Review: Provenance by Ann Leckie

Provenance by Ann Leckie

Published: Orbit (2017)

Awards Nominated: Hugo, Locus SF and British Science Fiction Association Awards

The Book:

”A power-driven young woman has just one chance to secure the status she craves and regain priceless lost artifacts prized by her people. She must free their thief from a prison planet from which no one has ever returned.

Ingray and her charge will return to her home world to find their planet in political turmoil, at the heart of an escalating intergalactic conflict. Together, they must make a new plan to salvage Ingray's future, her family, and her world, before they are lost to her for good.” ~WWEnd.com

My Thoughts:

Provenance is set in the same universe of the Ancillary trilogy, but otherwise has very little connection to it. It doesn’t share any characters with the previous books, and it also has a much lighter tone.  The plot is full of energy and forward momentum, bouncing between many different kinds of high stakes situations (heists, murders, hostages, etc.). Somehow, all this activity comes together into a coherent story, both in terms of the plot and in terms of the repeated themes. I had a lot of fun reading it.

Interesting world-building was a highlight of the Ancillary trilogy, and this book proves that there’s plenty of room for new cultures in the same universe.  Leckie here includes the societies of Tyr, Hwae, and Omkem, as well as the alien Geck. The story mostly takes place in Hwae system, so theirs is the culture we learn the most about.  A central concern in the novel is the Hwaean obsession with physical representations of their past. This includes not just important political documents, but even things as simple as old party invitations. The importance they place on these objects seems absurd to outsiders, but historical authenticity is an important way to establish status in Hwaean culture.  In the other cultures, human and alien, there are also things that make sense within, but seem odd to outsiders. I enjoyed seeing how the different societies functioned, and seeing how they managed (or not) to deal with one another.

For me, another strength of the story was the main character, Ingray. She was a child from a “public creche” who was adopted into a prestigious family (perhaps as an act of charity).  She’s in competition with her privileged brother Danach to prove herself worthy of the family inheritance, but she doesn’t really think she’s capable of beating him. The story kicks off with her taking a huge risk in an uncharacteristically bold attempt to win her mother’s favor, and the fallout from this gamble propels the rest of the story.  I found it very easy to sympathize with Ingray’s anxiety, her self-doubt, and her tendency to become overwhelmed and panicked when things go wrong (which happens a lot). She makes a lot of missteps, but she’s also far more intelligent and resourceful than she gives herself credit for. I am a huge fan of smart protagonists and of flawed protagonists, so Ingray was exactly the sort of person I prefer to read about.

On a last note, the word Provenance essentially indicates the basic theme of the novel.  Throughout all the action and Ingray’s misadventures, the novel is interested in exploring how the past forms a link to the present, and how it helps or hinders us as we move into the future.  This plays out on the societal level in several ways, one of which is the questioning of the benefit and legitimacy of the Hwaean historical artifact traditions. On the personal level, we see this reflected in the lives of Ingray as well as a cast of several memorable minor characters.  Ingray’s self-worth is influenced by the knowledge of her “lowly” birth status, and she is also molded by the enforced competition of her family environment. Her past shapes who she has become, but she must also find a way to not allow her origins to define her future. It may be a relatively simple theme, but I think it is still a good one.  The end of the story was not entirely a surprise, but it provided a satisfying resolution for each of the characters and subplots.

My Rating: 5/5

Provenance is a new story in the universe introduced by Ann Leckie’s Ancillary trilogy.  There’s no need to have read the other books to enjoy this one, since it is a completely separate story. Provenance is somewhat lighter in atmosphere and theme than the previous trilogy, and the plot is a fast-paced adventure that barrels from one disaster to the next.  I thought it was a lot of fun, and I especially enjoyed following the heroine, Ingray. I appreciated her intelligence, but also identified with her self-doubt and her difficulty staying calm in stressful situations.  I am looking forward to seeing what SF Ann Leckie will write next, and I think there are still plenty of stories that could be told in this universe. Also, it appears she has a fantasy book out as of February, which I should probably read soon...

Review: Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie

Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie

Published: Orbit (2015)

Series: Book 3 of the Imperial Radch

Awards Won: Locus SF Award

Awards Nominated: Nebula and Hugo Awards

The Book:

“For a moment, things seem to be under control for the soldier known as Breq. Then a search of Athoek Station's slums turns up someone who shouldn't exist - someone who might be an ancillary from a ship that's been hiding beyond the empire's reach for three thousand years. Meanwhile, a messenger from the alien and mysterious Presger empire arrives - as does Breq's enemy, the divided and quite possibly insane Anaander Mianaai, ruler of an empire at war with itself.

Anaander is heavily armed and extremely unhappy with Breq. She could take her ship and crew and flee, but that would leave everyone at Athoek in terrible danger. Breq has a desperate plan. The odds aren't good, but that's never stopped her before.” ~WWEnd.com

This is the conclusion of the Imperial Radch trilogy, and I would strongly recommend reading the series in order (Ancillary Justice, Ancillary Sword, Ancillary Mercy). I would also particularly suggest reading the last two in quick succession.  The third novel picks up right after the second, and my year gap in reading left me scrambling to remember who everyone was and what was going on.  It would have been a much smoother transition if I’d read Ancillary Sword more recently.

My Thoughts:

Ancillary Justice had an epic scope, as we followed the starship-turned-individual Breq in her quest to avenge her grief on the multi-bodied leader of a galactic empire.  Ancillary Sword shifted to a smaller and more personal scale, as Breq took a new spaceship to the backwater Athoek Station in search of her beloved Lieutenant Awn’s sister.  I had expected that Ancillary Mercy would shift back to the broader stage of the galaxy, but Breq and her crewmen remain with Athoek Station to the end.  Many of the questions and problems brought up in Ancillary Sword are resolved, but there is very little conclusion regarding the wider political concerns from Ancillary Justice. Anaander Miaanai’s civil war and the fragile treaty with the alien Presger both come into play in some sense, but it turns out that neither is really the focus of the trilogy.

Instead, I see now that the trilogy is more concerned with ideas of personhood, identity and relationships.  The three books chronicle Breq’s journey from being a starship’s ancillary to accepting that she is a person in her own right.  Even after the events of the first novel, Breq is convinced that she is a replaceable object, and expresses discomfort with accepting the captaincy of another AI-starship, a role she believes a person should have. In line with this, Breq’s narrative generally focuses heavily on the people around her, often neglecting her own feelings and reactions.  Despite her self-negation, Breq actually does have a strong and charismatic personality, and I enjoyed watching her progress in self-awareness and in finding a place where she truly belongs.  

While the novel involves some excitement and action in the struggle against the Anaander Miaanai that comes to Athoek, much of the story focuses on quieter character moments. Two new characters are also introduced that serve mostly as comic relief, a cranky ancillary of the ancient ship Sphene and the absurdly clueless new Presger translator. Seivarden plays a larger role in this installment, and we see her forced to confront her arrogance, her addictions, and the mental and emotional instability that she has been patching up through her loyalty to Breq.  Tisarwat’s arc is more concerned with her coming to terms with her own identity, and the fact that it has been heavily influenced by Anaander.  The various other AI in the system all have personalities that are somewhat similar (as they are programmed to take a deep and abiding concern for the well-being of ‘their people’), but it was interesting to think how the events of the story might change them.  This was not really the kind of conclusion I expected for this trilogy, but I enjoyed reading about the characters I have come to love.  There is so much left unresolved, though, that I hope Leckie returns to this universe again in the future.

My Rating: 4/5

Ancillary Mercy, the conclusion of the Imperial Radch trilogy, retains the tighter focus of the trilogy’s middle novel.  While many of the questions of Ancillary Sword are addressed, the trilogy leaves some of the larger-scale concerns of Ancillary Justice unresolved.  Instead, the novel focuses on events at Athoek station, as well as the personal development of Breq and her troubled officers.  It was satisfying to see Breq maneuvering against an Anaander Miaanai again, but the novel ends before we get to see the longer-term consequences of her interesting decisions in this confrontation.  While this does close out the trilogy, I hope that this is not the last novel about the Imperial Radch.   

Review: Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie

Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie

Published: Orbit, 2014

Series: Book 2 of the Imperial Radch

Awards Nominated: Nebula and Hugo Awards

Awards Won: Locus SF and BSFA Awards

The Book:

“Breq was once a human segment of a spaceship’s AI, comfortably integrated with machines and other bodies’ perspectives.  Now she has only one human body left, and she knows who to blame for her loss— Anaander Mianaai, Lord of the Radch.  That same Anaander Mianaai has chosen to adopt Breq into her family, to give her command of the ship Mercy of Kalr, and to dispatch her to Athoek Station, the home of Lieutenant Awn’s sister. 

Athoek is a relatively peaceful system that was annexed 600 years ago, and is now mainly concerned with the growing of tea.  However, old class and cultural divides are still causing problems, the Station’s AI is mysteriously unhappy, and not everything the leaders say seems to add up.  Athoek is going to be a difficult knot for Breq and her crew to untangle. ~Allie

This is the second novel of the Imperial Radch, and this is a series in which the books should definitely be read in order. So far, this series has been hitting all the right notes for me, and I’m looking forward to Ancillary Mercy!

My Thoughts:

Ancillary Sword picks up after the events of Ancillary Justice and follows the same protagonist, Breq the former ancillary.  The story this time is a smaller-scale, slower, and more intimate, as it focuses on the interpersonal and intercultural relationships within a single system in Radch space.  Since it takes place entirely within Radch space, where no one considers gender, the use of female pronouns as default is less noticeable than in Ancillary Justice. I still enjoy how clearly this one choice demonstrates the irrelevance of gender to the story.  Breq’s role is more complicated in Athoek than her narrow focus of the previous novel, but she does her best to apply her own sense of rightness and justice to every situation that arises.  The social problems she addresses are pretty black-and-white (such as oppression, slavery, and domestic abuse), but it seemed sadly realistic to see how difficult it was to force people to understand that the problems even existed.

There is no longer a past storyline, through which we could see Breq’s existence as an ancillary, but I appreciated that she is still something slightly different than human.  Her ability to process information allows Mercy of Kalr to feed her information on the activity and emotional states of the crew, so the single-narrator format is not quite as limited in perspective as it could have been otherwise.  It was also interesting to see how she struggles to cope with the loneliness of a single-body existence.  As for the rest of the cast, while I wish Seivarden had played a slightly larger role, there were plenty of other memorable new characters.  In particular, I enjoyed Breq’s mentor-like relationship with the teenage Lieutenant Tisarwat, who is struggling with a crisis of identity on top of her more ordinary teen problems.  I hope that she continues to play a major role in Ancillary Mercy.

In some ways, Ancillary Sword does feel a bit like a middle book. Though there’s plenty going on, not much of it concerns what I’d considered the major questions of the series, such as the civil war within Anaander Mianaai’s mind or the stability of the treaty with the mysterious Presger.  However, even though these threads may not have progressed, I enjoyed the focus on a single location and group of people. There were many things happening on Athoek on a variety of scales— oppression of populations, interpersonal problems, crime, potential diplomatic incidents, and so on.  Everything seemed to fit together quite naturally, making a story that was very easy to follow and enjoy, and the conclusion tied up the novel nicely. I’m looking forward to seeing how Breq’s life will continue in Ancillary Mercy!  

My Rating: 5/5

  

Ancillary Sword is a wonderful sequel to the book that took many awards by storm last year, Ancillary Justice.  The story is quieter and set on a smaller scale than the first book, with a more character-oriented focus.  Since it takes place entirely in a system of Radch space, the default use of female pronouns is also less noticeable. The plot mostly involves Breq coming to a new system and doing what she can to address injustices on both small and large scales, and I have continued to enjoy following her perspective.  Of the new characters, my favorite storyline would have to be that of the young Lieutenant Tisarwat, who Breq (sort of) takes under her wing.  I’m looking forward to the conclusion of the trilogy, Ancillary Mercy, which is planned for publication later this year!

Review: Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

Published: Orbit, 2013

Series: Book 1 of the Imperial Radch

Awards Won: Hugo, Nebula, Arthur C. Clarke and BSFA

Awards Nominated: Philip K. Dick, John W. Campbell

The Book:

“JUSTICE WILL COME TO THE EMPIRE

On a remote, icy planet, the soldier known as Breq is drawing closer to completing her quest.

Breq is both more than she seems and less than she was. Years ago, she was the Justice of Toren--a colossal starship with an artificial intelligence linking thousands of corpse soldiers in the service of the Radch, the empire that conquered the galaxy.

An act of treachery has ripped it all away, leaving her with only one fragile human body. And only one purpose--to revenge herself on Anaander Mianaai, many-bodied, near-immortal Lord of the Radch.” ~WWend.com

Ancillary Justice is Ann Leckie’s debut novel, and one that is garnering quite a lot of attention, both on blogs and in award committees.  I’ve seen so many reviews of this one online lately that I feel a little silly for being so late to the party.

My Thoughts:

Ancillary Justice has reminded me once again how much I love space opera.  It may not bring all that much new to the subgenre, but it makes use of some of my favorite conventions and approaches many topics in way that I especially enjoy.  The dominant culture in this universe is the expansionist Radchaai empire, but there is enough interaction with other worlds to imply that the universe is culturally diverse.  Through the Radch, we see an unforgiving view of colonialism and the philosophy behind it, as well as the kinds of justifications reasonably decent people use to defend their support of corrupt and unjust systems.  The story switches between the present day vengeance quest of Breq and the back-story that gradually provides a narrative and emotional context for the present.  I found both stories equally engaging, and I appreciated the chance to see the different formats of consciousness that Breq/One Esk experienced.

The spaceships of the Radch are run by complex AIs, which also control contingents of ‘ancillaries’—humans forcibly co-opted into the AI’s group mind. ‘Breq’ is a single body of one of these ancillaries, and One Esk is the group of bodies that formed her consciousness in the back-story sections.  I was impressed by the clarity with which scenes from the group mind were portrayed.   The narrative constantly head-hopped from one body to the next, but it managed to keep the actions of each segment clearly distinct and yet still communicate the overall personality of One Esk.  Breq seems like less of a narrative challenge to portray, but I also appreciated how her biases and priorities shaped the focus of the narrative.

The main supporting characters, Seivarden and Lieutenant Awn in the present and past stories, respectively, are both intriguing in their own right and as reflections of the convictions and values of Breq.  Lieutenant Awn gained her rank through merit, rather than family connections, and she is a person of integrity stuck in a difficult situation.  One Esk works closely with her, and thinks of her highly.  Seivarden, on the other hand, is an arrogant classist who can’t cope with a future that seems to be moving away from her ideals, and One Esk detests her.  However, Seivarden is a dynamic character throughout the story, and I enjoyed the way her relationship with One Esk developed.  It is the character of One Esk, and her relationships with Seivarden and Lieutenant Awn, that drives the story forward.

Those who have read the novel may now want to correct my pronoun use, since Seivarden is a male human, which brings me to Ancillary Justice’s famous gender treatment.  Radch culture and language does not distinguish gender, so everyone is referred to as ‘she’, by default. I did not find that this made the novel any more difficult to read, since gender is basically irrelevant to the story that is being told.  Seivarden is a case in point, since knowing that she is male tells us much less than basically any other given detail of her personality or history.  To me, the complete absence of gendered personality traits, gendered behavior and gender-based roles felt like a breath of fresh air.

My Rating: 5/5

I pretty much loved everything about Ancillary Justice, and I think it is both a highly impressive debut novel and one of the best novels I’ve read this year.  The novel is very character-driven, and I loved reading about One Esk/Breq, as well as the major secondary characters, Seivarden and Lieutenant Awn.  The use of female default gender was an interesting idea, and I liked how it highlighted the irrelevance of gender in the story. I am excited to see what is in store for the upcoming sequel!