Just finished my first book of the year, Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky. I think he’s now my favorite author, at least currently writing. He’s so good at so many things, from hard SF to fantasy. He’s created some really interesting worlds, and populated them with interesting characters.

So far, I’ve read these books of his (order I read them, not order published):

  • Children of Time
  • Children of Ruin
  • Children of Memory
  • Made Things
  • Walking to Aldebaran
  • Service Model
  • Shroud
  • City of Last Chances
  • Alien Clay

Each of these is a gem. The children of time series has to be an all-time great SF trilogy. If you want my little paragraph of spoiler-free notes on why of them, let me know.

  • KnitWit
    2·
    2 days ago

    Agree about favorite current author, I’m currently working through the shadows of the apt series after picking up the humble bundle. Children of time was also my first introduction to him, and have been hooked ever since. You probably know, but children of strife cones out in March.

    • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
      2·
      2 days ago

      I still can’t wrap my mind around how I am supposed to imagine the kinden, like should I imagine them as more human with insect features or insects with humanoid features?

      • KnitWit
        1·
        1 day ago

        Haha, yeah for several of them I have a pretty strong mental image of what I think they’d look like, but I don’t think it actually lines up with how they are described in the book at all.

      • KnitWit
        3·
        2 days ago

        Yeah, the consistency of quality is really impressive for how much he publishes. In the first shadows if the apt book, you can tell he’s a younger author (compared to some of his more recent works) but it’s still really well written for a first book. I’ve been meaning to give his podcast a listen, but haven’t gotten around to it.