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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
I read this book because it was nominated for the Hugo Award. In some ways this is a better book than [b:Ancillary Justice|17333324|Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch, #1)|Ann Leckie|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397215917s/17333324.jpg|24064628], and in many ways it is not as good. I suspect it was nominated more on the coattails of [b:Ancillary Justice|17333324|Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch, #1)|Ann Leckie|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397215917s/17333324.jpg|24064628] than on its own merits. Although it is certainly a more than competent, entertaining book, it is just not as memorable or as destined to be a classic as [b:Ancillary Justice|17333324|Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch, #1)|Ann Leckie|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397215917s/17333324.jpg|24064628].
This is a much more straightforward space opera, wherein the main character is in charge of a crewed spaceship whose assignment is to help solve a series of mysteries on a space station orbiting an outpost planet. The groundbreaking gender ambiguity of [b:Ancillary Justice|17333324|Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch, #1)|Ann Leckie|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397215917s/17333324.jpg|24064628] is still present, but it does not intrude nearly as much, and one can enjoy the book simply by imagining all the characters are female, because it really doesn't matter to the story what gender they are. If you like the works of [a:Iain M. Banks|5807106|Iain M. Banks|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1352410520p2/5807106.jpg], [a:Lois McMaster Bujold|16094|Lois McMaster Bujold|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1377313786p2/16094.jpg], or [a:James S. A. Corey|4192148|James S.A. Corey|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], you will probably like this book.
This is a much more straightforward space opera, wherein the main character is in charge of a crewed spaceship whose assignment is to help solve a series of mysteries on a space station orbiting an outpost planet. The groundbreaking gender ambiguity of [b:Ancillary Justice|17333324|Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch, #1)|Ann Leckie|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397215917s/17333324.jpg|24064628] is still present, but it does not intrude nearly as much, and one can enjoy the book simply by imagining all the characters are female, because it really doesn't matter to the story what gender they are. If you like the works of [a:Iain M. Banks|5807106|Iain M. Banks|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1352410520p2/5807106.jpg], [a:Lois McMaster Bujold|16094|Lois McMaster Bujold|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1377313786p2/16094.jpg], or [a:James S. A. Corey|4192148|James S.A. Corey|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], you will probably like this book.
Ancient AIs, wormholes, a love of tea, Radchai, civilisation and colonialism
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
4 1/2 stars
I liked this even more then the first book in the series because I was confused at the start of the first, with no genders it was hard to get a grasp on the characters. But after a little while I was used to it, this book I was already familiar and liked getting a look at another system in the Empire. Looking forward to the finale.
I liked this even more then the first book in the series because I was confused at the start of the first, with no genders it was hard to get a grasp on the characters. But after a little while I was used to it, this book I was already familiar and liked getting a look at another system in the Empire. Looking forward to the finale.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book was hard to put down, but not entirely because it was engrossing. I had hoped that since the main character would be human for all intents and purposes throughout the entire book that there would be very little, if any, of the scenes with multiple viewpoint splicing. Don't get me wrong: I think it's a pretty ingenious way to show this character's unique way of seeing the world, not to mention maybe a guess at what a fully-connected future might be like, but I have a very hard time following the main thread of the story when other bits are constantly thrown at me.
Still, the author did a fantastic job of showing Breq's/One Esk 19's longing for what she used to have. And I definitely want to read more.
The gender thing still throws me off. I just can't fit my head around what the members of the Radch are like. It's been hinted at in a couple of the scenes with annexed humans that they are essentially genderless, and One Esk said something in the last book that made it seem like some kind of modification (prosthetics? an operation?) was necessary to allow two Radchaai to procreate. Clearly cloning is an option as well. With such a limited viewpoint, I understand not all of this info would be available, but I want to know so it stops being so jarring. To be clear: I don't mind that every character in the books is referred to as "she" or that two "female" characters are sexually or romantically involved. It's the scenes where a "female" has a baritone voice or beard, or Breq is talking to a non-Radchaai human and has to consider gender when speaking (and gets it wrong sometimes).
Am I a bad person for being bothered so much by this? (Maybe "so much" is an exaggeration, but clearly enough to spend time in reviews for both books whining about it. ^^; )
Still, the author did a fantastic job of showing Breq's/One Esk 19's longing for what she used to have. And I definitely want to read more.
The gender thing still throws me off. I just can't fit my head around what the members of the Radch are like. It's been hinted at in a couple of the scenes with annexed humans that they are essentially genderless, and One Esk said something in the last book that made it seem like some kind of modification (prosthetics? an operation?) was necessary to allow two Radchaai to procreate. Clearly cloning is an option as well. With such a limited viewpoint, I understand not all of this info would be available, but I want to know so it stops being so jarring. To be clear: I don't mind that every character in the books is referred to as "she" or that two "female" characters are sexually or romantically involved. It's the scenes where a "female" has a baritone voice or beard, or Breq is talking to a non-Radchaai human and has to consider gender when speaking (and gets it wrong sometimes).
Am I a bad person for being bothered so much by this? (Maybe "so much" is an exaggeration, but clearly enough to spend time in reviews for both books whining about it. ^^; )
It was a lot slower-paced than the first book and generally felt like there wasn't as much going on since it was just 1 storyline instead of 3, but I really liked it anyways! The new characters were really interesting and I think Breq is such a fascinating narrator. It also went deeper into the complexities of Radchaai life and the horrors of empire, so even though the main plot didn't really progress much I don't mind.
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes