Firewalkers by Adrian Tchaikovsky

[Vertigo]

Firewalkers is my second novella from Adrian Tchaikovsky and it appears to be a format he is very comfortable with. Global warming has heated the planet so much that an expanding band around the equator has effectively become completely uninhabitable. The privileged rich are escaping to a space ships/stations orbiting Earth but the catch is that to do so they must use space elevators and they have to be located on the equator. And someone must service them.

This is another book in the growing sub-genre focusing on climate change or its aftermath. Tchaikovsky creates a grimly realistic and well-constructed world in the process of collapse and packs a solid, satisfying story into the hundred and fifty or so pages. By the end it really did feel more like I’d read a full-length novel. The three main characters are each very different and well-drawn and, as always it seems with Tchaikovsky, there are some interesting beasties both genetically modified and some not quite so genetic in nature. And a good satisfying ending even if it was, in keeping with the rest of the story, somewhat grim in its own way.

An intense, fast, action packed read if a little depressing on the human nature front.

4/5 stars

 

[Rodders]

Thanks for the review Vertigo, sounds like an interesting story.

I’ve only read Dogs of Wars, but it made such an impact that it elevated him to my most watched author. I have Children of Time and Children of Ruin on my kindle to read and on the basis of this review, I’ll have to pick this up.

 

[.matthew.]

I'm quite a fan of his novellas. They all do a good job of telling a complete story and are usually pretty creative with the plot as well.

If you haven't read Dogs of War, I'd definitely give that one a go next.

 

[Vertigo]

Thanks for the review Vertigo, sounds like an interesting story.

I’ve only read Dogs of Wars, but it made such an impact that it elevated him to my most watched author. I have Children of Time and Children of Ruin on my kindle to read and on the basis of this review, I’ll have to pick this up.

I think both this and his other SF novella (a thinly veiled rewrite of a famous saga) are well worth a read.

 

[Rodders]

I just finished this and really enjoyed it. Great world building and characters.

I really enjoyed the ending, which i felt was better than the ending of walking to Aldebaran. I'll look to download the two Expert Systems books when i get a chance.

 

[AE35Unit]

Sounds interesting, a change from his usual insect fantasies

 

[Rodders]

Oh, it has insects.

 

[Vertigo]

I just finished this and really enjoyed it. Great worldbuilding and characters.

I really enjoyed the ending, which i felt was better than the ending of walking to Aldebaren. I'll look to download the two Expert Systems books when i get a chance.

Yes I'd agree that this is better than Aldebaran, which was clever but not, I feel, as full a story; as you say, great world building and characters especially for a shorter length book.