Join us in June 17 at 2:00pm for a free virtual event with Adrian Tchaikovsky, the Arthur C. Clark Award-winning author of over 30 sci-fi and fantasy books. Register now to get a link!
Adrian Tchaikovsky is both a prolific and highly acclaimed author, who, according to his website, "primarily explores deep themes, such as artificial intelligence and alien awareness within epic galactic and fantastical settings" and "has a deep interest in the animal world specifically insects from his studies in Zoology and has a particular penchant for spiders."
HDL has plenty of his books for you to check out; read on to find the right one for you to start with!
I want to read a philosophical sci-fi epic.
Then you're going to love Children of Time, Tchaikovsky's most well-known book and the one he won the Arthur C. Clark award for. This heady epic spans worlds and generations, asking interesting questions about the nature of science and humanity while still having time for compelling characters and sci-fi action.
I'm interested in a standalone fantasy novel with a compelling setting.
What about standalone... for now? While there have been rumors of a sequel, City of Last Chances, Tchaikovsky's latest book to win the British Science Fiction Award for best novel (yes, there are more), is satisfying on its own. Fantasy fans will love visiting its titular city and all the eccentric characters therein.
A crew of misfits is a must.
A lawyer, an immortal, a hivemind, and a quadriplegic walk into a spaceship... and they're just a scattering of the ragtag band you'll meet in Shards of Earth, the first in Tchaikovsky's Final Architecture series, whose story unfolds in the aftermath of a war with an unstoppable, planet-killing foe—a war that might not be as over as the remnants of humanity want to believe.
I want a book I can read in one sitting.
Why not Elder Race, a sci-fi/fantasy book where the "/" means "and," not "or"? Your librarians Jake and Annaka will be hanging out at the Tulip City Brewstillery on June 14 at 7:00 to discuss it and all things Tchaikovsky, so stop by!
Unique worldbuilding is what I like most in a fantasy book.
Try Tchaikovsky's debut novel, Empire in Black and Gold, the first in a ten-book series populated by warring peoples, unique cultures, and bugs (something of theme, that). This book is great for people who like stories involving dozens of characters, far-flung nations, and books with (sometimes more than one) maps in the front.
I love Dungeons & Dragons!
Me too! I recommend checking out Spiderlight, a darkly humorous near-parody of a rough-around-the-edges (and sometimes just plain rough) tabletop RPG party sent questing by an unknowable force to unknown ends... things might not go so well, and not because someone keeps rolling Nat 1s.
I like a little horror in my life.
Walking to Aldebaran's got you covered. This little novella follows stranded astronaut Gary Rendell, who's found himself alone in an extradimensional space at the far reaches of the solar system. This one's part of a series called Terrible Worlds, in case there was any doubt about how that goes for him.
I love fantasy that feels a little historical.
Start with Guns of the Dawn, a lightly magical novel with a smattering of Regency vibes sprinkled in. In it, our genteel heroine finds herself drafted into the forever war that's already claimed the life of her brother. A war story for people who like muskets and moral ambiguity.
Audiobook, please!
The library's got lots of Tchaikovsky audiobooks available for download (check out the full list here), but Dogs of War is a particular treat. The multi-narrator cast brings to life with vivid clarity this story about dogs, war, and the unexpected consequences of using the former to fight the latter.
I want to read a post-apocalyptic prison novel about a political dissonant with ESP.
That's... highly specific. Fortunately for you, Cage of Souls exists.
Card image courtesy Wikimedia Commons user Johan Jönsson (CC BY-SA 3.0 PL)
