Ann Leckie (born 2 March 1966) is an American author of science fiction and fantasy. Her 2013 debut novel ''

Ancillary Justice ''Ancillary Justice'' is a science fiction novel by the American writer Ann Leckie, published in 2013. It is Leckie's debut novel and the first in her Imperial Radch space opera trilogy, followed by ''Ancillary Sword'' (2014) and '' Ancillary Me ...

'', in part about

artificial consciousness Artificial consciousness (AC), also known as machine consciousness (MC) or synthetic consciousness (; ), is a field related to artificial intelligence and cognitive robotics. The aim of the theory of artificial consciousness is to "Define that wh ...

and gender-blindness, won the 2014

Hugo Award The Hugo Award is an annual literary award for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year, given at the World Science Fiction Convention and chosen by its members. The Hugo is widely considered the premier a ...

for "Best Novel", as well as the

Nebula Award The Nebula Awards annually recognize the best works of science fiction or fantasy published in the United States. The awards are organized and awarded by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA), a nonprofit association of profe ...

, the

Arthur C. Clarke Award The Arthur C. Clarke Award is a British award given for the best science fiction novel first published in the United Kingdom during the previous year. It is named after British author Arthur C. Clarke, who gave a grant to establish the award i ...

, and the BSFA Award. The sequels, ''

Ancillary Sword ''Ancillary Sword'' is a science fiction novel by the American writer Ann Leckie, published in October 2014. It is the second novel in Leckie's "Imperial Radch" space opera trilogy, which began with ''Ancillary Justice'' (2013) and ended with ''A ...

'' and ''

Ancillary Mercy ''Ancillary Mercy'' is a science fiction novel by the American writer Ann Leckie, published in October 2015. It is the final novel in Leckie's "Imperial Radch" space opera trilogy, which began with ''Ancillary Justice'' (2013) and was followed b ...

'', each won the Locus Award and were nominated for the Nebula Award. ''

Provenance Provenance (from the French ''provenir'', 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody or location of a historical object. The term was originally mostly used in relation to works of art but is now used in similar senses i ...

'', published in 2017, is also set in the ''Imperial Radch'' universe. Leckie's first fantasy novel, ''

The Raven Tower ''The Raven Tower'' is a 2019 fantasy novel by Ann Leckie. Her first fantasy novel, it is based on the story of Hamlet. The novel recounts the story of Mawat, a prince seeking to overthrow his usurper uncle and regain his rightful place as the s ...

'', was published in February 2019.

Career

Having grown up as a science fiction fan in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...

, Leckie's attempts in her youth to get her science fiction works published were unsuccessful. One of her few publications from that time was an unattributed

bodice-ripper A romance novel or romantic novel generally refers to a type of genre fiction novel which places its primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and usually has an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Pr ...

in '' True Confessions''. After giving birth to her children in 1996 and 2000, boredom as a

stay-at-home mother A housewife (also known as a homemaker or a stay-at-home mother/mom/mum) is a woman whose role is running or managing her family's home—housekeeping, which includes caring for her children; cleaning and maintaining the home; making, buying an ...

motivated her to sketch a first draft of what would become ''Ancillary Justice'' for

National Novel Writing Month National Novel Writing Month (often shortened to NaNoWriMo ) is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that promotes creative writing around the world. Its flagship program is an annual, international creative writing event in which participants att ...

2002. In 2005, Leckie attended the Clarion West Writers Workshop, where she studied under Octavia Butler. After that, she wrote ''Ancillary Justice'' over a period of six years; it was picked up by the publisher Orbit in 2012 and published the following year. Leckie has published numerous short stories, in outlets including ''

Subterranean Magazine Subterranean Press is a small press publisher in Burton, Michigan. Subterranean is best known for publishing genre fiction, primarily horror, suspense and dark mystery, fantasy, and science fiction. In addition to publishing novels, short story ...

'', '' Strange Horizons'', and ''

Realms of Fantasy ''Realms of Fantasy'' was a professional bimonthly fantasy speculative fiction magazine published by Sovereign Media, then Tir Na Nog Press, and Damnation Books, which specialized in fantasy fiction (including some horror), related nonfiction (wit ...

''. Her short stories have been selected for inclusion in year's best collections, such as ''The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy'', edited by Rich Horton. She edited the science fiction and fantasy online magazine '' Giganotosaurus'' from 2010 to 2013, and is assistant editor of the ''

PodCastle ''PodCastle'' is a weekly audio fantasy fiction podcast. They release audio performances of fantasy short fiction, including all the subgenres of fantasy, including magical realism, urban fantasy, slipstream, high fantasy, and dark fantasy. As ...

'' podcast. She served as the secretary of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America from 2012 to 2013.

Imperial Radch trilogy

Leckie's debut novel ''

'', the first book of the ''Imperial Radch''

space opera Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes space warfare, with use of melodramatic, risk-taking space adventures, relationships, and chivalric romance. Set mainly or entirely in outer space, it features technological and soci ...

trilogy, was published to critical acclaim in October 2013 and won all of the principal English-language science fiction awards (see Ann Leckie#Awards and nominations). It follows Breq, the sole survivor of a

starship A starship, starcraft, or interstellar spacecraft is a theoretical spacecraft designed for interstellar travel, traveling between planetary systems. The term is mostly found in science fiction. Reference to a "star-ship" appears as early as 188 ...

destroyed by treachery and vessel of that ship's

, as she attempts to revenge herself on the ruler of her empire. The sequel, ''

'', was published in October 2014, and the conclusion, ''

'', was published in October 2015. "Night's Slow Poison" (2014) and "She Commands Me and I Obey" (2014) are short stories set in the same universe.

Other novels

In 2015, Orbit Books purchased two additional novels from Leckie. The first, ''

'' (published on 3 October 2017), is set in the ''Imperial Radch'' universe. The second was to have been an unrelated science fiction novel. In April 2018, Orbit announced that Leckie's first fantasy novel, ''The Raven Tower'', would be published in early 2019.

Bibliography

Novels

Set in the Ancillary universe

;Imperial Radch trilogy #''

''. (1 October 2013). Orbit. . #''

''. (7 October 2014). Orbit. . #''

''. (6 October 2015). Orbit. . ;Other novels *''

''. (26 September 2017). Orbit. . * ''Translation State'' (forthcoming - Summer 2023)

Non-Ancillary novels

*''

''. (26 February 2019). Orbit. .

Short fiction

*"Hesperia and Glory". (2006). ''Subterranean Magazine 4''. (Reprinted in ''Science Fiction: The Best of the Year 2007 Edition'', edited by Rich Horton) *"Footprints". (2007). ''Postcards from Hell: The First Thirteen.'' *"The Snake's Wife". (2007). ''Helix #6.'' (Reprinted on ''Transcriptase'') *"Needle and Thread" - co-authored by Rachel Swirsky. (2008). ''Lone Star Stories #29''. *"The Nalendar". (2008). ''Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine'', Issue #36. (Reprinted in ''Uncanny Magazine'' #2, January 2015 and as audio on PodCastle #52, May 2009) *"Clickweed". (July 2008). ''A Field Guide to Surreal Botany''. *"Marsh Gods". (7 July 2008). ''Strange Horizons''. *"The God of Au". ''Helix #8''. (Reprinted in ''The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy, 2009'', edited by Rich Horton) *"The Endangered Camp". (2009). ''Clockwork Phoenix 2''. (Reprinted in ''The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy, 2010'', edited by Rich Horton) *"The Sad History of the Tearless Onion" (12 June 2009). ''PodCastle Miniature #33''. *"The Unknown God". (February 2010). ''Realms of Fantasy''. *"Beloved of the Sun". (21 October 2010). ''Beneath Ceaseless Skies''. *"Maiden, Mother, Crone". (December 2010). ''Realms of Fantasy''. (Reprinted in ''Lightspeed'', January 2015 and as audio on PodCastle #500, 11 December 2017) *"The Endangered Camp". (12 March 2012). ''Clockwork Phoenix 2''. (Reprinted in ''The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy, 2010'' and ''Forever Magazine'', March 2015) *"Saving Bacon". (39 July 2014). ''PodCastle #322.'' *"Another Word for World". (2015). ''Future Visions: Original Science Fiction Stories Inspired by Microsoft''. *"The Justified". (2019). ''The Mythic Dream''. ;Set in the Ancillary universe *"Night's Slow Poison". (2014). Tor. *"She Commands Me and I Obey". (2014). ''Strange Horizons''. ;Set in the Ancillary universe

Critical studies and reviews of Leckie's work

Awards and nominations

* ''Ancillary Justice'' (2013) ** 2013: won the Nebula Award for Best Novel ** 2013: won the BSFA Award for Best Novel ** 2013: won the

Kitschies The Kitschies are British literary prizes presented annually for "the year's most progressive, intelligent and entertaining works that contain elements of the speculative or fantastic" published in the United Kingdom. Awards and criteria The Ki ...

Award Golden Tentacle (Debut) ** 2014: won the Hugo Award for Best Novel ** 2014: won the Arthur C. Clarke Award ** 2014: won the Locus Award for Best First Novel ** 2014: won the British Fantasy Award for the Best Newcomer (the Sydney J. Bounds Award) ** 2016: won the for Best Translated Novel ** 2016: won the Seiun Award for Best Translated Novel (Japan) ** 2013: Nominated for the

James Tiptree, Jr. Award The Otherwise Award, formerly known as the James Tiptree Jr. Award, is an American annual literary prize for works of science fiction or fantasy that expand or explore one's understanding of gender. It was initiated in February 1991 by science f ...

** 2013: Nominated for the

Philip K. Dick Award The Philip K. Dick Award is an American science fiction award given annually at Norwescon and sponsored by the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society and (since 2005) the Philip K. Dick Trust. Named after science fiction writer Philip K. Dick, ...

** 2014: Finalist for the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel ** 2014: Finalist for the

Compton Crook Award The Compton Crook Award is presented to the best English language first novel of the year in the field of science fiction, fantasy, or horror by the members of the Baltimore Science Fiction Society at their annual science fiction convention, Baltic ...

* ''Ancillary Sword'' (2014) ** 2014: won the BSFA Award for Best Novel ** 2015: won the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel ** 2014: Nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novel ** 2015: Finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Novel * ''Ancillary Mercy'' (2015) ** 2016: won the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel ** 2015: Nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novel ** 2016: Finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Novel ** 2016: Nominated for the Dragon Award for Best Science Fiction Novel * Imperial Radch trilogy (2013–2015) ** 2017: won Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire for Best Translator (Jacques Chambon Translation Prize) for ''Les Chroniques du Radch, tomes 1 à 3'' (France) ** 2017: Nominated for Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire for Best Foreign Novel (France) **2017: Nominated for the Seiun Award for Best Translated Novel * ''

'' (2017) ** 2018: Nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel

Personal life

Leckie earned a degree in music from Washington University in 1989. She has since held various jobs, including as a waitress, a receptionist, a land surveyor, a lunch lady, and a recording engineer. She is married to David Harre, with whom she has a son and daughter, and lives with her family in

References

External links

* at annleckie.com * *
Ann Leckie
at '' The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Leckie, Ann 1966 births Living people American science fiction writers American women novelists Hugo Award-winning writers Nebula Award winners Writers from St. Louis Women science fiction and fantasy writers 21st-century American novelists 21st-century American women writers Novelists from Missouri