About the Book

This high-stakes space-based adventure will be perfect for those who loved Children of Time, also by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

The war is over. Its heroes forgotten. Until one chance discovery . . .

Idris has neither aged nor slept since they remade his mind in the war. And one of humanity’s heroes now scrapes by on a freelance salvage vessel, to avoid the attention of greater powers.

Eighty years ago, Earth was destroyed by an alien enemy. Many escaped, but millions more died. So mankind created enhanced humans ­such as Idris – who could communicate mind-to-mind with our aggressors. Then these ‘Architects’ simply disappeared and Idris and his kind became obsolete.

Now, Idris and his crew have something strange, abandoned in space. It’s clearly the work of the Architects – but are they really returning? And if so, why? Hunted by gangsters, cults and governments, Idris and his crew race across the galaxy as they search for answers. For they now possess something of incalculable value, and many would kill to obtain it.

Praise for Adrian Tchaikovsky:

‘Brilliant science fiction’ – James McAvoy on Children of Time

‘Full of sparkling, speculative invention’ – Stephen Baxter on The Doors of Eden

Shards of Earth is the first thrilling instalment in the Final Architecture trilogy – by the Arthur C. Clarke award-winning novelist Adrian Tchaikovsky.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55437088-shards-of-earth

About the Author

Adrian Tchaikovsky is the author of the acclaimed Shadows of the Apt fantasy series, from the first bbq volume, Empire In Black and Gold in 2008 to the final book, Seal of the Worm, in 2014, with a new series and a standalone science fiction novel scheduled for 2015. He has been nominated for the David Gemmell Legend Award and a British Fantasy Society Award. In civilian life he is a lawyer, gamer and amateur entomologist.

from http://shadowsoftheapt.com/about-the-author

What I Thought

This is the first book by this author I’ve read. When I read the synopsis one aspect of it put me in mind of Brandon Sanderson’s Skyward which I loved.

The cast of characters and interaction between them is the strength of this and I got Becky Chambers/Firefly/Six of Crows vibes with the ragtag crew. And please tell me I can’t have been the only one picturing King Rollo with the character Rollo!

The mix of human and alien characters working and living together was enjoyable and I love that we had non humanoid characters such as:

“Medvig didn’t dress up. They were a three-legged armless frame, with a head purely for the convenience of dealing with humans.”

There is quite a lot of world building information given up front and what I will say is that the book takes more concentration than I currently possess to get the most out of, so it’s definitely one I’m planning to re-read – I might even get the audiobook.

The language used is rich and detailed and I can see the line ‘a swarm of pinpricks’ as an new insult – a la Shakespeare.

As with all science fiction there is commentary and relevance to our current lives and this line in the Prologue felt very topical “ Useless, surely. Might as well rely on thoughts and prayers.”

I liked the back history between the warrior woman Solace and enhanced human Idris and the uncertainty of rekindling a past relationship.

It’s a pacy read, with a satisfying ending and a perfect set up for book two.

I’ll definitely be reading more by this author, so until the next book is released which of his other books do you recommend I start with.

Thank you to Dave at The Write Reads, Black Crow PR and Tor for the gifted e copy for the purposes of an honest review.