A review by cayenne503
Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Characters: 4.5
Great variety of characters with differing motivations. The interplay between the different factions will be very satisfying to anyone who loves political intrigue. 

Setting/Worldbuilding: 5
Super interesting take on how spacefaring humanity fits into the wider universe and the struggles they face. The cosmic horror backdrop adds a perfect layer of complexity stopping the story from being just another space opera. 

Plot: 4
The first half was a little slow in my opinion. I kept thinking okay, okay, get back to the interesting part with the Architects. The second half really picks up and gave me everything I wanted. 

Writing: 4.5
Smart, descriptive, artistic, and occasionally hilarious.