Children of Time Review

Rating: 8/10

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky does something most sci-fi novels don’t dare attempt: it tells its story primarily through the eyes of an evolving spider civilization across thousands of years.

What makes it work is that Tchaikovsky commits fully to the alien perspective. These aren’t humans in spider suits — they think, communicate, and structure society in genuinely non-human ways. The intellectual depth and imagination on display are remarkable.

If you’re willing to sit with the discomfort of a truly alien protagonist, this book rewards you generously.