The most imaginative alien biology in modern science fiction

Adrian Tchaikovsky always delivers incredible biology but really outdid himself with this one, creating a whole alien ecology that feels fundamentally different to our own but still feels scientifically grounded.

The protagonist is sarcastic narrates the thoughts and feelings of an exiled academic who failed to be the kind of revolutionary he wanted to be on dictatorship earth.

Perhaps what is most terrifying is not the Elephant's Dad who stampedes through the forest, or the cackling infected researcher who hoots and laughs in the night, but the fact that the human society known as the Mandate feels as though it really could lie in our real world future.

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4 people found this helpful

1984 Meets Avatar

Great protagonist, great story. Almost a hypothetical solution fulfilling communism, only solved in fantasy horror.

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Alien meets Avatar, meets 1984

What happens if you take Alien, Avatar, and 1984, put them together, and shake them well? You end up with a one-of-a-kind alien world, a mixture of fear, awe, and hope so thrilling and fascinating that it is unputdownable.

One might say that not much happens in the book, BUT if you are searching for something extraordinary alien, highly imaginative, and thought-provoking, this is the book for you.

For my part, it is like having an old wish fulfilled: since I first saw Alien I found myself trying to change my position, like I could see hidden angles and explore more of that massive derelict ship full of dormant Xenomorph eggs.
Surely, that ship had a full story to tell... too bad that it was so infested, that the expedition was a disaster... no time to explore there...
Alien Clay gave me the chance to explore... without the terror of the Xenomorphs.

Yet, the alien life form on Kiln carries a lot of unknown danger, so much so that for a while I was afraid that some gruesome monsters would burst out from the humans trapped there...
But there is beauty and mystery too...

I will listen to it again!

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2 people found this helpful

The filler

This was a pleasant romp, worth the credit mostly.
An interesting premise of political dissidents sent to a far flung life bearing planet. The “intrigue” eventually raise to an interesting point of rather drawn out over the length of the book.
Worthy of a listen if you’re looking….

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Thought provoking

Narrated by Ben Allen
Adrian Tchaikovsky is such a good writer, his humans and aliens are brilliantly interwoven. Xeno-biologist and freedom fighter, Arton Daghdev, is exiled for his crimes to an alien planet where he's imprisoned under an oppressive regime. At first he's given some status because of his scientific work, but he's soon busted to a basic work detail in the toxic atmosphere of this very alien planet. He is tasked with discovering the origin of alien ruins, and the mystery of who the builders were, and where are they now. And he does indeed make that discovery, but not in the way the camp commandant expects him to.

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Good idea but not alot happens.

I love the children of time series but I'm struggling to get to those heights with the author's other books. The idea is interesting but not a lot happens and i found it very slow.

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what stood out most:

Felt a boot on my throat the whole time. And really liked the flora and fauna in the book.

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Psychologic and Sociologic effects of isolation vs connection

It makes you see loneliness and empathy in a different light. How our limits of communication and connection results in fear. This fear is the building block of authoritarian regimes. It makes us less than human. While connection makes us more then human, a community. How much is too much though?

I loved the ending, it satisfies you but also keeps you questioning. It is a stand-alone book and it does conclude the story neatly. A second book is possible but not a must.

I loved how accurate the science is in the story. It's not magic in disguise, it doesn't even provide shortcuts for the plot's sake like having a quick way to space travel. Though I like those stories as well, a pure science fiction hits different.

I loved the main character's scientist mind that keeps being curious in extreme situations without being unrealistic. It was quite satisfying to read the dynamic between him and the commandant. And I loved the comment the writer made on it in the interview which you can listen at the end of the book.

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Another great book by Adrian Tchaikovsky

I loved this book, from the alien ecology to the politics, which has a lot to say about our current situation and the need for authoritarian regimes to be validated by the people they hate because they can't control them.

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Fantastic

Yet another display of fantastic, suspenseful writing. Loved it from start to finish. Hopefully there will be more stories coming based in this storyline

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