War Master's Gate (Shadows of the Apt #9)[October 16, 2025]

[Yanique, Thread Master]

This is a Buddy Read for War Master's Gate by Adrian Tchaikovsky starting on October 16, 2025.


Happy Reading!

[Nirkatze]

Thank you!

Arc 1:
1. Empire in Black and Gold (Jun 14) [link]
2. Dragonfly Falling (Aug 4) [link]
3. Blood of the Mantis (Jan 16) [link]
4. Salute the Dark (Mar 16) [link]

Arc 2:
5. The Scarab Path (June 16) [link]
6. The Sea Watch (Jul 16) [link]
7. Heirs of the Blade (Aug 16) [link]

Arc 3:
8. The Air War (Sept 16) [link]
9. War Master's Gate (Oct 16)
10. Seal of the Worm (Nov 16) [link]

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, though all but #1 lack audio. Apparently Audio is currently in the works:
1. Spoils of War TBD
2. A Time for Grief TBD
3. For Love of Distant Shores TBD
4. The Scent of Tears TBD

Next? More Tchaikovsky?
Solo: Guns of the Dawn? Some parsley
Echoes of the Fall: The Tiger and the Wolf 3 books

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

1/3 in...

The good guys are having to sacrifice so much of their moral high ground to stave off the Wasps, and given what we know about book 10, I don't think even that is gonna be enough...

If this series has a happy ending, it falls to Che to find one in Seal of the Worm, I guess...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Chapter 30, 10hrs remaining: how is this not the end of the book?...

Epilogue: why are there 3hrs left?...

Oh, there's a 2hr bonus short story... I'll read that later and check online for where it fits in the timeline...

So much happened in this book, and so much is left to happen...

Also, a lot of character don't really appear that you think would, like Drephos/Totho... Their inventions have such an impact on the plot, but are otherwise relegated to off screen roles in this, with everything else going on...

I loved everything with Che and Seda... By the end, it feels like the Seal of the Worm was inevitable (accidental MCU reference?)

Great stuff as usual... I really hope (view spoiler)[Stenwold was picked up by his mermaid girlfriend at the end... His ending felt suitably cinematic, if he actually died... I was hella surprised when I thought he died at the end of Part 2... Felt very possible, given the way things were going and shifting towards Che/Seda as the final storyline.... (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

OH... That spider lady... The mom that swore vengeance on Stenwold at the end of the water book... (view spoiler)[ I never expected to empathize with her as much as I did when the general killed her on the Empress orders after she assumed betrayal because of the assassin bug disguise... There's so many layers going on in this story...

Also when Stenwold gave an impassioned speech to the Wasp general... And the general is like yep, but I follow my orders... Agreeing with everything Stenwold thinks is wrong with the Wasp Empire...

The antics of the Student Regiment in Part 3 was top tier... Almost felt like a macabre comedy... The way they kept swiping victories from the jaws of defeat... What a rollercoaster... (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Heart of the Green is numbered #9.5 online... since it's published here... it's a prequel about a new character introduced in this book, I think... since the character is 1000+ years old...