Ancillary MercyAncillary Mercy
Score Modern
What it's about
For a moment, things seem under control for Breq, the soldier who used to be a warship. Then a search of Athoek Station's slums turns up someone who shouldn't exist, a messenger arrives from the mysterious alien Presger, and so does Breq's enemy, Anaander Mianaai, ruler of an empire at war with itself. Breq refuses to flee and abandon the people of Athoek.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for both the Hugo and Nebula awards. It's the conclusion of Ann Leckie's Imperial Radch trilogy, one of the most acclaimed science fiction series of its decade.
You'll love it if you liked
A Memory Called Empire
The Fifth Season
Red RisingGood to know
Read Ancillary Justice and Ancillary Sword first. It's quieter and wittier than most space opera.
By the numbers
- Readers84 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics43 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller38 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz4 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
- #49 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #262 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #519 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic, Adventurous
More by Ann Leckie
Ancillary Justice
Ancillary Sword
Translation State
ProvenanceIf you like this, read next
A Game of Thrones
Dungeon Crawler Carl
Gideon the Ninth
Outlander
All Systems Red
Night WatchExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Ancillary Mercy worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for both the Hugo and Nebula awards. It ranks #519 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 78.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Ancillary Mercy about?
For a moment, things seem under control for Breq, the soldier who used to be a warship. Then a search of Athoek Station's slums turns up someone who shouldn't exist, a messenger arrives from the mysterious alien Presger, and so does Breq's enemy, Anaander Mianaai, ruler of an empire at war with itself. Breq refuses to flee and abandon the people of Athoek.
How long does it take to read Ancillary Mercy?
About 8 hours (333 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Ancillary Mercy?
If you liked it, try A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine, The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin or Red Rising by Pierce Brown.