Reviews

Zabójczy miecz by Ann Leckie, Ann Leckie

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odin45mp's review against another edition

5.0

This story gets a little more personal as we continue to follow Breq in her quest, started in Ancillary Justice. We get to know Breq through her actions and thoughts as she commands a Mercy-class vessel and digs into the layers of corruption and politics in an out-of-the-way system. I thoroughly enjoyed the continued worldbuilding of the Radch Empire, Mrs. Leckie does a fantastic job of constructing the world and the people who inhabit it. We learn more about the people of the Radch, how they function, how they live, and who is manipulating whom and for what ends.

I felt the plot was simpler than the one told in Justice, because this follows a single narrative thread, rather than jumping back and forth across time, space, and memory. This does allow some more in-depth focus on the immediate surroundings of the soldiers of the Mercy of Kalr. The novel was a bit light on action for my tastes, but the action scenes included were sudden, immediate, and visceral. Some threads are set up and left to ferment, in preparation for the third book, Ancillary Mercy. I look forward to seeing where Breq and her crew go next.

kittycat2302's review against another edition

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4.0

3.5 is more accurate. While this book benefitted from the reader already having a comprehension of the world Lecke so brilliantly introduced in ANCILLARY JUSTICE, it also slowed significantly. Not necessarily a bad thing; the gradually expanding world was very well done- but parts certainly dragged and one can only read so much about tea!

Still there were moments of great excitement, and there is tremendous value in exploring what it means to Breq to be just Breq. I definitely look forward to grabbing the final installment of this trilogy soon!

rochellegermano's review against another edition

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4.0

Really great sequel to Ancillary Sword. Picks up pretty much right where that book left off and keeps the adventure going on another planet with yet more political intrigue. I liked all the new characters and the different sides of Breq we see in this book, and could really feel how much she missed being part of her larger ship. Great read, excited for the next!

whirl's review against another edition

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adventurous reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Content Warnings

joelpadgett's review against another edition

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medium-paced

4.0

moki's review against another edition

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4.25

I liked this one a lot more than the previous one! I think the plot was less 'big picture', but it was also more grounded and well paced and a lot less muddied. Watching Breq/Toren make decisions and take care of the people under them is very fun. I liked the character- rather than plot-driven nature, and I LOVED the political intrigue, which was complicated enough that I didn't feel pandered to, but also felt so logical that when things lined up I nodded along like "Yep, mhm, makes sense."

I also love how Breq/Toren moved away from personal justice to justice on a larger level. Really excited to read the third!