LORDS OF UNCREATION - Adrian Tchaikovsky

 I've done it again.  I've picked up the third book in a trilogy without having read the previous books in the series.  Sometimes it doesn't matter too much but in this case I think it was probably vital to have the background of the previous books.

Not only am I coming in at the end of a trilogy, I've never read anything by Adrian Tchaikovsky before, but I'd been wanting to something of his and this came up.

Decades ago the earth was destroyed in a war with a race referred to as The Architects.  In order to avoid the annihilation of all human-kind, a group of elite, enhanced humans were created to be the heroes in humanity's war.

One such created hero is Idris Telemmier. He could probably have statues made of him for his work but instead he finds himself on a salvage ship with an oddball crew. Even so, Idris has come upon a massive secret which could bring about the downfall of the otherwise seemingly invincible Architects. But when word gets out that he has this knowledge there are forces, some from within, that want this knowledge for themselves. Idris has to juggle the possible fate of humanity with what is morally 'right' and 'wrong.'

I felt lost through much of the book. The relationships between the people, specifically those aboard the ship with Idris, was very clearly a close-knit relationship, given their familiarity with one another, but I felt like the new kid in school watching all the cliques but not fitting in with any of them. It looked like a lot of fun but I wasn't allowed to be a part of it.

The first 2/3rds of the book was mostly interactions among the friends and cohorts which did help a little with getting to know people, but it still felt like this was more a reunion for those who knew and loved these characters.

The action of the book picks up in the last third of the novel and it was definitely exciting. This was everything you would expect in a 200 page space opera - action, high stakes (the fate of all humanity!), gods brought down to size by the best humanity has to offer.  It's just too bad there's 400 pages before we get to the grit of the story.

I truly believe that my concerns with the book stem from the fact that this is the end of a story and not a stand-alone novel. But since this was the book I was provided to read and review, I can only do so as a stand-alone.

Looking for a good book? Lords of Uncreation by Adrian Tchaikovsky is the final book in an epic space opera, but unless you've read the previous two books you might feel left out.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

2-1/2 stars

* * * * * *

Lords of Uncreation

author: Adrian Tchaikovsky

series: The Final Architecture #3

publisher: Orbit

ISBN: 9781668628102

hardcover, 608 pages