This is book two of the Final Architecture series and boy did I love it. I read the first half of the book in two days about a week and a half ago and then some things got in the way and then I got sick and I didn’t do much reading at all for a while, otherwise I probably would have finished it in about 4 days.
There are several things I love about this series and this writer. First, the very dry British humor (humour?) that comes up about once or twice per chapter. Some really exquisite turns of phrase, such as “the attempt at a frog march never outgrew the tadpole stage” or how one of the characters keeps thinking that his performance review will look good as his obituary, in the likely event that should come first. The second is Kris, one of the main characters, and a lawyer. Tchaikovsky was a lawyer and he sprinkles some lawyerly things into his prose. However, in this universe, lawyers often end up using knife fights to win cases, so Kris is not only their legal counsel but also really good in close quarters combat. Finally, the world, the worldbuilding, the universe teeming with extraordinary different alien life and the conflict between them all and their common enemy, the Architechts.
Below be spoilers. Minor ones. Skip one paragraph if you don’t want them…
The latter half of the book has (SPOILER ALERT) Idris rescued slash kidnapped from a planet and held hostage slash encouraged to work on solving the mystery of the Originator race’s artifacts. This could have easily been bogged down in info dumps (lets face it, it is probably how I would have written it) but instead, we view the alien landscape and unspace and the newly found linkages between the real and the un through the eyes and other senses of Idris, and his struggle to understand is portrayed within his mind. At the end, we don’t really understand what is going on, though Idris does. he is able to control the artifact and save the day, or at least piss off the Architects. Or both. Idris explains that he can’t explain it, and honestly, that is good enough for me. I find myself wanting to know more, and that hunger sets me up for the conclusion in book three, due out this summer in the UK and later here in the US.
Spoilers over.
I am fortunate to have a good friend over across the pond who has acquired both books (autographed copies even!) soon after their UK release dates and mail them to me. The first book, I read before the US version was out, but this one i was saving as a reward for finishing the first draft of my novel (which I did back in November) but I had a few other books to finish first (Dune…..) so I didn’t get to it until just last month. I really enjoy Tchaikovsky’s writing style and even though I don’t normally read fantasy, I may have to dig into some of his other works which are mostly in that genre. Just for his use of language. He really is masterful at that, and I really enjoy reading his prose.
Trying to decide what my next book will be. Have to stroll over to the TBR pile and pick my next adventure!