Book description
Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky
The silence between the stars has never felt so heavy as it does in Adrian Tchaikovsky's masterful continuation of the Children of Time saga. What begins as a routine exploration mission following mysterious radio signals quickly transforms into something far more sinister and complex.
Tchaikovsky pulls us deeper into a universe where humanity's first great mistake continues to echo across millennia. The terraformed world that once held such promise has fractured into something unrecognizable, torn apart by the very alien intelligence humans inadvertently awakened.
The author's background in psychology shines through as he crafts characters who must navigate not just physical dangers, but philosophical ones that challenge everything they believe about consciousness, evolution, and what it means to be human. The Portiids, those spider-like beings from the previous novel, return with their own agenda, adding layers of complexity to an already tangled web of interstellar politics and survival.
What makes this audiobook particularly compelling is how Tchaikovsky balances intimate character moments with sweeping cosmic horror. The narrative doesn't just tell us about the catastrophe-it makes us feel the weight of civilizations crumbling, the desperate attempts at recovery, and the terrible realization that some mistakes cannot be undone.
The story moves with deliberate precision, building tension as multiple factions converge on a world that may hold humanity's future-or its final judgment. Tchaikovsky has created something rare: a sequel that expands the scope while deepening the mystery, proving that the best science fiction uses alien worlds to illuminate very human truths about ambition, consequence, and the price of progress.
RedMouth
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Dora the Destroyer
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3P-own
Kudos to the developers for crafting an app that understands readers' needs. The smooth playback and sleek design are pure perfection. 📚👏 The automatic extraction of artwork and metadata keeps my audiobook library organized and visually appealing. I love the ability to import books from my computer. It’s so easy.
RetroMirage
Sharing audiobooks with friends through AirDrop is a fun and interactive way to connect. Adjusting the tone of the narrator's voice is a unique feature that adds a personal touch. Supports all audio formats I use without issues. Very happy. ListenBook’s interface is clean and intuitive. It’s a joy to use. The app is super intuitive. I was up and running in minutes.
Lilac Lizard
The automatic extraction of artwork and metadata adds a professional touch to my audiobook library. ListenBook Pro's noise reduction feature is a game-changer. It enhances the audio quality and ensures that I can immerse myself fully in the content. ListenBook’s support for CarPlay is great. I can listen to audiobooks in my car easily. An unobjectionable but unexceptional audiobook experience. The narrator's performance was serviceable and the audio quality was fine, but nothing about the production particularly stood out or elevated the material. It was decent background listening.
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SneakerKid
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Grabber
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The Beekeeper
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Intimidating Presence
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Rosie Bird
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Sapiens
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Raid Bucker
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Plenty Orange
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Golden Cougar
The app's compatibility with various devices ensures I never miss a moment of my book. Sharing audiobooks with friends through AirDrop is such a fun way to spread joy. The app is perfect for multitaskers. I can listen while working out.
Playing a wide variety of audio formats
Works on all devices with iOS 13 and newer
Huge amount of features for a small price
Frequent updates to add new features and improve existing ones
Advanced playback controls
Live sound processing
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice and noise reduction
Translated into more than 20 languages
If you love listening to fiction audiobooks, ListenBook has features to make the process easier.
Edit book data: title, author, cover
Use equalizer to make the sound comfortable for you
Adjust the playback speed
Enjoy dark and light app themes
Supported formats: MP3, M4B, AWB, FLAC, OGG audio files and many more (must be DRM free)
Auto-Bookmarks make it easy to find your place
AirPlay support allows redirection of audio output.
VoiceOver support
Dark mode for night owls
Convenient bookmarking system helps you mark the most important places.
Unlimited bookmarks for each audiobook
Put your own cover on the wager
Share your audiobook with friends
Lock-screen control
Customise app with extensive options
Sleep timer with shake to reset, set custom notification sounds, and a few unique options
Auto rewind depending on paused time, customize rewind times to your liking
Removing background noise from recordings made in classrooms and meetings
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice for a better listening experience