It's a rare sequel that manages to be as good as its predecessor, especially when its predecessor won ALL THE AWARDS™. And yet Ancillary Sword remains interesting in the same ways that Ancillary Justice was. Leckie manages to combine Le Guin's philosophical/ideological sic-fi with Bujold's instincts for the dramatic bears and compelling characters of the space opera.
Ugh, I can't believe I have to wait another year for Ancillary Mercy.