this post was submitted on 12 Oct 2023
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I really enjoyed all three books. They managed to do the galactic empire thing without getting overly bogged down in politics, and character development was interesting. I thought Leckie did a good job of conveying an extended AI in multiple bodies, and a solitary form (avoiding spoilers).

I read these not long after reading the first five Murderbot Diaries books, and I wonder if the Radch books might have been an influence on Wells. Some of the themes felt a little similar, while the stories were quite different.

Anyone read them? Liked it disliked, and why?

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I read these not long after reading the first five Murderbot Diaries books, and I wonder if the Radch books might have been an influence on Wells.

I can't speak FOR Wells, but in my personal experience, if you want to know an author's influences, you usually need to look back 20-30+ years ago, or at current science developments and news, not at their contemporaries writing books in the same genre.

Martha Wells is only 2 years older than Ann Leckie, so they likely grew up reading similar SFF books in the 70s/80s/90s, and are now roughly the same age while current events swirl. I know they've reviewed each other's books, but I'd be surprised if they influenced each other that much.

It's more likely they were both influenced by mutually-read/experienced/loved books and shows from decades past.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

It's a fair point. All Systems Red came out like four or five years after Ancillary Justice, so seemed like a time frame where it could have gotten Wells thinking on the subject.