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Cage of Souls: Shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award 2020 by [Adrian Tchaikovsky]

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Adrian Tchaikovsky

Cage of Souls: Shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award 2020 Kindle Edition

by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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Humanity clings to life on a dying Earth in an epic, far-future science fiction novel from an award-winning author.

The sun is bloated, diseased, dying perhaps. Beneath its baneful light, Shadrapar, last of all cities, harbours fewer than 100,000 human souls. Built on the ruins of countless civilisations, Shadrapar is a museum, a midden, an asylum, a prison on a world that is ever more alien to humanity.

Bearing witness to the desperate struggle for existence between life old and new is Stefan Advani: rebel, outlaw, prisoner, survivor. This is his testament, an account of the journey that took him into the blazing desolation of the western deserts; that transported him east down the river and imprisoned him in the verdant hell of the jungle's darkest heart; that led him deep into the labyrinths and caverns of the underworld. He will meet with monsters, madman, mutants.

The question is, which one of them will inherit this Earth?

Print length

646 pages
Language

English
Sticky notes

On Kindle Scribe
Publisher

Head of Zeus
Publication date

April 4, 2019
File size

1865 KB
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Popular Highlights in this book

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It is easy for a comfortable, free man to cry at the fall of every little bird. A prisoner in fear of his life has precious little regret to spare for anyone else.
Highlighted by 257 Kindle readers
We must be careful what we become when we seek to change things. An old principle of physics: if you push, you yourself are pushed in turn.
Highlighted by 252 Kindle readers
If you try to stop someone doing something, even for a perfectly obvious reason, they will assume there is some great secret you are trying to keep from them.
Highlighted by 233 Kindle readers

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Tchaikovsky livens up the tale with intrigue, duels and menagerie of horrifying creatures... The scale of the story expands well beyond the confines of [prison drama], bringing in subterranean adventures, themes about class war and political corruption, and genetic engineering... Set in a dying world where death hovers impatiently over everyone's shoulder, Cage of Souls is a frequently grim read, but it's a compelling journey." —SFX

"Tchaikovsky's world-building here is breathtaking... Cage of Souls is a fascinating read and strong ecological tale." —Starburst Magazine

"Grotesque and beautiful all at once... A brilliant examination of extremes and the way in which humanity always finds a way to navigate them. Even when others are hell bent on self-destruction." —SciFiNow

"Once again Tchaikovsky astounds with his boundless imagination and versatility in his craft." —Worlds in Ink --This text refers to the paperback edition.

About the Author

Adrian Tchaikovsky was born in Lincolnshire before heading off to Reading to study psychology and zoology. 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 and has trained in stage-fighting. He's the author of Children of Time, the winner of the 30th Anniversary Arthur C. Clarke Award, and the Sunday Times bestseller Shards of Earth. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07DPRW17S
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Head of Zeus (April 4, 2019)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 4, 2019
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1865 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 646 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #7,372 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #20 in Genetic Engineering Science Fiction (Books)
- #21 in Genetic Engineering Science Fiction eBooks
- #27 in Hard Science Fiction (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
3,411 ratings

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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

4.5 out of 5

3,411 global ratings

5 star		62%
4 star		27%
3 star		9%
2 star		2%
1 star		1%

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Top reviews from the United States

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MHHC

Well Done

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 26, 2023

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Surprising. Good characters, especially the narrator. But an even better world and plot. That being said, the last 15% of the book takes an abrupt turn, which seems out of character mood with the rest of it. Jarring. That is my only quibble. And even that is not such a big deal in the end. The story is refreshingly unique and will stay with you. The writing is excellent, something I appreciate very much. Plenty of insights regarding human nature and a relentless pace that compels attention. Closest thing to the much revered Gene Wolfe I’ve run across.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 24, 2023

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The author has a facile, compelling command of language and startlingly original and interesting themes. The characters each came to life effectively often as exemplars of some concept or ideal. Tchaikovsky reminds me greatly of Gene Wolfe and that is high praise indeed.

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Susan

Tchaikovsky is a dandy and so is his protagonist

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 6, 2023

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Lots of great vocabulary and silly Englishesque sounding sentences. In the orange end-of-world dusk of sci-fi neigh-fantasy stories here lies an improbable adventure. I have to go now, I think a McArthur is coming!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 18, 2022

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This is another wonderful story by Adrian Tchaikovsky! The world building is great while leaving you with the desire to know more. Equally, the characters and their stories are complex without relying on them solely to keep you invested in this smart page-turner! A dying world, full of life. Alien, and yet undeniably human and familiar. Cage of souls is a modern adventure that is reminiscent of the verdant, mystery filled jungle forays of some of the great classics.

2 people found this helpful

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Aquiles Baeza

Amazing

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 13, 2023

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Masterful example of world building, please read this; I hope a sequel is in the works but it is not required at all.

One person found this helpful

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FunnestFunBunnyFamily

Liked it

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 21, 2022

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Liked it.
Ruminating on future of humanity? Check
Monsters? Check

Really a ton of monsters.

Five more words required. Done

2 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Great Storytelling

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 4, 2023

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I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am glad I risked it. The story is unique and compelling and has introduced me to a great new author.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 22, 2022

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I've read a fair amount of sci fi, and the one word that I always think of to describe them is "bleak" . Somehow the author of this book wrote a bleak tale without it feeling that way, and it was wonderful.

4 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Kindle Customer

Quite short, but fantastic nonetheless

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 30, 2019

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I read Adrian Tchaikovsky's "Children of Time" last year - that book was amazing. The "sequel" (Children of Ruin) is out next month, and I reckoned that while I wait, I'll try out a few of Adrian's other stories.

Cage of Souls did not disappoint. Fantastic concepts, based in a very distant future Earth where civilsation has all but collapsed, a single city left whose poulation is obsessed with vanity, the latest fashion trends and politics while developments in science and technology have all but stalled (there are only a handful of "artificers" left who how to make or fix the simplest of machines).

I could not put this down. Highly recommended!

30 people found this helpful

Ms. SH

An intriguing account of the end of the world

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 12, 2019

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Condemned to a terrible island prison for the rest of his days, academic Stefan Advani documents the events of his life in a world where the sun is dying, the end is coming and humanity has, largely, accepted their fate.

I had no real idea what to expect going into Cage of Souls, but I absolutely loved this little gem of a standalone story. It's intriguing and unpredictable, owing to various clever factors; Stefan is an unlikely protagonist, being a somewhat cowardly academic, but he writes a good dynamic yarn with a talent for baiting the reader with hints of future plot points that keep you firmly on the hook. The chronology of his account is non-linear and keeps you on your toes, and the starting premise of the novel itself is so doomed that it offers little in the way of obvious direction to begin with. Only as seemingly unrelated characters and events begin to slowly grow together do you start to get a sense of any greater plot arc - such that there is one. This is not the usual sprawling sci-fi epic, but a massive, awe-inspiring tale of impending apocalypse we can only glimpse through the narrow lens of Stefan's personal, intimate and frequently self-centred account.

That's not to say Tchaikovsky's world-building here isn't as rich and engrossing as ever. I first got into his work through the Shadows of the Apt and Echoes of the Fall series, and as much as he is lauded for his fantasy and his sci-fi, I don't feel he gets nearly enough acknowledgement for the eerie, disturbing existential horror elements he sometimes weaves into his tales. Cage of Souls is no exception, and there's better stuff here than many full-on horror novels I've read. Expect to be drawn in and utterly goosebumped by some seriously creepy apocalyptic sights and shenanigans.

The section about the Underworld had me especially glued to my kindle. I particularly love the frightening, almost Lovecraftian mysteries of both the forgotten past of fading humanity and the unknown inhuman future that get dangled in front of us, but are often not fully explained. Stefan brushes accidentally against many of the world-changing events in the book and sees some really fascinating end-of-the-world wonders, but as he is mostly an observer, he doesn't learn all the answers. The book is too cleverly written for this to ever be frustrating, and simply makes you marvel at the scale and depth of the world that must exist beyond our narrator's perception. Even though Stefan's own story is satisfyingly complete by the end, there are fascinating puzzle pieces left in his wake that I know I'll be musing over for a long, long time.

Thoroughly enjoyed it from the very first word, and would absolutely recommend giving it a read.

15 people found this helpful

the dilettante

When does this author sleep?

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on November 5, 2019

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I have only been reading Adrian T for a couple of years, but in that time I have read a large number of his books and novellas. He is so productive! Our very own Stephen King. More remarkable still, the quality of his output is always high. His writing is engaging, his plots fascinating and his characters well drawn and believable (even at their most grotesque, they remain true to their essential qualities).

Adrian T is also a master of eclecticism; he shifts genre as easily as I shift pillows. He can write high concept space operas or sword and sorcery fantasy equally convincingly. Here, he writes in the mode of a Jules Verne or HG Wells, with a Dickensian sense of the grotesque and a Victorian sensibility. Other reviewers have noted the Papillon-style plot, the dying world backdrop and enormous number of characters and settings. I would add the unreliable anti-hero narrator and the observation that this is a world where no-one's hands are clean, yet everyone is to be pitied, because all hope is dead.

I'm 90% through the book, so I don't know yet how it all comes out, but I already sense this one is all about the journey, not the destination. And the journey is well worth the price of the ticket. 4 stars because it isn't moving me quite as much as some of his others, but this is still a very good read.

15 people found this helpful

Ged

Difficult to put down.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 15, 2019

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This was great fun. Could have been called Papillon's Adventures on The Dying Earth! Told in the first person singular as a manuscript left to posterity, it also echoes the Book of the New Sun. Familiar territory then, but the flawed author is drawn with depth and substance. We encounter many strong characters. Even some who only play a small part leave a strong impression. This is a standalone story, but the world depicted is so full of untapped potential it could easily spawn sequels. I really hope it does.

21 people found this helpful

Richieparf

Disconnected and Frustrating

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 28, 2021

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Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Cage of Souls is set on a near uninhabitable Earth in the distant future, where humanity has been reduced to living in one crime-ridden city, with a large prison population on an artificial island an indeterminate distance away. The rest of the planet consists of polluted seas, monster-filled jungles, and brutal deserts. Our protagonist, Stefan, is a new arrival at the prison, and in the course of the novel we learn more about his background, his crimes, and his abilities.

Tchaikovsky has a real talent for imagining and conveying fascinating and monstrous creatures. Throughout the book, mysterious beasts on land and water enter the narrative and the result is always compelling. Nevertheless, this is a frustrating read. Stefan’s character feels completely disconnected. He is at once an experienced criminal with a consistent history of violent behaviour as well as a coward who is useless in a fight. At one stage we understand he is an academic who went rogue, then later he appears to be a rogue who went academic. Too often he knows too much for the reader to empathise with him. In one scene, he somehow recognises a device for measuring starlight despite immediately expressing no interest or knowledge in the subject.

His fellow characters are largely stereotypes. The book’s women are little more than outlines to remind the reader that the men like boobs, while the other men have one-dimensional backgrounds. One is left feeling that they might have been assigned some of Stefan’s backstory, liberating him of the burdensome variety of narratives he supposedly carries with him while at the same time giving the supporting cast more depth.

The prison itself is supposed to be a hellish concentration camp but seems quite a jolly place for most of the narrative, and certainly not one characterised by the casual death and destruction we are led to expect. The world-building, while vivid, is strikingly random. New humanoid species, intelligent rats, time travel, and talking monsters from the depths all make an appearance, without the story ever taking them anywhere in particular.

The last few chapters of the book do introduce a suddenly compelling concept, but by then one feels so frustrated with a know-it-all narrator and a scattered narrative, that it falls rather flat. Personally, I was left thinking that Tchaikovsky should have focussed more on particular parts of the world and specific monsters, and allowed us a protagonist who was as fascinated with them as we would like to be.

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Cage of Souls: Shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award 2020 Kindle Edition

Humanity clings to life on a dying Earth in an epic, far-future science fiction novel from an award-winning author.

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