Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Release: May 27th, 2021
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Tor
Source: The WriteReads
Find it at Goodreads, Kindle, Audible

The Arthur C. Clarke, award-winning author of Children of Time, brings us an extraordinary new space opera about humanity on the brink of extinction and how one man’s discovery will save or destroy us all.

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

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

After the earth was destroyed, humanity created a fighting elite to save their species, enhanced humans such as Idris. In the silence of space, they could communicate, mind-to-mind, with the enemy. Then their alien aggressors, the Architects, disappeared – and Idris and his kind became obsolete.

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

About the Author:

Adrian Tchaikovsky is the author of the acclaimed Shadows of the Apt fantasy series, from the first volume, Empire In Black and Gold in 2008 to the final book, Seal of the Worm, in 2014 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.

Website | Goodreads

Shards of Earth Review:

I hardly read science fiction space operas, but “Shards of Earth” was addictive. The book is huge with 550 pages, but I didn’t notice the time fly by.

At the start, it took me a few pages to immerse myself in the storyline. Initially, a lot of things happen, and I had no idea what was going on. However, I got absorbed in the story from the second chapter and thought it was electrifying when Ollie joins the crew.

Moreover, the author fills the story with action and excitement as the crew navigates various worlds. The team encounters many characters like The Castigar, Piter Uskaro, and The Unspeakable Aklu and Thrennikos. The author also did a fantastic job with the world-building as we navigate from Scintilla and Magda to Tarakuma and Jericho.

Also, I particularly loved the second half of the book! The author builds momentum towards the climax and fills it with exciting adventure. One memorable scene is when the Ogdru attacks them, and Idris has a sense of hopelessness. The story also ends in a cliffhanger that makes you look forward to the next installment of the series,

Similarly, the author also changes perspectives which makes the story fun to read. Initially, the author tells the story between Ollie and Idris’s views. However, we also get narratives from other characters like Havaer and Solace. Speaking of which, I found Havaer one of the most compelling characters in the story (in addition to the crew).

However, sometimes, many characters crossed over that I frequently checked the glossary to recall them. But, apart from that, I enjoyed reading “Shards of Earth” and look forward to the next book!