Olli frequently asks why the crew can’t go anywhere nice, but when Tchaikovsky is this good at writing insalubrious and deadly locations, you’ll be glad they aren’t shuttling between picture perfect postcard destinations. This vision of the future is stuffed with interesting and dangerous places to visit, with the planet-hopping nature of the Vulture God‘s journey having something of a Mass Effect flavour to it – particularly as new characters are introduced at different locations. The social and political concerns here are expertly woven into the background although it might feel like there’s a lot to take in at first with the various faction names and their motivations, the underlying message is that fake news and misinformation are just as much of a problem for humanity in the future as they are now – in this case, a lie can run round the galaxy and back again while the truth is lacing up its boots, to paraphrase Mark Twain (and Sir Terry).Īnd what a galaxy it is. Meanwhile, the Hegemonic cult continues to grow, the alien overlords who run it using their human ambassadors to sway colonised planets into joining their empire in exchange for protection from the Architects. This is a version of humanity riven by internal conflicts in the wake of cataclysmic events, with the Parthenon having seceded from the Council of Human Interests – known informally as Hugh – following the war, and rebel factions of humanity spreading lies and rumours to further their own agendas. Drone specialist Olli is the mouthpiece for much of this cultural hatred, and is a terrifying combatant herself when linked into her scorpion mech.Ĭlearly, this is no Wayfarers style portrayal of humanity, with its fundamentally moral, loving, progressive attitude. Suspicions from the crew of the Vulture God – the ship which Idris serves on – make it tough for her to find a place among them the Parthenon are historically a target for plenty of propaganda, despite their brave frontline defence in the face of the Architects, and Solace contends with the mistrust this fosters constantly. Solace is an extremely capable combatant, and every time there’s a fight – of which there are plenty – it’s very exciting to see her in action. Genetically engineered warriors, they all bear a close physical resemblance to one another, whilst having distinct personalities. Said soldier is Solace, a member of the all-female Parthenon. Now the Architects could be returning, and Idris, his crewmates, and the soldier who stood by his side all those years ago are caught up in a galaxy spanning race against time. In the years since the war, he has neither aged nor slept, and makes a living piloting a salvage ship through the mysterious realm of unspace. A veteran of the war, Idris Telemmier is an Intermediary – a human being experimented on in an attempt to create a weapon to fight this seemingly invincible enemy. The moon-sized Architects destroyed Earth seemingly effortlessly eighty years ago, with a number of other human settled planets following swiftly afterwards. But one species could spell their destruction. Humanity has expanded into the stars, coming into contact with a variety of weird and wonderful alien races along the way, such as the wormlike Castigar and the crab-shaped Hannilambra.
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