Shards of Earth

By: Adrian Tchaikovsky

Narrated by: Sophie Aldred

The Arthur C. Clarke award-winning author of Children of Time brings us an extraordinary space opera about humanity on the brink of extinction, and how one man's discovery will save or destroy us all.

"Tchaikovsky is the breakout star of contemporary British SF." —Guardian

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

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

After earth was destroyed, mankind created a fighting elite to save their species, enhanced humans such as Idris. In the silence of space they could communicate, mind-to-mind, with the enemy. Then their alien aggressors, the Architects, simply disappeared—and Idris and his kind became obsolete.Now, fifty years later, Idris and his crew have discovered something strange abandoned in space. It's clearly the work of the Architects—but are they returning? And if so, why?

Hunted by gangsters, cults and governments, Idris and his crew race across the galaxy hunting for answers. For they now possess something of incalculable value, that many would kill to obtain.

The Final Architecture

Shards of Earth

Eyes of the Void

Lords of Uncreation

Critic reviews

"Children of Time is a joy from start to finish. Entertaining, smart, surprising and unexpectedly human."—Patrick Ness on Children of Time

"Brilliant science fiction and far out world building"—James McAvoy on Children of Time

"This is superior stuff, tackling big themes - gods, messiahs, artificial intelligence, alienness - with brio."—Financial Times on Children of Time

"Inventive, funny and engrossing, this book lingers long after you close it"—Tade Thompson, Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author of Rosewater on The Doors of Eden

"Full of sparking, speculative invention . . . The Doors of Eden is a terrific timeslip / lost world romp in the grand tradition of Turtledove, Hoyle, even Conan Doyle. If you liked Primeval, read this book"—Stephen Baxter on The Doors of Eden

"What a ride . . . talks like big-brained science fiction and runs like a fleet-footed political thriller"—John Scalzi on The Doors of Eden

"With The Doors of Eden, Tchaikovsky has created a fantastic and highly imaginative new genre: evolution SF"—Peter F. Hamilton on The Doors of Eden

I will complete this ... I will, I will, I will.

First time though - dropped it like a hot rock at 20%. Back at it again, after a hiatus. Narrators variety of voices are getting better. Lots of important detail in here, if you don't pay attention you will get left behind.

Will post an update once I slug on through.

OK ... made it 4 hrs, chapter 10 ... figured out why I can't stand this narrator. She sounds like Katherine Kellgren, who reads Bloody Jack (which is really funny) ... SO - I'm done.

another great story by Tchaikovsky

While very different from the children of time, it has the same amazing world building and writing. It is a more character focused story, but it work amazingly. looking forward to the next one!

Good story, hegemony pronunciation almost ruins it

If you're familiar with the author this is very par for the course. Just really solid Sci-fi. The reader however clearly operates solely on the "just sound it out" rule instead of pronouncing the G in hegemony correctly. This took me out of the story every time she mispronounced it. It would be different if it was only brought up once or twice, but the word appears hundreds of times throughout the book.

Meandering

I did finish this only because I thought it would all make sense eventually. I was wrong.

The best story and characters I ever listen to

Great story start to finish. I look forward to more stories about all the characters