Musician Protagonists in SF, pt.11

TITLE: Ancillary Justice

AUTHOR: Ann Leckie

YEAR: 2013

IS THIS SF?
Yes, far future, far-flung humanity, Artificial Intelligence that can be a ship and at the same time be its individuals, super-duper healing technology.

PJE SYNOPSIS
Breq seeks revenge, and we don’t know what for until half-way through. Before, she was part of this ship Justice of Toren. She helps to save someone who becomes her traveling companion and sidekick. All the while, retelling the events that make her seek vengeance.

REALLY A MUSICIAN?
YES, as a ship who has lived for thousands of years she’s interested in collecting songs from all over the galaxies, songs which she remembers and catalogs, but also sings them on request and subconsciously hums them, too (which ends up betraying her identity).

WHY A MUSICIAN?
Interesting question. Perhaps she was programmed this way. Perhaps she grew bored and as an AI she learned to find an interest. Breq is somewhat cold-hearted and devious, and like I said, seeking revenge, which doesn’t fit with flowery-hippy type of musician you often associate with literature. Perhaps it’s also a nod to music as a kind of history, as Justice of Toren remembers cultural tunes (folk music) as well as tunes by individual composers, and as such it’s an interesting way to balance out the un-human qualities that we (in the early twenty-first century) associate with AI. When asked to reproduce she can pipe music through speakers, I guess, but can also ‘perform’ them through one of her individuals, and as such becomes and musician and an ambassador. At one point Breq comes across a new instrument and teaches herself to play it so it can accompany her singing.

RECOMMENDED?
YES—a ripping yarn that moves along quickly. Because of the duality between shipwide AI / an individuals, the narrative style is a bit complex, especially at the beginning, but one gets used to it.