Huge thanks to Pan Macmillan, Adrian Tchaikovsky, and NetGalley for this opportunity to read the ARC ahead of release. This was an experience that won't be forgotten, and I can hardly wait for readers to step into this strange, haunting world when the book releases on 12th March 2026.

Every time I pick up an Adrian Tchaikovsky novel, I know I am stepping into a world where imagination is pushed to its wildest edges, and Children of Strife is no exception. This book pulled me in from the very first page, not just because of its premise, but because the author once again manages to blend hard science fiction with deeply human questions of creation, responsibility, and survival.

Set centuries after a renegade terraforming team "played god" on a distant planet, the novel drops us into a mystery that has simmered over generations. What was to be a refuge proved a prison; what was to be a new, teeming world proved something much more dangerous. As someone who loves stories embroidered with ethical dilemmas and cosmic unknowns, I found myself immediately hooked.

Alis is a troubled scientist on a research vessel that was sent to rediscover this outpost. Internal problems and nightmares, which almost feel prophetic, become much more than just character shading-they tie in eerily with the unfolding disaster aboard the ship. It is during those moments when she wakes to find the entire crew missing that tension starts to set in. At once, Alis isn't fighting only her mind but also a horrific reality.

Her two companions on this impossible journey are Cato, the aggressively charismatic mantis shrimp captain-yes, the author has mastered the art of making nonhuman characters unforgettable-and Kern, the ship's AI whose calm rationality provides an unsettling contrast with the chaos around them. The dynamic between this unlikely trio is one of my favourite aspects of the novel; equal parts tense, touching, and darkly humorous.

As Alis and Cato make their way down to the planet below in search of answers, the tone of the narrative shifts into something near claustrophobic. Adrian Tchaikovsky brings this world to life with unsettling beauty: the remnants of ancient science, the eerie silence of a failed utopia, and the question that lingers in the air-what exactly did the terraformers create? The pacing tightens, the atmosphere thickens, and the mystery grows more complex with every chapter.

All I will say, without spoiling anything, is this: the "children" born from that original act of scientific arrogance are unlike anything I have encountered before in sci-fi. They are terrifying and tragic, strangely awe-inspiring. And moral questions about creation, fear, exploitation, and the weight of past sins linger long after turning the final page.

What really surprised me, however, was how personal this story felt despite its massive scale. Alis's emotional journey becomes the core of the novel. Her guilt, her resilience, and her gradual confrontation with the truth make this not just a cosmic mystery, but also a story about healing and accountability. At times, her introspection hit me harder than expected and reminded me that Adrian Tchaikovsky's strength isn't just in worldbuilding, it's in humanity. Children of Strife is bold, atmospheric, and profoundly imaginative. Fans of the author will find plenty to love, and newcomers will discover an unforgettable entry point into his signature blend of science fiction and philosophy. I couldn't put it down, and I'm still thinking about the ending days later.

5 stars as always. I don't know how Adrian Tchaikovsky does this but every book in this series is as good as the previous ones, and I'm now emotionally compromised over a shrimp with PTSD. The book follows some plot lines directly from the 3rd one, which I also appreciate a great deal, and the only alien that truly exists is used in the plot in a really interesting way. Overall I enjoyed this book immensely, and almost didn't want to finish it because that would've meant no more of my favourite universe. I hope there will be further books in the series.

Another truly fantastic read from Tchaikovsky. The emotional complexity of his characters, plot, and settings continues to be unmatched. It felt great to be back in this world, and meet some old friends. Tchaikovsky's character work is truly something special and Cato's storyline is proof of that. At this point, Tchaikovsky is an auto-buy author to me as I know his stories are always going to be mesmerising.

One thing I love about Tchakovsky's work is his ability to make us feel things for spiders, shrimps and AI that we never knew possible. Cato the Stomatopod is the breakout character of this work, a glimpse into a culture we have had mentioned since Children of Time, and boy, they do not disappoint, and their character is as punchy (IYKYK) yet poetic as can be.

Every Adrian Tchaikovsky book I dive into is an absolute feast for the imagination, and Children of Strife is no exception to that rule.
A complex combination of moral questions and dilemmas, interwoven with science, in an unforgiving fight for survival where playing God leads to dire consequences.
An absolute masterclass in building a story that develops over time and across multiple generations, presenting all the key points and problems flawlessly.
In the last instalment, we tackle again the results of the terraforming projects and all the questions that were left.
We have a familiar character returning to the scene in the face of the ship's AI assistant, Kern, and her presence brought a really nice balance to the chaos.
Alis - a scientist plagued with nightmares that feel almost like they are predicting events and tie beautifully with everything happening around them.
And of course it won't be an Adrian Tchaikovsky book if there isn't an amazing non-human character that grabs your attention and doesn't let go.
I absolutely loved the part-mantis, part-shrimp, violent, grumpy captain Cato, and his character arc and story just hooked me in.
The story's vibe was so anxiety-inducing and suffocating at times that it shows how immersed and invested you get without even realising it.
Although the book can be read without having your toes dipped into the previous books, I wholeheartedly suggest going through them first because the depth of this spacious story is so much more fulfilling knowing the past.
Loved this book and always a fan of Adrian Tchaikovsky.

(Social media post will be added near release date.)

Once again, Tchaikovsky has proved himself to be one of the master voices in scifi in modern times, and has not let us down with this latest instalment of the "Children of Time" books.

Kern was not the only teriformer of the Ancients; there were others, but they were not quite as brilliant. And when a group of five take a hidden planet for themselves and tries to become the planet's gods, things go wrong. When the pulse from Earth wipes out their functions, they think their days are numbered, but it seemed their ruthlessness, their insanity, had created something new and quite deadly. So, thousands of years later, when part of a team goes missing, Ali, Cato and a version of Kern and their team have to look for them. And put their lives in terrible danger.

Once again, this book explores the dangers of science, the brilliance of the Human (spider & mantis-shrimp) spirit. This was amazing, I was hooked from the first. A must-read.

A banger. Another Tchaikovsky banger. When this was announced I wasn't sure where it would go but it went beyond!