Shadows of the Apt #5: The Scarab Path—Finished Reading **Spoilers Allowed**

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Have you finished reading The Scarab Path by Adrian Tchaikovsky, book 5 in the Shadows of the Apt series? Please let us know what you thought of it. Strong points? Weak ones? Favorite scenes or characters?

Spoilers OK here (up through this book, not the rest of the series).

[Natalie]

I loved book 5! It took a bit longer because I moved across town recently but I looked forward to reading it.
To me, the new location (Khanaphes) was fascinating, Thalric's journey is so engaging, and Che's feelings seemed so authentic. I also found Totho's journey to be interesting, and difficult.
I wasn't entirely fond of the battle scenes, but the magic, the concept of sleeping and distant gods, and the emotional journeys of several characters were top notch to me.
I also felt like Tchaikovsky's prose has gotten better in this entry. I noted 3-4 sections that were wonderfully descriptive and read smoothly.
Very eager to start book 6!

[Chris, Moderator]

I enjoyed this installment more than any of the previous books. It was less battle focused, which gave us more time to focus on the characters themselves, and on the age-old dilemma of "what do we do when the war is over .... until the next one starts". I agree with Natalie that Thalric has become particularly interesting -- clearly a patriot to his country, but ultimately disappointed by his country's leadership. And Totho's journey has gotten very, very dark...

Looking forward to the next installment!

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

10/10
Tchaikovsky’s world-building in the Shadows of the Apt series has been imaginative, to say the least, and that continues in the 5th book of the series as most of the plot unwinds far from the Lowlands, the Wasp Empire, and even the Spiderlands. The desert of the Nem and the city of Khanaphes bring new challenges, new mysteries, and new characters to interface with some continuing characters from the first 4 books.
Tchaikovsky’s characters are never one or two dimensional, but always well-developed, wonderfully imperfect specimens of their kinden. They make difficult, maddening, and bittersweet choices as they grow and evolve. The plots are layered, nestled and twisted together, complex but always comprehensible.
And as the characters themselves adapt and evolve, so do their respective kinden and societies, not always in expected ways. I’m looking forward to continuing the journey!

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Ona separate note, why is this book entitled “The Scarab Path”? That bothered me all the way through. I know scarabs are large dung beetles and were considered sacred in ancient Egypt. I just don’t get how that fits with this book. Yes, the people of Khanaphes are Beetle-kinden, but their Masters are not.
Anyone have any ideas?

[Natalie]

Good question Kathi. I'm wondering if it's related to the godlike figures they find under the city of Khanaphes, who have been sleeping.
I looked it up and Scarab beetles represented the Sun God Re in ancient Egypt. So maybe it's a loose reference.
I don't remember reading about Scarabs in the book.

[Shel, Moderator]

I finally finished this and it's my favorite of the series so far! I agree that the setting of Khanaphes is fascinating, and I'm loving the complexity of the characters and their relationships. The slow development of affection between Che and Thalric feels like it's going to be lasting - I was bothered a bit by the "insta-love" between her and Achaeos. I'm hoping that Totho can really free himself of his obsession with her, but at the same time, his desire for her good opinion might be the only thing holding him back from truly becoming a monster like Drephos.

The Masters were creepy. I'm glad Che didn't give in to their enticements.

I associate scarab beetles with desert environments, so I guess it's just supposed to represent a path through the desert?

Can't wait to see where this goes next!

[Kathi, Moderator & Book Lover]

Shel wrote: I'm hoping that Totho can really free himself of his obsession with her, but at the same time, his desire for her good opinion might be the only thing holding him back from truly becoming a monster like Drephos."

I don’t exactly know why, but I never found Totho likable. It seemed to me he was overly self-conscious & sensitive about being a halfbreed, despite the fact that they did not seem all that uncommon in Collegium or the wider world of the Lowlands. He was a talented artificer who felt under-appreciated. I guess intellectually I could feel sympathy for him, but I still think he made horrible choices & then was surprised when others didn’t applaud his decisions. His obsession with Che was creepy.

As for Che’s connection with Achaeos, I think the mystical link between them exerted an influence on her/their emotions. That magical part of her responded to him on a level different from the typical emotions of the Apt. She had no experience with that & maybe that’s why her feelings for him were so “instant” and intense.

[Shel, Moderator]

I see Totho as someone who is genuinely puzzled by other people - he is more comfortable with machines and doesn't understand why people do the things they do. He can't experience empathy - which is why he is capable of inventing such horrible weapons and set aside the fact that they're meant for killing. I wonder if he's a bit of a sociopath (I mean that in the sense of the psychological disorder, not in the colloquial sense of a mad killer).

Makes sense about Achaeos and Che, especially if he affected her so strongly that she lost her "Aptness".