this book is that it takes away this socialization process. I admire the author's risk-taking and originality that actually works throughout the novel as a whole. I did have problems with it at first because I felt so disoriented, but that reinforces the whole point, doesn't it? Gender identity is such a strong component of societies that if it is taken away it is discombobulating.

An ongoing theme is the examination of being civilized or uncivilized. The Radchaai are the oppressors with one ruler that doesn't value human life. People are easily killed and disposed of if they oppose the leader. They consider themselves superior and tolerate different religions from conquered space colonies. Control is based on military might and ancillaries are a way to accomplish stability in society. Breq is designed to only follow orders given by Mianaai and it puts her in a unique position as an enforcer and an outcast because she is considered "uncivilized" by the Radchaai. The fantasy world is closest to the Roman empire that conquered nations but let people keep their religion and language making integration with Roman society less difficult. However, the Romans received more privileges based on their citizenship and considered themselves superior to other conquered cultures. On a side note - I wonder if Ann Leckie made all the pronouns a "she" or feminine to make a point that women can be science fiction writers in a mostly male dominated field. Just a thought. This ambitious book is nothing short of unique even with its flaws. The sequel is sitting on my desk. Can't wait to read it this weekend.

5 Smileys

Leviathan Wakes (Expanse #1) by James S.A. Corey

If I read more science fiction and had a better grasp of the conventions, I probably would have not felt like I was floating in zero gravity as I tried to blast through this book. The technical parts rusted my brain. I don't know my units of energy well enough; hence, the gigatons and exajoules along with other lingo slowed my reading down. Perhaps a weak sci-fi knowledge base is the reason the story felt choppy in spots with unclear images of characters. I mostly jet through children's books that are very succinct. This novel I thought could have been tighter. It was too heavy on the world building and not enough on the character development which the exception of of Miller who seems to be suffering post-traumatic stress syndrome. The themes were interesting, although I wanted some of the ideas fleshed out more; seems the author leaves it up to the reader to make his or her own interpretation. Overall an interesting book with some dark overtones and a mix of science-fiction, mystery, and noir.

Humans have colonized the solar system. The next step is the stars. People live in three different societies: Earth, Mars and the Belt. The Belters work rigs and haul water resources from the Asteroid Belt for Mars and Earth. All are prejudiced in one way or another toward each other, but the Belters have the harshest life living in slums with their own unique language that people from Mars and Earth don't understand. James Holden, captain of an ice-hauling spaceship answers a distress call of a starship the Scorpuli. While he and a small crew investigate the Scorpuli, his spaceship is nuked out of the sky. Holden realizes a trap was set when he finds a distress signal that had a Mars-branded transmitter making it appear to be a deliberate attack. He broadcasts the information that causes a war to break out involving the Belt, Mars, and Earth.

Meanwhile on the Asteroid Ceres, the hard-drinking Detective Miller is assigned to find the Earth girl, Julie Mao, and bring her back to her parents. She becomes a symbol of redemption for him. Julie gives Miller hope and a goal to do something good and worthwhile before a traumatic event happens that seems to push him over the edge. He seems to be suffering from depression over his divorce before the event and post-traumatic stress after the trauma of finding Julie. He becomes emotionally numb suffering from enormous guilt and purposefully isolating himself from others. He's a depressing but interesting character who goes through the most internal turmoil.

The overarching theme gets lost at times. Holden is an idealist that believes the world should be given information regardless of the consequences because people will choose to do the right thing. Miller is a nihilist who believes facts need to be pursued and information should not be tossed willy-nilly to people because they will not make the right decision. Neither character is correct and most of the tension comes from their opposing viewpoints. While Miller seems to understand these philosophical differences, Holden slowly comes to realize this fact. The other theme of the unethical acts of large-holding corporations show how no one wins from the horrors of war.

The characters swear an awful lot and I thought the dialogue was jarring because of it. Of course, I read and work with kids all the time and teachers and the kids don't swear. At least not like these characters who grew up in the Belt. It's just a heads up. They are supposed to represent the people who grew up in the Belt that meant a rough upbringing. I get why the authors did that but I didn't think it always fit with the scene or dialogue. This book was entertaining and I know I will read more space opera in the future. There isn't much in children's books on the topic.

3.5 Smileys