This was a solid and thoughtful continuation of the series that I’m glad I read, but it never quite rose above “good” for me. Ann Leckie’s prose is excellent, precise, controlled, and quietly effective and her world-building continues to draw me in. Breq remains an interesting and increasingly three dimensional protagonist, and the pacing is steady throughout.

However, compared to Ancillary Justice, this book feels more contained and less expansive. The shift toward local politics, while interesting, lacked the sense of scale and momentum I enjoyed in the first book. The overall tone is very calm, and I found myself wanting more urgency or emotional peaks to fully engage me. The reduced focus on Seivarden, a character I particularly liked in the previous book, was also felt.

Overall, Ancillary Sword reads like a holding pattern middle book: well-crafted, intellectually engaging, but more something I followed along with than felt excited by. I’m still interested enough to continue the series, but this wasn’t a standout for me.