Lake of Souls

Ann Leckie is one of those authors that I feel like is writing specifically for me. Alien political intrigue centering around translation devices? Check. Small gods wrecking havoc on neolithic societies? Check. Complex exploration of gender subverting our every expectation? Check check check. She's one of the best out there, and I feel like he doesn't get the attention she deserves. Definitely read her novels before stepping into this collection as the background for both The Raadchaai empire and the Raven Tower are quite important for 2/3 fo the stories, but you should really read all those anyway.