I am constantly amazed at the quality and originality of Adrian Tchaikovsky's work.

In this novella, he perfectly blends Sci-Fi and fantasy themes to deliver a frightening tale of what would become of Earth if all the rich people and best minds had left it long ago to create their utopia. And worst of all, what would happen if some of those who have left came back.

It was beautifully written and very dark, but there was still some hope and humour in it.

I listened to the audiobook version and I loved the narrator. She really bring the tale to life.

Thank you so much Tantor Audio for this ARC!

I would read a restaurant menu that was written by Adrian as he is one of the most original and innovative writers I have read, this is another great read, my only caveat is that narrator was not to my taste sadly, I normally read books then but the Audio in this case I will do the reverse

Earth is a husk. It is a saturated mat of toxins seeping into the dust of crumbled cities. The environment seems primed to drain life rather than create. Survival is the strongest of instincts. among the remains clusters of clans modeled after creatures cling on to existence.

Amri is of the rabbit. They are a peaceful clan. Her socially expendable class standing earns her the task of traveling to hostile territory in the search for water. Only a bizarre shower from the sky saves her from the Seagulls that trap her. The rescue is little more than a reprieve. It is a prelude to a conflict far bigger than her imagination could ever conceive. Just maybe, it's an opportunity to rise from nothing to admired. If any of them survive the oncoming war.

“The Hungry Gods” follows four would-be-Gods. Each hold conviction as to the superiority of either plants, insects, technology, or humanity. No, the story is not a saccharine moral argument. As persistent as the will to live is the thirst for power. The beings do not just accept the title of God that is bestowed upon it. They relish it. They are not alone. What once was a tenacity to secure resources and a living memory of antagonism between clans isn't suddenly equalized.

A beautiful blending between the feel of themes common in fantasy within a sci-fi setting, Tchaikovsky does everything I know him best for. The examination of biological structures, technology, and modes of subsisting are the author's wheelhouse. They've yet to become repetitive and exhausted themes. If he keeps finding new angles to draw from as he does here, I hope he never stops. He still is able to nail a distinctive feel for each of his universes.

It is not a subtle work. If you turn to reading to escape current life you may want to set this one aside. The four 'Gods' they are a blatant response to a certain type of personality. They are an embodiment of the wealth, entitlement, and hubris we see manipulating our world today. This may be too heavy handed for some readers even if none are a direct parallel to an existing person.

There is nothing inherently funny about this book but there is an underlying cheekiness. I can't help but wonder if one character in particular is Tchaikovsky being able to have a laugh at his own fascinations. At times reading this was emotionally dreadful. It shares hard truths about history and human behavior. Happy endings are rarely universal or simple. On the other hand seeing the author finding a way to process a source of so much frustration was a little cathartic. It's hard to say it was always an enjoyable undertaking given the parallels but it was a read I gobbled up and can see revisiting.

Adrian Tchaikovsky is one of the most original current science fiction writers. Every book is so different yet here creates entire worlds even in short books like this. I especially love post apocalyptic novels, and this had such fascinating ideas on how people would be able to move on.
The narrator was brilliant and perfectly portrayed the mood as the betrayed god navigated the changed world and found the followers to bring himself back. This is short enough I'll probably read it again before I move on.

this story is very interesting. "gods" coming back to the world after its destroyed, the ways they want to bring the world back is a cool system. plants. bugs or plastic and the way the people of the world react to them is interesting.

This novella wasn’t even on my radar until I saw it pop up on NetGalley. Adrian Tchaikovsky is incredibly prolific, but it was the striking cover art that really drew me in. I went in blind, expecting a fairly standard post-apocalyptic survival story, but it turned out to have far more depth than I anticipated.

While I can't say I loved it in the traditional sense, it absolutely made me think. As the story unfolds and its central premise is revealed, I found myself genuinely reflecting on the direction the world is heading and what those in power might be capable of in the name of control or progress. It’s unsettling in the best way.

Emma Newman’s narration was stellar. She brought the cast to life with a grounded, believable tone that matched the story's mood perfectly. Quietly intense and highly skilled in its delivery.

3.75/5

This review is for the audio version of the book, wonderfully narrated by Emma Newman.

This takes place in the distant future, where civilization on Earth has crumbled, and the surviving humans have broke into tribes to protect themselves.

When the gods of that former, technological civilization return to Earth with plans to "revitalize" and "preserve" the planet they're surprised to find it still inhabited.

This was a little strange for me. Completely fascinating, and absolutely binge-able, but strange.

The societal breakdown was interesting, with like minded/tempered people banding together to form their communities, and watching their reactions as they realized they were in the middle of a feud between 4 godlike beings.

The main character, Amri, was interesting but I couldn't really connect with her in a way that made me invested in the outcome of her story.

Again. the plot was fascinating. It moved quick and was engaging.

Strange but worth the time to read.

5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love Adrian Tchaikovsky’s writing and I’ve never read a book of his that didn’t entertain me and make me think and this novella length book is no exception.

This is a story where all the “smartest” tech geniuses have left earth to build a utopia in space and have anbandoned earth to become a dystopian society where humans scavenge for water and food. Our narrator Amri is the lowest of the rabbit tribe, having to constantly risk her neck and run for her life to keep her place in their society. When the monstrous plant god, Bruce (one of our tech guys who has now decided he’s a god) destroys her entire tribe, Amri allies herself with Guy Vesten, one of those returning gods and proceeds to help him defeat the other returned gods.

I really enjoyed Emma Newman’s narration of this book, she somehow managed to start off with Anri sounding dejected and beaten but as the character’s status and confidence grew so did the power in the narrator’s voice. She perfectly captured all the arrogance of Guy Veston when delivering his lines too.

What I loved in particular:
- Guy, Bruce, Mathias and Patrick all seemed like dreadful people but perfectly captured the personalities of the sort of people who would seek to elevate themselves to God status.
-Amri, I really liked her journey from scared and barely surviving to thriving and being in a position of power. I liked that she ended up working so well together with beaker and in fact that all the tribes of humans seemed to be able to set their differences aside. I also loved that Amri got the last laugh.

This was a great short listen, thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the opportunity to listen to this ALC.

3.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to listen to The Hungry Gods in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was such a strange little story—and I mean that as a compliment. I went in not really knowing what to expect, and by the end, I was kind of stunned by how much it packed into such a short runtime.

Amri, a Rabbit, is one of the few survivors after a devastating attack wipes out her home. Her people always believed in running to stay alive... but there's no outrunning the gods. She ends up with Guy, a fallen god who recruits her in a quest for revenge against the others who betrayed him. It’s strange, cynical, a bit bleak—but also gripping in that “what did I just listen to?” kind of way. 🐇🔥

The audiobook narration worked well for this one—moody and soft without overdoing it. It suited the scorched setting and this weird alliance between a traumatized survivor and a vengeful god. It’s not warm or cozy at all, but it had a brutal logic that fit the post-apocalyptic world perfectly.

It didn’t make me feel much, emotionally—but it made me think. And I’ll admit, the concept of gods needing followers and rebuilding power after a fall… I’m intrigued 👀

If you like dark novellas that feel like myth-meets-fallout, this one's for you.

#TheHungryGods #NetGalley