Reviews

Empire in Black and Gold by Adrian Tchaikovsky

kadomi's review

4.0

Empires of Black and Gold by Adrian Tchaikovsky is the first book of a 10-book series called Shadows of the Apt. I added it to my reading list when I was on a steampunk kick. It's classic fantasy meets steampunk, with some rather interesting concepts. The fantasy world the series is set in sounds rather generic, but the people living in it are anything but. There are different races called Kinden, who have all descended from an Ancestor Spirit and share traits with insects. They are Ants who can communicate via telepathy, spiders who can crawl walls and plot nefariously, scorpions who have claws, flies who can fly, etc. People with insect traits. Fascinating. The Kinden are split again. There are some who are apt, like beetles, who can use and create technology like flying machines, trains, and cars. Those who are not apt cannot. Some, like the moths, cling to old and forgotten magic. Yet now they all have to come together, because they are threatened by a race of kinden that comes and offers trade and prosperity: the Empire of the wasps. Master Stenwold, a Beetle-kinden teacher in the university city Collegium, has witnessed how brutally the wasp-kinden advance their empire and is organizing a spy-ring for what he thinks is impending invasion of the Lowlands. He is sending his most promising students to the industrial city of Helleron, to get in touch with his contacts there, to find out more about the plans of the wasps. But the wasps interfere with the plan, splitting the group up, and no one knows the wasps' masterplan just yet. - Yeah, so Stenwold is the Gandalf of this series, and his niece Cheerwell is a bit like Frodo. You have the classic party on a grand quest. I loved the book for the worldbuilding and the concept of insect-kinden + technology, that was very well done. The writing is probably the weakest part of the book, but I am definitely planning on reading the sequel.

poorlywordedbookreviews's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

So this year has cemented that I will read and enjoy any sci-fi Tchaikovsky puts out. But, aside from a short novella, I’ve not really ventured into his fantasy back catalogue. I decided to start with the Shadows of the Apt series - not realising book 1 was his debut. There’s no getting around the fact it’s his debut - it’s not as slick, some of the world building is clunky, it’s incredibly slow to hook you in. It’s also far better than most debuts, and openers to long, complex war/political fantasy series (which this 10 book long series looks to be). It’s definitely not going to covert fantasy avoiders, but if you like your worlds big and inventive, and your plots expansive and slower paced (and hopefully intricate, but who knows this early on), it’s worth checking out. I’m not clamouring to read the next one, but I will continue. Not so much for the characters (except Thalric, I wanna know more on our waspy major) but because the world that's been built is screaming out to be explored more. So fingers crossed this builds into a great, immersive series. 

   

📖 There is an empire rising in the east, brutal and unyielding in their belief in their superiority. Stenwold Maker, old artificer, historian, and accidental spymaster is trying in vain to get the short sighted, distracted and/or complacent peoples of the Lowlands to acknowledge the wolf at the door, before it’s too late. 📖 

   

…Not that original, regardless of how well executed? Luckily Tchaikovsky’s zoological bent is not confined to his sci-fi - and he brings the uniqueness through his world building - namely that the peoples of this world are all races aligned to insects; Ant-kinden, Wasp-kinden, Spider-kinden, with physical features,  skills and powers befitting those creatures. 

  

The audiobook narrator was brilliant, easily distinguishing the many many characters, so it’s simple to follow

jhouses's review

3.0

Un inicio de serie en el que la mayor barrera de entrada es la premisa: razas o tibus de humanos con atributos basados en especies de insectos. "Arañas", "escarabajos", "hormigas", "moscas", "polillas" y como antagonistas "avispas" en lugar de las tradicionales razas de fantasía, plantea una inexplicable reticencia a un lector que, como yo, no ha tenido problemas con legiones romanas mezcladas con Pokemon ([b:Furies of Calderon|29396|Furies of Calderon (Codex Alera, #1)|Jim Butcher|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1329104514l/29396._SY75_.jpg|3098584]), malvados bibliotecarios que gobiernan el mundo ([b:Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians|623976|Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians (Alcatraz, #1)|Brandon Sanderson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1332516621l/623976._SX50_.jpg|2591148]) o dragones en las guerras napoleónicas ([b:His Majesty's Dragon|28876|His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire, #1)|Naomi Novik|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1376392909l/28876._SY75_.jpg|726205]). Superado este bache (más o menos) la historia es entretenida, los personajes no son meros arquetipos y hasta los malvados enemigos tienen profundidad. No es una lucha del bien contra el mal sino una historia de independencia frente a la hegemonía militarista.
Se llee bien y dan ganas de seguir con la serie.

ainsleym's review

I think I have to admit that his earlier works are not it for me :(

joryjohn's review

4.0

Expansive worldbuilding with many differing races and factions harboring distinct motives and prejudices. I enjoyed that it showed Xenophobia on both sides were I would expect a story to paint only one. I also enjoyed how it fleshed out the Wasps (the imperialist conquer bad guys) and how people servicing it rationalize their actions within.
Characters are immediately likable and service the story well. I found myself liking the dueling quartet more than the old guard.
There are many battles in this book, I would say too many. The combat itself is meaty and brutal, if that is your kind of thing, as it is mine.
Adrian's similes continue to amaze me at their simplicity and depth. The book is a intelligently written and impressive epic fantasy.

cdbaker's review

4.0

Giant fantasy series with bug-inspired humans? Sure. I don't instantly love it the way I did with "Children of Time," but I'm enjoying it. Started book 2 immediately.

semajluap's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

interrowhimper's review

3.0

I had a hard time getting on board with the insect-humans. After that, there were some satisfying developments but I felt like the story sort of ended where it began.

flightyrachel's review

4.0

I've read better books by Adrian Tchaikovsky, but I really enjoyed this as a quick, fun read. His world building is always excellent, and who could not be engaged by the idea of humans evolved from (or at least having developed the characteristics of) insects? It's genius! Of course, wasps are warlike and nasty, beetles industrious, moths mystic, spiders cunning, you get the idea! It's really good fun.

All the characters are engaging, the female characters are well rounded and have real agency and I got really involved with them. I did skip over a few of the sword brandishing scenes but this is a pacey, interesting adventure that left me wanted to read more of the series.

imsam's review

5.0

Super awesome and extremely entertaining fantasy book. About a resistance to the "wasp empire". Sort of like Game of Thrones with a more insect motif.