Adrian Tchaikovsky

Be careful what you wish for. Whether searching for love, fame, money or revenge, remember that everything comes with a price. From stepping into an unknown in nature to ignoring the warnings of locals, to finding your perfect match or facing the hidden horrors of your past, beware. The thirteen stories in this brand-new anthology explore the dark side of human nature and take us into the hidden, terrifying recesses of a world we never see. Until it’s too late . . .

5...4...3...2...1... LIFT OFF... and out into the realms of Science Fiction, as Commando Presents... The Sci-Fi Files Volume 1 This otherworldly anthology beams down four Science Fiction comics from a galaxy's worth of adventure in black and white art. From time travel to giant bugs, this out-of-this-world selection of comics is sure to send your imagination into space Collecting classic Commandos #577 'Soldier from Space' and #1294 'Time-Warp Warrior' alongside modern issues #5331 'Flight from Tomorrow' and #5477 'Bug Attack', this is something no comic or Sci-Fi fan can do without

Arthur C. Clarke winner and Sunday Times bestseller returns to a world steeped in magic – and the Tyrant Philosophers' campaign to bring reason, logic and ‘perfection’ to it. As the Palleseen’s campaign to bring Perfection and Correctness to an imperfect world rages on, Eres Ffenegh – “the City on the Back of a Crab” – is the next state slated for conquest. But its citizens won’t give up sovereignty easily. The siege has dragged into winter and the defenders – both locals and Pal renegades – hold an uneasy alliance against the enemy at the gates, while the Pal army is looking over its shoulder for the next self-destructive dictate of their government back home. Within the city, Devil Jack, a good man apprenticed to the notorious conjurer known as the Widow, is driven to bargaining with hell to get back what he’s lost. Meanwhile Kiffel ea Leachan is the city’s champion, a child of privilege who’s just lost everything to the invaders. Both must try to survive the siege and make their own destinies in a world that’s cut them loose. Outside the city, Pal reinforcements have arrived to take the city, but it’s the sort of help that might just damn them all... THE TYRANT PHILOSOPHERS 1. City of Last Chances: portrait of Ilmar, a city under Palleseen occupation 2. House of Open Wounds: portrait of the Palleseen war machine at work. 3. Days of Shattered Faith: portrait of a kingdom consumed, piece-by-piece, by Palleseen diplomatic subterfuge. 3.1 Lives of Bitter Rain: a prequel novella to Days of Shattered Faith, portrait of a life in the Palleseen diplomatic corps. 4. Pretenders to the Throne of God: portrait of a city under siege. 5. The Grave of Perfection: will take us back to Ilmar, the 'City of Last Chances' where our story began.

13 original stories of dark fantasy inspired by the classic tales of L. Frank Baum and the land of Oz, from the masters of fantasy and science fiction, including M. R. Carey, Christina Henry and Adrian Tchaikovsky. Journey beyond the yellow brick road, click your heels together and enter the dark heart of the tornado... if you dare. Join the award-winning Marie O'Regan & Paul Kane as they bring together some of genre fiction's bestselling and acclaimed authors as they explore the wild imagination of L. Frank Baum and his wonderful Land of Oz. Featuring stories by Simon R. Green Caitin Rozakis Louise Carey Adrian Tchaikovsky Ian Whates M. R. Carey Paul Magrs Delilah S. Dawson Robert Shearman Stark Holborn Christina Henry Una McCormack Jonathan Maberry

Elena Mendes thought she understood what “old money” was. She knew her boyfriend Ross Enderbough was rich. Like, “old money” rich. She knew he was the scion of some eccentric British line that predates the whole United States. She knew he didn’t really get on with his family, and that he fled to America to study free of their influence. Ross has been summoned to Enderby, the family mansion built as a monastery centuries ago, for an exclusive, mysterious family gathering that happens only once a generation. Spouses and partners aren’t invited, but Ross has asked Elena to come anyway for moral support. But there are secrets in the mouldering old pile, and terrors in the unkempt woods on the estate. And Elena slowly comes to realise that “old money” means so much more than she’d ever imagined…

Allies will become enemies. Enemies will become allies. And the Dark Lord is waiting. The church of Armes of the Light has long fought the forces of Darkness. And its great prophecy dictates that Dark Lord Darvezian will fall to a band of misfits armed with their wits and the Light’s blessing, and led by a priestess. But to reach the Dark Lord via the ‘spider’s path’, as the prophecy states, they’ll need a spider. They’ll discover that not even the power of sorcery can disguise the grotesque creature’s true and appalling nature, nor its unwillingness to be part of their quest. As priestess, mage, knight, ranger, and rogue squabble their way through a journey fraught with peril, they question whether Nth is a monster, a tool or a friend. And ahead lies a mighty confrontation. If they can survive it, it will change all their worlds forever. Spiderlight is an exhilarating fantasy quest from Adrian Tchaikovsky, the author of Children of Time, Guns of the Dawn and the Shadows of the Apt series. Praise for Spiderlight ‘Tchaikovsky gives us sympathetic characters, real moral dilemmas, and emotional depth, all shot through with a sly humor that kept me grinning throughout’ – Django Wexler ‘A joy from beginning to end’ – Paul Cornell ‘Spiderlight is a great fantasy read from one of the UK’s growing creators of world-class genre storytelling’ – Starburst Magazine

Pimeyden herra Darvezian on levittämässä valtaansa ja demonisia armeijoitaan kautta maailman. Profetian mukaan Valon voimilla on yksi keino kukistaa hänet lopullisesti. Tätä yrittämään lähtee pikkuruinen joukko: uskonsa kanssa kipuileva Valon jumalan papitar, omahyväinen mestarimaagi, urhea jousinainen, ovela pikkurikollinen ja lyhytpinnainen setämiessoturi - sekä vastentahtoiseksi valon oppaaksi pakotettu Pimeyden hämähäkki, joka on taiottu irvokkaasti ihmistä muistuttavaan hahmoon. Kaikki ei mene kuin Keski-Maassa. Ainoa vastustaja ei tietenkään ole pimeyden herra, vaan hänen kannattajansa ovat valmiita tuhoamaan retikikunnasta joka ikisen, joten hyvien puolella olevien yhteistyö olisi hyvä idea. Kuitenkin retkueen dynamiikka venyy ja repeilee. Vihollisista tulee ystäviä, ystävistä vihollisia. Ripeäliikkeinen, hauska ja erittäin jännittävä fantasia kysyy riviensä välissä isoja kysymyksiä. Kuten kirjan henkilö Harathes sanoo, "tästä tulee eeppistä". * * * Adrian Tchaikovsky (s. 1972) on palkittu ja ylistetty brittiläinen scifi- ja fantasiakirjailija. Tchaikovskya on innoittanut erityisesti biologia. Hän on eläintieteilijä-kirjailijoiden kuten Gerald Durrellin ja David Attenboroughin suuri ihailija. Psykologiaa tutkineena hänen pääaiheensa on ihmisen käyttäytyminen. Vuonna 2019 hänestä tuli Lincolnin yliopiston kunniatohtori. "Edistys tarkoittaa ihmisen, ei koneiden, edistymistä", Tchaikovsky on kirjoittanut. * * * "Tchaikovsky tarjoilee sympaattisia hahmoja, todellisia moraalisia ongelmia, syviä tunteita ja kaiken tämän kanssa kieroa huumoria." - kirjailija Django Wexler Lukinvalosta

In a city of sunshine and secrets, the shadows belong to the animals. In a solar-powered future, humans live in luxury, served by unseen Little Helpers - artificially enhanced animals who maintain their perfect green cities. The animals' number one rule: 'do not bother the humans'. Yet, beneath this tranquil facade, a complex underworld of animal politics, crime and conflict thrives. Enter Skotch, a freelance raccoon investigator. Until now, his biggest problem has been a lack of work. Now, his work may get him killed. His latest case? Finding a fugitive mouse scientist. But powerful forces are also after Doctor Meece, and they're willing to kill for his secrets. Can Skotch navigate this treacherous web, outsmart rat gangsters, beat a deadly weasel assassin and keep his pelt intact? More importantly, can he find his quarry before the elusive rodent breaks Rule One in the most apocalyptic way - and shatters their fragile world. For those who loved John Scalzi's Starter Villain and Adrian Tchaikovsky's Service Model, Green City Wars is a crime-inspired adventure that will draw you deep into an incredible new world . . . * * * Praise for Adrian Tchaikovsky 'One of the most interesting and accomplished writers in speculative fiction' - Christopher Paolini 'Fantastic and highly imaginative' - Peter F. Hamilton 'Picking up an Adrian Tchaikovsky book is proof you love your brain and want it to be happy' - John Scalzi 'An intriguing puzzle with plenty of thrills' - The Guardian

In a city of sunshine and secrets, the shadows belong to the animals. One genetically-engineered raccoon races to expose a deadly conspiracy – before it tears his whole world apart. In a solar-powered future, humans live in luxury, served by unseen Little Helpers – artificially enhanced animals who maintain their perfect green cities. The animals’ golden rule: ‘Do Not Bother the Humans.’ Yet beneath this tranquil facade, a complex underworld of animal politics, crime and conflict thrives. Enter Skotch, a freelance raccoon investigator. His biggest problem was a lack of work. Now his work may get him killed. And his latest case? Finding a fugitive mouse scientist. But powerful forces are also after the mouse, and they're willing to kill for his secrets. Can Skotch navigate this treacherous web, outsmart rat gangsters, beat a deadly weasel assassin and keep his pelt intact? More importantly, can he find his quarry before the elusive rodent breaks Rule One in the most apocalyptic way – and shatters their fragile world. For those who loved John Scalzi's Starter Villain and Adrian Tchaikovsky's Service Model, this crime-inspired adventure will draw you deep into an incredible new world . . . Praise for Adrian Tchaikovsky ‘One of the best storytellers in the business’ – John Scalzi, author of Starter Villain ‘Delightful and very funny’ – New Scientist Children of Time won the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Best Science Fiction Novel w/c 24 August 2016

LIVES OF BITTER RAIN is a novella in Adrian Tchaikovsky's award-winning Tyrant Philosopher Quintet. It is a prequel to the third novel in the sequence, DAYS OF SHATTERED FAITH.

Philip Marlowe meets Redwall in this superior adult noir tale, where all the characters are animals, fighting for survival in the city underneath the humans. Down these mean streets a beast must walk... In the solar cities of the future, the humans relax in the sun and the animals work in the shadows. Genetically engineered Little Helpers, serving humanity--unseen, unheard. Meet Skotch. Raccoon, PI--yours for a few buttons as long as the job isn't too illegal, whatever that means. A mouse has gone missing. Normally this wouldn't raise any hackles, nor any alarms, but this mouse has something that everyone seems to want, though nobody appears particularly eager to say what that something is. The fee is good--perhaps too good. Certainly not something Skotch can easily turn down. If only Skotch can work out where the mouse is hiding, what he's hiding, and why his secrets are upsetting a lot of animals caught up in the Green City wars.

The Future Is The Journey. The vastness of space, the endless ribbon of time, worlds beyond our own: humanity has always been driven to explore, to pass the horizon and enter the unknown. For too many, that drive is what ultimately destroys us. In three critically-acclaimed novellas, the "British master of science fiction" (Reactor) takes you into a mysterious artefact at the edge of the Solar system, to the very last day of time, into a world apparently born of children’s stories, with fearless – and sometimes hapless – explorers... and shows us why sometimes it’s best to stay at home. Collecting Tchaikovsky's critically acclaimed novellas Walking to Aldebaran (2019), One Day All This Will Be Yours (2021) and And Put Away Childish Things (2023) for the first time, Terrible Worlds: Destinations gives you three glimpses of the limits of reality.

From the award-winning master of sci-fi Adrian Tchaikovsky, Children of Strife is the unmissable follow-up space opera to the highly acclaimed Children of Time, Children of Ruin and Children of Memory.

From the award-winning master of sci-fi Adrian Tchaikovsky, Children of Strife is the unmissable follow-up space opera to the highly acclaimed Children of Time, Children of Ruin and Children of Memory.In this epic adventure, we visit a far-future after earth fell, where ark ships had hunted for a new home. They sought lost worlds terraformed in earth’s forgotten past. We follow a ship crewed by maverick humans, spiders and a spectacularly punchy mantis shrimp captain as they rediscover one such world, and an ark.Then human crewmate Alis wakes to discover that she, her captain and the ship’s intelligence are the only ones left on their ship. But what happened to those who left to explore the ark . . . and the world below?Children of Strife is the extraordinary next volume set in the Children of Time universe, featuring epic adventure, first contact and the nature of intelligence among the stars.***Praise for Children of Time‘An exemplar of classic widescreen science fiction' - New Scientist‘Children of Time has a fabulous sense of scale that only someone as talented as Adrian Tchaikovsky can pull off . . . Very much recommended’ - Peter F Hamilton ‘A joy from start to finish. Entertaining, smart, surprising and unexpectedly human’ - Patrick Ness‘Brilliant science fiction and far out world building’ - James McAvoyChildren of Time won the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Best Science Fiction Novel w/c 24 August 2016

A new entry in the wildly successful Children of Time series from award-winning master of science fiction Adrian Tchaikovsky. After Earth fell, ark ships hunted for a new home. They sought lost worlds terraformed in Earth's forgotten past. A ship crewed by maverick humans, spiders and a spectacularly punchy mantis shrimp captain is about to rediscover one such world, and an ark. Then human crewmate Alis wakes to discover that she, her captain and the ship's intelligence are the only ones left on their ship. But what happened to those who left to explore the ark . . . and the world below? Children of Strife is the extraordinary next volume set in the Children of Time universe, featuring epic adventure, first contact and the nature of intelligence among the stars.