The Spark of Revolution

Insights into the complexities of enacting societal change

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Books of a Theme

In the past week I read — or perhaps more accurately devoured — City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds by Adrian Tchaikovsky, the first two books in his Tyrant Philosophers series. I knew going in that this man is a genius, but these novels still utterly blew me away with their complex themes and terrific worldbuilding (I’ll save my in-depth praise for the latter for another time.)

Given the title of the series, it should be no surprise that it prominently explores the attempts of Palleseen colonizers to impose their doctrine of ‘perfection’ upon other peoples and cultures. They have it all figured out, after all, so why shouldn’t they fight tooth and nail to share their insights with everyone else?

This may sound eerily familiar, if you’ve read my posts on Seth Dickinson’s Masquerade series. (Or, I suppose, if you have a good grasp on world history.) Dickinson likewise has Falcresti philosophers actively pursuing a doctrine which will ‘perfect’ the world around them, creating a global homogenic society ruling itself on behalf of the colonizing elites.