Shards of Earth

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What to expect

From the author of the thrilling science-fiction epic Children of Time, winner of the prestigious Arthur C. Clarke Award. Shards of Earth is the first high-octane, far-future space adventure in Adrian Tchaikovsky' Final Architecture trilogy.

'One of the most interesting and accomplished writers in speculative fiction' – Christopher Paolini

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

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

Eighty years ago, Earth was destroyed by an alien enemy. Many escaped, but millions more died. So mankind created enhanced humans ­such as Idris – who could communicate mind-to-mind with our aggressors. Then these ‘Architects’ simply disappeared and Idris and his kind became obsolete.

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

Praise for Adrian Tchaikovsky:

'If Homer had written space opera . . . Enthralling, epic, immersive and hugely intelligent.' – Stephen Baxter on Shards of Earth

'He writes incredibly enjoyable sci-fi, full of life and ideas' – Patrick Ness

‘Brilliant science fiction’ – James McAvoy on Children of Time

Critics Review

  • If Homer had written space opera . . . Enthralling, epic, immersive and hugely intelligent. This might be Tchaikovsky’s best so far, and that’s saying something

    Stephen Baxter

  • Adrian Tchaikovsky: king of the spiders, master worldbuilder, and asker of intriguing questions. His books are packed with thought-provoking ideas (as well as lots of spiders; did I mention the spiders?). One of the most interesting and accomplished writers in speculative fiction

    Christopher Paolini

  • He writes incredibly enjoyable sci-fi, full of life and ideas

    Patrick Ness

  • A thoughtful, sweeping space adventure

    SFX Magazine

  • A rip-roaring space opera featuring starship battles, genetically enhanced superhumans and multiple weird and wonderful aliens . . . I can’t wait to read the next one

    New Scientist

  • Adrian Tchaikovsky turns the HP Lovecraft dial to 11 as the Vulture God and its mismatched crew (Idris, a Hannilambra alien, a Partheni warrior princess, a lawyer . . .) drop into unspace and (obligatory caps lock here) CONFRONT FORCES BEYOND REALITY

    The Times, Best Science Fiction Books 2021

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