The modern classic of space opera that began with Children of Time continues in this extraordinary novel of humanity’s battle for survival on a terraformed planet.
Earth failed. In a desperate bid to escape, the spaceship Enkidu and its captain, Heorest Holt, carried its precious human cargo to a potential new paradise. Generations later, this fragile colony has managed to survive, eking out a hardy existence. Yet life is tough, and much technological knowledge has been lost.
Then strangers appear. They possess unparalleled knowledge and thrilling technology – and they’ve arrived from another world to help humanity’s colonies. But not all is as it seems, and the price of the strangers’ help may be the colony itself.
Children of Memory by Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky is a far-reaching space opera spanning generations, species and galaxies.
My thoughts: every time I read an Adrian Tchaikovsky book I decide I really don’t get it, then I read it again, and sort of get what is happening. And that’s how I ended up feeling like Miranda does in the later sections of this complex, clever and slightly infuriating book. There are dozens of clever little literary and cultural references throughout, it takes time to spot them and I certainly felt silly when it hit me that The Tempest might be a source, the main character is called Miranda after all!
Visiting a planet that may or may not be occupied by the descendants of fleeing humans, refugees from the end of Earth, the crew of the Skipper hope to find a colony. But something strange is going on.
On Irma, Liff, the granddaughter of Captain Holt of the Enkidu, has a new teacher. And she keeps seeing her grandfather and she’s also pretty sure there’s a witch in the hills. But no one will listen to her, so she’s going to find out herself.
Clever, richly metatextual, intelligent science fiction that asks big questions about reality, life, memory and who gets to decide. Very pleasing.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 