Adrian Tchaikovsky’s ‘Lords of Uncreation’ sticks the landing
The end of this trilogy lived up to his high standards
In early May, Adrian Tchaikovsky released Lords of Uncreation, the conclusion to his Final Architecture trilogy that started with Shards of Earth (which I penned a few words about) in 2021. Not only is three calendar years remarkably short for an entire trilogy to hit the market, but I want to take a few paragraphs to elaborate on this latest book’s best strength: it’s a satisfying conclusion to a series full of massive questions and mysteries.
It’s impossible to read the Final Architecture series and not think of Mass Effect. Both fictional universes have humanity set against the backdrop of a broader universe inhabited by different sentient races. But much more centrally, the plot of each series revolves around an existential threat by massive, world-destroying entities. As the story progresses, readers and players uncover a rich tapestry of fictional cultures, histories, and motivations.
But if there’s one criticism of the Mass Effect franchise, it’s that the narrative conclusion to the trilogy felt slightly underwhelming. It’s a judgement I agree with, though I don’t think it reduces the games’ remarkable storytelling strengths. I’m a sucker for detailed video game worlds, and the level of depth and complexity in Mass Effect rivals most good franchises in tv or print.
In Lords of Uncreation, the conclusion doesn’t feel weak or forced at all. I don’t want to get into specifics any more than this, but the first two-thirds of the book deal with human/alien interests, leaving roughly the last third to some truly weird stuff that ends up tying everything together extremely well. Tchaikovsky’s skills as a writer are well-known already, but his ability to write entire scenes that take place in a character’s mind is on full display here.
To put things most simply: Shards of Earth set the stage for a dramatic space opera, Eyes of the Void (book two) twisted the story into unexpected new areas, and Lords of Uncreation connected a litany of narrative threads into a satisfying ending. Having read many books that don’t always live up to their premise, I have a deep respect for those that do. Writing fiction is difficult enough on its own, but an ambitious story like this is an even deeper accomplishment.
It’s also worth mentioning that Tchaikovksy also concluded another science fiction series this year with the excellent Children of Memory. There is very little in common between these two trilogies, except for Tchaikovsky’s singular world-building skills and imagination. I prefer the Final Architecture, but both series are strong entries in the broader genre canon.
The views expressed are mine alone and do not represent the views of my employer or any other person or organization.
