Shards of Earth
- Author Adrian Tchaikovsky
- Narrator Sophie Aldred
- Publisher Pan Macmillan
- Run Time 18 hours and 42 minutes
- Format Audio
- Genre Science fiction, Science fiction: aliens / UFOs, Science fiction: space exploration, Science fiction: space opera.
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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
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
He writes incredibly enjoyable sci-fi, full of life and ideas
A thoughtful, sweeping space adventure
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
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
Tchaikovsky has consolidated his position as the finest purveyor of high-quality space opera around . . . [Shards of Earth] is deft and clever, expansive and readable, all informed by Tchaikovsky’s superbly baroque imaginative fecundity
Full of sparking, speculative invention . . . The Doors of Eden is a terrific time-slip/lost world romp in the grand tradition of Turtledove, Hoyle, even Conan Doyle. If you liked Primeval, read this book
The Doors of Eden shows a combination of tight, evocative prose combined with erudition. In a story whose scope is the broad canvas of the history of all life in the universe, Tchaikovsky manages to zoom in on human moments without breaking a sweat. Inventive, funny and engrossing, this book lingers long after you close it
Breathtaking scope and vision. Adrian Tchaikovsky is one of our finest writers
Brilliant science fiction and far-out world-building
I cannot recommend it enough. It’s a helluva first contact story, and that’s only like its 5th most interesting feature!
User Reviews
As to the story, characters are well drawn and the set dressing of Tchaikovsky's vision of the future is distinctive and interesting. A lot of the overarching story and even some of the smaller beats will have fans of Mass Effect feeling a distinct sense of deja vu, but never to the extent that it feels derivative. (Besides, all the really enjoyable parts of Mass Effect, like a story of unusual crewmates achieving wider perspectives, mutual respect and understanding through a shared fight for survival, are here too, so why complain?) In summary, pleasant surprise even if you feel you've seen everything sci-fi has to offer, sequels already wishlisted.
Fantastic characterisation by the reader.
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