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Elder Race Kindle Edition

by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 8,875 ratings
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"A Ursula Le Guin-like grace... Ten out of 10." —New York Times

In Adrian Tchaikovsky's Elder Race, a junior anthropologist on a distant planet must help the locals he has sworn to study to save a planet from an unbeatable foe.

Lynesse is the lowly Fourth Daughter of the queen, and always getting in the way.

But a demon is terrorizing the land, and now she’s an adult (albeit barely) with responsibilities (she tells herself). Although she still gets in the way, she understands that the only way to save her people is to invoke the pact between her family and the Elder sorcerer who has inhabited the local tower for as long as her people have lived here (though none in living memory has approached it).

But Elder Nyr isn’t a sorcerer, and he is forbidden to help, and his knowledge of science tells him the threat cannot possibly be a demon…

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    204 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Tordotcom
  5. Publication date
    November 16, 2021
  6. File size
    2611 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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  1. Because myths miss out all the sordid realities and preserve only What we wish we’d done, rather than How we actually did it.
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  2. Know thyself, the wise man wrote, and yet I know myself, none better, and the knowledge gives me no power.
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  3. It’s a fine line, I suspect, between useful logic and that pathological numbness that true depression can often lead to, where doing or wanting anything seems like climbing uphill.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Shortlisted for the Ursula K. Le Guin Fiction Prize!

An Indie Next Reading Group Selection!

"There’s an Ursula Le Guin-like grace to [Tchaikovsky's] storytelling, to the shifting of cadences. Everything about this book suggests deliberate care in uniting epic fantasy’s immersive world-building with the sharp, dislocating bursts of high-concept science fiction... Ten out of 10." ―New York Times

"[An] epic tale of a land ruled by magic―or the sober record of a world colonized by science...The double vision built into the story works well." ―Wall Street Journal

"[A] seamless blend of science fiction and fantasy... Recommended for lovers of portal fantasy, lost colony science fiction, and stories on the border between the two genres" ―Library Journal

"Tchaikovsky takes beloved tropes to exciting new places, carried by memorable characters and clever prose. This proves yet again why Tchaikovsky is a master of the genre mash-up.” ―Publishers Weekly

"Elder Race is a really fun novella, displaying Tchaikovsky’s trademark sharp prose and big ideas conveyed in interesting ways." ―GrimDark Magazine


More Praise for Adrian Tchaikovsky

"Picking up an Adrian Tchaikovsky book is proof you love your brain and want it to be happy." ―John Scalzi

“A great coming-of-age story that careens through a world so vividly realized that you can feel each insect bite and taste every acrid berry. The Expert System’s Brother gives you that visceral eek of satisfaction as its pieces come into view then fit together with exacting precision. It’s a smart story, smartly told.” - Hugo Award winner, John Chu

“I loved it. A bold, vivid story about humanity and the broader universe. Should we mold the universe to suit us? Or should we mold ourselves to suit the universe? Adrian Tchaikovsky keeps these choices in tension, and kept me riveted to the page.” - Ramez Naam, author of Nexus on The Expert System’s Brother

“Children of Time is a joy from start to finish. Entertaining, smart, surprising and unexpectedly human.” - Patrick Ness

“Brilliant science fiction and far out world building” - James McAvoy on Children of Time

“A refreshingly new take on post-dystopia civilizations, with the smartest evolutionary worldbuilding you'll ever read” - Peter F. Hamilton on Children of Time

“A magnificently imaginative space opera.” - B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog on Children of Time

About the Author

British narrator John Lee has read audiobooks in almost every conceivable genre, from Charles Dickens to Patrick O'Brian, and from the very real life of Napoleon to the entirely imagined lives of sorcerers and swashbucklers. He has won numerous Audie Awards and AudioFile Earphones Awards, and he was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile in 2009. Lee is also an accomplished stage actor and wrote and coproduced the feature films Breathing Hard and Forfeit.

Adrian Tchaikovsky is the author of the ten-book Shadows of the Apt series, starting with Empire in Black and Gold. His other works include the novel Children of Time, which won the 2016 Arthur C. Clarke Award, the short story collection Feast and Famine, and the novellas The Bloody Deluge and Even in the Cannon's Mouth. He has been shortlisted for the David Gemmell Legend Award and the British Fantasy Award.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08QGJHS7N
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tordotcom (November 16, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 16, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2611 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 204 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 8,875 ratings

About the author

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Adrian Tchaikovsky

Adrian Tchaikovsky

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Adrian Tchaikovsky was born in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire before heading off to Reading to study psychology and zoology. For reasons unclear even to himself he subsequently ended up in law and has worked as a legal executive in both Reading and Leeds, where he now lives. Married, he is a keen live role-player and occasional amateur actor, has trained in stage-fighting, and keeps no exotic or dangerous pets of any kind, possibly excepting his son. Catch up with Adrian at www.shadowsoftheapt.com for further information about both himself and the insect-kinden, together with bonus material including short stories and artwork. Author Website: http://shadowsoftheapt.com/

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
8,875 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Keith G. Rowley
5.0 out of 5 stars Heartfelt myth of a depressed wizard/scientist
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2024
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A really sweet and moving story about the last anthropologist from earth , living on a colonized planet far, far away.
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lonestar2001ad
4.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully Imagined Adventure
Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2024
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The character development is excellent.
The story is a haunting mystery but I admit the ending doesn't quite land as I had hoped.
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Mark Thompson
5.0 out of 5 stars a good read
Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2024
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Interesting and fun read, with a different perspective and approach to an otherwise familiar story line. Well worth your time
One person found this helpful
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SF Reader
4.0 out of 5 stars Clever idea
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2024
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Absolutely loved the first 80% of the book, but then it crashed into nonsense.
One person found this helpful
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RazorEdge
5.0 out of 5 stars looking for something new?
Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2024
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Something different, a story well thought out. You might find it here, give this one a try. I think you will enjoy it.
One person found this helpful
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Miles V. Aronnax
3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable writing, a quick read, an enjoyable if uncomplicated story
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2023
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Meaning to read a couple chapters of this book before bed, I ended up finishing the entire book in one 2-3 hour sitting. The writing flows well, and the plot being told from two perspectives is very enjoyable. I'd recommend this book to someone looking for a fast fix of sci-fi/fantasy -- particularly if they enjoy medieval settings.

There are things that didn't sit well. I would have liked to see some growth from Lynesse. She starts with a child-like view of things, and while the events of the story would seem setup to have her grow up -- even a little, the character is very much still child-like at the end. If anything, their resolve to see the world in terms of heroes, magic, and monsters is reinforced.

I also found the other lead - the scientist/sorcerer - was giving the impression of a 'Mary Sue'. The story tells us of his 'mistakes' and how he's a very poor anthropologist, but this doesn't bring any conflict or complication. Thinking back over the story, I can't think of a single time he did something wrong or hurt anyone's feelings in a way that had any ongoing effect.

The plot of the story leaves a lot of space open for a sequel, and despite my views on the two leads, I would be interested in reading a follow up.
4 people found this helpful
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horste1
5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific space wizardry
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2024
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Set on a distant future colony of earth, an anthropologist extends aid to a princess of the fourth rank, and is considered a wizard. A heroic quest ensues, and personalities spark developments.
Recommended
One person found this helpful
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hongdo
4.0 out of 5 stars Good story telling
Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2022
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Very poignant story telling. It takes the arch-typical fairy tale of the sorcerer , the princess, and the dragon and boils it down to its essence and at the same time expands it into a doctoral thesis.

The characters are well drawn, sympathetic, and you do care what happens to them. Most remarkably the dragon is reinvented as something alien, something Lovecraftian. The author does an excellent job of integrating fairy tales of old, the modern arrogant scholarly hubris, with more things than dreamt of in your frozen philosophy. A fascinating interplay and very skillfully done.

It asks the question: What human archetypes will humanity fall back on to try and understand incomprehensible things in the unbelievably vast universe? It addresses the real issue: Humanity can't handle the truth. But we can muddle on.

I usually don't care for sword and sorcery epics and stories, but this was well disguised in a hard science cloak. Or the other way around? A very tightly composed complex book that is much deeper than it appears. Well done.
9 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Pibbsworth Zwischenlanken
5.0 out of 5 stars Heartwrenching
Reviewed in Canada on September 28, 2023
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This is a beautiful, heart-wrenching fairy tale told from two viewpoints: an abandoned wizard / anthropologist; and an impetuous princess / savior.
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Lourie Sanchez
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in Mexico on December 4, 2021
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A formidable story for upcoming writer, I love the dual forms of description from different perspectives. Amazing I highly recommend
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António Carvalho
5.0 out of 5 stars Muito bom
Reviewed in Spain on April 26, 2024
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Muito bom
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Bernhard
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastisch!
Reviewed in Germany on February 20, 2024
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Das einzig wirklich schlechte an diesem Buch ist, dass es nur eine Länge von ca. 200 Seiten aufweist. Ein echter Page Turner in einem der spannendsten Settings, das ich in letzter Zeit gelesen habe! Die Handlung entspinnt sich frei nach Arthur C. Clarkes drittem Gesetz („Jede hinreichend fortschrittliche Technologie ist von Magie nicht zu unterscheiden") auf einem beinahe verwaisten Außenposten irgendwo im Universum. Im Sinne von: die überlegene Gründerrasse trifft auf die wieder ins archaische abgedrifteten Nachfahren von Kolonisten. Die innerlichen Kämpfe der Protagonisten und deren Begleiter werden hervorragend und schlüssig herausgearbeitet. Auch bleiben bis zum Schluss viele Fragen offen und man weiß eigentlich gar nicht so genau, was konkret die Bedrohung nun war. Doch das stört insofern nicht, als der Lösungsansatz in sich wieder glaubwürdig bleibt. Auch weiß man nicht so recht, ob sich der Roman nun irgendwie in den Kanon der Tchaikovsky'schen Buchreihen einfügt und quasi einen unbedeutenden Nebenschauplatz darstellt oder nicht. Das könnten vermutlich eingefleischte Fans beantworten.
FAZIT: ein wirklich spannendes und kurzweiliges Buch, dass ich jedem SciFi und Fantasy Begeisterten dringend ans Herz legen möchte!
One person found this helpful
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Edwin Mathias
5.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable, quick read.
Reviewed in India on November 26, 2023
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Who would have thought that a tale featuring two protagonists doomed to never fully understand each other, could be so satisfying?!

Definitely worth a read.
2 people found this helpful
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