Adrian Tchaikovsky (duplicate): Children of Time 3-Book Set by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Children of Time, Children of Ruin, Children of Memory) (2023, STEMCOOL)
Review of 'Children of Time 3-Book Set by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Children of Time, Children of Ruin, Children of Memory)' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
A brilliant expansion of the previous books themes and plot, with some fantastic new additions. Thoroughly entertaining high-concept space opera. It's fun to think about trying to explain this book to someone who has never read science fiction.
The only criticism you could make is that the section where the original crew land on Nod and slowly discover what is happening there is one of the most thrilling and thought-provoking pieces of sci-fi horror ever written. Even though the rest is still great, it’s impossible for any book to match the perfection of that section.
I was about to give up half way. I'm glad I didn't. The last thing I expected was a happy end though the first book should have been a hint that one is there. I really like the end, the way the species complete and improve each other. It should be a lesson for us as the human race who still can't agree on skin color and ethnicity.
Review of 'Children of Time 3-Book Set by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Children of Time, Children of Ruin, Children of Memory)' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
It took me some chapters to get into this book. It was recommended to me by some friends on my forum. I'd previously tried to read books from this author, but always put them down after the first pages: just couldn't get into the anthropomorphism of the insects. However, I trusted these friends in their recommendation to me, so I persevered. And boy, am I glad that I did. Now, you should know I'm suffering from arachnaphobia. It's getting better now, but I'm still not happy with spiders around me, least of all in my head. But this book... I love how the writer takes the insects and translates their way of communicating and living into a relatable story for humans, without humanizing the spiders too much. It didn't take long for the spider-part to disappear from my mental eye. They became persons.
I have a particular fondness for 'generation' …
It took me some chapters to get into this book. It was recommended to me by some friends on my forum. I'd previously tried to read books from this author, but always put them down after the first pages: just couldn't get into the anthropomorphism of the insects. However, I trusted these friends in their recommendation to me, so I persevered. And boy, am I glad that I did. Now, you should know I'm suffering from arachnaphobia. It's getting better now, but I'm still not happy with spiders around me, least of all in my head. But this book... I love how the writer takes the insects and translates their way of communicating and living into a relatable story for humans, without humanizing the spiders too much. It didn't take long for the spider-part to disappear from my mental eye. They became persons.
I have a particular fondness for 'generation' stories: stories that span generations of people, all interlinked, all evolving. This story ticked that box and I loved the use of the Portia's, Bianca's and the Fabians.
The humans were a different story all together. I liked how the two groups developped so contrary to each other. The spiders evolved from animal barbarism into the space age, while humans devolved into a form of barbarism. Usually when reading of watching a story about huge mutant spiders vs the last of humankind, one roots for the humans. Not here, not me, not in this particular story. Which felt very weird.
The end was cathartic, and everything I would have wanted it to be.
I will give his other books another chance now. Who knows, I might come to like the wasps as well ;-)
