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davidschejtman's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
outcolder's review against another edition
4.0
It's not that the gender stuff or the stuff about artificial intelligence is all that ground breaking, but it's an exciting, well-told story. Particularly appealing is the Lord of the Radch who exists in multiple bodies working with conflicting motives. This device also invites useful meditations on imperial motivations and the nature of empire. The Radch culture is sketched in a way that is detailed enough to let the reader imagine a complex cosmology and ethical system without going overboard and overwhelming the action or character development. At the same time, the Radch do not come across as just an old recognizable Earth culture set in the future, or even as a rough pastiche. There are similarities with recognizable historical empires, and we are told again and again that the Radch (and the people they conquer) are human, but overall it feels new and not like a thin allegory. Also excellent are the truly alien aliens who we do not meet but whose minds and cultures are definitely not human or understandable. That's always especially difficult in science fiction, I think.
There were a couple of places where the kind of Joseph Campbell Hero with a 1000 Faces moments were just screaming, like, the character who warns the hero not to go on, or the reluctant sage who has the magic item needed to complete the quest, but I was "into it" enough that it was more of a "Oh, she's studied classic myth structure" than a "Groan, following the formula" kind of thing.
Definitely will read the next in the series.
There were a couple of places where the kind of Joseph Campbell Hero with a 1000 Faces moments were just screaming, like, the character who warns the hero not to go on, or the reluctant sage who has the magic item needed to complete the quest, but I was "into it" enough that it was more of a "Oh, she's studied classic myth structure" than a "Groan, following the formula" kind of thing.
Definitely will read the next in the series.
mkonrad's review against another edition
5.0
Great sci-fi in the classic tradition of "what if cool premise" instead of using the sci-fi as simply flavor. Complex but at the same time very easy to read. And so many fun identity feels!
curiouslyjade's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyable and original sci-fi read -- actually unapologetically sci-fi-y. I want to do a second read to catch the details I missed the first time around.
amblygon_writes's review against another edition
5.0
Fun, unique, well written! This book is exciting, and I loved the unique main character. I also really liked the fact that not everything was clear from the start, and the world slowly unraveled. I can't wait to read more! The exploration of culture and the approach to gender were fresh and interesting. (Despite knowing a language that uses gender neutral pronouns, it was still a bit confusing - but I love the challenge to how we think about gender in English).
taytots24's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
Very creative concept, and a very well developed world. My only hang up was that the audiobook was kind of hard to follow (in my situation - I.e. in the background while doing chores and chasing a toddler). The narrator’s difficulty in identifying people’s gender was a clever and honestly brilliant device, but with my not being able to focus, I had a harder time keeping track of the side characters. This book deserves a re-read in about 5 years - I’m guessing my rating will improve significantly when I can give this book the attention it deserves.
jazjaz's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.75
morkskittar's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
tddrdfrd's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
kivt's review against another edition
4.0
I went into this book with very little idea what it was about, and I was wonderfully surprised by how good it was. Leckie does an exemplary job of building a world with small details, revealed incidentally while telling a compelling story.
Some reviewers found the treatment of gender to be confusing, which I understand. I felt that my confusion prompted me to read closer, and to more honestly engage my own preconceptions in an attempt to distinguish what I brought to the book & projected on the characters from what the book itself presented. It was both fun and rewarding, which is rare and should be celebrated!
A lot of otherwise really good sci-fi and fantasy novels just totally fall apart at the climax, but this one stayed coherent and internally consistent. The ending was satisfying and gave closure to the current story while laying ground for a promising sequel. Just a solid read all the way through!
Some reviewers found the treatment of gender to be confusing, which I understand. I felt that my confusion prompted me to read closer, and to more honestly engage my own preconceptions in an attempt to distinguish what I brought to the book & projected on the characters from what the book itself presented. It was both fun and rewarding, which is rare and should be celebrated!
A lot of otherwise really good sci-fi and fantasy novels just totally fall apart at the climax, but this one stayed coherent and internally consistent. The ending was satisfying and gave closure to the current story while laying ground for a promising sequel. Just a solid read all the way through!