ayla_abbott
Written on Dec 4, 2022
From the author of the thrilling science-fiction epic Children of Time, winner of the prestigious Arthur C. Clarke Award. Shards of Earth is the first high-octane, far-future space adventure in Adrian Tchaikovsky' Final Architecture trilogy.
'One of the most interesting and accomplished writers in speculative fiction' – Christopher Paolini
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:
'If Homer had written space opera . . . Enthralling, epic, immersive and hugely intelligent.' – Stephen Baxter on Shards of Earth
'He writes incredibly enjoyable sci-fi, full of life and ideas' – Patrick Ness
‘Brilliant science fiction’ – James McAvoy on Children of Time
150 signed and numbered copies, by Goldsboro Books.
Reviews
Metaphorosis Reviews
Written on Oct 10, 2021
Summary
The Architects are huge, inscrutable, space-borne creatures who transform living planets into cruel, beautiful art. They were turned back once, by crudely engineered human Intermediaries. But now, there's evidence that they may be back, throwing the galaxy into confusion and panic.
Review
I’ve only read one Adrian Tchaikovsky book until now – Walking to Aldebaran – and really liked it, so I was eager to get into this book. I was sorely disappointed.
Shards of Earth has plenty of ideas – familiar, but presented with sufficient novelty to be interesting. It’s that presentation, though, that’s the problem. While apparently the first book in a new trilogy, it reads – for at least half its length – like the continuation of an ongoing series. Tchaikovsky has chosen an in media res approach that substantially muddies the waters, constantly offering up flashbacks just after they would have been useful. I was genuinely convinced for much of the time that this was a book only for the cognoscenti of his prior work. It wasn’t until well near the end that I was certain that was wrong, and the problem was simply in the structure.
The result was that I didn’t much enjoy the book, intriguing as some of the elements were. I never felt I’d found my footing, and I don’t mean that in a good way. Quirky characters notwithstanding, I seldom felt engaged, and often felt mildly confused.
The book hits on many of my favorite tropes, yet I can’t recommend it. If this had been my introduction to Tchaikovsky, I’d never have gone any further. As it is, I already have one more book on tap, and I strongly hope that Walking to Aldebaran was the norm and this the anomaly.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Quirky Cat
Written on Aug 2, 2021
Shards of Earth is the first novel in Adrian Tchaikovsky's latest series, The Final Architects Trilogy. It's an extensive science fiction novel, as only Tchaikovsky could ever dream of pulling off.
Mankind had to find new ways to stay alive following the destruction of the earth. They created enhanced humans, ones with linked minds and the ability to communicate with the enemies. It made them the deadliest of opponents. And humanity's best defense.
Idris is one of those humans. After the Architects vanished, it seemed like people such as him had no purpose in the great expanse of space. However, Idris and his lot know that war is never far behind, especially when questions have been left unanswered.
Honestly, I'm almost at a loss for words here. Shards of Earth is every bit the intense and expansive science fiction novel that I had hoped it would be. Arguably, it is so much more than that. In fact, my brain is already demanding a second read-through of this novel, just to make sure that I captured every detail.
On that note, it's probably worth mentioning that it is every bit as dense as it is tense. There is a lush backstory for readers to delve into, not to mention a plethora of characters and motivations to understand and appreciate.
It makes the world (universe) come to life, and it feels vibrant and threatening all in one. It's perfect, especially for fans of epic space operas. This is a novel that will not disappoint; I can promise you that much.
Thanks to Orbit and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks