3.5 Stars

I enjoyed this! I don't think it was my cup of tea as it fell into the more 'cosy' end of sci-fi, and I lost some momentum as soon as the mystery of who all the characters were was uncovered. However I really liked all of the characters, they were all really intriguing and distinctive, and I really liked that the story made me think about the definition of humanity and the legal questions it posed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

I have tried to read this one several times since I was approved and unfortunately can't get into it, so am officially DNFing it.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Translation State is a political space opera set in the universe we know and love from Ancillary Justice, where we follow three characters: Enae, out in the world for the first time in hir life on a quest to find out what happened to a fugitive who disappeared generations ago; Reet, raised by foster parents and desperate to find out who he is and where he came from; and Qven, who was created to be a Presger translator and is becoming increasingly unsure about that prospect.

After reading the Imperial Radch trilogy, finding out more about the Presger and their translators was probably my favorite aspect of this book. One of the main characters being a translator means that the reader gets insight into Presger translator life and culture that the human characters don't have, and as more and more is revealed about these mysterious people, I felt a bit like a scientist making entirely new discoveries, especially since some of these twists were entirely unexpected. I also found Qven's arc very interesting, it's a bit reminiscent of Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro in that it brings an unusual perspective on the coming of age theme.

As for the other characters, I found them both to be very sympathetic, especially Reet - poor guy is just trying to get through the day and keeps getting involved in things. I think Enae could have benefitted from a bit more screen time, I didn't feel as connected to hir as to the others, and I think hir arc about home, personhood and independence would have been interesting to get a bit deeper into.

The political side of the plot was a bit difficult to get into at first, mainly because of the tensions between different groups who all have made up sci-fi names that made it a bit difficult to remember which was which. I did, however, wind up finding the political plot incredibly interesting. Something that Ann Leckie does very well across her bibliography is writing about a particular issue within a bigger political context, so that you can get involved in the issue at hand and only have a vague idea of the general climate, without feeling like you're neither confused nor missing out. Also, something I love about sci-fi is when you're having a debate and someone fucks up spacetime and now we're all stuck in a place that doesn't exist. Actual politics would be more interesting like that. We have to take a break, Donald Trump has gotten stuck in the wall.

I wholeheartedly loved this book, it's such a fun combination of politics and character arcs and metaphysic while also, at times, just being really silly. A fun read, through and through!

I did not expect to like the book, I must admit. When I first started it, I thought there were misprints when it came to the use of gender references. It was only later I realised there were more than three in this book. I did not necessarily look into what each meant, but I might have if I had the time.

What began as a disjointed set of narratives with a hard-to-understand world, began to get exciting towards the end.

The author does not explain the complete world in this book. I didn’t even realise that there are other books set in this world. This story works well as a standalone, as long as we are not adamant about knowing all about the political machinations mentioned in the book.

The narrators help in bringing the story together as their lives intersect. We have one person left to fend for hirself, another who does not know what to think of himself and his urges, while finally we have Qven who has to learn the most as the story progresses.

By the time we reach the chaotic climax of the adventure, I was fully invested in the outcomes for everyone ( if I can use that terminology, I am not sure) involved.

I would recommend it to fans of the genre and I suppose people who have read other books in this world will definitely enjoy it even more than I did. I also would like to try those other books when I get the chance and/or time.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

A jam packed scifi novel blending identity, politics, coming of age and family dynamics.

I need to read more scifi and when I saw Ann Leckie pop up on Net galley this was a no-brainer. I read and loved her debut Ancillary Justice ten years ago and then I haven’t read the subsequent novels or anything else.

Transition state is set in the same universe as ancillary justice but I don’t think you need prior knowledge to go into Transition state it stands alone. This is high concept world building, it’s not for scifi beginners but having said that if you’re willing to go with it and trust the author knowing that it will be a few chapters before you get comfortable in the universe it’s really skilfully done. The story follows three characters alternating their viewpoints (Enae and Reet in third person and Qven in first person) and there’s so much great set up and intrigue from the get go. Essentially we follow Enae, who has been ejected cordially from the family nest on an interstellar wild goose chase. What unfolds is a story of identity, both self determined and legally. There are major themes of politics, colonial power, families, rebellion, transitions to adulthood and, as with all Ann Leckie novels, AI and gender. What it does so well is blend these huge sweeping topics like AI or identity with the minutiae of life and connection. I found it really addictive and easy to read despite the complexity of species, concepts and characters because you are so well anchored and invested in the three main characters. It also shares a concept kinship with A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers. I loved it. I need to revisit her other work.

After finishing Translation State the predominant feeling I was left with was warmth. Which surprised me. Science fiction books aren’t best known for giving readers the warm and fuzzies (although many good examples of the genre will be, at their core, anything but cold. Shout out to Becky Chambers). Ann Leckie takes us to the pre-existing sandpit of her Ancillary Justice and Provenance universe to pen a book about finding yourself, finding your history, and finding your purpose.

The book follows three protagonists: Enae, Reet, and Qven. We are introduced to Enae first, and the book starts us off with a scene slightly reminiscent of Knives Out in which hir family are scrambling over hir deceased Grandmaman’s estate. Much to everyone’s consternation, a stranger is decreed to be the sole inheritor. Enae finds hirself (politely) turfed out of the only home sie has ever known and sent on a ‘make busy’ errand – to unravel the mystery of an alien Presger translator, missing for two centuries.

We next meet Reet, who, in a resigned desire for belonging, seems not to register too many alarm bells when the worrisomely named ‘Brothers of Hikipi’ believe him to be the lost successor of the fallen Lovehate Station.

Finally, we meet Qven, an alien Presger juvenile who is being taught how to be a person and how not to murder people:

“It’s just so frustrating! All the stupid rules! Eat with a spoon. Put clothes on your feet. Sit on the chairs […]. Excrete into the special excretion receptacles!” I went on. “Sleep on the sleeping furniture! And never, ever open anyone up.”

I initially found Enae likeable, Reet bland and Qven (delightfully) confusing. Typical of any book with multiple points of view, as each narrative unfolded my interest in the three characters waxed and waned. The waning was not helped by Leckie’s rigid adherence to cycling through the chapters character-after-character (e.g., Chapter 1: Enae, Chapter 2: Reet, Chapter 3: Qven, Chapter 4: Enae, and so on). There were plenty of times that the plot did not require such structured input from each character, and partially this is why although Enae’s plot started off the most strongly, once I grasped the initial ‘twist’ (I have to believe that Leckie expected readers to figure this one out pretty rapidly), unfortunately, hir contribution to the overall narrative felt a little flat.

By Translation State’s conclusion, Enae was still likeable but hir presence in the book had crept into dullness, Reet was displaying an unexpected amount of heart, and Qven (frankly, the powerhouse of this book) was absolutely endearing.

Other than Qven, who has my heart, there are a few other stand out elements of the book that I really liked:

1. Gender and misgendering: Leckie’s universe is inhabited by an eclectic assortment of peoples, with multiple variations on pronouns. Rather than from malignance, characters (such as Reet) are often humorously misgendered as a result of this coming-together hodgepodge of cultures. ‘Misgendering done right!’ is not something I thought I’d give the thumbs up to as a non-binary reader – but it contributed to the thread of lightness running throughout the book.

2. The Presger translators: it’s exciting and fun to be thrown into the deep end of an alien culture, and expected to swim without hand-holding or an extra pool float from the author. Slowly grasping their ins-and-outs (Qven’s Teacher was a lightbulb moment!) was incredibly rewarding.

3. The concluding third: although others have mentioned they found this rushed, I disagree – for a standalone book, this was a satisfying and neat conclusion.

All in all, Translation State is a solid standalone sci-fi, with memorable characters and a degree of lightness ideal for anyone looking for a break between weightier series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-copy.

This is a spin off "stand alone" tale from Leckie's award winning Imperial Radch Universe trilogy of books. I wish I'd read the trilogy because even though Translation State is a spin off book, I think that being already immersed in the Radch universe would have made the story more enjoyable and teh universe in which it plays out easier to get a handle on. The story is told from the point of view of three different characters from very different parts of the Universe but each trying to make their way into adult life. It's a kind of exploration of "coming of age" in a Space Opera Universe. I thought the story was well written and enjoyable. I think I'm well beyond the outer reaches of the traget age group to fully appreciate the young adult story line.

Another fantastic chronicle from the Imperial Radch universe, uncovering political machinations in the guise of a wonderful adventure story.
This book has empathetic characters and starts to unpick the mysterious Presger.
An excellent read!

I shouldn't have read this book because I've only read the first Imperial Radch book by Ann Leckie. So I'm already dabbling in potentially spoiling myself for that trilogy, but its worth the risk because I have a gut instinct that Ann Leckie is away to be an auto buy author for me.

Well, I was right. I've got a new auto buy author. And I don't feel spoiled for the Imperial Radch series.

Firstly, this is a 3 point of view book where the three characters all move towards a central meeting from parts of space all across the Radch empire and outside of the empire. We have a character adrift and alone, with no purpose in life getting a sudden lifeline in terms of a task they are determined to do an impossibly good job at. Our second character could also be described as adrift and alone, but they find more happiness in their solitude at the start of the book. In fact, they are unwillingly thrust into a small spotlight very early on and are very unsure about how to handle it. And my final, and bestest character is one of my favourite tropes in science fiction. I love aliens trying to interpret humans with absolutely no context or understanding.

I adored the characters in Translation State, and highly reccomend this fast, fun science fiction book that isn't afraid from exploring gender identity to boot!

Translation State is a stand alone scifi book that's part of the Imperial Radch world, and given it's nomination for both a Nebula and Hugo, as well as Leckie's previous wins of both these awards, I was intrigued to check it out. It's set in a fascinating world, and the story is told from three very different points of view, however I found it hard to get into. While I'd seen it talked about as a standalone, it did feel that prior knowledge of the world was assumed, and I would suggest readers check out the main trilogy before reading this (something which I unfortunately had not done). Despite this, I felt both the story and characters compelling, although I did feel the plot veered uneccesarily off course about two thirds of the way through and didn't fully recover, before coming to a fairly predictable end.
The world and themes were definitely the strong point of this novel, particularly the explorations of gender identity as well as various different alien species, and what it means to be human. I suspect that those who've enjoyed the Impetial Radch trilogy will thoroughly enjoy this novel, and I myself was defintely sufficiently impressed with this book that I'll be checking the trilogy out shortly.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read Translation State. I was very excited to read this when I requested it on NetGalley since I’ve read The Long Game by Ann Leckie before and really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this one as much. I couldn’t get past the 10% mark, not because it was a bad book, I thought the plot was rather good. I think it’s just because of the spelling of the pronouns of our main character. This is seriously just a personal issue and I’m sure this book is incredible but it’s such a nitpicky little thing for me to pressed over, and I wish I wouldn’t, but it’s just messing with my brain when I read it and I just can’t get my head round it. For the plot, I give it 4 stars for the inconvenience, I’ll give it a 3.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is a solid sci-fi novel, it is light and easy to read. I would deduct a star because I do think maybe it is too long.

This is well written and I did enjoy this a lot.

3.5 stars rounded up

Translation state is a great exploration of the themes of identity and purpose in life, taking place in Ann Leckie’s award-winning Imperial Radch universe. Not only could these core themes be delved into in a fantastic way because of the world Ann Leckie has previously created, I was pleased to see that prior reading of the Ancillary series wasn’t necessary beforehand. I would however throw out a warning regarding worldbuilding, which will be a little more complicated though if this is your first Ann Leckie book. As someone who’s only read Ancillary Justice (and admittedly that was a little while ago), it took me a while to get up to speed with all the terminology, races and places, whereas somebody more familiar with the series could just dive straight in.

Personally, I feel the real strength of Translation State is how the core theme of identity was explored by all three led characters. Enae has been cast out from her life of luxury to make a name for herself, Reet is thrown a hint that could unravel his mysterious origins and give him a sense of belonging, and Qven is trying to come to terms with a seemingly unavoidable fate. When the lead character’s storylines inevitably start to intertwine, I loved their interactions and how they ultimately help each other with the difficulties they’re grappling with. However, while I really liked the slow reveals in Reet’s plotline, and loved Qven’s worldly observations, I’m afraid I didn’t connect with Enae’s story at all. To me it felt like her story was only tangentially connected to the main plot, and unlike the other two, I think it’d be worryingly easy to write her out of the story entirely! As with Ancillary Justice, I feel that the best characterization was saved for the plot’s antagonists. Watching the cold and calculating ambassador and translator characters scheme and manoeuvre around each other through all the debates was possibly my favourite aspect of the novel. Their psychological manipulation of their opponents (particularly the three lead characters) was brilliantly vicious and nasty, presenting their ideal scenarios as if there’s no other choice to be had.

The biggest sticking point of the book for me was its final quarter, which goes a little bizarre and off the rails. I won’t give anything away, but I’m really conflicted about its place in this particular story. The scenes in question were very well written, particularly given their odd and confusing nature, and they felt right at home in Ann Leckie’s writing style and the wider Imperial Radch world. I think the reason it felt a bit disjointed here was the sudden inclusion of action scenes in a book that hadn’t relied on them up to that point. Translation State is a character driven novel that focused more on political manoeuvres than mind-bending action, and those scenes building towards the resolution felt like two good jigsaw pieces that shouldn’t have been mashed together.

Ann Leckie's Translation State is the latest novel in her Imperial Radch universe which I have been devouring this year. It is another 'spin off' novel where in this instance we get to learn more about the Presger, an alien race who communicate through translators. I won't go too much into the plot of this book in case I unwittingly spoil things for you but suffice to say this was such an interesting book it immediately shot to the top of my favourites list for the Imperial Radch books, beating out the entirety of the original trilogy. Ann Leckie writes cultures so well and bringing in even more alien elements only enriches those elements of her worldbuilding. I love how she plays with gender and politeness and societal norms across this novel (and the others) and I always leave the books with a lot of thoughts ringing around my head. This is all while pulling off a fantastic space opera plot by the way.
I would 1000% recommend reading this book - but I would say you probably want to a) read the other books first, you won't be spoiled but the context will make more sense and b) audiobook - I love the narrator and think she does a fantastic job of bringing these books to life.
I cannot wait to see what is next from Ann Leckie and I am so glad I finally had the chance to demolish this series.
I received a free digital review copy from the publisher via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

A well put together novel that succeeds as a stand alone although set in the wider context of Leckie’s early science fiction universe. Part sweet coming of age/relationships novel and part political space opera, the two are deftly woven together, providing something for either type of sci fi reader. Probably will be best loved by Leckie fans who can gain new knowledge of their universe while reading an adventure tale.

A real good piece of sci-fi, a universe full of different types of aliens and humanoid beings, smooth beautifully written plot. Another captivating story created by the great Ann Leckie.

Written in 3 distinct POVs: Enae sent on a diplomatic mission unaware that her involvement could change the fate of a person and possibly dismantle a peace treaty. Reet who is trying to belong and discover his roots. Qven - the juvenile who enjoys dismemberment, awkwardly learning how to be human.

At first, we are easily introduces to the characters and their individual circumstance, definitely capturing our sympathy and making us root for them. However, it is the main act of the book that shines with the true classic strength of science fiction: the world building and the futuristic aspects. In the bigger picture, we have a peace treaty between humans, humanoid aliens, aliens, and AIs. A good indication of how subjective influence can affect the entire universe. There are also smaller conflicts between nations and races, fighting for leadership and authority among humans. A very creative description of different species, with the Presger Translators being the most fascinating, starting from their creation, growth, compulsion to disembowels each other, and finishing with a sticking type of matching. The secrecy and lack of explanation given to their juveniles leading to half of the problems for one of the main character.

Strong found family vibes, love and support always winning, even if everyone has contradicting interests. Set in the universe of the Imperial Radch series (Ancillary Justice Trilogy and Provenance) can easily be read as a stand alone. Previous knowledge of the universe helps at the beginning to fully grasp the nature of the world but it's not necessary. Definitely 5 stars!

How does Ann Leckie manage to do this? I thought the Ancillary Justice series was peak sci-fi, and yet this novel is even more captivating and intense than the previous ones. We finally get more information about the Presger translators, and some of it is downright creepy, isn't it? However the book is also and mostly not about creepiness, it's about identity and the possibility for individuals to choose their own fate, be it suddenly becoming a detective or realising why you really wanted to dismember people, and why it's mostly reasonable.

Excellent book, highly recommended to anyone who liked the previous ones in the same series.

I really enjoyed the Ancillary novels and this is another story within this universe. Again, Leckie captures the struggle of being human in a modern disjointed world. This time, however, the question is literal for two of her three main characters, Qven and Reet.
After looking after an aging relative Enae finds that they've been displaced and instead enters an adventure to find a long lost translator. Not expecting to be successful after 200 years Enae travels across systems and finds Reet. In a diplomatic challenge, Reet identifies as human despite evidence to the contrary. Filled with explorations of gender, identity and humanity, 'Translation State' is a vivd space opera novel that has a lot to say about modernity. And it's a jolly good yarn about inter-system and inter-species conflict.
I loved it and it's really inspired me to reread the Ancillary novels which I loved when they first came out. In saying that, it's not necessary to have read the award winning Ancillary series to understand and appreciate this new novel. It's pretty much stand alone and self contained. Despite this, there is a strong sense that there will be more Enae novels - and I truly hope so.
Another blockbuster from Leckie - waiting to see if it's another Arthur C Clarke winner. Perhaps not so startling as her first but it should sweep up several key awards this Sci Fi season.

Ann Leckie returns on a high. This instalment reveals a lot more about the Presgr Translators and we get three main characters to follow through the story, piecing the narrative together bit by bit through each of them. I personally loved Reet's POV the most, then Qven, so I was very pleased when their stories started merging together and I became sweet on them as a duo. What I like most about Lecki's books is that they all feel properly /alien/ - the last few chapters within the space-between-walls was surreal and very visual - and I get the feeling that even Leckie doesn't really want to describe the Presgr because they're so weird, so using the partially human translators is a very clever piece of writing.

This was my first venture into the works of Ann Leckie, an author I've been meaning to get into for a while, and I quite enjoyed it. The canvas spreads quite far with lots of different characters and cultures weaved together to create a story that is compelling for the most part. I was confused by some of the directions it took towards its climax and some story elements didn't add up to much, but I had a great time with it. This is set in the same universe as Leckie's other novels, so perhaps that might have helped. It bears a lot in common with China Miéville's 'Embassytown', particularly in its idea of two separate people/personalities coming together to form a new person for the purposes of acting as an intermediary between alien races who otherwise wouldn't be able to communicate. Though Miéville has greater access with the idea, the relationship between Qven and Reet as they come to terms with who they are and what they must do is one of strongest elements of 'Translation State'. I'd intrigued enough to dive further into this universe!