Ancillary Justice
(Justice #1)
by Ann Leckie
space opera
copyright 2013
read in January 2016
rated 8/10: really quite good
The author herself describes this book as "space opera". To me, that's not strictly true. For one thing, the science does not keep getting more and more fantastic... the setting is a well established empire, though we get to travel to widely varying places both inside and outside the empire.
(A lot of the story takes place on a planet which has just become a part of the empire. Giving a good insight into the methods of the empire.)
Second, "space opera" is not necessarily a good thing. And this is a good book !
The science is fascinating ! An AI running a spaceship, nothing new. The AI also runs several hundred "ancillaries" -- effectively zombies... Mind-wiped humans run by the AI. Nasty ? Or just the convenient and accepted way that the empire gets rid of potential trouble-makers...
Each ancillary has the potential to be independent: still thinking the AI's thoughts but acting independently. Sort of... Acting independently but in full-time communication with the ship AI. Complicated to explain -- but really well done in the book :-)
Then there's the absolute ruler of the empire -- who also uses ancillaries. And here... it gets *really* complicated ! Read the book and be prepared to concentrate on the explanations of what's happening !
It's a book with a straightforward plot but a complicated idea beneath it. Don't get me wrong -- it's not an *over* complicated idea ! It's a great idea and needs some concentration to follow what's happening.
The empire itself has its own set of manners and mores. In some dialogue the heroine is dealing with insults... but I don't really see the insult ! We're told that a comment was insulting. I believe it. (In fact, I may re-read Ancillary Justice, for the enjoyment of a good book -- and to see if I can spot the insults before being told :-)
And another clever bit of writing: the "heroine".
I'm fairly certain that the heroine is female. And that her loyal companion is male. But neither I nor the heroine are always certain of gender. Different planets have different fashions for indicating -- to the locals -- gender. On one planet men may wear make-up and short hair, on another planet everyone may have short hair but only women wear make-up.
The heroine -- telling the story in the first person -- admits to embarrassment when she uses a pronoun of the wrong gender. Referring to "him" rather than "her", for example. It's a social gaffe which causes locals to chuckle at the funny foreigners... or to be offended... or, on some planets, to simply not care.
Is this the author's way of saying, gender does not determine character ? Is the author saying, let's shove political correctness to its extreme ? Is it another clever aspect of this fascinating future universe ?! Whatever... another enjoyable aspect of the book :-)
Oh, and did I mention: The action is somewhat slow, never boring, ultimately satisfying. With a solid ending.
A really good book. I may re-read it. I'm also looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
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"Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level then beat you with experience."
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