Since I have an AI character in my book, a friend recommended this book to me. It’s by Ann Leckie and is the only novel so far to have won the Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke awards – and it was her first novel!
It’s the story of one “ancillary” body left from an AI ship (these are conscripted human bodies taken over by the computers). It’s trying to find out what happened to the ship and why it’s alone and separated from the AI. There are also humorous bits where the ancillary, coming from a genderless society, often guesses incorrectly as to the genders of people around it.
So far, I’m enjoying the novel. The ancillary has located another officer from the ship on an ice planet and is trying to save “her” life (there are some indications that the officer is, in face, male so I will not be surprised if this turns out to be the case). They’ve been stranded on the tundra already, but the enhanced body of the ancillary turned the tables on their would-be robbers and they ended up with another (working) flier to get to their destination. We have yet to find out why the ancillary wants to meet the person they’re headed for, but it’s interesting trying to figure it out.
I’ll let you know how I enjoy the whole book once I’ve finished it. Have you read it?
