Earth is failing. In a desperate bid to escape, the spaceship Enkidu and its captain, Heorest Holt, carry its precious human cargo to a potential new Eden. Generations later, this fragile colony has managed to survive, eking out a hardy existence. Yet life is tough, and much technological knowledge has been lost.
Then Liff, Holt’s granddaughter, hears whispers that the strangers in town aren’t from neighbouring farmland. That they possess unparalleled technology – and that they’ve arrived from another world. But not all questions are so easily answered, and their price may be the colony itself.
Publisher: Tor | Date: 2022 | Genre: Science Fiction
I received Children of Memory from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Children of Memory Review
Children of Time has sat on my shelf for a while. When I was given the chance to review Children of Memory, I knew the time had come to immerse myself in this trilogy – and what a ride it is!
Children of Memory is pushed as being either the third book in the series, or one that can be your introduction to this world. Given the complexities and developments that happen in the first two novels, I’m not certain how much will make sense if this is your first foray into this world. Spiders, octopuses, birds, AI’s and a mutating parasite posing as a human might be a little much if you don’t know how they got that.
That being said, the entire trilogy is well worth a read. It’s hard science-fiction: there’s a lot of scientific jargon added in. While some of that went over my head, Tchaikovsky has a way with words that means it never detracts from the reading experience. The science never disrupts the flow; it only adds layers into this complex world. Still, not for the faint-hearted who want an easy science-fiction read.
Plot
This review won’t be a rehash of the plot. But I will say it’s a complicated twist of time and fate. There was a point around mid-way where I began to get confused about what was going on. But, true to form, Tchaikovsky brings all these plot points together in a way that left me unable to put the book down. You need your brain switched on for this book, but it’s worth every second.
Characters
Like the two prior instalments, it’s a dual narration: one inhabitant of the world; one visitor. It feels more contained, however, possibly due to nearly all the characters having a human form, therefore lacking the time (and words) spent trying to establish communication like before.
Perhaps because of this, I felt there was more connection to the characters this time around. More emotion. I’ve enjoyed all of the narrators up until now, yet there was something personal this time around. While it was still a world at stake, we followed individuals more closely, creating more empathy for the characters.
Writing
I loved Children of Memory, and am glad to have read the series. Tchaikovsky creates these phenomenal premises and ideas in such a way you can’t help but accept what is happening. I’ve been a fan of his writing for a while and this trilogy proved why. Not many authors can send me down a rabbit hole with their plot and yet keep me gripped with every word.
While the book isn’t short, I was unable to put it down and got through it relatively quickly. When you’re that absorbed in a story, it’s hard not to.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for your next science-fiction adventure, or ready to finish off an epic trilogy, I can’t recommend Children of Memory enough. It is a literal out-of-this-world novel and takes you on a heck of a journey.
Are you a Tchaikovsky fan? What’s your favourite science-fiction novel?
Also by the author:
- Shards of Earth Review | Adrian Tchaikovsky
- The Doors of Eden Review | Adrian Tchaikovsky
A Rambling Reviewer 
This series sounds really interesting. We don’t read too much science fiction so thanks for the recommendation.
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