Translation State is the long awaited return by Ann Leckie to the world of her Imperial Radch trilogy, which was most famous for the multi-awarded Ancillary Justice (her 2017 stand alone book Provenance was also set in this universe but was far more distant in its setting). The Imperial Radch trilogy was well deserving of its awards as it dealt with gender, identity, and power, and was one of my first reintroductions into reading modern SciFi/Fantasy. So while Translation State was promised to be stand alone, its description - featuring a plot that involved the alien Presger Translators who were a major side character of the Radch trilogy - really intrigued me and had me really excited to read it. And of course now it's a Hugo and Nebula Finalist among other awards.

And Translation State delivers as I'd hope. Its story is a lot more personal than the Radch trilogy, with it featuring three characters struggling with their identity and purpose: Enae, who spent hir entire life taking care of hir emotionally abusive and irritable grandmaman and who is cast out of hir home upon hir grandmaman's death; Reet, an adopted mechanic who has grown up with strange urges to bite and eat people despite his loving family and has genetic abnormalities no one can explain; and Qven, a being growing up to be a Presger translator - the strange human-like beings who interpret for the super dangerous and super alien Presger - who is essentially forced upon by another juvenile and has to deal with no longer fitting in the plans of their superiors. The result is a story that isn't one of major galactic conflict, but one that is no less interesting as it deals with power, identity, trauma, and one's choices of whom they want to be. More specifics after the jump:


Plot Summary:
Enae Athtur had no expectations of any inheritance when grandmaman died - after all, while Sie had been the only one living with and caring for grandmaman, grandmaman had never shown any gratitude and had done nothing but isolate Enae in the process. Yet even sie didn't expect the family house to be given to an outright stranger and Enae sent away on a mission that is probably a wild goose chase - to find a Presger translator that has been missing for over 200 years.

Reet Hluid has always felt something wrong or different with him. He has a loving foster family who cares for him and have covered for him when he has had very strange urges - like to eat and take apart other human beings. Yet he's always wished he could find out where he came from...so when a member of the Hibiki ethnic group claims he is the long lost descendant of their royal Schan leaders, he is intrigued....and yet the idea doesn't quite fit...

Qven is a juvenile in the latest batch of Presger Translators and they belong to a very prestigious Clade, or so they've been told. Their growth towards adulthood is brutal and bloody...but then it is derailed by an attack by a juvenile from a rival clade who seeks to force a "match" upon them. Qven thus finds themselves no longer in their Clade's plans and searches for a way to escape...

When Qven, Reet, and Enae's destinies intersect, the three of them will find who they are and what they want to be a matter of close debate among people in substantial power among the galaxy...whether they like it or not....
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Translation State is hard to describe in a short description because there really isn't a single overarching conflict at the heart of everything (the book jacket's description basically only describes Qven's plotline) but rather the struggles for purpose and identity of three main protagonists, from whose perspective each chapter is told (the chapters go Enae -> Reet -> Qven and then repeat the rotation). The story, without being heavy handed, very much parallels each of the main trio in ways that really really work with regards to the book's themes, and so the constant switching - even as Enae turns out to be entirely human and very different from the other two - really helps the plot be very effective overall.

And that plot, as I've mentioned before, has to deal with family, identity, and choosing one's own purpose in the face of familial, cultural and systemic powers trying to restrict those very things. For Enae, hir identity was entirely subsumed by their grandmaman for years, with grandmaman basically chasing away hir friends and leaving hir with nothing but their life of living in grandmanan's house when grandmaman passed. And then grandmaman left the house to a total stranger and, while still providing hir an income, essentially allowed that stranger to exile Enae from the only home sie had ever known. And so Enae's plotline deals with sie trying to figure out what to do with hir life, and coming to the conclusion that in the absence of anything sie will decide to do their best to actually investigate the mystery sie was supposed to just use as an excuse to go away and in the process, hir determination will not only drive the plot, but show hir worth in the end...and might even result in sie finding some friends and people who sie can actually enjoy having time with.

For Reet, he - unlike the other main characters - actually has a happy and loving adopted family (even if his Nana is occasionally rude with comments). Yet Reet has always felt like he didn't quite belong due to his urges to bite and do damaging things to human flesh and has always wanted to know why he felt that way, even as he learned to hide those urges. So when he first is approached by the Hibiki about being the descendant of their long lost leaders - and their anthems are deliciously bloody - he hopes that could answer his hopes...and yet it's not right either. So of course - and this "twist" is so obvious that the book doesn't even hide it for long - he has connections to the Presger translators, and that revelation forces him in his plotline to try to figure out what he wants with that connection: does he want to be a translator? Does he want to Match? Who is he and what is the right thing to do for himself and for those he cares about? And will they even have a choice in the face of a system that is more afraid of the alien translators and the Presger than his own safety?

Qven has similar problems, as they have to deal with the fact that they don't always feel the same feelings that are clearly desired by the people in power who make decisions about how Presger Translators are supposed to grow up. Then they deal with the equivalent of sexual assault - a forced match - and their superiors respond by blaming them and trying to force upon them another match to "salvage" what they see as a wasted potential for their Clade. And so Qven has to decide: Who are they and who do they want to be and how can they be that in the face of a system that doesn't seem to want to give them a choice?

I've spent a lot of time going through these three characters rather than talking plot to preserve surprise and because these characters really are what matters, although the plot and side characters really further the themes here of finding one's own identity and purpose in the face of powers - so you have an asshole ambassador of the Radchaai who refuses to allow Reet a chance when it could hurt his own declining power, you have a translator determined to control Qven's life as part of a system that is more concerned with the power of its individual clades than the idea that its individual members could have any purpose other than what the group chooses, etc. Leckie writes this all really well as everyone deals with the chaos caused by bringing everyone together, as she shows the struggle against institutions by those who don't quite fit in them, and how wrong those institutions are as a result.

A really strong novel, well worth its nominations for the major awards.

Ann Leckie is a jewel of modern science fiction. Her worldbuilding and characters are consistently original, nuanced, deeply resonant, and well thought-out. To describe the plot and premises of Translation State is to ignore her masterful layering of themes and her ability to create truly relatable alien characters.

This story centers on three characters: Enae, a reluctant diplomat tasked with hunting down a fugitive who has been missing for over 200 years; Reet, an adopted mechanic who is desperate to learn about his genetic roots to explain why he operates so differently from those around him. And Qven, created to be a Presger translator, an intermediary between the dangerous—as in world-destroying—Presger and human civilization. The Presger are truly alien, and it’s only through a centuries-old Treaty and the translators that they haven’t inadvertently destroyed entire systems of inhabited worlds.

Presger translators are far from benign; in their formative stages, for example. they think nothing of vivisecting or slaughtering their age-mates. They must be taught human customs, everything from wearing clothes, making small talk, drinking tea, and sitting on furniture to not casually eating one another. Qven is no exception, and Reet very well may be at least part translator, although his adopted parents have instilled human values in him.

Leckie manages to make both characters, as well as the endearing Enae, sympathetic, understandable, and even upon occasion admirable. She introduces Enae first, inviting the reader into a complex universe through a single relatable character. I had a harder time with Reet initially, but by the time it was clear the story lines would merge, the deeper themes of consent, becoming fully oneself, loving another as I-Thou, and the meaning of being human had me hooked. I loved Leckie’s subtle hand in conveying sophisticated, often bizzare cultural conventions without a trace of ramming them down the reader’s throat.

Leckie also portrays gender conventions in ways that are occasionally humorous—like the way the Imperial Radch insist on using “she” for everyone, but Reet keeps correcting them, “I’m a he!” and Qven, for the first time given a choice, insists on being an “e” (and, after seeing the unconditional love and support of Reet’s three moms, makes a conscious choice to become human).

Highly recommended.

Leckie is unparalleled in her writing of science fiction and "Translation State" is exactly what I wanted from the latest book in the Imperial Radch series. The world-building and character development are only made better by the style and eloquence the author brings to a tale.

Ann Leckie does it again!! I feel fundamentally insane about this book and the discussion of being a person that it goes into.

Also I'm just glad to get little treats in the form of more glimpses at the Presger, they're so weird but I love how much they're still kept deeply ambiguous. Overall just a wonderful time of a book!!!

Translation State was one of the best 2023 books I read, so it is great that the book was just named a Hugo finalist. This book is set in Leckie's Imperial Radch universe (which was also a finalist for the best series Hugo) that includes Ancillary Justice, Ancillary Sword, and Ancillary Mercy. While the events of the earlier books happen in the background of Translation State, this book stands alone.

Translation State has three main characters. Enae Athtur (pronouns Sie/Hir) has spent decades living with Grandmaman, taking care of the rich old woman and her household. But when Grandmaman dies, the new inheritor of her name and influence arranges for Enae to become a Special Investigator for the Office of Diplomacy assigned to find a fugitive for the Radchaai Translators Office. Even though sie knows nothing about investigating and is told this is just an excuse to allow hir to travel, sie takes the assignment seriously and goes out into the universe.

Meanwhile, Reet, who has a state-mandated job as a pipe repairperson on Rurusk station, is told his unique genetics may mean he is a descendent of the Schan, the ancient Hikipi rulers of Lovehate Station. He believes there was something wrong with himself, even though he has outgrown his desire to dissect the people around him. He starts attending meetings of the Siblings of Hikipu, which he considers an odd but harmless ethnic heritage group.

The third main character is Qven, who narrates Qven's part of the story in the first person. As a Little and Middle, Qven is grouped with similar others who occasionally open up other Middles to see their insides. Qven is trained to be a diplomatic operative and translator to go into the human universe.

Naturally, the careful reader knows that these three are somehow connected and there are mysteries involving Reet's heritage and Qven's background and purpose. Enae becomes the reader's surrogate, whose investigations allow her to explore Leckie's rich Radch universe and discover the truth behind Reet's ancestry. Leckie is careful to show rather than tell, which makes for a slow revealing of what Qven is and what Qven is meant to do.

Translation State is not a typical space opera with battling starships and laser guns. There are some action scenes, especially at the end, but the focus is more on the characters and on who and what they are. The book is actually a mystery as the reader tries to understand what is going on and the choice that Reet and Qven must make.

I strongly recommend Translation State as an intriguing science fictional exploration into what it means to be human and not human.

This was a really entertaining read. I love a good space opera. I haven't read any of the author's previous works but I was able to follow along. This one works great as a standalone. I plan to read the Imperial Radch trilogy to gain more insight into this world. Lots of fun. Lots of aliens and drama. Highly recommend

All I want is for Ann Leckie to continue writing more Imperial Radch books. This continues to be as good as her previous books and one of my favorite series.

This story is set in the same universe as the Imperial Radch trilogy, Translation State follows Enae, who leaves her long-standing isolation to being given a diplomat title and assigned to investigate a missing translator no one expects to be found. This is a standalone book, however, it seems like a good intro to Leckie's world. Thank you Netgalley for the eARC!

An immersive sci-fi world that cements the fanfare around Ann Leckie's storytelling - especially as someone interacting with her writing and worlds for the first time. The multi-pov, interwoven narratives were engaging and stood the landing with stakes and intrigue.

Leckie is not always the easiest of reads, but she's ALWAYS thought provoking. I still use her book, The Raven Tower, to teach voice in writing. This book was a nice continuation of her Radch series, but also works as a standalone. I'll always read her books.

I have not read any of Ann Leckie's books prior to picking up Translation Slate.

I love the sci-fi atmosphere Ann creates and it brims with an indepth world structure.

There were times I connected with the characters and many times I did not. My biggest issue was the uneven pacing, which took me out of the story a lot and broke the connection between the book and I.

This was an okay read for me, but I think many fans of Ann Leckie will enjoy this one and if you're interested on reading this book, then checkout her other works first.

I loved this book until the end; up until that point I was thinking this was Leckie’s best novel to date, but I felt the final resolution was unsatisfying. That said, this was still a fantastic read overall, continuing on the themes of personhood and family that Leckie does so well. I truly loved seeing more about the Presger Translators; how messed up and creepy they are but presented so nonchalantly.

While this is a standalone, I wouldn’t recommend it if you haven’t read the Imperial Radch trilogy and plan to, as it spoils the finale of that trilogy (and I think you’d appreciate this book more with that trilogy as context).

This was such an interesting story! I really enjoyed the unique plot and the characters. I look forward to the author’s next work!

I hadn’t experienced any novels from Ann Leckie, so I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed Translation Slate. While it takes a little while to get a concept of the different characters and all their stories, everything comes together spectacularly

This was a great addition to the main series, although I wish I had reread the series before this one! So definitely don't go into it blind. Also I just adore the cover!

I requested this for consideration for Book Riot's All the Books podcast for its release date. After sampling several books out this week, I decided to go with a different book for my review.

See my review in Nov/Dec 2023 issue of Analog Science Fiction:

https://www.analogsf.com/current-issue/the-reference-library/

Set in the same universe as Leckie’s Imperial Radch trilogy, Translation State follows Enae, who leaves hir long-standing isolation for what was supposed to be an interstellar goose chase. After hir demanding grandmaman dies, Enae is given a diplomat title and assigned to investigate a missing Presgr translator no one expects to be found (but that the government still wants the goodwill for pretending to look for). Only, Enae doesn’t just pretend to look; sie discovers sie has quite the knack for investigating the 200-year-old cold case.

This is how hir path crosses that of Reet, an adopted maintenance worker whose mysterious origins and unsettling impulses might be explained by being the child of the fugitive translator, if you ask Enae, or the last descendant of a lost sovereign line, if you ask one particularly zealous diaspora social group. Rounding out the POV characters is Qven, a young Presgr terrified of their species’ ritual of merging with an elder, a rite of passage which will see Qven’s selfhood entirely dissolved. Enae, Reet, and Qven’s explorations of their own identities wind up having interplanetary consequences, but it’s the way Leckie gives weight to the small moments, both personal and shared, that make this book sing.

Though I’m sure there are layers that only those familiar with the Imperial Radch trilogy will notice and appreciate, the standalone Translation State and its rich exploration of self-identification and personhood serve as a fantastic introduction to Leckie’s world. So don’t hesitate to jump into Translation State if you’re – like me – new to Radch and simply drawn to a thrilling mystery where the most intimate emotions can fuel a universal upheaval. — SG

This was a very enjoyable space opera set in the same universe as the Imperial Radch trilogy. I enjoyed the light, cozy feel of the book. Leckie's writing is immersive, and I absolutely loved reading this one.

Translation State is the first of Ann Leckie's novels I've read, and thus the first Imperial Radch universe novel. This is billed as a stand-alone novel, and easy to dig into.

Leckie's exploration of gender in the Radch universe is well known. In Translation State, she dives further into what makes one a member of a certain species, especially when some of her species meld(?) into each other, for a vehicle (used loosely), a translator, a god, a ship, an AI. It's a stunning exploration of what norms one has, who(/what) has value over another species, inheritance of both wealth and power in clades, and political treaties.

It's also a mystery. A translator was lost, hundreds of years before present. A newly wealthy diplomat is sent to find them. Other clades and groups want to claim Reet as well. The Presgar, mysterious beings in the Radch universe, are also interested, and dealing with a rogue juvenile one of their own. A tribunal is called, and interrupted by a space attack.

Combining philosophical questions, space battles, love, gender, family, betrayal, significance, self-awareness, adoptive and found families, this book has more to offer than just "alien sci-fi." It will be one of my Must Recommends and I'll be reading the trilogy ASAP.