Most Popular Books by Adrian Tchaikovsky

The Arthur C. Clarke award-winning author of Children of Time brings us the second novel in an extraordinary space opera trilogy about humanity on the brink of extinction, and how one man''s discovery will save or destroy us all. After eighty years of fragile peace, the Architects are back, wreaking havoc as they consume entire planets. In the past, Originator artefacts – vestiges of a long-vanished civilization – could save a world from annihilation. This time, the Architects have discovered a way to circumvent these protective relics. Suddenly, no planet is safe. Facing impending extinction, the Human Colonies are in turmoil. While some believe a unified front is the only way to stop the Architects, others insist humanity should fight alone. And there are those who would seek to benefit from the fractured politics of war – even as the Architects loom ever closer. Idris, who has spent decades running from the horrors of his past, finds himself thrust back onto the battlefront. As an Intermediary, he could be one of the few to turn the tide of war. With a handful of allies, he searches for a weapon that could push back the Architects and save the galaxy. But to do so, he must return to the nightmarish unspace, where his mind was broken and remade. What Idris discovers there will change everything.

In a city of sunshine and secrets, the shadows belong to the animals. In a solar-powered future, humans live in luxury, served by unseen Little Helpers – artificially enhanced animals who maintain their perfect green cities. The animals’ number one rule: ‘do not bother the humans’. Yet, beneath this tranquil facade, a complex underworld of animal politics, crime and conflict thrives. Enter Skotch, a freelance raccoon investigator. Until now, his biggest problem has been a lack of work. Now, his work may get him killed. His latest case? Finding a fugitive mouse scientist. But powerful forces are also after Doctor Meece, and they’re willing to kill for his secrets. Can Skotch navigate this treacherous web, outsmart rat gangsters, beat a deadly weasel assassin and keep his pelt intact? More importantly, can he find his quarry before the elusive rodent breaks Rule One in the most apocalyptic way – and shatters their fragile world. For those who loved John Scalzi''s Starter Villain and Adrian Tchaikovsky''s Service Model, Green City Wars is a crime-inspired adventure that will draw you deep into an incredible new world . . . * * * Praise for Adrian Tchaikovsky ‘One of the most interesting and accomplished writers in speculative fiction’ – Christopher Paolini ‘Fantastic and highly imaginative'' – Peter F. Hamilton ‘Picking up an Adrian Tchaikovsky book is proof you love your brain and want it to be happy’ – John Scalzi ‘An intriguing puzzle with plenty of thrills’ – The Guardian

The modern classic of space opera that began with Children of Time continues in this extraordinary novel of humanity''s battle for survival on a terraformed planet. Earth failed. In a desperate bid to escape, the spaceship Enkidu and its captain, Heorest Holt, carried its precious human cargo to a potential new paradise. Generations later, this fragile colony has managed to survive, eking out a hardy existence. Yet life is tough, and much technological knowledge has been lost. Then strangers appear. They possess unparalleled knowledge and thrilling technology – and they''ve arrived from another world to help humanity’s colonies. But not all is as it seems, and the price of the strangers'' help may be the colony itself. Children of Memory by Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky is a far-reaching space opera spanning generations, species and galaxies.

The first in the Echoes of the Fall series, The Tiger and the Wolf is an epic fantasy novel by Adrian Tchaikovsky, winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award and British Fantasy Award for Best Novel. ‘One of the most interesting and accomplished writers in speculative fiction’ – Christopher Paolini In the bleak northern crown of the world, war is coming . . . 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. The Wolf chieftain plots to rule the north, and controlling his daughter is crucial to his schemes. However, other tribes also prepare for strife. Strangers from the far south appear too, seeking allies in their own conflict. It’s a season for omens as priests foresee danger and a darkness falling across the land. Some say a great war is coming, overshadowing even Wolf ambitions. A time of testing and broken laws is near – but what spark will set the world ablaze? Continue this sweeping coming-of-age fantasy with The Bear and the Serpent.

A bio-engineered dog fights for its life and its right to life. From the Arthur C. Clark Award-winning author of CHILDREN OF TIME. My name is Rex. I am a good dog. Rex is also seven foot tall at the shoulder, bulletproof, bristling with heavy calibre weaponry and his voice resonates with subsonics especially designed to instil fear. With Dragon, Honey and Bees, he''s part of a Multiform Assault Pack operating in the lawless anarchy of Campeche, Mexico. A genetically engineered Bioform, he''s a deadly weapon in a dirty war. All he wants to be is a Good Dog. And to do that he must do exactly what Master says and Master says he''s got to kill a lot of enemies. But who, exactly, are the enemies? What happens when Master is tried as a war criminal? What rights does the Geneva Convention grant weapons? Do Rex and his fellow Bioforms even have a right to exist? And what happens when Rex slips his leash? ''Detailed and clever worldbuilding... Tchaikovsky pulls off an impressive feat in making Rex''s character evolution genuinely moving. Readers will be wowed'' Publishers Weekly

Second volume in the Tales of the Apt series: short story collections set in the same world as the author''s best selling ten book series Shadows of the Apt

A prequel to the magical novella Made Things, Adrian Tchaikovsky''s "Precious Little Things" is a Tor.com Original short story offering a new perspective while set in the same action-packed gaslamp world. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Exciting new Warhammer 40,000 novel from Adrian Tchaikovsky/ On the forge world of Morod, the machines never stop and the work never ends. The population toil in the mines and factoria to protect humanity from the monsters in the void, while the Adeptus Mechanicus enjoy lives of palatial comfort. Genetor Gammat Triskellian seeks to end this stagnant corruption. When he learns of a twisted congregation operating within the shadows, one which believes that the tech-priests are keeping the people from their true salvation – a long-prophesied union with angels – he sees in them an opportunity to bring down Morad’s masters and reclaim the world in the name of progress. But sometimes, the only hope for real change lies in the coming of monsters.

The war with the Wasp Empire has ended in a bitter stalemate, and Collegium has nothing to show for it but wounded veterans. Cheerwell Maker finds herself crippled in ways no doctor can mend, haunted by ghosts of the past that she cannot appease, seeking for meaning in a city that no longer seems like home. The Empress Seda is regaining control over those imperial cities who refused to bow the knee to her, but she draws her power from something more sinister than mere armies and war machines. Only her consort, the former spymaster Thalric, knows the truth, and now the assassins are coming and he finds his life and his loyalties under threat yet again. Out past the desert of the Nem the ancient city of Khanaphes awaits them both, with a terrible secret entombed beneath its stones...

Arthur C. Clarke winner and Sunday Times bestseller Adrian Tchaikovsky returns to the darkly exhuberant world of the Tyrant Philosophers series (City of Last Chances; House of Open Wounds) with the third interconnected standalone, Days of Shattered Faith.

Visit a world where sorcery intertwines with science by multiple Hugo nominee Adrian Tchaikovsky in this highly-anticipated sequel to his hugely popular Elder Race. On a planet where stories govern identity, where science and magic are a merely point of view, a fallen princess, a reluctant wizard, and a precocious child must unravel the past to shape the future. Betrayal, ancient myths, and the clash of worlds converge in this spellbinding tale of courage, friendship, and self-discovery. A profound exploration of identity, memory, and discovery from one of science fiction’s most compelling voices.

The Bear and the Serpent is the second book in Adrian Tchaikovsky’s epic fantasy trilogy, Echoes of the Fall, following The Tiger and the Wolf. ‘Addictively brilliant’ – John Gwynne on The Tiger and the Wolf As the south is in turmoil, an old terror emerges in the north . . . Maniye, child of both Wolf and Tiger clans, has been named Champion of her people. But they’re unsure if she’s an asset – or a threat. To buy time, she joins Prince Tecuman’s warband of outcasts and heads south, to help him gain his crown. She wants to discover her true place in the world, but instead heads into the jaws of a fierce new conflict. Civil war threatens as Tecuman and his twin sister battle for the throne, for only one can rule. Yet whoever triumphs will carry a heavy burden, as a great doom has been foreseen that will fall across their whole world. And soon Maniye finds herself at the heart of a political storm. Danger is also shadowing her old home, where Loud Thunder and his Bear clan are attempting to unite the northern tribes. But only extreme peril will end age-old rivalries. An adversary from the most ancient of times is preparing to strike, putting their lands and their very souls in danger. And neither north nor south will be spared the terror to come. Complete this sweeping coming-of-age fantasy trilogy with The Hyena and the Hawk.

The bold new work from award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky - a smart, funny tale of time-travel and paradox Welcome to the end of time. It’s a perfect day. Nobody remembers how the Causality War started. Really, there’s no-one to remember, and nothing for them to remember if there were; that’s sort of the point. We were time warriors, and we broke time. I was the one who ended it. Ended the fighting, tidied up the damage as much as I could. Then I came here, to the end of it all, and gave myself a mission: to never let it happen again.

Set years before Service Model, Adrian Tchaikovsky’s all-too plausible short story navigates a world where humans are increasingly redundant. “Holring and Baselard value your contribution to our team” As one of the last non-robot employees at Holring and Baselard, Tim Stock retains a vital role in the human resources department: firing the multinational conglomerate’s remaining human workers. But the soul-crushing task eats away at Tim. As he watches the company replace his human colleagues with cheaper labor, Tim starts to question his own job security. After all, what use could robots possibly have for an HR department? At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Tales of the Apt is a companion series to the best-selling decalogy Shadows of the Apt, gathering together short stories from disparate places and supplementing them with a wealth of new tales written especially for the series. Together, they combine to provide a different perspective, an alternative history that parallels and unfolds alongside the familiar one, filling in the gaps and revealing intriguing backstories for many established characters. A must read for any fan of the Shadows of the Apt books, where epic fantasy meets steampunk and so much more. Contents: Introduction by the Author Introduction by the Publisher To Own the Sky Ironclads Spoils of War Camouflage The Shadows of Their Lamps The Dreams of Avaris The Prince Shadow Hunters Sword and Circle Idle Hands An Old Man in a Harsh Season Brass Mantis About the Author

Bestselling British master of science fiction Adrian Tchaikovsky brings readers a new, mind-expanding science fantasia in The Expert System''s Brother After an unfortunate accident, Handry is forced to wander a world he doesn’t understand, searching for meaning. He soon discovers that the life he thought he knew is far stranger than he could even possibly imagine. Can an unlikely saviour provide the answers to the questions he barely comprehends? At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

In Adrian Tchaikovsky''s The Expert System''s Champion, sometimes the ones you hate are the only ones that can save you. It''s been ten years since Handry was wrenched away from his family and friends, forced to wander a world he no longer understood. But with the help of the Ancients, he has cobbled together a life, of sorts, for himself and his fellow outcasts. Wandering from village to village, welcoming the folk that the townships abandon, fighting the monsters the villagers cannot—or dare not—his ever-growing band of misfits has become the stuff of legend, a story told by parents to keep unruly children in line. But there is something new and dangerous in the world, and the beasts of the land are acting against their nature, destroying the towns they once left in peace. And for the first time in memory, the Ancients have no wisdom to offer... At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

The Sea Watch is the sixth book in the critically acclaimed epic fantasy series Shadows of the Apt by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Danger lurks beneath dark waters . . . A shadow is falling over Collegium. Despite the tenuous peace, Stenwold Maker knows that the Empire will return for his city. Even as he tries to prepare for the resurgence of the black and gold army, a hidden threat is working against his people. Ships that sail from Collegium''s harbour are being attacked, sunk by pirates. Some just go missing . . . Lulled by the spread of lies and false promises, Stenwold''s allies are falling away. He faces betrayal on every side, and the Empire is just waiting for the first sign of weakness to strike. But they are not the only power that has its eyes on Collegium. And even with all their military strength and technology, they may not be powerful enough to stave off the forces massing in the darkness. The Sea Watch is followed by the seventh book in the Shadows of the Apt series, Heirs of the Blade.

Long ago, towards the end of humanity’s first expansion into space, the vast majority of worlds were terraformed under the auspices of irascible genius Avrana Kern. But Kern had rivals, and a team of self-proclaimed innovators took one world from her remit and devoted themselves to reshaping it into a paradise in their own image, using new and unpredictable methods. Later, after the fall of their society and long generations in the wilderness, the new and desperate return of humanity into space is focused on ark ships heading to all the worlds they believe – or hope – their ancestors made into welcoming homes for human life. Whilst most head for the planets that Kern’s people worked on, ancient records show another pristine world, and an invitation from the ancients to inhabit it. Later still, a ship with a crew of maverick humans, spiders and a spectacularly punchy mantis shrimp captain named Cato rediscover the world, and the ark. On their ship, the human Alis wakes up from a nightmare of conflicted realities to discover that she, Cato and the ship’s version of Kern are the only ones left on board. Everyone else went to explore the ark and the planet, and now all contact has been lost. Traumatised Alis and Belligerant Cato must follow in the footsteps of their crewmates to discover the full magnitude of what was done to this world by its terraformers, and to rescue the one surviving member of their crew from the surface – before she becomes a greater threat than anything the world itself can produce.

Having re-affirmed Solaris’ proud reputation for producing high quality science fiction anthologies in the first volume, Solaris Rising 2 is the next collection in this exciting series. Featuring stories by Allan Steele, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Kim Lakin-Smith, Paul Cornell, Eugie Foster, Nick Harkaway, Nancy Kress, Kay Kenyon, James Lovegrove, Robert Reed, Mercurio D. Rivera, Norman Spinrad, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Liz Williams, Vandana Singh, Martin Sketchley and more. These stories are guaranteed to surprise, thrill and delight, and maintain our mission to demonstrate why science fiction remains the most exiting, varied and inspiring of all fiction genres. In Solaris Rising we showed both the quality and variety that modern SF can produce. In Solaris Rising 2, we’re taking that much, much further.