The Air War by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Buy from: Amazon UK
Buy from: Amazon USA
Buy from: eBay
Buy from Bookshop.org indie booksellers
Buy from: Blackwells UK
Buy from: Google Play E-book Store
Hold on to your antennae and spread your wings, folks. Here comes the eighth book in the ‘Shadows of the Apt' series by Adrian Tchaikovsky, titled "The Air War". We've seen wars on the ground and under the sea, but now the sky's the limit. Literally.
Imagine a world where people are blessed with insect-like abilities. From the cunning of the spiders to the agility of the ants, everyone's got a little buzz. But, let's not be lazy like dung beetles in a compost heap; we need to dive into the nitty-gritty of this high-flying tale.
Picture this: in a cozy corner called Solarno, spies don't just exchange secret glances – they're sharpening knives. They're getting ready to lay the smackdown on each other in the coolest, most bug-tastic ways imaginable. Meanwhile, the folks of Myna are like crickets at a rock concert, just watching an ever-growing army amassing at their borders. The vibes? Tense like a centipede's shoe shopping day.
But the heart of this airborne extravaganza is the Empire, where Empress Seda (she's got wings and a sting) is flexing her dual heritage muscles. She's like, "Hey, this throne is mine, and I've got the wing-power to prove it." New pilots are zipping through the skies after some top-secret training, and generals are being woken up from their naps to get their boots ready for marching.
Up in the air, the aerial duels aren't just your regular dogfights. Imagine a wasp wielding a rapier and a dragonfly with a jetpack, all while hummingbirds cheer them on. The pace? Slower at first, like a caterpillar in traffic, but when it picks up, you'll feel like you've been hit by a swarm of turbocharged mosquitoes.
Now, let's talk new characters. Among the whole ant colony of personalities, we've got Taki, the fly-kinden aviatrix, who's basically Amelia Earhart with compound eyes. Lazslo the pirate-slash-spy is swashbuckling his way into our hearts, and then there's Stenwold Maker, who's part beetle and part spymaster – think James Bond with a shiny exoskeleton.
But what's the buzz on the new insect kinden? We've got assassin-bugs, who are not the most charming bunch, but they get the job done. And the fireflies – oh, they're literally the life of the party.
So, fasten your seatbelts, and get ready for an adventure through skies brimming with danger, intrigue, and multi-legged heroes. If steampunk-bug action doesn't tickle your wings, we don't know what will. Gear up for an adventure that will leave you soaring through ‘The Air War' – just don't forget your aviator goggles.