In Adrian Tchaikovsky’s tour de force, Elder Race, we first encounter Lynesse (Lyn), Fourth Daughter of the tough minded Queen of Lannesite, climbing the steep rugged slopes of a mountain to call forth a powerful wizard. As only the fourth daughter, Lyn is never taken seriously, but she is determined to change that by destroying a horrible demon that is terrorizing a nearby vassal state. The Queen and her court have dismissed the rumors of demons as mere fantasy, and they don’t much care what happens to those poor folk anyway. But Lyn is convinced this is her chance to shine, to conquer the demon (with a little help from a wizard) and forever change the way she is regarded by the rulers of Lannesite. But Elder Race has a lot of surprises in store for her.

When she comes knocking at the door of the formidable Nyrgoth Elder, a sorcerer of legendary powers, what she finds instead of a wizard is Nyr Illim Tevitch, anthropologist second class of the Earth’s Explorer Corps. Though quite formidable in appearance and with advanced technology that looks like magic to her, Nyr forever tries to convince Lyn that there is no magic and he is no wizard. He is a simple scientist trying without much success to do his job of observing the local civilization without ever getting directly involved in its affairs.

But the linguistic chasm between the young Lyn and the ancient Nyr (kept younger than his centuries of life would suggest by means of sleep stasis technology) keeps getting in the way. His advanced technology dazzles Lyn and lets her keep alive in her mind the fantasy narrative of his wizardry and her own heroic quest.

The truth that he can’t quite get across to Lyn is that he has been sent from Earth strictly as a scientific observer to write papers about the inhabitants of this planet, known to him as Sophos 4. He relays this information to a satellite orbiting the planet, which then sends it along to Earth. Problem is that Earth has long since stopped responding. Nyr, full of self-doubt anyway, begins to think either he and his studies have been abandoned as worthless or that something terrible has happened on Earth, leaving him truly alone.

By alternating chapters from the points of view of Lyn and Nyr, Elder Race does several remarkable things. It dramatizes the too often quoted line by Arthur C. Clarke about sufficiently advanced technology being indistinguishable from magic, upsets a Star Trek-like Prime Directive, highlights the near impossibility of communication across vast technological, cultural and linguistic barriers and produces a running commentary on the distinction between fantasy and science fiction itself. And the novel does this while delivering a fine adventure interwoven with an endearingly funny almost-love story that is captivating and exciting. All this in a pretty short novel. Elder Race proves once again how richly imaginative and commanding a writer Tchaikovsky is.

Characters:
This novella follows 2 main characters and has 2 side characters that join up as the story progresses.

Positives:
+ I love the very idea of this book. Just the premise of an anthropologist that has been watching a civilization throughout the generations and is called in to interact with the people he watches is so freaking interesting to me. Science vs. Myth/Lore
+ I loved reading Elder Nyr’s perspective from first person, I loved how human he is. How he struggles with both the repercussions of his actions and also the general immensity of his situation.
+ There is one chapter in the book that has a story told and heard side by side…. This was my favorite chapter ever. I wish I could see it in print instead of on my phone's screen. I feel like it would be so beautiful on an actual printed page.

Final Thoughts:
I loved this story; one of those cases of ‘I wish there was more so I could be reading it still’. This was such an amazing FEELS read. It was so easy to be swept up into the despair and panic and loneliness of Nyrgoth while at the same time being nestled in the beautiful romantic warrior-princess ideals of loyalty and honour that Lynesse brings to the story. I’ve never read a novella from Adrian Tchaikovsky before and I'm so freaking happy to now have an example of his awesome writing to throw at everyone new to him as an example of his awesome storytelling.

This is a short book, only 176 pages, but it packs a lot of oomph into those pages. The story is told in dual perspectives, which is something that I really enjoy, and it’s done in the best way in this book. Lyn & Nyr are VERY different people, with very different viewpoints, and that is reflected in how they each narrate their portions. Lyn is the daughter of a queen & has been seen as a throwaway & embarrassment her whole life. But she’s determined to prove her worth & slay the demon with the help of the sorcerer.
Nyr’s actually an anthropologist...
But I guess depending on your perspective who’s to say what’s “magic” and what’s “science”?

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan-Tor/Forge for this advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Lynesse must seek out a reclusive wizard living in a forbidden tower. That concept alone (and the gorgeous cover) drew me to this novella, but the plot gets turned on its head almost immediately with a delicious bait and switch. The storyline that follows the twist was not quite compelling enough to sustain my interest, but the ending was strong and satisfying.

This novella is a good reminder of what an interesting writer Adrian Tchaikovsky has become and I’ve never been disappointed by one of his stories. As an aside, reading this in conjunction with AppleTV+’s Foundation series made for a nice genre pairing, I must say.

Elder Race is a sci-fi novella from Adrian Tchaikovsky, who has recently been absolutely knocking it out of the park with high concept sci-fi which embraces the human factor. This story is, in that sense, no different. It’s smart, sometimes funny, and explores the human condition sympathetically, while asking some interesting questions. And, you know, also, it tells a heck of an adventure story, too.

The core of that story is Lynesse, and Nyr. Each is given alternating viewpoint chapters; which matters, because the social context, the way in which they see things, is so different.

Lynesse is the unlikely heroine of a fantasy story. She’s thetrailing daughter of the ruling house of a kingdom in the medieval mould, ruled by her mother, who has a will of iron and a thick streak of pragmatism. Lynesse is the wild daughter, the one paying out rope behind her as she prepares to leap over a cliff to see what’s at the bottom. But Lynesse is also the thoughtful one, the compassionate one. The one willing to do what needs to be done, fuelled by tales of ancestral heroism. Willing to stride out into the darkness, sword in hand, and master whatever monster is causing her kingdom grief. But she needs help And so Lynesse is going to find the last of the Elders, a powerful sorcerer, who could turn the tide, a mythical creature from a forgotten age, who promised aid to Lynesse’s family, should they ever call.

So she is going to call, and then go forth and righteously kick arse.

Nyr is, well, the last of the Elders, a powerful sorcerer, who could turn the tide, a mythical creature from a forgotten age, who promised aid to Lynesse’s family, should they ever call. Except..he isn’t. Nyr is a junior anthropologist from a space-faring earth, here to keep an eye on the development of this offshoot of humanity. But the rest of his team left centuries ago, and Nyr I s dipping in and out of stasis, spanning centuries in the blink of an eye, and getting worse and worse at the whole “non-interference” thing. Nur is fragile, depressed, living a loneliness that spans centuries, surviving on a cocktail of smart-drugs and an eroding sense of duty. He is not the hero that Lynesse wants. That said, he has access to satellite surveillance nets, orbital strikes, drones, ad a panoply of technological knowhow that would make your garden-variety sorcerer rather nervous.

I think what I like about the two is that they complement each other so well. Their different views describe the same thing in more-or less modern, more or less scientific terms. Demons of air and darkness are malfunctioning drones, cursed forests are laced with old radiation, and so on. The tale weaves wonderfully between the two, letting us have sword and sorcery and solid science fiction in the same few pages. And in both cases, the story works. Each character brings their own truth to the world, their own struggles – their self doubt, their depression are depicted with razor clarity, with empathy and understanding. They’re people, these two, as different as can be, but in holding each other up, and those they run across, they embody what makes humanity rise. They are enough alike that they too, can be heroes.

Anyway. No spoilers for the story, but it’s a journey of discovery, for both the characters in metaphor, and quite literally, as our team try to solve the mystery of what undermines Lynesse’s kingdom before it’s too late. And that story make me laugh, wrenched my heart, and damn sure kept me turning pages far too late in the night.

Which is to repeat myself; Tchaikovsky has crafted a gem here, something clever and human, a beautiful and compelling read. Give it a try!

8.5

I’m a big Adrian Tchaikovsky fan. Children of Time and Cage of Souls are two of my favorite sci-fi books and I’ve read a few other of his books as well. I had yet to dive into any of his novellas, and when I saw this*, I knew I needed to read it.

Elder Race begins as a classic fantasy story with a young princess out on a quest to prove herself by going to get the reclusive of a sorcerer to come fight the demon hurting her people. However, this is Tchaikovsky, so nothing is quite as it seems.

I don’t want to spoil this too much, so if a different kind of fantasy story mixed with science intrigues you, I highly recommend picking this up. Well written, good characters and filled with interesting ideas and developments, this is a great novella.

Ok, if you want a few more details, minor spoilers for the story follow (worth noting that other reviews include many of these minor spoilers as does the basic description).

The premise of the story hinges on the fact that the great sorcerer is actually an anthropologist sent from Earth to study a far off distant colony as they evolve and grow. His crew has left him and he is awoken from sleep asked to join the princess on her quest. In each proceeding chapter, the story flips the perspective of the narrative. Lyn, the princess’s story is told from typical 3rd person fantasy POV, while Nyr, the sorcerer’s is told from first person present tense with a distinct sci-fi feel and flavor.

It’s a super unique style of book and there’s one chapter in particular that knocked my socks off with how it was written. I really enjoyed seeing the world from each of their perspectives and how that changed the style of the book itself. The only fault with this style is the switch from 3rd person to 1st person present tense can be jarring at times, taking me out of the story. But this was a minor flaw.

Now, Tchaikovsky always does super fascinating stuff with technology, time, and nature. So it wasn’t a huge surprise to me that it there were also plenty of other interesting ideas in this story such as a prohibitor on emotions and the challenge of relating to a culture that has shifted over time while you observed from a distance along with many other ideas.

Overall, Elder Race is a great mash up of sci-fi and fantasy that deserves to be read by anyone looking for a unique take on an old formula!

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy to review!

ELDER RACE was a delightful read! Nyr, our wayward anthropologist narrates in first person, while Lynesse’s story is told in 3rd person POV. I paused when I saw the mixed POV. I DNF’ed another book structured that way, because it kept popping me out of the story. But Adrian Tchaikovsky is such a gifted writer that the mixed POV structure enhances the story rather than hinders it.

This is a story about what happens when science fades into myth and is replaced by notions of magic. Where sickness is a curse and unknown technology is sorcery. Think: what would happen if you dropped a car into the Middle Ages? A comedy of errors and misunderstandings!

ELDER RACE is well written and perfectly paced (I’ve yet to read a Tchaikovsky book with a murky middle). Nyr’s chapters were funny, endearing/relatable, especially when he’s grappling with mental health issues.

If you enjoy stories written in mixed POV, with pseudo-medieval European settings that touch upon the hardships of coping with mental health issues, then you will love ELDER RACE!

I received a free e-ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Elder Race is a wonderful, philosophical little novella that packs in enough world-building, character development and adventure for a whole novel. It’s the story of a warrior princess from a fantasy tale meeting an anthropologist from a science fiction story, to defeat a demon from a horror story—except they’re all in the same world. How can science and magic communicate and work together?

I really enjoyed this story: it reminded me a bit of a classic Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, written beautifully. I’m new to Adrian Tchaikovsky’s writing and I definitely need to check out more of his work.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor for providing me with this copy to review.

I think I would have enjoyed this a lot more if I hadn’t justtttt finished Tchaikovsky’s [book:Children of Time|25499718], because I feel like there are some serious overlaps with <i>Elder Race</i>. Tchaikovsky is the first author I’ve come across that successfully combines fantasy/sci-fi in a pretty unique way. I just feel like the whole advanced-earth-origin-anthropologist-watching-a-socety-grow-over-time is recycled here, although I admit that the whole DSC idea was super interesting (and useful, hah). I’d definitely recommend this, but if you had to choose one book I’d start with <i>Children of Time</i>.

I voluntarily obtained a digital version of this book free from Netgalley and Tor in exchange for an honest review.

Elder Race was a witty, engaging read. Tchaikovsky does an excellent job of blending sci-fi and fantasy. I didn't really feel connected to the characters, but overall I liked this book.

Considering this is only a novella it sure does pack a punch!!! The story is told from 2 POVs and I absolutely loved this duality - Lynnesse from a primitive fantasy world, and Nyr, a space faring anthropologist. Seeing the 2 interact, their struggles of engaging and understanding each other and the world around them was brilliant. I love the linguistical nightmare Nyr faced when trying to explain anything remotely scientific.
This whole story appealed to me - ancient cultures, history, sci-fi, new worlds, fantasy, believable characters, humour - I really enjoyed it! I particularly liked seeing one of the main characters deal with their mental health problems whilst trying to function around others - I need characters who feel real and these certainly did.

An intriguing science fiction novella from Tchaikovsky, one of the most consistently excellent authors writing today. (I'll read anything with his name on it.)

The premise is interesting, and a bit of a twist on the concept of the Prime Directive (the prohibition against interference in other societies/worlds/etc.). An anthropologist in the future has been on a planet for decades, hopping in and out of suspended hibernation. The locals are familiar with him and what he (well, his tech) can do, and they wake him when something sinister threatens their society they awaken Elder Nyr to come give them a hand.

It's an interesting story, with some good action and some examination of the concept of any sufficiently advanced technology appearing to be magic to those who aren't at the same level of advancement.

A good novella, and one I'd recommend to anyone looking for a quick SF read.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
This is the first book I've read by Adrian Tchaikovsky and it definitely won't be the last!
I absolutely loved this book!
It was a beautiful blend of Fantasy and Science Fiction and it was amazing!
I highly recommend everyone reads this book!

What a great story! I've read a bunch of Adrian Tchaikovsky's books, and all have been really good - plot, worldbuilding, characters, etc. This new story did not disappoint at all! I don't want to give anything away, but if you like science fiction and/or fantasy books, you would be crazy to not read this.

Tchaikovsky is one of the very few authors whose books I will pre-order as soon as a see a listing, without even looking at the plot summary or other reviews - they are always good and never disappoint.

I will be purchasing a copy for my library as well as one for my personal collection!

Thanks to Tordotcom and NetGalley for providing an early copy for me to review.

Elder Race is pretty classic in the way it plays with the whole idea that “any sufficiently advanced technology looks like magic”, but it mixes in some new ingredients (at least, so far as I know) through the fact that the main character is clinically depressed. The character uses a sort of brain-interface to push his emotions back, and the way this helps and hinders his functioning helps give the plot a bit more breathing room.

The two main characters are Nyr, an anthropologist from Earth, and Lynesse, the fourth daughter of a local ruler in a population originally seeded from Earth and long settled down. Nyr’s people came to the planet to observe the way these old colonies, born from generation ships, developed and persisted — but now Nyr’s own people have gone silent, and he’s the only one left. He’s a bad anthropologist, tempted too easily to meddle in local affairs, and a few generations ago he had a brief love affair with one of Lynesse’s ancestors. Even when he returned to the outpost to go into stasis awaiting responses from Earth, he told her she or her descendants could call on him for help. Lynesse’s love of old stories means she knows exactly what to do when a strange demonic pestilence troubles nearby lands — she climbs up to the outpost and calls on the old agreement.

The chapters alternate point of view between the two of them in a way that mostly works, highlighting the difficulties in translation and mindset between Nyr and Lynesse; each chapter sheds more light on interactions in the chapter before, painting a full picture. Nyr’s clinical depression is kind of hard to read about, to be honest, but the fact that he has the brain interface that can just turn off those feelings makes for some interesting dilemmas and misunderstandings.

In the end, it was a bit of a downer, but there’s a touch of hope at the end, and I thought it executed the central ideas really well.

Some authors are excellent in the field of Science Fiction. Some excel in writing Fantasy. Author Adrian Tchaikovsky excels in the two divergent genres, yet he is also gifted in combining the two. In what has variously been termed "Science Fiction Fantasy" or "Science Fantasia," he seamlessly blends the two seemingly disparate genres. ELDER RACE is an exciting example. Side by side we have a space-traveling anthropologist from Earth, hundreds of years old thanks to cryo-suspension, a man of science and intellect, prone unfortunately to depression and despair and hopelessness, an augmented human; and the "natives" of the diasporic planet on which he ekes out a solitary existence. Nyr's role was to study the natives through their generations. They, on the other hand, live as one might find in a medieval fantasy: nobles and citizens, towns and forest-dwellers, legends and "fact," society and politics. When the two aspects almost unintentionally collide, the consequences are both dire and amazing, providing incredibly delineated character arcs and evolution.

I was expecting the blend of high fantasy and sci-fi the author usually delivers and got, in addition, a story about belonging and purpose whilst struggling with crippling anxiety and a sense of being ‘wrong’. This was brilliant. I loved this story so much.