SOJALS rating:

Very good (4/5)

I first read this on the 27th August 2014.

It is the far, far future.

For two thousand [years the Radchaai Empire has ruled the majority of the human worlds. It's gained its dominion by conquest with planet after planet falling to the massive military power of its space fleets.

We meet our protagonist One Esk on a cold and icy independent world where, in a rare moment of compassion, she helps an injured innocent. One Esk is on a long quest that may, if she is very fortunate, end on this world. We learn soon after that that our hero is, although much diminished from her former stature, a most deadly weapon indeed.

Brilliant, just brilliant. This is such a great novel. There's a continuing undercurrent of suspense. You just know there's more to all this than is apparent. As the novels progresses, One Esk slowly reveals "her" personality and the history behind it.

What great characters Leckie has given us: One Esk, Lieutenants Awn and Skaaiat, Seivarden Vendai. They'll stick in my memory, the heroes, the bravery and the human touch.

I love that Justice of Toren One Esk's confusion about language use of gender meant that even at the end of the book, I am entirely unsure of the physical gender of any of the characters.

What's it got? Imperial empires, all-conquering space fleets, cloning, mind-control and real heroines. Or heroes.