Ancillary Mercy Is the Stunning Conclusion to a New Classic SF Trilogy

So what of Mercy? I’ll admit that after finishing the second book, I couldn’t imagine how Leckie could wrap up the series with just one more. I thought I knew how things needed to end, but, with skill and grace, Leckie proved me wrong. She has delivered a thrilling, clever, and incredibly satisfying conclusion, one that is both totally unexpected and redefines the two previous books. In short, Ancillary Mercy is an absolute delight.
Like Sword, Mercy starts off at a slow jog, reintroducing readers to the world and characters at a measured pace. Breq, once the many-bodied artificial mind in control of a starship, now reduced to a single, frail human form, spent book one on a mission to kill Anaander Mianaai, the impossibly long-lived ruler of the universe, only to discover that the woman’s personality, spread across many cloned bodies, was at war with itself. Forced to ally with half of the mad ruler’s mind in an effort to prevent all-out civil war, Breg spent the second novel exploring what seemed to be a minor political skirmish on a strategically located space station. As the final chapter unfolds, it becomes clear that the events on Aethok Station are going to have much more far-reaching consequences than ever seemed possible—especially once the alien Presger, the only thing Anaander Mianaai fears, come calling. And once the ball starts rolling (or the ancillary starts firing, as it were), the book races to the finish, as Leckie deftly combines action, plot, politics, and character with a skill that recalls Lois McMaster Bujold at her best.

The first two books were in many ways defined by their exploration of self-identity and the nature of artificial intelligence, and Mercy expands on these themes in ways I never expected, but found wholly satisfying—and almost obvious it retrospect. An A.I. in a human body, Breq grows and matures throughout the books, to the point that she becomes almost indistinguishable from her human counterparts, an idea Leckie builds upon by surrounding her with loyal companions who stand by her side in her fight for justice. But shrewdly, the author is not afraid to ask difficult questions about Breq’s humanity when it matters most.
In the tradition of Firefly and Seven Samurai, the Ancillary trilogy owes much of its success to a vibrant, memorable cast of characters. From her trusted, flawed ally Lt. Seivarden, still battling her demons; to Tisarwat, a young officer facing her own identity crisis; to the genuinely amusing friendship that forms between Sphene, another artificial mind, and Zeiat, a human turned utterly alien by otherwordly influence, Mercy is filled to the brim with characters you can’t help but love, despite their flaws.
Breq’s slow transformation from a lone-wolf mercenary on a quest for revenge to an empathetic, caring leader makes the final payoff all the more sweet. And in fact, though the conclusion defies explanation in the best way, it makes complete sense if you’ve followed along from the beginning—so much of what we think of as the unstoppable sweep on history, after all, began with one simple, utterly human choice. With unexpected allies, Breq leaves the Radch empire a very different place than she found it, an ending that is at once satisfying and leaves open the possibility for countless future stories in this universe. I’m sorry to leave Breq and company behind, but, with a handful of spinoffs on the way, I hope we haven’t seen the last of them. Whatever Leckie writes, I’ll be first in line to buy it.

Like it’s predecessors, Ancillary Mercy is one of the best science fiction novels of the year. It’s biting and funny, frenetic, intelligent, and impossible to put down. Science fiction needs more writers who dare to dream this big, who risk defying readers’ expectations, who challenge us all to think closely about the bits of ourselves reflected in the fictional characters we love. If you’re a fan, you’ll find this one a perfect blend of the best qualities from the first two installments (with a few new surprises along the way). If you’re new to Leckie’s work, there’s no better time than now to pick up the entire trilogy. It’s bound to be a modern classic.
Ancillary Mercy is available October 6.