Ancillary Sword Lib/E

Although the beginning of the book went into detail on the military structure (meh), I did enjoy the eventual plot movement. I'm still enjoying the characters and some danger open was left open, so I'll continue in the series.

I also realized that in books with intrigue, they always have a pause when the main character figures it out. This is done so that readers can figure it out with them. Me? I have no clue. Political or social intrigue is anathema to me. I'm clueless. I just have to wait for the consequences to see what they found. I can still enjoy it if the characters are good though because I feel the tension.

This book was really enjoyable, it hit very well in what I needed from a book right now, and it's continued adventures with people that we know and love :) Really a nice read.

It's always hard for me to separate what happens in Ancillary Sword and what happens in its sequel. Both books are set on the same station, deal with the same themes, and this book would feel incomplete without its sequel.

“I know that Ship appreciates it when you act for it, and your ancillary façade lets you feel safe and invisible. But being an ancillary isn’t something to play at.”

“No, sir. I can see that, sir. But like you said, Ship appreciates it. And Ship takes care of us, sir. Sometimes it feels like it’s us and Ship against everyone else.” Self-conscious. Embarrassed.

It's funny to me to turn to military scifi for feelings of found family, but what endears me to this book is the relationships between Ship and Breq and its crew. The human crew acts like ancillaries, which previously was a way of dealing with a jerk captain but also is a way for the Ship to cope with no longer having ancillaries itself. Ship helps Breq deal with her own losses by sending her images and data from the ship and crew as if she were still one of many ancillaries herself.

Really, I love the way that the omniscient nature of Ship here allows the reader to see into the hidden emotional state of characters and to show moments that are "off camera" from the main narrative.

It's always worth being a bit cautious when entering the second book of a series that has an awesome first book. You never know when something really boring is going to happen and keep you waiting until the final book of the trilogy to do anything. That's not the case with this book.

The setting and characters were just as interesting as the first book even if the narrative became somewhat simpler because of the lack of flashbacks. We finally get an opportunity to see Breq interacting with a larger cast of characters and how her reactions change based on their specific personalities and desires.

The use of language and its relationship with gender in this universe continue to fascinate me as does everything about the characters. Super excited to read the final book in the trilogy and happy to know there's more to come after I'm done.

I liked the book a lot, but I don't recommend it as much as I do the trilogy as a whole. It didn't really have my investment at the start, but by the end I was excited for Ancillary Mercy.

I found this one a bit sloggier to get through compared to Ancillary Justice. I guess maybe because I didn't feel like Breq had quite as much of a bond with any of the characters, except maybe Seivarden. I set this book down for a week or so to read Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, which maybe was doing it a disservice, but also which is often a sign that I'm not really enjoying the book all that much.

Not quite as good as Ancillary Justice but I still really really liked it. It's a direct continuation of the previous book. The Lord of the Radch (or a part of her) made Breq a Fleet Captain and sends her off to Aethok Station. The civil war is spreading, and travel through gates is limited.

Ancillary Sword is a bit more narrow in scope, more character- than plot-centric. As Breq settles in at the space station and deals with the various tensions there, we get to meet an interesting cast of characters. There's none of the befuddlement that readers had in the previous book, there are no mysteries that we get tossed into, and the gender stuff should be clear now.

All in all, very enjoyable, but for me lacking the wow-factor of the previous book a bit.

Ancillary Sword is the sequel to Ancillary Justice and it is the second book in the trilogy.

Breq is now (again?) in command of a star ship, but times have changed. She's not connected as she was before and is she really in control?

The entire story takes place in the Athoek station and planet and is smaller in scope than the previous book. It's about the local history and culture and the reasons why things are the way they are. It's not so much about the galaxy and the aliens that live in it.

Although the story is still interesting it feels a bit preachy from time to time and the parallels with our earth are obvious and intended. Combined with the smaller universe, I greatly preferred the first book, but I'm still looking forward to reading the next in the series.

I enjoyed this, I wouldn't say it was mind blowing but it evoked fond memories of the culture and I'm looking forward to the next in the series

Different than Ancillary Justice, which is good - she didn't have to explain the Radch anymore, so could show us a corner of the Radch. I was struck with the how much I kept comparing the Radch to the Roman Empire - the way the religions of the conquered were made part of the Radch religion, the focus on citizenship of the conquered, the rituals and stress of propriety, all remind me of ancient Roman culture. This book moved along at a quick pace, and didn't waste a lot of time, but the Sword of Inil thread was lost on the way. I'm definitely looking forward to the last one...