A review by poorlywordedbookreviews
Empire in Black and Gold by Adrian Tchaikovsky

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