Review-ish: Children of Ruin (Adrian Tchaikovsky)
I was legitimately angry that I read Children of Time before I started taking notes, because it was my book of the year for 2024. I never would’ve believed that I would want uplifted spiders until I was given uplifted spiders.
The way the author handled the time skips (and specifically the generations of spiders) worked beautifully. I was fully invested in the struggles and progress of each generation, and even the individuals, though I knew they would soon be gone.
The misunderstanding between Dr. Avrana Kern and her spider children was also exciting to watch play out. They made the full journey from religion, to doubt, to understanding, to surpassing the expectations of their creator. I did predict that they would resolve the conflict by spreading the nanovirus to the humans, but it was a good kind of expected.
Ants as supercomputers was a standout moment for me, as well as the spiders’ “Understandings.” The cultural cannibalism was also funny to me specifically because I had just finished reading Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History (by Bill Schutt), which discusses spiders and even includes an interesting diagram of the… uh… act.
The human side offered a nice balance, with recurring characters and a bit of stability in a book that could have otherwise tilted too impersonal.
I haven’t read anything about Children of Ruin, so I’m not even sure whether this will be a continuation of the previous book or the story of another ark. I would be fine with either.
=================
p. 5
“I’m not antisocial. I have lots of pets!”
Hey, at least he’s self-aware. I like this guy.
p. 9
Please tell me that he’s going to somehow meet Kern.
p. 12
It’s very respectful of them to be so careful to not tamper with these surprise lifeforms
p. 21
Given that I know what happened to Earth, I think the real question here is, what kind of planet do they want to inhabit? Stay and research and/or live on an alien planet — the only alien planet ever discovered — or stay and turn it into some poor semblance of Earth? Or go back home and arrive to nothing.
I think I would live with the aliens, unless they have really, really big bugs or something.
“Mount Senkovi… Sounds like an instruction to a taxidermist.”
Not the kind of mount I was thinking of, but I did just get back from reading smut.
p. 24
I was about to say, how polite of them to find another planet to terraform and let the aliens live their lives. I hope for the aliens’ sake that they don’t live on 834g.
p. 26
There’s not a lot of them around this time. Are they going to be more careful with the time they spend awake, or are they going to try to repopulate? With all, like, thirteen of them or whatever it was.
p. 29
How do you smuggle an octopus on a starship?
p. 30
Smart octopus? Well, smarter than your average smart octopus.
Okay, I’m a little worried about the post-egg laying survival, because who knows what that’ll do to their population in the wild.
That said, I am ready for space octopi.
p. 36
Who are these people, with their tigers and octopi as childhood pets? What’s wrong with a normal dog? Or cat? Or fish? Or snake? Or hamster? There are so many options.
p. 37
The octopus. Ripped the game console apart. To look for shrimp.
p. 38
I’m with Senkovi on this one. Why talk to a human when you could play a video game with octopi? That’s not even antisocial. It’s just objectively correct.
p. 45
Actually, the last book was insects, so now are we getting ocean-based life? Flying jellyfish and uplifted-ish octopi?
Also, Senkovi, I need you to keep your shit together long enough for Baltiel to have his moment. It’s his turn to play the child.
p. 47
Did an octopus breach confinement? Is one piloting the ship? Are they the terraformers now?
Doesn’t matter. I’m about to enjoy some solar-powered jellyfish.
p. 48
An octopus hacker is even more dangerous because they have four times the arms with which to type. And as we all know, the faster you smash your keyboard, the better you hack.
Imagine, you’re about to be the first person to set foot on an alien planet (inhabited by actual aliens!) and your idiot coworker calls you to assure you that your second ship is definitely not being hacked by an octopus that said idiot coworker uplifted.
p. 50
“When you’re designing an interface to let molluscs play computer games you probably don’t build in that much security.”
A serious oversight.
p. 52
Sir, how have you been getting away with keeping 43 octopi around? Are the other crew members not concerned? Are they unaware because they all instinctively avoid your lair?
p. 56
I love the imagery of a bunch of angry gods shooting texts back and forth. Over octopi.
p. 63
Ooh, will they end up being forced to live on two separate planets? The terraformed one and the alien one?
Or maybe the offline ship will survive and save them all. If the virus doesn’t make the jump once it reboots.
p. 67
I like this depiction of what we miss from the other side of a screen. Unidentifiable smells and tortoise-gurgling.
p. 70
The tortoises? The jellies? All of them?
p. 71
And my spiders!
p. 74
We will preserve some dignity for the human species when the human species deigns to preserve some dignity for itself.
Also shut up, I’m trying to listen to the story.
p. 76
Even our Fabians are back.
And that spider storyteller wasn’t entirely wrong. The humans who came to their planet were awful because they intended to blast away the spiders and claim the whole thing.
p. 77
Complaining is a very important Human sport, and I’m glad Fabian can relate (and has acquired communications skills specialized for such a task).
p. 80
Do the stories also reassure that cannibalism is a thing of the past? I’ll believe it when I (don’t) see it.
p. 81
Ah, so this is the Spider-Human Mad Scientist Club. Senkovi would fit right in. I hope they meet. How do the timelines match up, exactly? I’m a bit lost.
p. 83
I appreciate how much thought Adrian Tchaikovsky puts into the little cultural details, like wearing padded socks so as to not “deafen” the spiders.
p. 85
The difference in the presentation of history is also excellent. I’m not surprised that Kern, as a relic of the “Old Empire,” doesn’t want to hear about herself in those words. But Helena is right to think that her work in developing a more direct form of communication is important.
p. 88
It’s very refreshing to see, in a book about “aliens,” Portiid supremacy instead of Human supremacy. And in a very natural way.
Octopus Planet?
p. 90
“Females are bold.” Fabian and Meshner immediately prove the females to be the bold ones. That’s fair, though. Their science relies more on brain probes and writhing around on the ground. There’ll be fewer opportunities for that on the mission.
p. 91
You can cry disapproval all you want, but you are researching communication, which means you are more qualified for this specific mission. As are Helena and Portia.
p. 92
Can both research paths not be equally important?
p. 95
Is this the Octopus Future? Giant mining Octoroks? Spitting stones between celestial bodies?
p. 97
Space Tardigrades, not Octoroks. That’s some bioengineering right there.
p. 98
“Supposed to be rare in males, but probably isn’t.”
I suppose plenty of traits would be more common if the possessor were allowed to express them.
p. 105
I can understand why Fabian is rushed, but Meshner comes across as an obnoxious elitist. I do appreciate the contrast of Helena and Meshner, though. She’s trying to broaden her own viewpoint, while Meshner is looking for that magical breakthrough.
I hope she figures out the pattern-language first. Is it supposed to be shifting body patterns and colors? Heat maps? Something?
p. 106
“Back before ants were an OS.”
p. 115
Should’ve gone with a spider picture.
I hope we’re about to get the backstory on where all this human hate came from. The previous book I think mostly described events as they were happening, so it’ll be interesting if this one jumps to the past for one group and to the present for the other.
p. 119
You know what? Yeah, Baltiel is right. Senkovi’s recklessness saved more people than would otherwise have survived. He’s still an idiot, but a lucky idiot.
p. 123
Colors? Uplifted octopi? That very much don’t like humans? What did you do, Senkovi? Though, actually, I’m sure it’s Baltiel’s fault somehow. Senkovi likes octopi.
p. 126
I hope Baltiel somehow gets to meet Kern in her new ant-based OS incarnation.
p. 132
It doesn’t help that Senkovi is exactly the type who would stay up with his octopi for a few decades, just to continue the research.
p. 137
Oh, yeah, I forgot they came here intending to go fill a planet with biology. Of course they can create more people. And to think I was worried about inbreeding. Amateur.
p. 139
Tentacled mood rings.
p. 142
The several-entities-in-one octopi are pretty cool. Hard to understand, but cool.
p. 143
The dilemma of actually raising the children you bring into the world. Glad to see that the future hasn’t solved this problem, either. At least someone is going to need to stay up to raise the kids.
p. 148
“Patron Saint of All Things Tentacled” is going on Senkovi’s tombstone.
p. 157
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I like the idea of a god hiding because he doesn’t want to answer some awkward questions.
p. 161
The angry tortoises are learning.
I’m wondering whether this future “war” is between the humans and Nod-ians, humans and octopi, or Nod-ians and octopi. Though at this rate, it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting any new humans. Turns out parents are important.
Imagine being the tortoise who killed 20 percent of humanity.
p. 170
Kern is such a great snarky AI. “Here’s how your plan will kill us, and this little piece of meat rocketing off into the void is your left buttcheek :)”
p. 182
So now we need to find out which side is fighting for humanity, and which side is against. I’d like to believe that the octopi are with humanity, but maybe the future humans didn’t stick to their boats?
p. 186
They remember emoji!
p. 190
There’s something special about an “alien” race using their own history and culture to interpret and make predictions about another “alien” race. Usually it’s regular humans making the guesses.
p. 194
This series has some good imagery, but Kern as a captured demon that’s grown used to its circle is one of my favorites.
p. 201
I’m lacking the appropriate cultural context for anything that Paul is doing, but this is giving strong “and then everyone clapped” vibes. “My Peace and Communication poetry was brilliant and everyone loved it and we recorded it for all of eternity.”
p. 202
I guess Helena picked up on some octopus porn during her linguistics research.
p. 203
The world might be healed with a bit more diplomatic dancing.
p. 204
“I am going to teach you how to touch, dammit!” -Three of Paul’s Arms
Kern, what did you do!?
p. 210
I feel for Meshner and his unfortunate experience with feeling on behalf of Avrana Kern. However, she is my favorite kinda-AI-but-not-entirely AI, and I will allow her almost anything so long as she’s interesting about it.
p. 219
Erma Lante? I thought for sure it would be my boy Senkovi. Though the octopi would have no need to fear him, so a Lante with her humans that did not stick to boats makes a lot more sense.
p. 232
Wait, is the slime mould writing the intermission chapters?
p. 236
Aces in Space is the book I want next.
p. 243
Is the enemy of the octopi the slime?
I mean, I think we all called it as being in his brain the moment Lante said it was gone.
So is this maybe-AI-Lante a bunch of slime? She’s in close proximity.
p. 249
I like how the author is able to create a complex alien race out of Earth creatures. Like, they’re more alien in thought and function than many of the actual aliens in scifi.
p. 266
I am so worried for Future Humans now. Please don’t go to the Lante planet.
p. 276
Please let it have burned up completely. This is the worst kind of horror. Save my precious octopi.
p. 290
I hope Avrana Kern doesn’t start taking pointers from the slime mould.
p. 300
I appreciate the commentary on how of course the dominant species isn’t going to put that much thought into communicating with their guests. It is a little funny, though, coming from scientists and explorers. But I guess that’s what makes it impactful.
p. 304
I think there’s something refreshing about reading a series in which distinctly separate species are grasping for ways to relate to each other. Too many fantasy novels will say “this is a distinct race” and then they’re just a specific human personality type hyped up and copy-pasted to every member of the species. When someone tells me they are “different,” I’d like to see some actual differences.
p. 306
Ironically, at least some part of Fabian’s success is now going to be due to Avrana Kern, who was at one point in time female. I’m not sure how she identifies now.
Archetypally male trait — staying alive.
p. 315
Portiid: “Obviously this is true.”
Narrator: “It was never true.”
p. 324
The Past is experiencing slime mould horror and Meshner is experiencing Kern horror.
p. 333
Helena will need to take up interpretive dance.
Also, I love that her communication issue was that she wasn’t info-dumping every emotion and thought running through her head simultaneously. It’s not confusing and conflicting enough, and therefore it’s boring.
I wonder how these octopi would feel about ADHD.
p. 348
I think it’s probably a bad idea for this slime to have a direct connection to Avrana Kern. Especially because she’ll probably be into it.
p. 350
Does the slime already have some of the octopi? Or are they just rebels who want to go investigate?
p. 377
I’m very proud of these octopi for deciding to genetically modify tardigrades to spit rocks through space.
p. 380
So have these octopi discovered birth control or has that thought never crossed their minds?
Tearing apart and eating each other will certainly solve some of their problems, but a bit of family planning will solve them preemptively.
p. 381
I’m a fan of their evolving names to reflect the evolving self. It matches the vibe of the rest of their culture.
They even have social security numbers.
p. 384
I suppose when your living environment is water, you can just cannibalize it for fuel.
“We will do everything in our power to not get blown up until we blow ourselves up.”
p. 402
I suppose I should’ve taken the title as a warning. These poor octopi are having the worst time of their lives, just like the group of humans before them.
I do like how their head-arm independence helps protect them from full parasitic control. Not great that their bodies literally rip themselves apart, though.
Such are the dangers of an invasive species.
p. 419
“Now that you’re angry, I know you must be sentient.”
Yeah, that tracks. I, too, relate to getting angry at people for inconveniencing me.
p. 427
I can’t even be mad at the octopi. If I had to look down at my home planet and see giant simulacrums of my people rising up from the sea, I, too, would incinerate any potential containment breach.
p. 429
But science!
p. 437
A spider that rivals humanity in intelligence putting on an animal-like threat display to scare off an alien is very funny to me.
p. 454
I’m waiting for Avrana Kern to get possessed by slime mould and destroy the universe.
I wasn’t prepared for this to be horror.
p. 466
I’m not surprised that humans are hostile towards spiders, but it is disappointing that they don’t grasp the concept of “hosts” and “guests.” Though, it’s not like they’re behaving any less intelligently than modern humans.
p. 489
We can feel bad for Meshner, but can we also please start worrying about which parts of his knowledge this slime mould is about to inherit?
p. 493
That uncomfortable, fake smile is another thing Kern and the slime mould have in common.
p. 507
I was afraid that this series was going to take a more depressing turn, but at last we’re back to hope. That’s actually what appealed to me the most about the first book. When the spiders were about to be eradicated by the ants, they found a way to integrate. When the spiders were about to be eradicated by the remaining humans, they found a way to integrate. Now that they’re confronted by a lifeform that already integrates, I’m sure they’ll find a way to integrate.
p. 516
I would not think of fear and stress as like a home, but I suppose I’m not an octopus. That said, I’m absolutely building a home of fear and stress right now.
p. 517
That juxtaposition of beauty and then “I’m gonna waste everything, because that is art, baybee!”
p. 542
I respect the author for being very clear that the doomsday scenario that Kern was showing to the slime mould was only playing out in its own head(s?). Dream sequences are my pet peeve in media.
I also respect the author for offering a peaceful solution to this nightmare scenario.
p. 547
So, in a weird way, the other Kerns have gotten what they wanted, in the form of a singular (for now) AI Meshner. And Fabian got his friend (I think?) back, though not his test subject. Though his test subject is now Slime Mould Meshner, which might be even better? And he was recognized by a female, though I’m not sure how highly that ranked on his list of ambitions.
p. 549
I love this note that the scientists are just here for the research. “Keep your war out of our knowledge!”
p. 565
I actually really like the slime mould as an alien race, now that negotiations are settled and the horror vibe is past. I’m feeling hopeful about the next book.
=================
I’m very sad that Senkovi never met (in this future at least) Avrana Kern. Past Me was looking forward to this, so the way the Aegean crew fell, and especially Senkovi’s solo end, hit me hard. However, hope can’t shine without a bit of darkness.
And there was a lot of darkness in this one. The way the slime mould gobbled up everyone in its reach was straight out of a horror novel. I don’t read much sci-fi, so maybe that’s also a staple here, but I wouldn’t know. I kept expecting there to be one survivor to tell their tale, but that was my bias showing. There was an entire species left to tell that story in their own beautiful way.
The Portiids eased us into the idea of divergent thought, but I don’t even have a point of reference for the octopi. I can’t think of a single species I’ve encountered in the (mostly fantasy) novels I’ve read that are so separate from humanity yet also at the same level of sophistication. Even the slime mould was more relatable, somehow, because they choose to emulate us.
The themes of the first two novels link together like stepping-stones. The solution to the “problem” of each book serves as a building block for the premise of the next problem. In the first book, the spiders and humans struggled to recognize each other’s lives as having meaning, though the spiders had an advantage through the virus. The problem was solved by creating Humans.
Once they have bridged the species gap, they are ready to focus on communication, which the second book tackles. We have a team of scientists focusing on sharing experience (Understandings) and a team of linguists focusing on individual-to-individual communication (without Avrana Kern as a go-between). Communication saves the day, with Helena able to talk the octopi down from violence and Avrana Kern able to share a fabricated experience with the slime mould to show it a new kind of adventure.
And as a result of their peaceful resolution, a door is open to the sharing of culture and technology, and the octopi may see their home world again.
This is the kind of story I needed — now, especially.
