Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

Breq is a soldier, visiting the icy world of Nilt, in search of an unscannable weapon to help in her quest of revenge against the leader of the Radch. Breq is also Justice of Toren, a spaceship that is two thousand years old, and was most recently a troop carrier in orbit around the planet of Shis’urna. In debut novelist Leckie’s universe, a starship is run by an artificial intelligence, and the same AI also has dozens of soldiers, in formerly human bodies known as ancillaries. Breq was 19 Eck. On Nilt, Breq rescues and treats the unconscious Seivarden Vendaii, a former officer on Justice of Toren who has outlived all her relatives and is addicted to kef. Breq and Seivarden, who doesn’t recognize her, have adventures while the reader learns their stories. Breq is remembering something that happened in a temple on Shis’urna, and a later incident on the starship involving a favorite officer, Lieutenant Awn. The conquering Radch are inclusive of different religions, but intolerant of civil unrest. To make things more confusing, the Radch, who have spread through many galaxies, have no gender in their language so everyone is referred to as she or her. A brilliantly imaginative book that has swept the major science fiction/fantasy awards, this book is also challenging and can be confusing. Several days after finishing this book, I’m still thinking about it, and just re-read the first chapter. This book was published a year ago, and the sequel, Ancillary Sword, has recently become available. I’m looking forward to seeing where Leckie’s creativity will take Breq in Ancillary Sword, and the final, not-yet-published book. Suggested for fans of C. J. Cherryh, John Scalzi, and Anne McCaffrey’s The Ship Who Sang.
Brenda