Adrian Tchaikovsky Books In Order

Publication Order of Shadows of the Apt Books

Publication Order of Afterblight Chronicles Books

Publication Order of Children of Time Books

Publication Order of Dogs of War Books

Publication Order of Echoes of the Fall Books

Publication Order of Expert System Books

Publication Order of The Final Architecture Books

Publication Order of Tales of the Apt Books

Publication Order of After The War Books

Publication Order of Made Things Books

Publication Order of Imaginings Books

Publication Order of Terrible Worlds: Destinations Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Publication Order of Alt. Sherlock Holmes Books

Publication Order of Warhammer 40,000: Age of Sigmar Books

Publication Order of Legends Books

Publication Order of Monstrous Little Voices Books

Publication Order of The Afterblight Chronicles Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Adrian Tchaikovsky is a British novel writer who writes in the science fiction fantasy genre. Born Adrian CzajkowsKi in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, Tchaikovsky went on to study Psychology and Zoology at the University of Reading. He later undertook legal studies and is currently a Legal Executive with the Leeds based Commercial Dispute Department of Black Solicitors.

After a frustrating fifteen years of trying to get a book published, he finally got Tor Books to publish his first book Empire in Black and Gold in 2008. However, it was until the publication of the Shadows of the Apt series that Tchaikovsky became a household name in the fantasy science fiction genre.

Born Czajkowski, he asserts that he adopted the name Tchaikovsky as his author name since it was evident that his real name would have been quite difficult for British and American readers to pronounce and spell. This is not an uncommon practice in the UK and American publishing industries as many publishers advise authors with hard to pronounce names to change to Americanized versions to drive sales. After the publication of his first book in the UK, he decided to stick with the name, publishing his German and American editions under his pen name. Though he had wanted his Polish editions to be under Czajkowski, this was not to be so.

His novel Children of Time published in 2015 went on to win the prestigious Arthur C. Clarke Award for Fiction. For the Shadows of the Apt series, he got a nomination for the British Fantasy Society Award and the David Gemmell Legend Award.

A Summary of Empire in Black and Gold (Shadows of the Apt series) by Adrian Tchaikovksy

Nearly two decades earlier Stenwold had witnessed the invasion of his city Myna by the brutal Wasp Empire in a quest for global domination.

After the experience, he believes that it is his responsibility to try to educate his hometown’s people of the threat posed by the evil Wasp Empire. His efforts are mainly in vain, as his townsmen in Collegium do not believe that the Empire poses any threat to their city. With the Empire now setting its eyes on the city, and its armies and spies crawling all over the land, the city has never been at a greater risk of annihilation.

Meanwhile, his efforts at educating the townspeople have not been all in vain, as he has managed to convince a handful of young people such as his niece Che and the enigmatic Tynisa to join in the resistance againt the Wasp army advance. When the Wasps violently attack his home, he decides to send his team to the Frontline under fire from the invading army. The team flies and gets to the Frontline city of Helleron just in time to face the incoming Wasp army.

Che and Stenwold are known as Bettle-Kinden and are just one of the various human races that draw their inspiration and power from their totem insect. The different human race allies have different totem insects ranging from Ant, Spider, and Mantis all of which have particular powers and skills.

The most skilled and powerful of the totem warriors is Tisamon of the Mantis-kinden clan. Many other totem tribes join the alliance over the weeks leading to the war. As the war takes its toll on the land and the people, it comes to Stenwold’s attention that the Wasps intend to march on the his position on the newly completed railway between Collegium and Helleron to destroy the kinden army in one fell swoop. He gathers his young warriors and prepares for a final fight that he now knows will be in the Lowlands.

The Empire in Black and Gold is one of the best fantasy, science fiction ever to come from a British author. Tchaikovsky’s expertly weaves a story that is action packed and full of tension in a world that takes shape really nicely. The world of the different insect totem tribes and their different skills, motivations and attributes provide a refreshing and fascinating flavor for fantasy fiction. The focus on the development of Stenwold Maker’s character and personality as juxtaposed against the strong willed members of his team makes for some interesting reading

A Summary of Dragonfly Falling (Shadows of the Apt series) by Adrian Tchaikovksy

Adrian Tchaikovksy’s second book in the Shadow of the Apt series, Dragonfly Falling continues with the telling of the adventures of Stenwold and his team of Totho, Salma, Tybisa, Tisamon, Che and others as they battle the evil Wasp Empire. Totho and Salma set out to spy on the advancing Wasp army as it prepares to attack the city of Tark – an Ant-kinden colony. In the meantime, Major Thalric is on a revenge mission after his recent fall from grace. He seeks to kill Stenwold Maker and hasten the destruction of The Lowlands and Collegium. As the Wasps advance, the Emperor is seemingly distracted by a romantic affair.

Adrian Tchaikovsky’s packs the story with action packed and thrilling fight scenes that make for a remarkable story. Nonetheless, while there is relative peace in the Lowlands and Collegium, some people are not convinced that this will last and prefer a return to the old ways. Uctebri, a Mosquito Kinden is the most rabid defender of the old ways and fights for the return to the traditional ways of moral and racial absolutism. Even Stenwold the supposed moral custodian of the progressive kindens is shown as a racist as he forbids his niece from marrying outside her race. While he is bringing the Kindens together, Stenwold still expects the people he is bringing together to not intermarry, since he still believes in racial purity and old age biases towards the different races in the alliance.

The second book continues to develop the characters introduced in book one of the series. New characters such as Uctebri a kind of vampire kinden and Drephos the Imperial auxiliary artificer and the Emperor’s story arc give the book more flavor. Adrian Tchaikovsky greatly expands the world by introducing more kindens and analyzing their ways to drive the story forward.

Dragonfly Falling is a more accomplished book that The Empire in Black and Gold in that it offers better characterization and plot development. Adrian Tchaikovsky’s second book portrays his growth as a writer in that he undertakes in-depth thematic development while continuing to maintain the excitement and thrill of the first book.