07/17/2025
Another book in the Hugo nominee list and wow this book was fantastic. It’s funny because I wasn’t looking for first person and definitely not present tense, but Tchaikovsky is a master of the language. From the very beginning I was hooked with how horrible getting to Kiln was. Then, you are thrust into an alien world teeming with life, and the science, the Mandate, everything is just so well crafted. It kept me hooked all the way to the end. Maybe there was a little slowness at the 2/5 point, but that wraps up quickly.
When I was describing this book to a friend, I said the closest thing would be The Martian for me, and even then, that is a loose connection. More so it’s the attention to detail in terms of what is happening. It’s gritty, and I loved it
2025-36
