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Children of Time (Children of Time, #1)

Adrian Tchaikovsky

Start date: May 21, 2018

Finish date: June 19, 2018

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Why we're reading this: Group Contemporary Novel discussion May 2018
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Jan 19, 2019 mina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Real rating: 6/5.

[Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD]

I hate spiders. So I approached this book with unease. But somehow, after a few chapters reading about the intelligent Portia, Bianca, and (later) Fabian, I would always choose them over humanity in Gilgamesh ark ship, whose passengers were the last of human race trying to find somewhere to live. I really want the spiders to win, I really want their planet stays green and "natural", a nice place to inhabit for the spiders, the stomatopods, yeah, even fo Real rating: 6/5.

[Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD]

I hate spiders. So I approached this book with unease. But somehow, after a few chapters reading about the intelligent Portia, Bianca, and (later) Fabian, I would always choose them over humanity in Gilgamesh ark ship, whose passengers were the last of human race trying to find somewhere to live. I really want the spiders to win, I really want their planet stays green and "natural", a nice place to inhabit for the spiders, the stomatopods, yeah, even for the ants (another animals I am afraid of; and the dread just multiplied after reading this book). Even if it means humans will become extinct. That's how good the book is written.

The book tells about what would happen if we do an experiment on a whole planet, sending nanovirus to speed up the evolutionary change in the genetic codes and ingrained instincts of a certain occupant living in the planet, which initially should be monkeys. Why monkeys? Because the humans from the future (because this book is about the future) apparently thought that monkeys need to be more intelligent than their (then) current state, but still lesser creatures than humans, so that monkeys will be able to weather whatever difficulties exist on the planet and makes the planet habitable for humanity, and later humans can inhabit the planet with monkeys as their assistants. But things happened: the ship transporting the monkeys and nanovirus was destroyed along with all the occupants (save one Doctor Avrada Kern), but not the nanovirus, which survived the fall and infected every living things on the planet. Nanovirus can trigger greater changes in some living beings over the others, depends on their evolutionary potential. Spiders apparently have high potential.
After almost two thousands years have passed, another arkship was passing by the planet, bringing humans (mostly in suspension chambers) who had to leave the ruined Earth to find some other potential planet to live on. So here the dilemma began.

Looking at the story from different perspective, the spiders in this book could be human race, starting from early state of hunter and gatherer individuals/families, evolving very quickly to more established communities who have technology to reach for the stars. The evolution might be triggered by some higher being up in the sky, who might listen or not listen to us. The human race might be bracing for an encounter with aliens from space who threaten to take over the planet. And human race might fail miserably, because of our penchant to destroy others and ourselves. Maybe we, humans, can learn from the spiders.

This book is bursting with (alien) biological and psychological science, technology, as well as philosophy. It is original, elegant, chilling (I had to put the book down and took a walk to compose myself when I got to the part where the spiders jump to the ship), thought-provoking, mind-opening, and satisfying.

Hail Spiders! ...more

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Jul 30, 2015 SFReader rated it it was amazing

Tchaikovsky's fascinating insectile epic fantasy series Shadows of the Apt has made him a major name in Fantasy circles -- and rightly so. See my review of Empire in Black and Gold here. So when I encountered a book with his name on the cover featuring a spacescape, it was a no-brainer that I'd scoop it off the shelves. Would I enjoy it?

childrenoftimeThe 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 ...more

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