Engines of Reason - (Elder Race) by Adrian Tchaikovsky (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Visit a world where sorcery intertwines with science by multiple Hugo nominee Adrian Tchaikovsky in this highly-anticipated sequel to his hugely popular Elder Race.

On a planet where stories govern identity, where science and magic are a merely point of view, a fallen princess, a reluctant wizard, and a precocious child must unravel the past to shape the future.

Betrayal, ancient myths, and the clash of worlds converge in this spellbinding tale of courage, friendship, and self-discovery.

A profound exploration of identity, memory, and discovery from one of science fiction's most compelling voices.

Review Quotes

Praise for Elder Race

Shortlisted for the Ursula K. Le Guin Fiction Prize!

"Everything about this book suggests deliberate care in uniting epic fantasy's immersive world-building with the sharp, dislocating bursts of high-concept science fiction... Ten out of 10." ―New York Times on Elder Race

"[An] epic tale of a land ruled by magic―or the sober record of a world colonized by science...The double vision built into the story works well." ―Wall Street Journal on Elder Race

"Crunchy, conceptual SF at its best...the best alien contact novel I've read since Peter Watts' Blindsight, and that is high praise indeed." ―Richard Morgan, author of Altered Carbon on Shroud

"Brilliant science fiction and far out world building" --James McAvoy on Children of Time

"A refreshingly new take on post-dystopia civilizations, with the smartest evolutionary worldbuilding you'll ever read" --Peter F. Hamilton on Children of Time

"[A] seamless blend of science fiction and fantasy... Recommended for lovers of portal fantasy, lost colony science fiction, and stories on the border between the two genres." --Library Journal

"Tchaikovsky takes beloved tropes to exciting new places, carried by memorable characters and clever prose. This proves yet again why Tchaikovsky is a master of the genre mash-up." --Publishers Weekly

"Elder Race is a really fun novella, displaying Tchaikovsky's trademark sharp prose and big ideas conveyed in interesting ways." --GrimDark Magazine

"A magnificently imaginative space opera." --B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog on Children of Time

More Praise for Adrian Tchaikovsky

"Picking up an Adrian Tchaikovsky book is proof you love your brain and want it to be happy." --John Scalzi

"I loved it. A bold, vivid story about humanity and the broader universe. Should we mold the universe to suit us? Or should we mold ourselves to suit the universe? Adrian Tchaikovsky keeps these choices in tension, and kept me riveted to the page." --Ramez Naam, author of Nexus on The Expert System's Brother

"Children of Time is a joy from start to finish. Entertaining, smart, surprising and unexpectedly human." --Patrick Ness

"Brilliant science fiction and far out world building" --James McAvoy on Children of Time

"A refreshingly new take on post-dystopia civilizations, with the smartest evolutionary worldbuilding you'll ever read" --Peter F. Hamilton on Children of Time

"A magnificently imaginative space opera." --B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog on Children of Time

About the Author

Adrian Tchaikovsky is a British science-fiction and fantasy writer known for a wide-variety of work including the Children of Time, Final Architecture, Dogs of War, Tyrant Philosophers and Shadows of the Apt series, as well as standalone books such as Elder Race, Doors of Eden, Spiderlight and many others. Children of Time and its series has won the Arthur C. Clarke and BSFA awards, and his other works have won the British Fantasy, British Science Fiction and Sidewise Awards. In 2024, he was inducted into the European Science Fiction Society Hall of Fame, and he has been nominated for the Hugo Award six times between 2023 and 2025.