The Air War

Description

The Air War is the eighth book in the critically acclaimed epic fantasy series Shadows of the Apt by Adrian Tchaikovsky. An empress demands her birthright . . . All is in turmoil as the world moves towards war. In Solarno, spies eye one another and ready their knives - while the people of Myna watch troops gather at its borders. Emotions run high as old fears reawaken. And in Collegium students argue politics, too late to turn the tide. At the heart of the Empire, new pilots complete their secretive training, generals are recalled to service and armies are readied to march. Their Empress, heir to two worlds, intends to claim her birthright. For nothing - either within the Empire or beyond it - will stand in her way. The Air War is followed by the ninth book in the Shadows of the Apt series, War Master's Gate.

Adrian Tchaikovsky was born in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, and headed off to university in Reading to study psychology and zoology. For reasons unclear even to himself, he subsequently ended up in law. Adrian has since worked as a legal executive, in both Reading and Leeds, and now writes full time. He also lives in Leeds, with his wife and son. Adrian is a keen live role-player and occasional amateur actor. He has also trained in stage-fighting and keeps no exotic or dangerous pets of any kind - possibly excepting his son. Adrian is the author of the critically acclaimed Shadows of the Apt series, the Echoes of the Fall series and other novels, novellas and short stories. The Tiger and the Wolf won the British Fantasy Award for Best Fantasy Novel - and Children of Time won the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. This was in the award's thirtieth anniversary year.

Series praise: j"Tchaikovsky tests all his characters in the full knowledge that many will fail, some heroically and others in despair. Readers who like their military fantasy to come with real consequences will be completely enthralled." Publishers Weekly "All the elements that made the first four novels so good are still here--inventiveness, action, great world building and [this] novel achieved the tricky thing of combining familiarity with the new in all of its aspects that is a landmark of major leading sff series... A++." Fantasy Book Critic 'Tchaikovsky clearly has a great deal of talent, and a real handle on the fantasy genre, with the ability to splice in different influences almost seamlessly' SciFiNow 'Reminiscent of much that's gone before from the likes of Gemmel, Erikson, Sanderson and Cook but with its own unique and clever touch, this is another terrific outing from Mr Tchaikovsky' Sci-Fi-London 'Occasionally a fantasy author comes up with a way to break the mould of traditional genre tropes: M. John Harrison's Viriconium and China Mieville's Perdido Street Station are two examples that immediately spring to mind. Tchaikovsky, on this evidence, looks like a new addition to that select hall of fame' Death Ray 'The insectile-human premise is inventive, shaping the world in all sorts of ways' SFX 'Full of colourful drama and non-stop action involving mass warfare and personal combat, Dragonfly Falling brilliantly continues the Shadow of the Apt epic fantasy series that began in Adrian Tchaikovsky's remarkable debut novel, Empire in Black and Gold.' Fantasy Book Critic