Children of Memory by Adrian Tchaikovsky
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Welcome aboard the starship “Cosmic Curiosity” as we set course for the final exhilarating installment in Adrian Tchaikovsky's gripping space opera, "Children of Memory".
In a universe where spiders, octopuses, humans, and more recently, smart ravens, have built a formidable coalition of star explorers, adventure beckons beyond every star. Captain Quill, a daring octopus, leads the team through the galaxy. He's not just any octopus; he's a master of gadgets, with eight arms that juggle space tools like a circus act.
They follow the echoes of ancient human ark ships to find out what became of the terraforming experiments gone by. Along the way, they collect space artifacts, unravel space-time enigmas, and, oh, occasionally have to outwit mysterious witches. Yes, witches in space – didn't see that coming, did you?
The "Cosmic Curiosity" crew find themselves on Planet Rourke, where the original human settlers have vanished and in their place, they find a parliament of sassy ravens who have turned this place into their gothic kingdom. They insist they aren't sentient but have mysteriously taken up hobbies like debating existentialism, and collecting shiny space trinkets.
Meanwhile, on another partially terraformed planet, they encounter Liff, a spirited young girl, who seems to be living inside a fairytale. There's a quaint village, surrounded by dark, enchanting forests and echoing mountains. Liff believes there's a witch in a nearby cave who has ensnared her grandfather in a curse. She's armed with a fairy tale book and determination to outsmart the witch. Will she succeed?
Wait, there's more. Space-time seems to be playing hopscotch here. Characters are inconsistent, events don't add up, and there's this feeling that reality is in the blender. It's up to our versatile crew to solve the mysteries while deciphering philosophical conundrums presented by their avian companions.
"Children of Memory" is a tapestry of intrigue, space fantasy, and philosophical puzzles. Imagine “Star Trek” meets “Alice in Wonderland” with a dash of “Edgar Allan Poe” – that's the level of cosmic concoction we are talking about here.
Hold on tight to your space helmet, as Tchaikovsky takes you on a wild, warp-speed ride across galaxies, through haunted forests, and into the very essence of sentience and memory.
Pack your sense of wonder and join the cosmic rollercoaster that's as unpredictable as a black hole and as sparkly as the Milky Way. It's not just an adventure; it's a space fiesta for the imagination.