The Presger Translators of Ann Leckie’s Radchverse are somewhat alien and very strange; they’re humans who have been modified by the Presger to interact with humans. In Translation State, we get to see more about them. This story is a standalone novel and the most recent entry in the Radchverse, and it is delightful.

What this story is really about is family and growing up, and what each of these mean. There are three main characters, with the chapters rotating between them as viewpoint characters. Two of them are adults according to human definitions, but all three of them are going through an experience that maps onto the “becoming an adult” experience. Enae is in eir fifties, but is only now making eir own choices about eir life; e has spent eir entire life until now caring for eir, now deceased, controlling grandmother. Reet is in his thirties but, due to circumstances that are discovered through the novel, is going through a different type of maturity. Qven, a Presger Translator, is actually about to become an Adult. Leckie takes us through each of their experiences, with all of the turmoil and difficulties that that process entails.

The story is also about family, what defines a family, and how important the genetic relationship is to that process. Each of the main characters have difficult relationships with their genetic family, and all of them are trying to figure out who their real family is.

As with the other stories in the Radchverse, gender is both important and unimportant. There are at least five different genders (he, she, it, they, e), and multiple types of relationships. Leckie navigates these ably, while keeping it simple to keep track of everyone.

All in all, this is an enjoyable novel that I recommend to anyone who enjoys science fiction with real aliens and real heart at the center of the story.

Leckie, Ann. Translation State. New York, New York: Orbit, 2023. 100,658 words. 5 stars.

Provenance is a stand-alone novel, set in the same universe as Leckie’s Imperial Radch trilogy. The first time I read it, I hadn’t read the original trilogy and I had no problem following the story. Reading it after reading the trilogy does give some richness to the interstellar politics.

The novel follows Ingray Aughskold’s (limited third-person) viewpoint as she works to advance her goals, the most important of which is gaining her mother’s approval and remaining within her family. The novel’s plot is fast-moving and keeps the pages turning; I never felt the need to put it down, although I didn’t read it in one sitting. The characters each have their own motives and frequently surprise while never becoming out of character.

Although the plot is of political intrigue, and there is a significant discussion of how politics can affect criminal justice, the novel isn’t really about politics. It is about a young person’s discovery and decision about who they are and how that affects who they are within their family. Throughout the book, there are multiple parent/child relationships with this dynamic playing out, to both positive and negative effects.

This was a reread for me; I read it the first time about five years ago, when it first came out. I didn’t remember much of the plot, although I did remember one of the main plot “twists”. What I did remember is that I enjoyed it the first time I read it, and I may have enjoyed it more the second time around. I highly recommend it.

Provenance was nominated for a Hugo award, a British SF Association award, and a Locus SF award, although it didn’t win any of them.

Leckie, Ann. Provenance. New York, New York: Orbit, 2017. 108,438 words. 5 stars.