En esta obra ganadora de los premios más importantes de ciencia ficción de habla inglesa en 2014, tenemos una típica Space Opera pero con características narrativas distintivas que por momentos se aleja del convencionalismo típico del género.

La autora nos plantea un imperio galáctico, conocido como el Radch, donde una IA a conquistado a casi toda la galaxia. Esta inteligencia ejerce el control por medio de naves manejadas por inteligencias artificiales independientes que se sirven de "auxiliares" que no son más que cuerpos humanos modificados que son utilizados para diversas labores desde soldados a simples empleados como extensiones de la IA misma. Es dentro de este contexto y por un evento "desconocido" acontecido hace 20 años, que la nave "Justicia de Toren" ha quedado reducida tan solo a un auxiliar, "Breq" que es también "Esk Una", y ha jurado venganza contra la Lord del Radch.

Al comenzar la lectura lo primero que llama la atención es el uso del femenino en la narración. Como para las IAs no existen diferencias de género "ellas" hablan todo en femenino y de esta forma como lectores debemos interpretar a través de pequeños detalles o el mismo contexto cual es el género del los personajes que van apareciendo. Es por momentos complicado o simplemente asumimos que todos son femeninos hasta que por alguna información nos damos cuenta de nuestro error. No se si por la estructura de los párrafos, o la traducción, me costaba seguir el hilo de quien hablaba, si lo pensamos bien el ser hombre o mujer, en este contexto, no debería ser un problema para la lectura, pero al leer uno se da cuenta de lo acostumbrados que estamos a que el uso del género nos de en si información que "asumimos" de los personajes per se.

Personalmente las primeras 100 -150 páginas se me hicieron eternas, esta narrado intercalando el tiempo actual y lo que sucedió hace 20 años y es a través de sus protagonistas que vamos descubriendo el funcionamiento político, económico y social de este universo, que aunque está muy bien logrado me pareció una introducción excesivamente larga.

Cuando ya realmente dejamos la narración y pasamos a la acción es una Space Opera más clásica ya se pone mucho más entretenido y se nos da información a montones, creo que desde la mitad del libro ya no pude parar de leer. Me gustaron mucho los personajes, casi todos muestran personalidad distintivas, en particular "Breq" y "Seivarden" quien tiene un gran crecimiento a través de la obra.

En conclusión me gusto, no me parece una obra maestra pero su narrativa es diferente y bastante cautivadora, su universo y personajes están muy bien logrados y dan ganas de seguir leyendo su continuación. ( )

Que maravilla de ciencia ficción. Una inteligencia artificial tan extensa, con capacidad para controlar miles de cuerpos, atrapada en un cuerpo individual. Una galaxia dominada por un imperio extenso y a veces cruel.

Al principio quiza cuesta hacerse con el mundo, pero a medida que lo vas leyendo se hace cada vez más disfrutable e intenso. Me ha enganchado, sobretodo pasado el ecuador del libro. Voy a tener que correr a por el siguiente de la trilogia. ( )

I bought this because it won the 2014 Hugo for Best Novel, and I can see why! Leckie has performed a marvelous feat of world- and culture-building in this novel.

There is one aspect of this, though, that took some getting used to. In the main culture of the story, they don't make any gender distinction: even though there are biological sexes, everyone is referred to as "she" and "her". There are hints in the narration that indicate which sex some of the characters are; but it is hard to get and hold a mental image of the character, especially when at 20% of the way through the story you find that someone is biologically male and you didn't know until then.

Still, I was going to immediately purchase the sequel. But it isn't available yet. (Soon, though...) ( )

First thing I read about this book was how it was refreshingly interesting because of the specific use of gender and gender point of view (which makes me think that people did not read David Weber). This always puts it in perspective of the times when book is published and to be honest it made me think long before starting to read it. Might be me but whenever people start to worship things because of current political and social climate it puts me off.

So eventually I took it and I have to say this is quite a book. To make things clear from the start - if you find Ghost in the Shell anime/manga to be confusing this book will confuse you to the core. This is the world where large space battleship AIs control what today would be called zombies - enslaved people conquered by the Imperium of the Radch put under direct control of the AI used as ground troops wearing advanced weaponry and benefiting from AI overall control and much faster reflexes.

Heh, I can bet you have completely forgotten what I said first - enslaved people used as puppets by the AI to pursue the goals of the Imperium.

And this is where book shines (when you get through the initial puzzlement with who is who and how many are there of each). Imperium of Radch is not unlike the Melnibone from Moorcock's stories of Elric. It is not benevolent empire - it spreads through the stars, annexing the other worlds, putting them to torch and deleting all life when it feels like, all under the command of the Empress, one and only and forever living, mighty avatar of the Shiva equivalent in Radch's religion. Those lucky to survive get assimilated into Radch society, society without privacy, under constant monitoring and control of every individual. What author portrays is very interesting role religion plays in this process. You see Radch are not atheists (which is usually case in SF operas of this kind) but people worshiping rather large pantheon and connection between the newly annexed societies and Radch Imperium is quickly established because (like polytheistic people from ancient times in our age) these religions are not exclusive - it is very easy to reconcile the differences because all deities are portrayed in every society in a more or less same way. Of course, as is case with every conquering force, Radch see themselves as force of enlightenment that bring prosperity to those they crush (which then makes W40K Empire of Man human rights organization). There are benefits but it is somewhat difficult to survive such a benevolence and get into position to profit from it.

For the Radch government newly conquered population is just batch of new subjects that sometimes need additional purge through pretty sneaky and merciless intrigue (very much W40K Inquisitor style)- and this is what happens on a remote world where annexation goes wrong and soon all witnesses need to be eradicated. All but a single person, who is not person at all but one of the zombies controlled by and inhabited by battleship AI, that feels betrayed and decides to take its vengeance. Of course being an only remnant of the once huge hive-like mind of the battleship this causes quite an identity crisis.

So as you can see there is much much more to this book than gender. And when it comes to gender for me it shows only megalomania of the Empress herself and her role as an avatar of ruling goddess of the Radch official pantheon (just replace He with She in sentence 'pronoun created world to pronoun liking'). Similar to other stories of this type (W40K again) Empress is an enigmatic person and question remains is she, after that many millennia, still human (although to be honest in Asher's novels all Radch would be treated as post-human).

Nevertheless very interesting presentation of communication between completely different cultures (another book with similar subject, "Left Hand of Darkness" is on my TBR list, cannot wait for it).

This is very interesting books, lots of concepts, with anti-heroes playing role of heroes.

If you like space opera with plenty of twists. can keep up with AI caprices and enjoy darker stories like Glen Cook's Black Company or Moorcock's stories you will enjoy this one.

Recommended. ( )

This is solidly one of the best space books. I loved the borg-type ancillary systems, I loved the Roman Empire Style Space expansion. The writing and plot were all solid. I loved the critical analysis of social issues. ( )