The last remnants of the human race left a dying Earth, desperate to find a new home among the stars. Following in the footsteps of their ancestors, they discover the greatest treasure of the past age--a world terraformed and prepared for human life. But all is not right in this new Eden. In the long years since the planet was abandoned, the work of its architects has borne disastrous fruit. 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, both testing the boundaries of what they will do to survive. As the fate of humanity hangs in the balance, who are the true heirs of this new Earth?
The last remnants of the human race left a dying Earth, desperate to find a new home among the stars. Following in the footsteps of their ancestors, they discover the greatest treasure of the past age--a world terraformed and prepared for human life. But all is not right in this new Eden. In the long years since the planet was abandoned, the work of its architects has borne disastrous fruit. 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, both testing the boundaries of what they will do to survive. As the fate of humanity hangs in the balance, who are the true heirs of this new Earth?
Someone wrote, the book reminded them of Star Trek, in a good way. And yeah, I get it now! I guess book 2 has to be different (won't spoiler, but book 1 brings... closure) - but will definitely check it out.
Someone wrote, the book reminded them of Star Trek, in a good way. And yeah, I get it now! I guess book 2 has to be different (won't spoiler, but book 1 brings... closure) - but will definitely check it out.
This was an exciting one! Humanity have started terraforming planets, and seeding them with Earth-life. The goal is to Uplift monkeys to self-consciousness, by fast-tracking evolution with a nanovirus that selects for empathy and intelligence.
The project is all but abondoned when human civilazation violently self-destructs. The nanovirus quietly continues its work, but...acting on spiders(!) instead of monkeys.
We get to follow the spiders as they evolve, and it is a fascinating journey. Their cultural and technological advances sometimes echoes our own, and sometimes diverges in surprising ways.
A parallell subplot deals with an arkship, carrying the last scraps of humanity away from away from a dying Earth, in search of a new home.
Admittedly, Tchaikovsky is better at plotting and worldbuilding than at character portrayals, which can make the book feel a little dry at some times. But the universe he creates is intriguing enough to keep you reading.
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This was an exciting one! Humanity have started terraforming planets, and seeding them with Earth-life. The goal is to Uplift monkeys to self-consciousness, by fast-tracking evolution with a nanovirus that selects for empathy and intelligence.
The project is all but abondoned when human civilazation violently self-destructs. The nanovirus quietly continues its work, but...acting on spiders(!) instead of monkeys.
We get to follow the spiders as they evolve, and it is a fascinating journey. Their cultural and technological advances sometimes echoes our own, and sometimes diverges in surprising ways.
A parallell subplot deals with an arkship, carrying the last scraps of humanity away from away from a dying Earth, in search of a new home.
Admittedly, Tchaikovsky is better at plotting and worldbuilding than at character portrayals, which can make the book feel a little dry at some times. But the universe he creates is intriguing enough to keep you reading.
The novel seems to take quite a dim view of humanity's chanches as a species to evolve beyond self-destructive violence. But it is not excessively gritty and dark for grittiness own sake (refreshing!). There are moments of personal moral elevation for some of the characters that balances the overall pessismistic view.
All in all, a very worthwhile and thought-provoking read. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time.
