# The Shadows of the Apt series by Adrian Tchaikovsky



## Werthead (Dec 23, 2010)

*Shadows of the Apt 1: Empire in Black and Gold*



> Thousands of years ago, the tribes of humanity were menaced by the giant insects that inhabited their world. Through means long forgotten, humanity bonded itself to the insects, taking on some of their attributes and abilities, becoming the kinden. They mastered the insects and then came to dominate the world.
> 
> Now it is a time of invention and progress. The industrious Beetle-kinden have forged impressive vehicles and tools to drive their world into the industrial age, but they have no fear of war, for the city-states of the Lowlands thrive on their peaceful competition with one another. But, unknown to the Beetle-kinden, another people outside the Lowlands have no such restriction. The Wasp Empire, an empire painted in black-and-gold, is beginning its expansion into the Lowlands and only one Lowlander of influence, Stenwold Maker, artificer-turned-agent, is ready to stand against them. With only a small band of followers to assist him, Stenwold sets out to prevent the Wasps' latest conquest from proceeding.
> 
> ...


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## Werthead (Jan 2, 2011)

*Shadows of the Apt 2: Dragonfly Falling*



> War has come to the Lowlands. Three great cities - Tark,  Collegium and Sarn - are in danger of assault from the Wasp Empire and  their allies, with the Empire hoping to seize all of the Lowlands in a  single, swift campaign. In Collegium, the spymaster Stenwold Maker finds  himself pressed into leading the defence of the city of students and  artificers against the disciplined Ant-soldiers of Vek. In Tark, Salma  and Totho find themselves aiding the defence against the Wasp onslaught,  whilst in Sarn Che and Achaeos are hoping to find new allies amongst  the Ant-kinden and their Moth and Mantis neighbours.
> 
> But in  Capitas, in the heart of the Empire, the young Emperor has found himself  a new prisoner, one with access to dark and powerful sorcery which he  has offered to put at the Emperor's disposal...
> 
> ...


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## Werthead (Jan 12, 2011)

*Shadows  of the Apt 3: Blood of the Mantis*



> With the Wasp armies' advance stalled by the arrival of winter,  Stenwold Maker takes advantage in the lull to send his agents on  dangerous missions. Achaeos, Tisamon and Tynisa are dispatched to Jerez,  a marsh-town on the edges of the Empire, in pursuit of the stolen  Shadow Box, which holds an evil that cannot be unleashed back onto the  world. Elsewhere, Che and Nero are sent to Solarno, a city on the  distant Exalsee, which is also under threat from the Empire's expansion.  However, the feuding political factions of Solarno seem rather unmoved  by the threat they face.
> 
> Blood of the Mantis is the third volume in the Shadows of the Apt  sequence and the penultimate book in the opening story arc. In this  novel, Tchaikovsky abandons the large-scale war stories and huge battles  of Dragonfly Falling to return to the back-alley intrigue and  politicking of the first novel in the series. He also reigns in the  book's length, delivering a relatively slim 400-page novel that  certainly benefits from a greater focus following three storylines in  tandem: events in Jerez, the intrigue in Solarno and Stenwold's attempts  to forge the Wasps' myriad enemies into a single, cohesive force. This  growing focus means some characters get short shrift - Totho and Salma's  storylines are put on the backburner for now - but those characters who  are featured benefit from more page-time and development.
> 
> ...


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## Werthead (Jan 18, 2011)

*Shadows of the Apt 4: Salute the Dark*



> Spring has come, and the war for the Lowlands has resumed. A  freshly-reinforced Wasp army is marching on Sarn, whilst a  newly-assembled force is preparing to assault the Mantis-held woodland  of Felyal and clear the coast route to Collegium. With the chances of  victory hanging in the balance, Stenwold Maker embarks on a daring  diplomatic mission to the Dragonfly Commonweal, hoping to convince them  to attack the Wasp Empire whilst their attention is elsewhere.  Meanwhile, Nero and Taki are returning to the Exalsee to try and arrange  the liberation of Solarno.
> 
> Elsewhere, other events are coming to  a head. Tisamon's path leads him to Capitas for an attempt on the Wasp  Emperor's life. Uctebri, now master of the Shadow Box, is preparing for  the culmination of his own plans. And Cheerwell sees an opportunity to  tear apart the Empire from within, but finds that old allies now see her  as a deadly enemy and traitor...
> 
> ...


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## althea (Mar 16, 2019)

I have this series and tried to read it years ago.I found it difficult with so many characters and so many kinden,plus the sub plots to absorb.
After reading the series about The Wolf and The Tiger etc.,I wanted to give Shadows of the Apt another try.
I am finding it a struggle and am failing to engage with these books,which is a shame,since there is so much originality and creativity in the theme.
Also,I have a fifth book - The Scarab Path .I'm not sure where it fits,it's probably book 5.
One more try, then I give up.


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## The Judge (Mar 16, 2019)

I actually started with the 7th book, as it was being given away free at a con I went to, but although I liked his writing and he put in a lot of background detail from previous books, it was difficult to follow it at times, not knowing who anyone was.  _The Scarab Path_ is indeed the fifth in the series, and although I enjoyed it greatly, I did come to it in sequence so I could understand who and what and why, and without that I think I would easily have become very lost indeed.  One advantage it has over some of the earlier books is that it's more strongly focussed, with much of it set in and around the city of Khanaphes, and there's a lot more of the mystic magic of the Inapt which I prefer to the technical stuff concerning weapons and aircraft.

Have you got the first in the series, _Empire in Black and Gold_?  If not, I'd suggest you begin there -- it starts with Stenwold and introduces you more gradually to all the relevant characters and the differences between the kinden.  If you have got it, and that's the one you can't manage to get through, then I think you're probably better off just leaving it there, as they do get progressively more difficult as he adds characters and cities into the mix.


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## althea (Mar 17, 2019)

Yes,The Judge,I have the first five books. I actually didn't know there were seven. I don't think I'll buy any more until I see how I get on.
I have recently started Empire in Black and Gold. I really hope I can get into this series as I realise how much thought has gone into creating it.


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## The Judge (Mar 18, 2019)

There's actually ten!  I'd never gone beyond the 7th before, and I'd missed out one or two of the earlier ones when I was reading them before, but at the beginning of the month I decided to get the ones I was missing, then start at the beginning and work my way through them in order to the end.  I'm on Book 8 now and starting to flag a little...


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## thaddeus6th (Mar 18, 2019)

Ha, I've only read the first two. I really liked them, actually, but my reading time was pressed when I got them (few years ago now) and the books were also a little pricier than some others (e-books).


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## althea (Mar 18, 2019)

I am getting into book one,but it's hard going.


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## althea (Apr 26, 2019)

I have read and enjoyed The Empire of Black and Gold. I shall start  Dragonfly Falling tomorrow - too busy today.
Now I am really glad I persevered, because there is so much originality and creativity in the story.


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## althea (May 31, 2019)

I am now well into The Scarab Path. I thought of giving up after the climactic end of Salute The Dark,but when I started reading The Scarab Path,there was a new plot emerging and I can't resist it. I have heard that there are ten books in this series,I wonder if that's true.
If there are,I think I will have to go all the way. Even when favourite characters meet their demise,something else comes up to draw me back in.
I know these books don't appeal to everyone,but they do form a masterpiece of sci/fantasy as far I'm concerned.
In between  reading these books,I do manage to read a few other books,but I seem to race through them to get back to Shadow of The Apt.


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## The Judge (May 31, 2019)

I'm pleased you're sticking with it!  Yes, there are ten in all.  Not all of the later books held me in quite the same way -- I had particular problems with _The Air War_ which felt interminable --  but I'm still glad I read them.


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## althea (Jun 1, 2019)

Your post has forewarned me,thanks. Sometimes if you struggle with a particular book,it helps to know you're not the only one.


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## williamjm (Jun 1, 2019)

althea said:


> I am now well into The Scarab Path. I thought of giving up after the climactic end of Salute The Dark,but when I started reading The Scarab Path,there was a new plot emerging and I can't resist it. I have heard that there are ten books in this series,I wonder if that's true.
> If there are,I think I will have to go all the way. Even when favourite characters meet their demise,something else comes up to draw me back in.
> I know these books don't appeal to everyone,but they do form a masterpiece of sci/fantasy as far I'm concerned.
> In between  reading these books,I do manage to read a few other books,but I seem to race through them to get back to Shadow of The Apt.



The basic structure is that the first four book form one story arc that ends in _Salute the Dark_. Then there are three books that follow some of the characters from the earlier books, but are relatively stand-alone in their plots (although they do set up things for later). Finally there's another big story arc for the last three books in the series.

There are also four volumes of short stories set in the world, if the ten novels aren't enough for you.

I think _The Scarab Path_ was one of my favourite books in the series.


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## althea (Jun 28, 2019)

I am having a rest from Shadows of the Apt,having finished The Scarab Path.I really enjoyed it and it doesn't end on a cliffhanger,so it's a good time to take a break. I will get back to the other five books after a bit of variety in my reading.
I think winter may be the best time for tackling such a big project.


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