Dragonfly Falling (Shadows of the Apt #2)[August 4, 2024]

[Yanique, Thread Master]

This is a Buddy Read for Dragonfly Falling by Adrian Tchaikovsky starting on August 4, 2024.


Happy Reading!

[Nirkatze]

Thank you!

1. Empire in Black and Gold June 14th [link]
2. Dragonfly Falling Aug 4th [link]
3. Blood of the Mantis Jan 16th [link]

====scheduled up to here===
4. Salute the Dark TBD
5. The Scarab Path TBD
6. The Sea Watch TBD
7. Heirs of the Blade TBD
8. The Air War TBD
9. War Master's Gate TBD
10. Seal of the Worm TBD

Tales of the Apt--seeing most folks recommending reading these in publication order, after finishing the series, even though some stories take place during. If interested, we could continue:
1. Spoils of War TBD
2. A Time for Grief TBD
3. For Love of Distant Shores TBD
4. The Scent of Tears TBD

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Anyone planning to start this any time soon?

[Choko]

I will start this weekend.

[Nirkatze]

I'll be starting sometime this week... eye reading though, and will be slow... and start of school, so commenting is sporadic

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

At this point, I assume book 3 will be pushed to October minimum, maybe December if people don't want to interrupt Spooktober season...

Just to let the quiet thread know, I have gotten serious about reading the book now, and not just the first few pages for point reasons...

Hope to re-read most day, read a few hours worth at work this morning...

I think I remember the plot of this one, but I dunno... so many things happen in this series, it's easy to jumble them together, even having only read the first 4 books before...

(view spoiler)[I don't think this Ant city siege is gonna last the whole book... I think the fight is already going downhill already and only gets worse, and they get subjugated and subsumed, and partially added to the wasp army and go and siege another Ant city...

A large part of the plot of this one is the artificer, and arms dealing and R&D of new weapons in general, and the effect that has on warfare... (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

My guesses to the plot were pretty far off...

Read 75% of the book yesterday, and alot of the things I speculated about didn't really happen, but alot of other stuff that I thought happened in book 3 did...

Should finish up today...

That's the main thing I remember about this series, honestly... how much circumstances change, from book to book...

[Choko]

I will start this later today...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

And I'm about to finish in 5 minutes...

[Choko]

Had we met Nero before? I don't remember him if we had...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I don't think so, no... he knows Stenwold from the previous Wasp War... but so little of that time was covered in book 1... just in the prologue, basically, setting up the Spider Betrayal and end of the war and Stenwold's 15 years being treated as Chicken Little, while everyone ignored his warnings...

[Choko]

Through the first 4 characters. Yeah, he is obviously new to us... I remember the rest of the characters, but the lady who is looking for the Wasp Colonel from last book, is obviously kind of insane.... I am intrigued by her character...

(view spoiler)[ Totho and Salma got caught by the aunts they were trying to warn, but while they were interrogating them, the Wasps attacked... I wish all those city states would start taking theirs and Stenwold's warnings under consideration! So much could be avoided, and if not avoided, then at least they could have been better prepared... (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

Funny, I read a couple of books since, but I can't stop thinking about our Warhammer 40k reads for some reason... They have left an impression on me...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Choko wrote: "Funny, I read a couple of books since, but I can't stop thinking about our Warhammer 40k reads for some reason... They have left an impression on me..."

Pariah is definitely enticing me to read more W40k and Horus Heresy... but I'm just as booked up as usual, so speeding up W40k is just asking for trouble...

[Choko]

No, no speeding up! I can barely keep up as is... I was just saying:)

Ch. 6... I don't trust that very earnest and "helpful" spider girl student...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Yea, I know... I've had to grow used to the idea that some of these series are gonna take 5 years to read, even if I'd prefer them not to... it's either allow them to take their time, or give up alot of other BRs, or risk burnout...

[Choko]

I think burnout is the biggest danger. Spreading them apart as we are seems to be working great against that...

Ch. 7... Man, I actually feel sorry for the Emperor's sister...

[Choko]

Correction, Thalric is a Major, not a Colonel....

[Choko]

Ch. 7... (view spoiler)[ I Aryana, the spider girl's name, I was right not to trust her. She is an agent of Thalric's... (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

Through Ch. 20... (view spoiler)[ The hardest part to read so far is the spiraling of Totho into disillusioned withdrawal, and then, being the logical and mechanically gifted dude that he is, he is being drawn into starting to want to work with the enemy in order to create weapons... And doing everything possible not to think about the fact, that these weapons are going to be used against his friends and innocent people... (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

Through Ch. 26... Seems like the Wasps are methodically moving forward with their takeover of the plains. It was an interesting meeting with the Spider folk's diplomatic group. They don't seem very likable as a whole, but are obviously not someone you would want as an enemy....

[Choko]

Ch. 30... I am so disappointed in Totho...:(((

[Choko]

Ch. 35... (view spoiler)[ The old professor of magic obviously got in touch with some darker power, who influenced the sleep of the enemy soldiers... I was very sad to see him killed by the scariest to me character of the whole series - the shape shifting spider lady Skylar.... She needs to die!

Very happy that Aryana saved Stenwold. There is still hope for her to truly come over to the light side... (hide spoiler)] ...

Is it only you and I continuing with the series? Weird. I thought people liked the first book...

[Choko]

Finished... This is not an easy read for sure... I love reading the parts with the crippled weapons master of the Wasps, and his relationship with Totho, but they are also the hardest to take emotionally, for me personally... I can so easily see a good, logical person go down that rabbit hole led by a strong personality like that...

The Dragonfly lady's story is kind of tragic too ...

Overall, I really appreciated the story... Looking forward to the next one!

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I have no idea what's going on... I think Felina wants to continue... and Nirkatze is just drowning in books and her summer gaming, and now school is back on...

[Nirkatze]

I started this about a month ago, took a break to read another book, picked it up again, breaking again to read another book, thinking about switching to audio...

Not that I'm not enjoying it, I am, very much so--it's just not providing quite the level of nose-to-book urgency I need in an eyebook right now... I'm about 1/5th of the way in and things are starting to pick up the pace...

Regarding Nero though--he wasn't in the first book, (view spoiler)[just barely mentioned as one of Stenwold's crew from the old days, and the artist who painted the picture of them all. Since Tynisa's mother wasn't the traitor, they were thinking it might have been Nero... but then they were also thinking maybe one of them could have been impersonated, if I remember correctly, after they discovered that one spy. I'm not sure if they exonerated Nero or if Stenwold & Tisamon still held him in suspicion... Totho & Salma wouldn't know anything about it though, since that conversation was after they left to go check out Tark... (hide spoiler)]

Here's the author's fan-casting of the book, fyi:
https://shadowsoftheapt.com/blog/1058

Through Chapter 9 anyway--(view spoiler)[I was very disappointed in Stenwold for sleeping with the student... and her turning out to be a spy and having partially seduced him doesn't really make things any better. Ew. Just... ew. I do not approve of teacher-student relations in any book even if they are spies.

I'm excited for things to be heating up in the world though. (hide spoiler)]

[Choko]

Haha! I knew you would feel that way:)

[Nirkatze]

LOL Y'all know me too well!!

[Nirkatze]

I'm still plodding along... doing eye read and have been for over a month now... only getting time for 10-20 pages a day at this rate. I'm through Chapter 25... I keep thinking I'll swap to audio soon, but I'm behind enough on audio I just keep plodding along here. (view spoiler)[I really like the thoughtfulness and tension... the conversation between Toth and the Bee artificer, part scientific opportunity without the shackles of morality, part fatalism, part Might-Makes-Right... then contrast that with Salma's meeting with the Broken Sword, and seeing how the Wasps' Empire is destroying their own people too, just devouring itself from within. It makes me really curious what the long-term scope of this series is going to be. I don't think the Wasps are going to survive as a power long enough to make it through all 10 or so books. There's going to be a collapse at some point, or face another external, worse, power... And then there's the princess, who I'm pretty sure is going to end up kicking her brother off the throne...

I'm not on board with any of the romances at this point. I'm not sure if they're just supposed to be uncomfortable or if Tchaikovsky just isn't that skilled in the romance department. There's also been a lot of random hook-ups, from Stenwold to Salma to Totho... I think the only relationship I *do* like so far is the father-daughter relationship between Tisamon & crap-forgot-her-name. I'm really looking forward to seeing their journey into Mantis-lands. (hide spoiler)]

What do y'all think about picking up with book 3 in December and fitting it in to the Stormlight slot on the 16th? MST chonkers on the 1st, these on the 16th... gives good balance...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Sounds like a plan...

[Nirkatze]

Finally finished! Only took me two months, lol... I was really surprised (view spoiler)[that Thalric is already turned coat by the end of this book!! I had expected him eventually turning to the other side, but this... doesn't feel final. It's too quick, not earned enough.. I imagine he'll end up back on the Wasp side if the sister ends up taking the Imperium... and I was surprised that that plotline didn't come to fruition this book...

The support of the Spiders versus the Wasps is... well, we've both gotten some more insight into the Spiders with Ariana & still-forgot-her-name. I can't believe they're doing this out of the good of their hearts--but are they doing it because they would rather fight the war here than on their home fronts and are just being preventative, or for some more nefarious reasons? Much like their claim of the fly cities... "If the Wasps think they can conquer, why not us first?"

I'm with Choko in being disappointed in Totho... his plotline is seriously reminding me of Nazi & Japanese scientists during WWII--science completely divorced from morals... Drephos is definitely an interesting character though--thoroughly amoral and apolitical, his only god is Science. (hide spoiler)]

So I realized I suggested plugging book 3 in for December... but that would overlap with Sanderson. January 16th instead?

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Yea

[Nirkatze]

Request made for Jan 16!

[Choko]

Thank you, Nirkadze!

[Nirkatze]

Top post updated with link and schedule!

[Paula]

I have started and i am really liking it. It also starts with action so its easy to fly through.

Until chapter 22 (view spoiler)[I am really liking how everyone is travelling to other cities trying to make allies and eventually they will meet. Like Totho (poor him btw) will meet with Che in Sarn and maybe she will help him.

The Ant army that defected will probably go to the Mantids to help or better yet to Sarn, though that is almost as far away as the Collegium.

I was also suprised the spy gang of Thaldric decided to kill him. Arianna i could see, since she hesitated to kill Sten, but it makes sense, nobody wants to the empire.

Tynisa going to meet the Mantids is going to be interesting for sure, cant wait for the drama. (hide spoiler)]

[Paula]

Choko wrote: "Through Ch. 20... [spoilers removed]"

His arc is going to be interesting for sure. (view spoiler)[ They seduce him with weapons and thats what he always wanted to do and even beter if nobody looks twice at him for being a halfbreed. It will be interesting to se if he opnes his eyes or just goes along. (hide spoiler)]

[Paula]

Nirkatze wrote: "I started this about a month ago, took a break to read another book, picked it up again, breaking again to read another book, thinking about switching to audio...

Not that I'm not enjoying it, I a..."

I agree (view spoiler)[ I was not a fan of the sleeping with the student/teacher part. And i think it will become a romance (hopefully not). (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Yeah, that's one of my least favorite aspects of the series--and I'm still complaining about it four books later--(view spoiler)[none of the people I want to be in romances are together, and all the people I don't want to be in romances are spending way too much time together!

Totho's arc.... now with D-whatsit... Drephos? that's such a heartstring-tug of a twist! But also fascinating... (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

It’s definitely a lingering thing… but also I don’t think it comes up much in books 3-4… too many other things going on?…

[Paula]

@Nirkatze (view spoiler)[ I am fine with Acheous being with Che but I hope Salma doesn't end up with Grief. But the good thing is that romance is very very a subplot so it's barely there and I am fine with it. Honestly, I wouldn't want any romance but it's okay.

Tothos arc is the one I am most interested about now. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Yeah... I'm definitely more invested in the political plots too...

[Paula]

Finished! (view spoiler)[I was so worried that Thaldric would die. Now I am happy he is so loyal to the empire that the empire kicked him out and is on Sten's side.

I like Che but she gets kidnapped twice in this book! I hope she gets less kidnapped...

Tothos arc is also going to be interesting now that he just wants to make weapons and not stop the war to have a job.

I also thought the Collegium would fall but I am glad it was saves and the Spiders are now there. (hide spoiler)]

[Paula]

@Nirkatze, ch 25 (view spoiler)[ I am betting the Mosquitoes are going to revive the dark magic and that will be the next threat after the Wasps are done. (hide spoiler)]

finished(view spoiler)[ Same! I thought Thaldric would take longer to turn away of the empire. I also think he will take longer to truly turn away.

Yeah, the spiders are fishy (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Grats on the finish! I loved (view spoiler)[Thalric's arc in this book! I keep imagining him as Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister in GoT)...

But argh! Yeah, Che just doesn't seem to get a break. At least she's not a typical damsel in distress... but it does cut close sometimes.

"Saved because the Spiders are here" sounds awfully ominous, doesn't it? (hide spoiler)]

[Paula]

Thanks! (view spoiler)[ Same, I also picture him as the Tywin actor. I hope he doesn't get killed soon.

I also think that Che is more calm when she is kidnapped because of all the practice haha.

Yep, it sounds ominous. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

LOL Practice makes perfect! Hah!

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

From what little I’ve managed to garner about later books, I feel like Che is the secret main character of the series… Stenwold’s niece, whom he didn’t want involved in the spy shenanigans in the first place, weathers it all, grows/learns/etc/etc, and saves the day in the end… in book 10…

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I have very little to backup that claim…

[Paula]

I hope you are right, I also want to see Che as the secret main character and stop being kidnapped