Ancillary JusticeAncillary Justice
Score Modern
What it's about
Breq was once a starship, an artificial intelligence that controlled a huge warship and thousands of 'ancillary' soldiers, human bodies linked to its mind. Now only one of those bodies is left, and she has spent years on a quest for revenge against the ruler of the vast Radch empire, a ruler who has thousands of bodies too.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Hugo, the Nebula and the Arthur C. Clarke awards, a rare sweep. It's an original space opera about identity and empire, with a narrator unlike any other.
You'll love it if you liked
A Fire Upon the Deep
The Left Hand of Darkness
Leviathan WakesGood to know
The Radch language has no gender, so Breq calls everyone 'she', which takes a little getting used to. Two timelines alternate at first. It's the first of a trilogy.
By the numbers
- Readers41 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics80 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller36 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz2 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #78 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #425 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #824 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Epic
More by Ann Leckie
Ancillary Mercy
Ancillary Sword
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Quick answers
Is Ancillary Justice worth reading?
Yes. It won the Hugo, the Nebula and the Arthur C. It ranks #824 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Ancillary Justice about?
Breq was once a starship, an artificial intelligence that controlled a huge warship and thousands of 'ancillary' soldiers, human bodies linked to its mind. Now only one of those bodies is left, and she has spent years on a quest for revenge against the ruler of the vast Radch empire, a ruler who has thousands of bodies too.
How long does it take to read Ancillary Justice?
About 10 hours (396 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Ancillary Justice won?
Hugo Award winner (2014); Nebula Award winner (2013).
What should I read after Ancillary Justice?
If you liked it, try A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge, The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin or Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey.