A review by surdiablo
Walking to Aldebaran by Adrian Tchaikovsky

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Okay, I am at a loss for words as it left quite a stunning impression on me. It's one of those books that's best experienced if you go in completely blind, but for the sake of me having to write something, we basically follow the first-person narrative of an
astronaut stuck in an alien crypt.
The pacing is good, atmospheric dread is impressive, flashbacks are intertwined without ruining the flow much, and the book is even funny/wholesome at certain points regardless of the subject matter, since the narrator doesn't take himself seriously. I didn't have many problems with the story except that it could have used more 'creative' moments perhaps, considering the setting. Perhaps it's not as well-written as Elder Race, and you may not find it as impressive as I did if you have read much sci-fi before, but I had a great time overall and the ending left me feeling
disturbed
. I wasn't aware of the whole
Beowulf
retelling part, and I think it worked out very well for me since I had no idea what to expect. 
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