Title: Lords of Uncreation. (Final Architecture 3)
Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky
Genre: Science Fiction
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication Date: April 27th 2023
Comment: I received a copy via Tor Books and Black Crow and the author. All words belong to me, or John, and are in no way influenced by Unspace and unspeakable horrors.
Secondary Comment. My guest reviewer John has an eloquence that in no way makes my reviews feel like the mutterings of a toddler holding up a piece of paper with a scribble saying it’s the Mona Lisa. So for an epic trilogy, I’ll hand the reigns over to him.
Synopsis
He’s found a way to end their war, but will humanity survive to see it?
Idris Telemmier has uncovered a secret that changes everything – the Architects’ greatest weakness. A shadowy Cartel scrambles to turn his discovery into a weapon against these alien destroyers of worlds. But between them and victory stands self-interest. The galaxy’s great powers would rather pursue their own agendas than stand together against this shared terror. (Gee, what a surprise, who saw that coming?)
Human and inhuman interests wrestle to control Idris’ discovery, as the galaxy erupts into a mutually destructive and self-defeating war. The other great obstacle to striking against their alien threat is Idris himself. He knows that the Architects, despite their power, are merely tools of a higher intelligence.
Deep within unspace, where time moves differently, and reality isn’t quite what it seems, their masters are the true threat. Masters who are just becoming aware of humanity’s daring – and taking steps to exterminate this annoyance forever.
Review
The reluctant anti-hero and original intermediary Idris Telemmier, has uncovered what he believes is the secret that might change everything within the known universe and beyond. He feels he has found the real power and might behind the Architect’s relentless aim for mayhem and wanton destruction. And he has discovered what could be the Architects’ biggest weakness. It could be a way to finally end the war.
Idris’s sheer frustration and dogged unwillingness to conform to everyone else’s ideals and way of thinking do not stop his friends from throwing a protective shield around him whenever they are in his company. Loyalty and trust mean a lot for the remaining crew of the Vulture God, considering what they’ve been through together.
Defying logic and reason, Idris will do all in his power to infiltrate the depths of Unspace to communicate with whatever essence is manipulating events to try and halt the inevitable. Unfortunately for Idris, these Masters are just becoming aware of humanity’s audaciousness and taking all the necessary steps to exterminate this irritation from existence forever.
Lords of Uncreation by Adrian Tchaikovsky is the concluding episode in the Final Architecture space opera trilogy. An intense, suspenseful, gut-wrenching blockbuster, if ever there was one. It draws you in from the very beginning, and you become immersed in it. Spellbound.
John
The author has indubitably written some of the best science fiction books the genre has offered. The award-winning Children of Time series, the Dogs of War books and the stand-alone The Doors of Eden, to mention a few, and this definitive finale to The Final Architecture series, Lords of Uncreation, is proof of that.
Tchaikovsky has that canny knack for ignoring the laws of conventionality, even delving into the realms of the surreal. Idris is a walking testament to the outlandish and exotic mind-bending visions that the author portrays in the narrative.
(See what I mean? Eloquence!)
It is a demonstration of the author’s unique array of skills in that not only does he develop an already intriguing plot line, but he also adds and expands on it so there is a sub-plot happening in the background where you are never quite sure if it’s going to intrude into the concluding events.
Characters are more or less fully developed apart from the influx of several new arrivals. Solace, Olli, Kris and Kit, the enigma Ash, are all right to the fore in the proceedings. Havaer Mundy plays a more expansive role than in the previous novels, as the politics get heavy and way out of order. You expect the usual humans bickering and squabbling with each other, the natural cause of events, but things ramp up a notch when alien species join in the political schemes and machinations, and then you know things will radically escalate.
The Lords of Uncreation is a book which never has the time for the dreary, the tiresome or the plain mundane. The pace begins and continues to be relentless throughout. The action sequences are mind-boggling and would give George Lucas a run for his money. Everything is done in fine detail with vivid and vibrant picturesque descriptions.
It doesn’t get overly bogged down in too much tech and science speak, which allows the dialogue to flow freely. Although it has a tendency to be a bit colourful in places.
The climactic finale was well worth waiting for, and it took quite a while to finally complete if complete is the right word. But you will have to read it and see for yourself. Needless to say, It was an ending of epic proportions that only a few, with the imagination, insight and intelligence, such as Adrian Tchaikovsky, could have come up with.
Suffice it to say I rate Lords of Uncreation very highly and would say The Final Architecture series is Adrian Tchaikovsky’s best, surpassing Children of Time.
With Thanks to John for his review. Normal scribbling sarcastic reviews will follow. However, I do have to add that I recently finished listening to City of Last Chances in Audio and it seems that Mr Tchaikovsky also wants to corner the market on Low Fantasy as well as High Sci-Fi. He really needs to leave some room for other authors. It’s just greedy at this point.
The Entire series of The Final Architects is out today.
Love the extras. Epic.