I was delighted to be offered the chance to read and review the arc. Yay! Those of you who regularly visit will know I’m a fan of Tchaikovsky’s writing. His range is impressively versatile – and the outstanding reads he’s produced for me over the last few years range from the awesome Children of Time, Dogs of War, Spiderlight and the novella The Expert System’s Brother, to name but a few…
BLURB: Lee’s best friend went missing on Bodmin Moor, four years ago. She and Mal were chasing rumours of monsters when they found something all too real. Now Mal is back, but where has she been, and who is she working for? When government physicist Kay Amal Khan is attacked, the 
security services investigate. This leads MI5’s Julian Sabreur deep into terrifying new territory, where he clashes with mysterious agents of an unknown power ¬who may or may not be human. And Julian’s only clue is some grainy footage ¬– showing a woman who supposedly died on Bodmin Moor.
This is science fiction apocalyptic portal adventure is a hefty read at over 600 pages, but it didn’t feel like it – I was a bit shaken when I realised how long it was. There are a handful of protagonists, including Lee, Julian and Kay – who is my personal favourite. A transgender woman who is fond of swearing and a brilliant mathematician. I thoroughly enjoyed Kay’s character, which pinged off the page. But I was also impressed at the nuanced characterisation of Julian, whose complicated relationship with one of his work colleagues is also poignantly portrayed against the apocalyptic events unfolding.
I am very aware that the peculiarities initially build quite slowly, so I don’t want to reveal Spoilers that would skew the reading experience – it’s a major reason why I never read blurbs until after I’ve finished the book. But while this one feels initially quite familiar – there are a number of odd events that can’t be explained away, and Julian is aware there is some sort of high-up knowledge… We’ve all read that one. However, Tchaikovsky does his usual trick of taking a recognisable trope and putting his own unique spin on it. There are a series of interludes where an American scientist and lecturer posts a particular theory and walks us through the progression this could take throughout the book. I love how these apparently random sections are ultimately brought into the wider narrative.
As usual, Tchaikovsky’s zoological expertise is in evidence, though this time around the spider content is minimal – however there are rats and birds, as well as scarily brilliant fish… And a particularly satisfying antagonist I loved to hate throughout. I loved this one – it’s Tchaikovsky at his best, I think. There is sufficient hard science that the nerd in me enjoyed and appreciated the theory, as well as loving his take on the Neanderthal sub-species, which I felt was particularly effectively handled. But also plenty of action, with a high-stakes narrative when meant that by the end, I stayed up far later than I should to discover how it all was wrapped up. Very highly recommended for fans of quality apocalyptic thrillers. The ebook arc copy of The Doors of Eden was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest opinion of the book.
9/10
Aug4
Brainfluff 