The second of Ann Leckie’s Imperial Radch series follows Breq as she’s given command of a ship—her first since she was herself a ship, before the Lord of the Radch destroyed it. Where Ancillary Justice revolves around Breq’s quest for revenge, Ancillary Sword delves into a more diplomatic realm, as she networks her way through the politics of a far flung station while war hovers at the border. Breq’s concern with the poorer citizens of the station—and of the station itself—establish a deceptively complex and lovely parallel.