Adrian Tchaikovsky brings a unique scientific and analytical perspective to his writing, honed by studies in zoology and psychology and a prior career in law. His narratives are characterized by intricate world-building and a deep exploration of complex societal structures and evolutionary themes. Tchaikovsky skillfully merges imaginative concepts with compelling storytelling, drawing on diverse literary influences to craft works that are both intellectually stimulating and profoundly engaging for the reader.
AN ANCIENT ENEMY STIRS ONCE MORE The Empire stands victorious over its enemies at last. With her chief rival cast into the abyss, Empress Seda now faces the truth of what she has cost the world in order to win the war. The Seal has been shattered, and the Worm stirs towards the light for the first time in a thousand years. Already it is striking at the surface, voraciously consuming everything its questing tendrils touch. Faced with destruction, Seda knows that only the most extreme of solutions can lock the Worm back in the dark once again. But if she will go to such appalling lengths to save the world from the Worm, then who will save the world from her?
SHADOWS OF THE APT: BOOK NINE Relentlessly advancing towards Collegium, the Empire is again seeking to break down its walls. The mighty imperial armies have learnt from their failures, and Empress Seda will brook no weakness in her soldiers. However, Stenwold Maker has earned his title, and the War Master has strategies to save his city. His aviators rule the skies - but the Wasp Kinden Empire has developed a terrifying new aerial weapon. Yet the campaign may be decided far from marching armies and the noise of battle. In an ancient forest, where Mantis clans pursue their own civil war, the Empress Seda is seeking lost magic. Some dangerous shadow of old night is locked up among these trees and she is wants its power. Cheerwell Maker must stop her, at any cost, but will their rivalry awaken something far deadlier? Something that could make even their clash of nations pale into insignificance . . .
The story follows Doctor Ludweg Phinagler, a scientist and adventurer, through thrilling exploits captured by his semi-faithful assistant, Fosse. Blending elements of exploration and adventure, the narrative evokes the spirit of classic characters like Phileas Fogg and Professor Challenger, as they embark on journeys to distant shores filled with intrigue and discovery.
Behind the front lines of a crusade to scour the world of magic, the crew of a
field hospital confront the horrors of war. A companion novel to Adrian
Tchaikovsky's award-winning fantasy novel City of Last Chances City-by-city,
kingdom-by-kingdom, the Palleseen have sworn to bring Perfection and
Correctness to an imperfect world. As their legions scour the world of
superstition with the bright flame of reason, so they deliver a mountain of
ragged, holed and scorched flesh to the field hospital tents just behind the
front line. Which is where Yasnic, one-time priest, healer and rebel, finds
himself. Reprieved from the gallows and sent to war clutching a box of orphan
Gods, he has been sequestered to a particularity unorthodox medical unit. Led
by 'the Butcher', an ogre of a man who's a dab hand with a bone-saw and an
alchemical tincture, the unit's motley crew of conscripts, healers and
orderlies are no strangers to the horrors of war. Theirs is an unspeakable
trade: elbow-deep in gore they have a first-hand view of the suffering caused
by flesh-rending monsters, arcane magical weaponry and embittered enemy
soldiers. Entrusted - for now - with saving lives deemed otherwise un-
saveable, the field hospital's crew face a precarious existence. Their work
with unapproved magic, necromancy, demonology and Yasnic's thoroughly illicit
Gods could lead to the unit being disbanded, arrested or worse. Beset by
enemies within and without, the last thing anyone needs is a miracle...
Reviews for City of Last Chances: 'Paints a vivid detailed backdrop' SFX
'Brilliant chaos ensues' Daily Mail 'Some of Tchaikovsky's best prose' SF
Crowsnest 'An intriguing tangle... ingenious' Locus 'Endlessly creative'
Patrick Ness 'Rich, inventive worldbuilding' Publishers Weekly 'Ilmar is
vividly alive' David Towsey 'A master at the height of his powers' Ian Green
'An ambitious epic fantasy read' Grimdark Magazine
The last remnants of the human race left a dying Earth, desperate to find a new home. Following their ancestors' star maps, they discovered the greatest treasure of a past age--a world terraformed and prepared for human life. But all is not right in this new Eden. The planet is not waiting for them, pristine and unoccupied. New masters have turned it from a refuge into mankind's worst nightmare. Now two civilizations are on a collision course and must fight to survive. As the fate of humanity hangs in the balance, who are the true heirs of this new Earth?
An utterly gripping story of alien encounter and survival from Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of the Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning Children of Time.They looked into the darkness and the darkness looked back . . .New planets are fair game to asset strippers and interplanetary opportunists – and a commercial mission to a distant star system discovers a moon that is pitch black, but alive with radio activity. Its high-gravity, high-pressure, zero-oxygen environment is anathema to human life, but ripe for exploitation. They named it Shroud.Under no circumstances should a human end up on Shroud’s inhospitable surface. Except a catastrophic accident sees Juna Ceelander and Mai Ste Etienne doing just that. Forced to stage an emergency landing, in a small, barely adequate vehicle, they are unable to contact their ship and are running out of time. What follows is a gruelling journey across land, sea and air. During this time, Juna and Mai begin to understand Shroud’s dominant species. It also begins to understand them . . .If they escape Shroud, they’ll face a crew only interested in profiteering from this extraordinary world. They’ll somehow have to explain the impossible and translate the incredible. That is, if they make it back at all.
Exploring the richly crafted universe of the Apt, this anthology features contributions from acclaimed fantasy writers, each delving into unique facets of the world established by Adrian Tchaikovsky. The collection is framed by two original stories from Tchaikovsky, showcasing a blend of creativity and imagination. Readers will encounter diverse narratives that highlight the complexities of the Apt and its inhabitants, crafted by award-winning authors who bring their distinct voices to this collaborative venture.
The book highlights the critical importance of land and food management in the face of climate change, water scarcity, and increasing global populations. It traces the history of the Institution of Agricultural Engineers, founded in 1938 by visionary engineers and agriculturalists, which serves as a professional hub for experts in land-based industries. The text emphasizes the collaborative efforts of scientists, technologists, engineers, and managers in addressing these pressing challenges.
