What a great end to a fantastic trilogy Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie turned out to be! Since this is the third book I can’t really tell you much about it that will make sense to you if you haven’t already read the first three. And if you have read the first ones but not gotten to this one yet, I don’t want to spoil anything because, wow! are there some great surprises!
There are some general observations I can make though. Fleet Captain Breq, who is also the last remaining piece of the ship Justice of Torren, is as fantastic as ever. She has some wonderful character developing moments that made me love her even more.
Also, did I miss it in the first two books? But there is a lot of great understated humor in this book. Much of it happens in interactions between ships/AIs, humans and an alien ambassador who thinks drinking a cup of fish sauce is the most delicious thing ever. Also there is a hilarious bit that involves a deep space version of the beloved road trip song, 99 Bottles of Beer.
The plotting is tight. The writing is great. The political maneuverings between all the involved parties is delightful. That’s the thing that really does it for me with a good space opera. I’m not into the shoot ‘em up kinds of planet conquering space opera stories. What I love most are the kind with intricate politics and secrets and relationships and trying to figure out who is on whose side, who will be dependable when it comes down to the wire and who is going to be the traitor. The Ancillary books tick off all my happy check boxes.
It was a truly satisfying conclusion and a reader can’t ask for more than that.
If you like science fiction and have not read Leckie’s Imperial Radch Trilogy, I can’t recommend it enough.
I read the first one, but didn’t pick up Ancillary Sword. Now that I know the third book is a good conclusion, I’m more likely to go on with the series.
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Jeanne, if you liked the first one, keep going! Sword is quite different from Justice, it doesn’t skip around points of view and flashback in time, and the story is much slower, less action and more of the relationships and politics. But like I mentioned, I like that kind of stuff 🙂
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I have been wanting to read some recently published science fiction and this series has caught my attention for a possible read.
Based on your commentary the series sounds fantastic and I might give it a try.
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Brian Joseph, the series is great and the first book won the Nebula and the Hugo in the same year. That doesn’t happen very often. I really did enjoy the series and plan on rereading it sometime. It’s that kind of series 🙂
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Isn’t it wonderful when a trilogy ends satisfyingly? I can think of a few trilogies (YA especially) that were duds by the end. I’m so glad this one met up to your expectations.
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Laila, it is indeed wonderful! Why does it not happen very often? It must be really hard to pull off!
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I don’t imagine I’ll read this. While I do read SF, I’m not a big SF reader. But I do love books with understated humour – I love it when book makes me smile, not belly-laugh, when I realise the author is having a little joke with us and hopes we catch on. Jane Austen is good for that too, isn’t she?
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whisperinggums, sometimes it is a relief to know there are books you don’t feel compelled to read 🙂 Jane Austen is a master at the subtle humor. A good belly laugh is fun but it is the humor that produces the happy smile that I like best!
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That’s a good way of looking at it … And yes, of course, re humour and Austen in particular.
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I am not certain I am going to make it past the cup of fish sauce. My stomach is feeling queasy already. I’m with Lailaarch though. Finishing off a trilogy well is a real talent and I’m glad this one worked for you.
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Alex, I know, just the thought of drinking fish sauce makes the stomach a bit queasy doesn’t it? If only more trilogies were as solid as this one. I guess it must be a hard thing to pull off.
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