Review of 'Provenance'

Provenance by Ann Leckie

Ingray Augskold is the adopted child of a wealthy family from Hwae. Seeking Netano, her foster-mother's, appointment as head of the family above her more favoured sibling Danach, she travels to Tyr Siilas to have convicted thief Pahlad Budrakim broken out from “Compassionate Removal” – A supposedly impossible task. She is hoping the return the thief of their family treasures to Netano she will have her favour. However, having used all of her money she is despondent when the man she assumed was Pahlad swears he is not. Returning to Hwae with the person-who-would-be-Pahlad the two quickly become caught up in the mysterious murder of a visiting dignitary. With the political sensitivity of the situation they will have to use all their guise to find the killer and absolve themselves of the murder.

An interesting stand-alone novel set in the complicated and bizarre world of Ancillary Justice. These are interesting characters that have very understandable human emotions and desires which allows us to easily be drawn in. These are not at all perfect people dealing with a difficult political situation that is often difficult to fathom but Leckie does a good job at explaining without too much exposition. As readers there is a very real sense of a fully imagined universe. We often have no idea what is going to happen next in this often inexplicable universe which is quite refreshing but at the same time what happens makes perfect sense here.

An easy read from a great modern SF author though quite long at 400 some-odd pages. It does tend to drag slightly in parts but as a whole well worth reading.

Rating: “Nearly perfect, but not quite”

Review Date: 2023-04-15

Genre: Science Fiction

Publisher: Orbit

Publication Date: 2017

ISBN: 9780356506982

• Ancillary Justice (Book 1 of Imperial Radch)