This sequel to the award-winning ANCILLARY JUSTICE is ably narrated by Adjoa Andoh. Listeners follow Breq, the only survivor of a starship that has been destroyed and now the vessel of the former ship’s artificial intelligence. As Breq seeks justice for her fallen comrades, Andoh gives unique voices to the various characters, affecting different accents quite well. Her delivery is energetic, even spritely, and her clear enunciation makes sense of even the many alien words in the text. When called upon to sing, Andoh does a very nice job of it. To fully appreciate the story, listeners should familiarize themselves with Book 1, also performed by Andoh. M.T.F. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine
FEBRUARY 2015 - AudioFile
Where the first novel explored the consequences of a human transcending individuality…here we see the consequences of a many-minded entity being reduced to simple humanity. Throughout the novel…Breq shows the strain of her tremendous loss. In the process, Leckie thumbs her nose again at science fiction tradition, which abounds with disabled people being made whole by technology, and with nonhumans inexplicably yearning for humanity. The technology of the Radchaai is miraculous, but it cannot repair identity. And why would any entity with a truly nonhuman identity ever crave humanity? Where Leckie poked holes in sexist thought in the last book, here she attacks the self-absorption of science fiction itself. After all, is the genre truly meant to explore new ways of thinking? Or should it just endlessly stroke the egos of its assumed audience? Leckie once again makes it delightfully clear that one of these questions is just too stupid to be worth her time.
The New York Times Book Review - N. K. Jemisin
08/11/2014
"Powerful."—The New York Times NPR Books Entertainment Weekly Publishers Weekly Kirkus Library Journal (starred review) Justice was no fluke.... a book every serious reader of science fiction should pick up."—RT Book Reviews Sword proves that [Leckie]'s not a one-hit wonder. I look forward to the rest of Breg's tale."—St. Louis Post-Dispatch io9 Scientific American John Scalzi on Ancillary Justice Ancillary Justice is the mind-blowing space opera you've been needing...This is a novel that will thrill you like the page-turner it is, but stick with you for a long time afterward."—io9 (included in 'This Fall's Must-Read Science Fiction and Fantasy Books') Ancillary Justice arrived, that's exactly what it did. In fact, it arrowed upward to reach a pretty high position on my list of best space opera novels ever."—Liz Bourke on Ancillary Justice Elizabeth Bear on Ancillary Justice Publishers Weekly on Ancillary Justice Library Journal on Ancillary Justice Ancillary Justice is a gripping read that's well worth a look."—SFX (UK) on Ancillary Justice Ancillary Justice might be the best science fiction novel of this very young decade."—Justin Landon, Staffer's Book Review on Ancillary Justice Ancillary Justice may well be the most important book Orbit has published in ages."—Paul Graham Raven on Ancillary Justice Ancillary Justice bandied around a lot come awards season. (As it should be)."—Jared Shurin, Pornokitsch Ancillary series by now, you probably should. Ann Leckie's sociopolitical space opera almost singlehandedly breathed new cool into the stereotype of spaceships trundling through far-off systems amid laser battles. ... [Ancillary Mercy ] earns the credit it's received: As a capstone to a series that shook genre expectations, as our closing installment of an immersively realized world, and as the poignant story of a ship that learned to sing."—NPR Books on Ancillary Mercy
"The sort of book that the Clarke Award wishes it had last year ... be prepared to see Ancillary Justice bandied around a lot come awards season. (As it should be)."
"It engages, it excites, and it challenges the way the reader views our world. Leckie may be a former Secretary of the Science Fiction Writers of America, but she's the President of this year's crop of debut novelists. Ancillary Justice might be the best science fiction novel of this very young decade."
"Leckie's debut gives casual and hardcore sci-fi fans alike a wonderful read."
RT Book Reviews on Ancillary Justice
"Establishes Leckie as an heir to Banks and Cherryh."
Elizabeth Bear on Ancillary Justice
"Unexpected, compelling and very cool. Ann Leckie nails it...I've never met a heroine like Breq before. I consider this a very good thing indeed."
John Scalzi on Ancillary Justice
"Total gamechanger. Get it, read it, wish to hell you'd written it. Ann Ancillary Justice may well be the most important book Orbit has published in ages."
"Ancillary Justice is the mind-blowing space opera you've been needing...This is a novel that will thrill you like the page-turner it is, but stick with you for a long time afterward."
i09.com (included in 'This Fall's Must-Read Science Fiction and Fantasy Books')
"It's not every day a debut novel by an author you'd never heard of before derails your entire afternoon with its brilliance. But when my review copy of Ancillary Justice arrived, that's exactly what it did. In fact, it arrowed upward to reach a pretty high position on my list of best space opera novels ever."
"A sharply written space opera with a richly imagined sense of detail and place, this debut novel from Ann Leckie works as both an evocative science fiction tale and an involving character study...it's also a strongly female-driven piece, tackling ideas about politics and gender in a way that's both engaging and provocative...Ancillary Justice is a gripping read that's well worth a look."
2014-07-23
