First book in the Imperial Radch Trilogy.
This is a story of Revenge taking place thousands of years in the future. This novel is well written. It has excellent world building and includes themes of Artificial Intelligence, Gender and language, politics, imperialism and slavery.
It is Character driven as opposed to Plot driven. I found the Plot to be simple and straightforward (a revenge) but it worked perfect with character development and world building.
I don't think this is hard science fiction, but it was thought provoking due to the topics and the way it is written. Conceptz and Technological advances are not explained or discussed but shown, for example Artificial Intelligence, embodying multiple devices, including spaceships and human bodies, and managing them all at the same time. The narrative exposes this brilliantly, sometimes intercalating conversations by the same AI using different bodies who are talking to different people at the same time.
The question of Who/What is Human? is relevant. The radch cannot see beyond AI as tools for conquest and war, and as tools to ease their daily lives. Not the AI inserted in human bodies not the ones living in machines. The author raises questions though with the protagonist construction and growth as well as with the changing views around her.
In terms of social and political commentary, there is plenty. A totalitarian system which depends on constant growth to survive. Social Hierarchies, status, military abuse, the use of a genderless version of English and many other aspects which make the Radch an interesting place to explore.
I read this book for the #spaceoperaseptember but I don't think it is a #spaceopera. 98% of events take place in planets or space stations and I never felt I "was in space" while reading it 😭
No comments:
Post a Comment