This was a solid read. I like the explorations in this book and I preferred the writing in this one compared to some of Tchaikovsky's other sci fi.

Adrian Tchaikovsky's "Alien Clay" is a masterful blend of science fiction and political intrigue, set against the backdrop of an alien world that is as dangerous as it is fascinating. The story follows Professor Arton Daghdev, a xeno-biologist whose thirst for studying alien life is quenched in the most harrowing way possible – through exile to Kiln, an extrasolar labor camp where death lurks in every corner of its chaotic ecosystem.

Tchaikovsky, an Arthur C. Clarke Award winner, weaves a tale that is both a thrilling adventure and a profound commentary on the human condition. The planet Kiln serves as a canvas for this narrative, a place where the oppressive regime of the Mandate casts a shadow as dark as the monstrous alien life forms that inhabit it. The journey to Kiln is a one-way trip, a fact that hangs over the inmates like a death sentence.

The protagonist, Arton, is a compelling character whose political activism lands him in this dire situation. His struggle for survival is palpable, as he navigates through the treacherous terrain and interacts with the alien life forms that could either be his doom or his salvation. The camp's regime is as much of a threat as the wildlife, and Arton's fight against both is a testament to his resilience and ingenuity.

One of the most intriguing aspects of "Alien Clay" is the ruins of an ancient alien civilization that Arton discovers during his ordeal. These ruins hold secrets that could change humanity's understanding of the universe and its place within it. Tchaikovsky skillfully unravels this mystery, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they follow Arton's expedition into the unknown.

Tchaikovsky's world-building is exceptional, creating an ecosystem on Kiln that is both alien and eerily reminiscent of Earth's own natural world. The interactions between human and alien life are depicted with a sense of wonder and horror, showcasing Tchaikovsky's ability to evoke strong emotions in his readers.

In conclusion, "Alien Clay" is not just another science fiction novel; it is a thought-provoking exploration of exile, survival, and discovery. It confirms Adrian Tchaikovsky's place as a modern master of the genre, capable of crafting stories that are both entertaining and intellectually stimulating. This standalone adventure is a must-read for fans of science fiction and those who appreciate stories that challenge their perceptions of life and humanity's role in the cosmos.

Lots of body horror! Rebels against an authoritarian human government are exiled to an alien world where they will die as manual labor supporting scientific investigations into the incredibly complex biology of that world. But the alien biome wants to colonize its human invaders as much as the humans in charge want to dissect and control the biome. Can people who’ve never succeeded at rebellion—because they were betrayed or afraid of being betrayed or just too isolated among compliance—find a way through? Can you truly understand anything of which you are not a part? I sort of wonder if the current vogue for fungi in sf influenced this book as well.

ALIEN CLAY's description had me immediately wanting to read it. To me it sounded a lot like Jack McDevitt's Academy series which I absolutely love and is an amazing space opera that has heavy elements of alien archeology and an underlying lost civilization mystery. I have to say that when it comes to sf books, alien archeology is among my very favorite themes. So based on that this book caught my attention from the very first time I saw it marketed on social media. It also didn't hurt that it was written by an author whose books I've appreciated and enjoyed for over a decade now. All of these things pointed to an excellent chance that I would be more than enamored with this story. Ultimately though I thought this was a decent book that just didn't have that wow factor that I had hoped.

This book sets up like it's going to be one heck of a deep dive alien archeology mystery and I was totally here for it. We are introduced to the main players, and main character Arton in particular. Arton is a very accomplished professor and an expert on all types of ancient civilizations. In this case Arton is part of a prisoner group that has been sent on a mission to discover the purpose and origin of a number of structures discovered on the enigmatic planet of Kiln. Seems Arton rubbed all of the wrong people the wrong way with his ardent political activism and found himself on the bad side of the ruling organization called the Mandate. Yeah the Mandate doesn't like people who rock the boat. Let's just say they are an authoritarian extremist faction that expects total subservience for their cause.

All of this captured my curiosity in the first 100 pages of so and boy was I getting excited for the intense exploration to come and the increasing intensity of that early promise. Sadly, although the story itself is fairly interesting, I found myself getting lost in an over-abundance of conversation and dialogue that had me skimming some pages (which I rarely if ever do). Skimming some pages soon became putting the book down for long stretches because I just couldn't totally get into the plot. I finally did manage to finish the book and while the final 50 pages or so were exciting and satisfying, it didn't completely redeem the 200 pages or so before that where I found this book tough sledding. I think I expected a book that was more alien mystery and what I actually got was a more political struggle and social commentary book. Which is fine, but it wasn't the story I was in the mood for unfortunately and thus I enjoyed it far less as a result.

That's not to say that this isn't a good book with the tight writing that we have all come to expect from Adrian Tchaikovsky. There are some really shining moments where his outstanding storytelling shines through. I just would have liked more focus on the exploration aspect and a little less on the character relationship dynamic. Although I was slightly disappointed, I am sure this book will appeal to a great number of SF readers, so don't let my lackluster reaction dissuade you. I am always going to pick up anything Tchaikovsky writes because overall he's written way more hits for me than misses. This one was just okay for me though.

Adrian writes a good story. He creates fascinating worlds with characters that are well developed and often thought provoking. This story is no different there. We have our main character who is a political prisoner and highly educated academic being sent to a death colony of a planet to be forced labor. The trip takes decades, the prisoners sent through the atmosphere like the disposable fodder they are onto a world that appears to actively hate them and seeks to destroy them by whatever means necessary. On top of that the Warden is a rather sadistic individual who fancies himself an academic. Since the majority of other prisoners are also academics and even if they escape they are lightyears from home with no real exit plan we have the makings of a quandary. While some parts of the plot are predictable, the strange science of the planet itself is fascinating in the thought provoking way of the authors that explores humanity, sentience and freedom of thought. It really is a good book and while not in the league of others Adrian has written it definitely deserves a place on the shelf. Thank you netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book so I can write an honest review.

First I would Like to thank Adrian Tchaikovsky and Orbit for sending me the Arc for this novel.

Rating: 2.5

First, I DNF this book. I don't know what to make of this novel. While there were exciting moments, a good portion of what I read dragged. I wanted to love this novel, because when I read the synopsis I was intrigued with its premise. However, I soon realized that the writing style was not for me. I made it to 50% of the book before I couldn't read anymore. The reason I made it this far was because the world-building was amazing and I could see the world in my mind's eye.

Anton, our main character is one of the main reasons for my rating. After a while, his thoughts and opinions became overbearing and annoying, and I became bored. I couldn't connect with his character and I became interested in the remainder of the story.

What I read up till the 50% mark was great, and the world is vibrant and the premise is intriguing. I am not the right reader for this, however, I have complete confidence that there are Sci-fi readers who will love this book.

"Alien Clay" by Adrian Tchaikovsky presents a gripping far-future narrative set on the planet Kiln, a prison colony with a hidden secret. Professor Arton Daghdev, a political prisoner and xeno-ecologist, unravels mysteries that could alter not just Kiln but distant Earth as well.

Tchaikovsky's signature style shines through in the vivid world-building and nuanced characterization. While some may find the story grim and the secret somewhat familiar, the book's well-crafted narrative still stands as a testament to the author's skill.

For readers who appreciate deep world-building, complex characters, and thought-provoking science fiction, "Alien Clay" delivers an engaging and immersive experience.

Like any book by this author, it is well written, with vivid world building and deft characterization. It is just a bit too grim for my taste. I also found the big secret to be a reasonably familiar SF trope and the conclusion unoriginal. Still, props for another well-written Tchaikovsky book. It just didn’t measure up to some of his best.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! I struggled with how to rate this book. It is well written, the world-building is excellent, and some portions really pulled me in. However, some parts dragged for me personally and I would have loved more focus on the world and exploration of the planet than there ultimately ended up being. This was my first book by this author and I will definitely be picking up others!

As a fan of his science fiction, I was once again blown away by the world building. Must read for scifi fans! Will be purchasing for libraries!

Huge thanks to Orbit for the ARC!

I love a lot of Adrian Tchaikovsky's work, and 'Alien Clay' is up there with his absolute best.

The book brings in a lot of incredibly cool bioscience ideas (which could easily have come from a 'Children of Time' installment) to bear on a societal struggle between rigid authoritarianism and the resistant lower classes, and in my opinion the execution is near-perfect in its meaning and elegance.

There is class commentary here, but moreover a lovely argument for empathy backed by a fascinating speculative fiction world.

I loved the queer inclusion here!! It's not something I recall seeing from Tchaikovsky before, but between Ilmus and other characters/relationships it is seamless and graceful; where some authors really botch the job.

The writing also feels so free in comparison to other sci-fi I've read recently. Adrian is out here doing word puns like Adah in 'The Poisonwood Bible' and pulling quotes like Red and Blue in 'This is How You Lose the Time War'. It feels like he's having fun with it, and I think that only elevates the book more.

This might be my new go-to SF Biology recommendation over both 'Children of Time' and 'Semiosis', though perhaps it should be saved for last.

In the sea of many voices that is science fiction, Adrian Tchaikovsky is one that always stands out to me as a world builder who is worth visiting. Alien Clay takes on questions of politics and society sending the reader to another universe that is in retrospect strangely like our own — this is the best science fiction currently being published

How must it feel to be a biologist studying alien life, for a government that wants you to find intelligent life, but a government that also has an almost religious human-centric mandate that requires you find evident to support their conclusions, rather than the other way around? With deadly consequences for anyone who doesn't toe the company line?

This is the predicament Professor Anton Daghdev finds himself in. He's been sentenced to a penal colony on the planet Kiln for political dissidence. Pro: He gets to keep studying alien life, up close, an incredible opportunity! Con: The entire planet's ecosystem is symbiotic and is trying to get into, and colonize, their bodies on a daily basis, turning them into raving, inhuman lunatics.

There are ancient alien ruins on Kiln, and despite the dangers from both human soliders and alien life, Anton has a chance to make a discovery that could change humanity forever. For better, or for worse. If he can just live that long.

I am partial to scifi where our main character is a researcher of some sort, a biologist or linguist. I love the framework of really digging into the meat of what makes something alien. In terms of pacing this book was a fast read and there was never a significant slowdown in the action, and the way we got a back-and-forth in the timeline nearer to the end helped ramp everything up for the conclusion. Tchaikovsky's writing is absolutely beautiful. He's the kind of author that makes it look easy, even though you know it really isn't. His prose flows in a way that is inspiring to see. And the world of Kiln! So lushly and descriptively written that it's easy to picture in your mind, even as some of it makes you shudder with the same instinctive response as when you see a pile of centipedes with no discernible beginning or end.

The first half of this book was a solid 4.5 and had my interest entirely. The plot did not go quite where I expected; it was very good, and I think it's a solid end, but it started to get very repetitive in Anton's internal monologue. That very well may have been on purpose, to emphasize what was going on, but extreme repetition always rubs me the wrong way and takes me out of the story.

Overall I'd rate this a 3.75. It's gorgeously written, and it's weird and wonderful and very, very alien. If you want scifi that regularly makes you put your book down, stare off into space and THINK about what you just read, then I strongly recommend this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for a digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

In a future where humans can travel across the galaxy, political dissidents are sent away to labor camps on a variety of planets. Our main character, Arton Daghdev, is a scientist who has been sentenced to one of the planets. He has always wanted to study alien life, and this might be his chance.

This starts out with a bang. It is told in first-person present tense, which I usually find extremely difficult, but here it added to the cinematic world-building, and I didn't mind it at first. This is what I refer to as a "voicy" novel: the main character has a very distinct voice and personality. However, after a while, Arton's thoughts and opinions became exhausting for me to read. So this was a DNF for me. I also wonder if there aren't a lot of Britishisms (which obviously would make sense since the author is British)...because I had trouble understanding many of the expressions the character used, and that also added to my frustration and confusion.

The section I read was well-written, so I think that if a sci-fi fan is in the right mood for a "voicy" book, this could be a good fit, just not for this reader.

Wow. This is the first time reading a book by this author. Even though I found the premise to be intriguing, nothing could’ve prepared me for what I was about to read (In a good way!). Fascinating world building, this was a real page turner. Even though the book is 400+ pages I found myself zooming through it. Absolutely loved every bit of it.