A review by acopytopy
Walking to Aldebaran by Adrian Tchaikovsky

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

It's a short, fun, and interesting read about a snarky protagonist exploring a frightening landscape. If I had one complaint, it would be that I wish the book took itself a bit more seriously at certain moments. The horror aspect would've had more of an impact that way.
Humans are horrifying because they're relatable. Monsters are exciting because they can't be understood. This protagonist isn't either option, which I think detracted from the emotional impact of the twist.

He also compares himself to the protagonist of a Greek tragedy, but I could've done without the melodramatic cries for "Mother" at the end.


That said, the concept of being able to
walk to alien civilizations
is amazing, and the setting is wonderful. I also appreciated the themes of
delusions of godhood and subsisting off of corpses
.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings