The Sea Watch (Shadows of the Apt 6), by Adrian Tchaikovsky

[rachelmanija]

All is spoilery. Except that I fucking LOVED the worldbuilding in this particular book.

Only in this series, unlike most, the worldbuilding itself becomes a spoiler after a certain point, at least to me, because I so enjoyed finding for myself which kinden we'd be introduced to next. So even saying "This is the one with the [some kind of bug] people" is spoilery. And so I will put that behind a spoiler cut.



OCTOPUS PEOPLE.

STARFISH PEOPLE.

JELLYFISH PEOPLE.

And also, Sten gets eaten by a giant intelligent telepathic octopus. Not an octopus person. An octopus.

The worldbuilding in this book was such an absolute delight. Tchaikovsky is so gleefully inventive, and here he creates a world that would be worthy of ten books in its own right, only he crams it into one. It feels overflowing, but in a good way.

Also there was a plot. TBH I didn't care much about the plot. That was totally fine, though, because CORAL PEOPLE.

CORAL PEOPLE and their wonderful buildup where at first you're not even sure if they're kinden and not literal coral because there are also literal sea creatures, and then they finally appear and the payoff is so utterly worth it.

Also the reappearance of the submersible guy from book 4 was great, despite his quick and ignominious death.



The Sea Watch (Shadows of the Apt Book 6)

Comments

[sholio]

I don't recall if I told you this, but while I was reading these books, frith_in_thorns (who had recommended them to me) entertained herself by trolling me with absolutely ridiculous non-spoilers for future books ... several of which turned out to be actual spoilers but were so ridiculous that I didn't actually think she was serious and she knew I wouldn't believe her anyway. One of which was "Sten is eaten by a whale."

[rachelmanija]

LOLOLOLOL.

That one has to be the best, but do you remember any of the others? I mean any others that wouldn't spoil me for future books.

[sholio]

Unfortunately the only other one I remember off the top of my head actually IS a big spoiler for a book you haven't read yet. Frith might remember more of them, though; I'll point her over here. I bet she'd like to know that you're reading them after she was the one who got me into them originally.

[frith_in_thorns]

EXCUSE me, I definitely said "giant squid"

[rachelmanija]

YOUR ICON.

[frith_in_thorns]

I have this one too!

[rachelmanija]

Even more APT.

[sholio]

My terrible memory and I beg your forgiveness. XD That's better anyway. Also even harder to believe.

[asakiyume]

Coral people sound AWESOME.

And that reminds me; in some bank I was in that had a running TV-news-type thing playing on a monitor (why? it's a sleepy little bank; no one waits in long lines, so... why?), I discovered that Pantone had declared color of the year for 2019 "living coral"

[rachelmanija]

They are awesome and also terrifying.

[frith_in_thorns]

Oh, you admired my Tisamon icon the other day. Here is more ART that I did a while ago.

[rachelmanija]

oh my god.

Now I'm sorry I already used the "couldn't be more apt" joke, because it works even better for this.

[frith_in_thorns]

[sholio]

Entirely in character.

[rachelmanija]

LOLOLOLOLOL.

I love your Tisamon. Truly you have captured the essence of the honorable Mantid.

[sholio]

I may have remarked on this before, but that's a fedora with steampunk goggles, isn't it.

[frith_in_thorns]

YES IT IS.

[rachelmanija]

EVEN BETTER.