Dragonfly Falling (Shadows of the Apt) [Paperback]

Adrian Tchaikovsky (Author)

Book Description

Series: Shadows of the Apt | Publication Date: April 15, 2009

Two young companions, Totho and Salma, arrive at Tark to spy on the menacing Wasp army, but are there mistakenly apprehended as enemy agents. By the time they are freed, the city is already under siege. Over in the imperial capital the young emperor, Alvdan, is becoming captivated by a remarkable slave, the vampiric Uctebri, who claims he knows of magic that can grant eternal life. In Collegium, meanwhile, Stenwold is still trying to persuade the city magnates to take seriously the Wasp Empire's imminent threat to their survival. In a colourful drama involving mass warfare and personal combat, a small group of heroes must stand up against what seems like an unstoppable force. This volume continues the story that so brilliantly unfolded in Empire in Black and Gold and the action is still non-stop.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Tchaikovsky returns to the caste-haunted insect-themed world of 2010's Empire in Black and Gold, as the inapt kinden realize that their natural gifts and old knowledge are no longer sufficient to allow them to dominate their apt cousins, who can use technology. The Wasp kinden have been slowly conquering the land for three generations, and the people of the Lowlands are finally waking to the danger that confronts them. As Wasps threaten Collegium, a city of innovators and a rallying point for Lowland resistance, the diverse protagonists struggle to salvage what they can, unleashing forces beyond their control. The story will be recognizable to anyone familiar with modern fantasy (or even the Persian invasion of Greece), but Tchaikovsky's setting is innovative, the characters are engaging, and the battles are epic. Several further volumes are planned. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Review

"Adrian Tchaikovsky makes a good and enjoyable mix between a medieval looking world and the presence of technology" --Starburst

"Full of colorful drama and non-stop action involving mass warfare and personal combat." --Fantasy Book Critic

"Empire in Black and Gold is a very strong debut. It is a fast-paced and action-driven novel that nonetheless leaves plenty of room for character-development. Its primary strength is, however, the highly imaginative world that Tchaikovsky has created. ...a remarkably strong fantasy debut and I for one am eagerly anticipating the sequels Dragonfly Falling and Blood of the Mantis." --Book Spot Central

"Empire in Black and Gold has enough going for it to make it one of the most enjoyable books that I've read so far this year. I want more and there's nothing I can do but sit it out and wait..." -- --Graeme's Fantasy Book Review, Nine and a Quarter out of Ten --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 673 pages
• Publisher: Tor Books (April 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0230704158
• ISBN-13: 978-0230704152
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,328,572 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Adrian Tchaikovsky was born in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire before heading off to Reading to study psychology and zoology. For reasons unclear even to himself he subsequently ended up in law and has worked as a legal executive in both Reading and Leeds, where he now lives. Married, he is a keen live role-player and occasional amateur actor, has trained in stage-fighting, and keeps no exotic or dangerous pets of any kind, possibly excepting his son. Catch up with Adrian at www.shadowsoftheapt.com for further information about both himself and the insect-kinden, together with bonus material including short stories and artwork. Author Website: http://shadowsoftheapt.com/

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Even Better Than the Last One, May 13, 2009

By 

Autodidact - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Dragonfly Falling (Shadows of the Apt) (Paperback)

As other reviewers have mentioned, this series is premised on a completely original world building idea, in which the different races ("kinden") are based on different types of insect, with appropriate powers. I started the first book reluctantly because it sounded campy, but soon found I couldn't put it down. This second book is even better than the first one; completely immersing.

What makes it tick is the author's talent for *both* plot and character. Most fantasy/sci-fi books are plot-driven, often with characters that are flat or silly. These characters have depth, they are well differentiated, they feel like real people, and I *care* what happens to them. And there is certainly enough going on as the Lowlands are plunged into war. The book does not sag, the pace is fast and even.

The other great thing about these books is the way that description is handled. One would think that with a universe this different there would be endless amounts of exposition and description, and really badly handled exposition and description is an unfortunately common characteristic of sci-fi and fantasy . . . people spend a lot of time gazing at their features in mirrors, explaining things to each other for pages, etc. In these books, by contrast description is both thoughtful and deft -- I am often surprised by a sentence and think, yes, well, that is exactly what it would look like, or that is what would happen if X happened, etc. And exposition is feather light; you don't even notice it, you are just plunged into this very complex universe. Reminds me of some of the best of China Mieville's work.

Can't say enough good things about it. We need more like this one!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A true master of Fantasy Fiction, May 11, 2009

By 

B.K.Price "Fantasy Doctor" (Liverpool,England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dragonfly Falling (Shadows of the Apt) (Paperback)

WOW! This second novel in the Shadows Of The Apt series is truly breathtaking. I loved the first novel Empire In Black And Gold, but the brilliance of this latest work blows it away. Tchaikovsky writes with a skill that in the future could easily put him up there with the very best of writers in the Fantasy genre, his world is massive and complex filled with wondrous peoples and different societies and political systems. I really can't praise this series enough, it is definitely one of the best fantasy series around.

This installment has all of our favourite characters from the previous novel and many more to sink our teeth into, I think my favourite is the Emperor of the Wasps Alvdan The Second. We get to see an insight into his life and the brutality in which he lived, we also see an insight into the Wasp political structure and the back biting of the Generals and Nobles. On the opposite side of the world the Lowlands are rocked with battles and sieges and assassinations as the Wasp armies and their allies attempt to further their Emperors dreams of domination.

This is an action packed Fantasy book that any Fantasy lover will like, so if you're waiting for the New Martin or Erikson and find yourself at a loss for a good read, read this and his previous novel. You'll be in for a hell of a surprise!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars War!, March 2, 2009

By 

Scott Masterton (Blaine, MN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dragonfly Falling (Shadows of the Apt) (Paperback)

Adrian Tchaikovsky continues his tale of invasion begun in "Empire of Black and Gold". In Tchaikovsky's mythical world tribes have developed abilities and attributes based upon specific insects: Wasp, Dragonfly, Mantis, Beetle, Moths and a whole host of others newly introduced in this mid-trilogy novel. While this idea could potentially come off as silly Tchaikovsky continues to handle this an entertaining (and maybe more importantly) believable way.

The young Collegium students from the first novel have taken their own paths, each looking for a way to fight against the Imperialistic desires of the Wasp nation. Cities have fallen, allies are gained and lost and finally the Wasps are at the gates of Collegium.

While the world that Tchaikovsky has created is vastly different then our own, it is stunningly the same. The issues of race, spiritual belief and xenophobia that seperate the Kinden (tribes of people) are the same issues that seperate us in our world. There are great lessons for our time in these books and Adrian Tchaikovsky writes crisp dialog, detailed and gruesome battle scenes and has a firm grasp of human nature and how it manifests as political fear and hatred.

Highly recommend this series and anxiously await the final book scheduled for release this summer.