A review by crickety
Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky

adventurous reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.25

 Throughout the first half of Alien clay, I was skeptical. The characterization was weak, and the plot appeared predictive and frankly boring. The mandate was pretty cookie cutter totalitarian regime (the discussion of science as a tool for the state with “Scientific Philanthropy” was apt). The last half is where the novel picks up proper steam and becomes engaging. While the characters are still not well-developed, the unique portrayal of alien biology with a different foundational principle makes the book well worth reading. The themes of power, resistance, and hyper individualization came to better relief against this xenobiology. 

 
I really appreciated how Tchaikovsky intermeshed the exploration of complete symbiotic existence premiering the communal, with the political struggle for freedom against a dictatorship. I’m still not sure how to feel about the ending. The idea of the mandate falling elicit positive emotions, and the cohesion offered by collectivism allowing the prisoner revolt on Kiln had me cheering. But what would it entail if the existence of the individual as a separate mental entity was to be eroded. After the mandate is rooted out on earth, what is left of humanity as we are constructed today? It raises a lot of interesting quandaries which kind of make me want to have a sequel to this. 

Is the mandate a global organization (I presumed this was the case)? Would all humans and animals be integrated into the Kiln organization? Would this lead to an understanding between humans and animals? Since on Kiln, the complexity of human brains means that they represent a “disproportionate amount of the emergent mind of Kiln’s biosphere […]”, does that mean that humans will continue to somewhat direct the Kiln? The biology of Earth and Kiln seem to be such contrasting choices. Earth is organized by individual entities in competition, Kiln consist of collectives in support. So I wonder if there is truly an intermediate existence between these alternatives or whether one logic of being will take over.


All in all, thought provoking concept but the writing somewhat brings down the score for me. 

++ alternative foundation of biology 
+ themes of resistance & community well explored 

-   Shallow characters 
-    First half is slow