Blood Of The Mantis

Book 3

By: Adrian Tchaikovsky

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Paperback | 7 August 2009 | Edition Number 1

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Booktopia Comments

This is the third book in one of the most refreshingly original series of recent years. Shadows of the Apt is based on the concept of insect "kinden" - human races possessing various insect characteristics that are manifested through their behaviour and through special ancestral abilities. For example, the Ant kinden construct disciplined military city states with their ability to link minds while the Mantis kinden are a remote warrior race, unparalleled killing machines.

This beautifully simple concept opens up endless opportunities with the entire insect kingdom from which to draw inspiration. Already, within three books Tchaikovsky, has compiled an impressive array of kinden, including spiders, beetles, flies, dragonflies, scorpions, moths, bees and the all-conquering wasps. The list grows with each book and the only danger is that there may be too much variety to keep track of. So far, however, he has executed this idea with total class, weaving elements of epic fantasy and steam punk, magic and engineering, and military battles and espionage to produce a series of books with something for every fantasy reader.

Blood of the Mantis follows the incredible Dragonfly Falling, a book that thoroughly deserves mentioning as one of the strongest fantasy stories of the last decade. By comparison Blood of the Mantis is subtler and more intricate, its action centred around covert espionage rather than epic battle scenes. He manages the cloak and dagger world as well, if not better than the military set pieces. Tchaikovsky's writing sweeps you along and leaves you desperate for more. Truly a series not to be missed.

Reviewed by Richard Bilkey, Booktopia Buzz Editor

Product Description

Driven by the ghosts of the Darakyon, Achaeos has tracked the stolen Shadow Box to the marsh-town of Jerez, but he has only days before the magical box is lost to him forever.

Meanwhile, the forces of the Empire are mustering over winter for their great offensive, gathering their soldiers and perfecting their new weapons. Stenwold and his followers have only a short time to gather what allies they can before the Wasp armies march again, conquering everything in their path.

If they cannot throw back the Wasps this spring then the imperial black-and-gold flag will fly over every city in the Lowlands before the year's end. In Jerez begins a fierce struggle over the Shadow Box, as lake creatures, secret police and renegade magicians compete to take possession. If it falls into the hands of the Wasp Emperor, however, then no amount of fighting will suffice to save the world from his relentless ambition.

About the Author

Adrian Tchaikovsky was born in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire before heading off to Reading to study psychology and zoology. For reasons unclear even to himself he subsequently ended up in law and has worked as a legal executive in both Reading and Leeds, where he now lives. Married, he is a keen live role-player and occasional amateur actor, has trained in stage-fighting, and keeps no exotic or dangerous pets of any kind, possibly excepting his son. This is the third novel in the Shadows of the Apt series.

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