Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

[Vertigo]

Thanks Vertigo, I’ve been meaning to pick this up for some time now,

As I said, when you start do persist; the world building is rather drip fed at the beginning making things a bit confusing, but once it gets going it's definitely a good read.

Incidentally I think that I'd agree with others who have drawn comparison with the Culture books from Banks or possibly Asher's Polity books. Probably mainly due to the sentient AIs and broad canvas. But I seem to recall that comparison shouldn't give you and problems @Rodders

 

[Vertigo]

Incidentally for anyone interested in the two short stories I mentioned you can read them online:
She Commands Me and I Obey part 1 of 2 (link to second part at end).
Night’s Slow Poison

I haven't read them but I suspect they are stand alone shorts. GR has them numbered as 0.5 and 0.6 but I don't think they share characters with the main trilogy.

 

[Rodders]

I started reading it and i did quite enjoy what i read, but for some reason i just couldn't get into it and didn't finish the book. I will go back to it in a while but i have reverted back to a reread of a book that i know will keep my attention in order to kick start my reading habit.

I did sometimes get confused with the use of pronouns and initially the shift from the present to the past confused me too.

 

[Vertigo]

I started reading it and i did quite enjoy what i read, but for some reason i just couldn't get into it and didn't finish the book. I will go back to it in a while but i have reverted back to a reread of a book that i know will keep my attention in order to kick start my reading habit.

I did sometimes get confused with the use of pronouns and initially the shift from the present to the past confused me too.

Yes I don't think Leckie handled the time hopping very well. But I would say that as you build a picture of what is going on in the different time periods it starts being much easier to follow. But, yes, she didn't handle this particularly well. Definitely not a book that grabbed me from the first page!

 

[Rodders]

I think once i realised the time hopping was happening, i coped with it better. I enjoyed what i read, but just struggled to find enough interest to finish it. I will try and go back to it after i've read a few other books and finish it off.

 

[Vertigo]

Yes I seem to remember struggling to figure out which bits came where in the chronology to start with!

 

[Danny McG]

It was cack and DNF

 

[Rodders]

Bit harsh, Danny.

 

[Bick]

It was cack and DNF

I approve of reviews that give a clear signal, Danny. I'm quite cack-sensitive though, and I finished it, so I think it's perhaps one of those marmite books. I know many others liked it less than me. I don't expect I'll ever reread it or tackle the sequels though.

 

[Danny McG]

I approve of reviews that give a clear signal, Danny. I'm quite cack-sensitive though, and I finished it, so I think it's perhaps one of those marmite books. I know many others liked it less than me. I don't expect I'll ever reread it or tackle the sequels though.

Yeah, I fought on with it to (maybe) two thirds of it read, just to give it a chance to grow on me.
It really didn't gel so I shrugged and gave up - there's a lot more books out there
I

 

[Bick]

there's a lot more books out there

Indeed - too many. I think there should a 5 to 10 year moratorium on new books, so I can try and catch up a bit. It's ludicrous publishing so many new ones all the time, I'm never going to get to them all.

 

[hitmouse]

Indeed - too many. I think there should a 5 to 10 year moratorium on new books, so I can try and catch up a bit. It's ludicrous publishing so many new ones all the time, I'm never going to get to them all.

I agree. It is simply wrong. I think you should write to Jacinda and tell her to sort it out.