From the very first page, I was hooked, hurtling toward a penal colony aboard a one-way spacecraft—a vessel starkly designed for a single trip, with every component rated to wear out by the time it reached its destination.
For me, the opening evoked echoes of Satanic Verses (i.e. the falling), but the deep sci-fi elements quickly took over. The opinionated narrator, Professor Anton Daghdev, awakens from a cold sleep and is reprimed for life as this landing pod of convicts descends toward Kiln, a penal outpost on a habitable world. The premise blends high-concept science fiction with intellectual depth.
Professor Daghdev, condemned by the Mandate—an authoritarian regime suppressing political and cultural dissent—reflects with dry wit and academic precision. As an ecologist fascinated by alien biology, he provides compelling insights into the rare planets capable of supporting life, including Kiln - which also has another complicated name and bizarre lifeforms.
Daghdev's urbane, detached tone perfectly fits his character. While this voice might challenge some readers, I found it inspiring, especially for its exploration of xenobiology, divergent evolution, and symbiosis—all layered with themes of revolution and uprising. Tchaikovsky handles Daghdev’s voice masterfully, and the cracks in his emotional detachment make these moments all the more poignant. His occasional direct address to the reader, kinda like "You won’t believe this next part...", add a quirky touch.
The intertwining of political intrigue and speculative science enriches the story’s world-building. I’ve always appreciated narratives where subtext and parallel events deepen the plot, and this book delivers that well.
As my first venture into Adrian Tchaikovsky’s refreshing work, and a good one!
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