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Maniye's father is the Wolf clan's chieftain, but she's an outcast. Her mother was queen of the Tiger, and these tribes have been enemies for generations. Maniye also hides a deadly secret. All can shift into their clan's animal form, but Maniye can take on tiger and wolf shapes. She refuses to disown half her soul so escapes, rescuing a prisoner of the Wolf clan in the process. The killer Broken Axe is set on their trail, to drag them back for retribution.
Adrian Tchaikovksy's critically acclaimed stand-alone novel Children of Time is the epic story of humanity's battle for survival on a terraformed planet. Who will inherit 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.
The Wizard's Council of Tarador was supposed to tell young Koren Bladewell that he is a wizard. They were supposed to tell everyone that he is not a jinx, that all the bad things that happen around him are because he can't control the power inside him, power he doesn't know about. The people of his village, even his parents, are afraid of him, afraid he is cursed. That he is a dangerous, evil jinx.
The Galahad, a faster-than-light spacecraft, carries 50 scientists and engineers on a mission to prepare Kepler 452b, Earth's nearest habitable neighbor at 1400 light years away. With Earth no longer habitable and the Mars colony slowly failing, they are humanity's best hope. After 10 years in a failed cryogenic bed - body asleep, mind awake - William Chanokh's torture comes to an end as the fog clears, the hatch opens, and his friend and fellow hacker, Tom, greets him...by stabbing a screwdriver into his heart. This is the first time William dies.
On the edge of the galaxy, a diplomatic mission to an alien planet takes a turn when the Legionnaires, an elite special fighting force, find themselves ambushed and stranded behind enemy lines. They struggle to survive under siege, waiting on a rescue that might never come. In the seedy starport of Ackabar, a young girl searches the crime-ridden gutters to avenge her father's murder; not far away, a double-dealing legionniare-turned-smuggler hunts an epic payday; and somewhere along the outer galaxy, a mysterious bounter hunter lies in wait.
Joe Colsco boarded a flight from San Francisco to Chicago to attend a national chemistry meeting. He would never set foot on Earth again. On planet Anyar, Joe is found unconscious on a beach of a large island inhabited by humans where the level of technology is similar to Earth circa 1700. He awakes amid strangers speaking an unintelligible language and struggles to accept losing his previous life and finding a place in a society with different customs, needing a way to support himself and not knowing a single soul.
Maniye's father is the Wolf clan's chieftain, but she's an outcast. Her mother was queen of the Tiger, and these tribes have been enemies for generations. Maniye also hides a deadly secret. All can shift into their clan's animal form, but Maniye can take on tiger and wolf shapes. She refuses to disown half her soul so escapes, rescuing a prisoner of the Wolf clan in the process. The killer Broken Axe is set on their trail, to drag them back for retribution.
Adrian Tchaikovksy's critically acclaimed stand-alone novel Children of Time is the epic story of humanity's battle for survival on a terraformed planet. Who will inherit 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.
The Wizard's Council of Tarador was supposed to tell young Koren Bladewell that he is a wizard. They were supposed to tell everyone that he is not a jinx, that all the bad things that happen around him are because he can't control the power inside him, power he doesn't know about. The people of his village, even his parents, are afraid of him, afraid he is cursed. That he is a dangerous, evil jinx.
The Galahad, a faster-than-light spacecraft, carries 50 scientists and engineers on a mission to prepare Kepler 452b, Earth's nearest habitable neighbor at 1400 light years away. With Earth no longer habitable and the Mars colony slowly failing, they are humanity's best hope. After 10 years in a failed cryogenic bed - body asleep, mind awake - William Chanokh's torture comes to an end as the fog clears, the hatch opens, and his friend and fellow hacker, Tom, greets him...by stabbing a screwdriver into his heart. This is the first time William dies.
On the edge of the galaxy, a diplomatic mission to an alien planet takes a turn when the Legionnaires, an elite special fighting force, find themselves ambushed and stranded behind enemy lines. They struggle to survive under siege, waiting on a rescue that might never come. In the seedy starport of Ackabar, a young girl searches the crime-ridden gutters to avenge her father's murder; not far away, a double-dealing legionniare-turned-smuggler hunts an epic payday; and somewhere along the outer galaxy, a mysterious bounter hunter lies in wait.
Joe Colsco boarded a flight from San Francisco to Chicago to attend a national chemistry meeting. He would never set foot on Earth again. On planet Anyar, Joe is found unconscious on a beach of a large island inhabited by humans where the level of technology is similar to Earth circa 1700. He awakes amid strangers speaking an unintelligible language and struggles to accept losing his previous life and finding a place in a society with different customs, needing a way to support himself and not knowing a single soul.
From the international best-selling author of the Broken Empire Trilogy comes the first in a brilliant new breakout fantasy series. A searing novel set in a brand-new world, this series follows a young girl who enters a convent where girls are selected to train in religion, combat, or magic. Nona is selected to learn combat and finds herself at the center of an epic battle for empire on the outer reaches of a dying universe.
Minalan gave up a promising career as a professional warmage to live the quiet life of a village spellmonger in the remote mountain valley of Boval. It was a peaceful, beautiful little fief, far from the dangerous feudal petty squabbles of the Five Duchies, on the world of Callidore. There were cows. Lots of cows. And cheese. For six months things went well. Then one night Minalan is forced to pick up his mageblade again to defend his adopted home from the vanguard of an army of goblins bent on a genocidal crusade against all mankind. And that was the good news.
Not too long from today, a new, highly contagious virus makes its way across the globe. Most who get sick experience nothing worse than flu, fever, and headaches. But for the unlucky one percent - and nearly five million souls in the United States alone - the disease causes "Lock In": Victims fully awake and aware, but unable to move or respond to stimulus. The disease affects young, old, rich, poor, people of every color and creed. The world changes to meet the challenge.
When Micajah Fenton discovers a crater in his front yard with a broken time glider in the bottom and a naked, virtual woman on his lawn, he delays his plans to kill himself. While helping repair the marooned time traveler's glider, Cager realizes it can return him to his past to correct a mistake that had haunted him his entire life. As payment for his help, the virtual creature living in the circuitry of the marooned glider, sends Cager back in time as his 10-year-old self.
The country is in turmoil. With the capital city occupied, half a million refugees are on the march, looking for safety on the frontier, accompanied by Lady Flint's soldiers. But escaping war is never easy, and soon the battle may find them, whether they are prepared or not.
The Ruhar hit us on Columbus Day. There we were, innocently drifting along the cosmos on our little blue marble, like the Native Americans in 1492. Over the horizon came ships of a technologically advanced, aggressive culture, and BAM! There went the good old days, when humans got killed only by each other. So, Columbus Day. It fits. When the morning sky twinkled again, this time with Kristang starships jumping in to hammer the Ruhar, we thought we were saved.
Jazz Bashara is a criminal. Well, sort of. Life on Artemis, the first and only city on the moon, is tough if you're not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire. So smuggling in the occasional harmless bit of contraband barely counts, right? Not when you've got debts to pay and your job as a porter barely covers the rent. Everything changes when Jazz sees the chance to commit the perfect crime, with a reward too lucrative to turn down.
The survivors have come to settle in the mountains of Wyoming, fighting day in and day out to establish a home for themselves in a near-empty world. Things are good at first; scavenging is a workable, short-term solution that seems to be providing all they need. But they know that it’s only a matter of time before the food runs out. They need to scramble to find a sustainable solution before the clock stops, and for a little handful of people up in the mountains, the odds don’t seem very favorable.
Gaela. Ruthless commander. I am the rightful heir of Innis Lear. No more will I wait in the shadows and watch my mother’s murderer bleed my island dry. Regan. Master manipulator. To secure my place on the throne, I must produce an heir. Countless times I have fed the island’s forests my blood. Yet, my ambition is cursed. No matter what or whom I must destroy, I will wield the magic of Innis Lear. Elia. Star-blessed priest. My sisters hide in the shadows like serpents, waiting to strike our ailing king. I must protect my father, even if it means marrying a stranger.
Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children. But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet.
Forced to land on a planet they aren't prepared for, human colonists rely on their limited resources to survive. The planet provides a lush but inexplicable landscape - trees offer edible, addictive fruit one day and poison the next, while the ruins of an alien race are found entwined in the roots of a strange plant. Conflicts between generations arise as they struggle to understand one another and grapple with an unknowable alien intellect.
The world is falling to the burning shadow of the Possessed and only the power of a battle mage can save it. But the ancient bond with dragonkind is failing. Of those that answer a summoning too many are black. Black dragons are the enemy of humankind. Black dragons are mad. Falco Dante is a weakling in a world of warriors, but worse than this, he is the son of a madman. Driven by grief, Falco makes a decision that will drive him to the brink of despair. As he tries to come to terms with his actions Falco follows his friends to the Academy of War.
Short-listed for the 2016 British Fantasy Society Award for Best Novel.
Guns of the Dawn is a pacey, gripping fantasy of war and magic from Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky.
The first casualty of war is truth....
First, Denland's revolutionaries assassinated their king, launching a wave of bloodshed after generations of peace. Next they clashed with Lascanne, their royalist neighbour, pitching war machines against warlocks in a fiercely fought conflict.
Genteel Emily Marshwic watched as the hostilities stole her family's young men. But then came the call for yet more Lascanne soldiers in a ravaged kingdom with none left to give. Emily must join the ranks of conscripted women and march towards the front lines.
With barely enough training to hold a musket, Emily braves the savage reality of warfare. But she begins to doubt her country's cause, and those doubts become critical. For her choices will determine her own future and that of two nations locked in battle.
I truly wish more authors would follow Mr. Tghaikovsky’s lead and write strand alone books that did not end with some minor character development left open: which is a sure hint of a future book. This is not YA, not gory, not dark, not full of offensive language or warped minds and deeds. This is an easy listen with interesting character that wraps up nicely in the end. I do not need a continued story for Emily I need more great stories like this.
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
Anyone that says this novel isn't good and that its not worth reading has no idea what good storytelling is, this author does such an amazing job that from the very beginning I was mesmerized and stayed that way throughout. The details of the war, the way people acted and reacted was what I can only imagine war would feel like, I felt that I was there on the battlefield with them, watching the carnage first hand. It Was a beautiful heartfelt story, with plenty of action, and bloodshed, it was an all around great read and I'm so glad that I gave it a chance. The Only thing I felt was lacking was the love story part, I felt the ending on that front could have been so much more but in another aspect maybe not. The Narrator was amazing, and done a wonderful job so all around it is so much worth your time and credit. Give It a chance you won't be disappointed!!!
7 of 9 people found this review helpful
This is a solid 3 1/2 stars rounded up, military style fantasy novel that is very character focused. My second standalone novel from the author, this is another solid book that demonstrates a strong understanding of character.
Guns of the Dawn demonstrates the horror of war for the sake of a ruler or a nation’s pride, and how often misinformation controls the conflict and how a misled people can fanatically follow a cause simply out of sheer willful belief. It strongly demonstrates the evil that one person can cause when an entire people follow them blindly, and the injustice that can come from such a following.
The main characters felt very real and fleshed out, and the author did a great job of depicting the female POV in my opinion, making the main character a warrior without losing their femininity. The ending is definitely not your typical heroic fantasy fare, yet feels very satisfying.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This book probably deserves five stars. It’s beautifully written, and the characters and plot are complex and well-developed. But the book is absolutely devoid of any humor or levity. I found it terribly depressing, complete with echoes of WWII-style genocide. And the main character became a little too unbelievable in the end. I prefer books with at least a ray of sunshine and some wry humor, so while I appreciated the quality, in the end it just left me depressed.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
So normally I save my audiobooks for when I'm at work so that I don't plow through them too quickly and so that I'm less bored while I'm sewing. I found that to be a near impossibility with this novel. I was absolutely riveted. After work I listened any chance I had a few minutes to myself at home. The plot is intricate without being complicated; the characters - all of them - are complex and multi-dimensional. He took a traditional storyline, one that has been covered countless times through the ages, and effectively turned it completely on its head, without being showy or blatant about it. I loved it. I'm pretty sure I've stumbled over an author who's work I will actively seek out for as long as he writes.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is the second book by this author I’ve listened to. I think he might be my new favorite, dethroning Brandon Sanderson. OK, Brandon is awesome, but this is such a wonderful, compelling story. This is a singular type of story. In other words, there’s not multiple plot lines going on where you jump back-and-forth, it’s one story around one central character, and it is an extremely well told story. The characters are really well developed. I empathize with them, love some of them, hate some of them, love and hate others at the same time. I feel the agony of mixed motives and feelings. Everything is believable, and the narrator is just dead on amazing. She embodies all the voices with such a compelling manner that I’m going to specifically seek out books that she’s narrated. This book is a gem. I’ve already “followed” this author on Amazon, eagerly awaiting his next book.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
When I first started reading this book, the first thing I noticed and couldn't get out of my head, is that this novel bares some striking resemblances to "Pride and Prejudice". The setting and era of time feels almost identical, something like early Elizabethian England. Also, the idea of several sisters making their way through the world, and the stories that surround them is the central premise of the aforementioned novel. However, after this point the novel loses most of the other similarities, there is virtually no violence in "Pride and Prejudice" and the same cannot be said for this war torn book.
Mr. Tchaikovsky crafts a story of both exquisite beauty and tragedy at the same time. The pacing of this novel is perfect , and the same can be said for the writing, which borders on a poetic grace at times. The entire book is centralized around a pair of countries at war, which none of the soldiers or civilians seem to understand or agree upon the purpose of. The book is unlike that of many fantasy war novels, in that there is no glory in this war, only ruthless, desperate survival. The war is one long slog, which decimates both country's populations, and virtually does nothing else. Mr. Tchaikovsky does his best to show us the true vision of war, and what it does to individuals who participate in it. Despite this grim topic, there is still a special beauty in the lives of the people involved in this conflict, which is shown in the friendship they have for one another and the little things they do to try and make their lives somewhat normal amid all of the tragedy. Tchaikovsky does a masterful job of juggling both sides of this conflict, the nameless, faceless travesty of war, and the sentient, living people who fight to survive every day. This perfect novel is capped by an ending as predictable as it is fitting, and which shows the resilience of man and his or her ability to make tough decisions even if they know they are right. For me personally I had the ending of this book figured out about three quarters of the way through the book, and this knowledge did not detract in the slightest from the swan song of words Mr. Tchaikovsky treated me to.
As a last note the narrator was good if not amazing, and she didn't really hurt or hinder the story at all. This book was a masterpiece of both literature and storytelling in my personal opinion, but I will say the pace is not especially fast and for some readers the speech patterns of the characters may be grating. However, if you are looking for a cultured, gorgeous book, that really makes one appreciate excellent characters, the hardships of war, and mouthwatering prose, this is definitely the book for you.
3 of 5 people found this review helpful
208, I counted it. I have finished 208 books since the last time I had one this good (Seveneves). Totally different settings, somewhat similar themes, definitely as amazing.
Let me tell you about this book. It follows Emily Marshwic with no shifting character perspectives first of all. It starts with her in a firefight in a jungle swamp and it took only a few minutes of this book's riveting sample to convince me to IMMEDIATELY buy it and continue where the sample left off. After this enrapturing start to the book, it bounces back to a few months prior to when Emily was part of the gentry instead of a soldier. From here, the book maintains momentum and never stops surprising or gets boring until the story catches up to that intro chapter (probably not a quarter of the way in). At which point it stays just as mesmerizing as the sample and first chapter was. All the way to the end, not once did I dislike this book, which is something that not even the above referenced Seveneves can claim.
This book is technically fantasy, but I find that misleading. The world and countries are fictional, but they could just as easily be as real as all the weapons and other aspects portrayed. The war setting felt like World War I with Civil War technology, and as for the warlocks mentioned in the synopsis, they could just as easily be replaced with flamethrower users. The magic aspect is barely touched upon. Frankly everything is both realistic and believable. Not once was my suspension of disbelief tested.
Something that bears repeating, I saw a reviewer mention that they were happy that the book is standalone and not part of a series. While I dearly want more time with Emily, I'm satisfied at the end and appreciate not having to slog through a series that would muddle the amazingness of this book.
So in conclusion, if you want a riveting war story of an amazing character that feels like it could be a true story, that doesn't once play into tired cliches, and maintains your undivided attention, then GET THIS BOOK!
a good story well told. took a while to get going, but worth the wait.
I like a good standalone fantasy novel as much as the next fellow. Especially in this time of unfinished trilogies(Rothfuss anyone?) & series' in general(hello G.R.R.M.). That being said, I wish this standalone novel would have had about 3 more chapters. The end seems a little abrupt, but overall this is an excellent story and a marvelous performance from Emma Newman.
I really enjoyed this as a printed book, but I disliked the voice of the narrator of this audio more and more as I continued. I just didn't think it matched the material at all. Others may disagree, I suppose. I will return this.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Initially didn't enjoy the narrator but totally changed my mind within a few chapters. Her readings of the more grafic scenes were particularly skilled. Highly recommend
This is a tremendous book- young regency ladies drawn into a terrible and brutal war, well drawn and memorable characters and a very strong, thoughtful, story. The reading isn't great but it is good enough to let the story carry you. Well worth your time.
First of all I have to underline that I find the narrator Emma Newman absolutely brilliant. I strongly disagree with previous reviews criticising the narration. As the best narrators she adds flavour and depth to the story.
I found more faults in the story itself. I find a double root canal more appealing than the love triangle... I also found the story lacking in understanding of musket warfare at the age the fantasy is imitating.
What saves the story is the novel angle - with the lady of leasure at its centre. In a genre fraught with repetitive "coming of age" stories - this was refreshing!
I enjoyed the story the journey it took me on. The overall story arc was engaging and there were some good characters. Interesting take on a traditional story. I think the narration was good but it did make me think Jane Austin ...Lizzy does Mr Sharpe and goes off to war...complete with a Mr D'Arcy. but it was great fun and enjoyable.
I think this would have been a good book to read but I never really engaged with as an audio story and struggled to finish.
At first I was a little unsure of this book but as it evolved I became immersed in the world created so well by Tchaikovsky. The magic is a backdrop to this world of gunpowder and war which, I for one, thoroughly enjoyed. The characters were well rounded, believable and captivating, which is not always the case. I very much enjoyed Emma Newman's narration she only improved on the book for me. Highly recommended.
after children of time I thought I would never be drawn into another story again. Well i was wrong. a fantastic story!