This standalone, relatively short novel was my introduction to Adrian Tchaikovsky. The story feels familiar at the outset. A motley crew sets out on a quest informed by a prophecy. In order to defeat the Dark Lord, they need something from the giant spiders. The group consists of seemingly standard classic Fantasy characters. The personalities and lively dialogue sparked Tolkien nostalgia. The humor works well.

The spider transforms the book into something special. I'm going to avoid spoilers, so it's enough to say Tchaikovsky's handling of this character and his treatment by the 'good' characters elevated the book into a deeper, more provocative journey than I expected. The author's narration adds another dimension to the novel. His emotional range and distinctive voices for each character intensifies Spiderlight's immersive effect. 

The exploration of humanity, imperialism, religion, and prejudice adds more layers to the experience. It's dark without becoming excessively heavy. I like that the subversion of expectations makes its points without becoming heavyhanded. There is mature content. The heterosexual guys aren't shy about it. The first third of the book felt slow and didn't pull me into the story.

The spiders fascinated me, especially the one we get to know. I'm delighted the book is a standalone that comes to a satisfying conclusion. I rated it 3.5, rounded up to 4 stars for the exceptional narration by the author. Highly recommended for Fantasy readers--and for general readers looking for fast adventure with banter and gratifying transformation of underlying racism, sexism, and hypocritical religious ideology in the genre's history.

My thanks to Dreamscape for the ALC via NetGalley. These are solely my own opinions.

Spiderlight is a quest fantasy that feels like a D&D session. A ragtag group of adventurers must follow a prophecy to defeat the Dark Lord. The premise sounds so cliche - and in some ways it is - but Tchaikovsky uses this premise to poke fun at this style of story while exploring what it means to be “good” or “evil.”

The prophecy requires the knowledge of giant, sentient spiders, which are “dark” creatures. The group (made up of servants of the “light”) ends up with one of these spiders as a companion, and I have to say, the spider is my favorite character in this book by far! Honestly, I think his perspective was my favorite part of the book. The human characters on the other hand are, for the most part, terrible. They’re arrogant, entitled, holier-than-thou assholes. They suck - but that’s kind of the point, so while I didn’t LIKE them, I (mostly) enjoyed reading about them, though they frustrated me at times.

I found the actual quest part of the book boring, but I’m not a big fan quest-focused plots in general, so take that criticism with a grain of salt.

Overall, I enjoyed Spiderlight. It’s funny at times but dark and heartbreaking at others. I had a really fun time with this book!

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me a copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

Adrian Tchaikovsky is a remarkable talent: he publishes multiple novels, novellas & short stories every year, he's an artist, amateur actor and he narrates books. If he weren't a best-selling author, I think he could make a decent living as a narrator.

I LOVED his narration of Spiderlight. The voice he uses for each character is unique & easily recognizable & has a distinct accent: something not all narrators can do. He also acts the story as he reads it, putting emotion into the emotional scenes & more energy into the action scenes. It's as if he's telling the story to his mates down at the pub. It really brings the story & the characters to life.

The story he tells in Spiderlight isn't the typical epic fantasy tale, although it sure seems that way at first. It starts off with a group of heroes straight out of a DnD session who set out to defeat the Dark Lord: a priestess of the Light, a knight, a mage, an archer and a thief. Things turn dark pretty quickly when, in order to meet the requirements of the prophecy that tells how to destroy the Dark Lord, they force the Spider Queen to aid them. To help them, she tasks one of brood to act as a guide for the heroes.

These warriors of the Light are forced to tolerate a creature of the Dark in their midst in order to fulfil their quest to defeat the Dark Lord. So, while the story is a fun, fast-paced action adventure, it also deals with more serious themes of morality, prejudice, bigotry, and what makes us human. And the good vs. evil, Light vs. Dark theme isn't as clear cut in this story as it seems at first. making me question at times who was really the "bad guy" and who wasn't.

The story isn't perfect, of course (what is?), but it was engrossing and fast-paced and very hard to put down. It's also very light-hearted & literally laugh out loud funny at times, which is a welcome contrast to some of the darker moments. I'd love to see this book made into a movie.

My rating is:
The story: 4 stars
Narration: 5 stars

The story idea was interesting, but it dragged a bit for me.
I did like the narration by the author.

While not my favorite of Adrian Tchaikovsky's works, Spiderlight is a remarkable story in that it proves just how good Tchaikovsky has gotten at his craft because by all accounts I should not have enjoyed this neatly as much as I did. My first thought was that the setting was somewhat standard for a fantasy, that the characters were nothing but archetypical creations I had seen before, and that I was getting a strong dose of 'Lord of the Rings' from the plot beats. Within about 30 minutes of starting the audiobook, I was fully locked in. A richly wrought world, very strong characters, a genuinely entertaining classic fantasy adventure about going on a quest to destroy a dark lord, and a wonderfully talented narrator really elevates this to something special. The only complaint I have is that the ending felt a little rushed to me, and that the amount of huge bombshells being dropped in the last hour-mark of the story left me a little shell shocked to the finale.

Thank you, NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Adrian Tchaikovsky, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Final verdict.

4.5 Stars!

I have to say that I’ve read some of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s work before—primarily his sci-fi novels- and for me, they’ve always been hit or miss. However, that speaks nothing of his talent as a writer because, if anything, he can tell a story. This is my first foray into his pure fantasy work, and I have to say that I enjoyed it quite a bit!

Whatever I thought this would be, it ended up being quite a dark tale with a heavy “them vs. us” narrative that gets really deep. The characters, at first, seem as though they’re going to be one-dimensional archetypes, however, they quickly began to feel like real people to me with motivations, flaws, and weaknesses. I don’t want to spoil this tale for anyone, so I will say that if you want a relatively short fantasy tale that still packs a punch, I wholeheartedly recommend this novel!

Additionally, I enjoyed the narration as well! This author proves himself talented in various ways!

Thank you again, Net Galley, Macmillan Audio, and Adrian Tchaikovsky for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really love the writings of Adrian Tchaikovsky but I'm always still pleasantly surprised by how unique he is. He narrates this, and it turns out he's a great narrator too
This is basically a quest story, with fantasy characters that seem familiar at first, but of course he takes us in completely unexpected directions. There is humor, but this is still a dark story, and Tchaikovsky has a lot to say about what it means to be human. His anger reminds me of the brilliance of Terry Pratchett, where there was always underlying anger. I'm sure I'm going to read this again and get something different every time

Readers who loved Adrian Tchaikovsky’s deep dive into spider intelligence in Children of Time and his sharp humor in Service Model will find Spiderlight an absolute treat — a fantasy adventure that gleefully spins classic tropes into something far more thoughtful (and eight-legged).

On the surface, this is a familiar quest: a ragtag group of adventurers, a prophecy to fulfill, a Dark Lord to defeat. The Church of Armes fights for the Light, but some members of the party are… let’s say, less devout. It’s all well-worn fantasy territory — until Tchaikovsky starts pulling at the threads.

With razor-sharp satire and a wink toward the late, great Terry Pratchett, Spiderlight unravels the rigid binaries of Light and Dark, hero and villain, human and Other. What does it actually mean to be Human? And is that even the goal? Tchaikovsky uses his signature wit to probe these questions, making for a fantasy tale that’s as thought-provoking as it is entertaining.

Originally published in 2016, Spiderlight got a fresh breath of life with its 2024 audiobook, narrated by the author himself. Tchaikovsky’s performance in Service Model set a high bar, and once again, he absolutely delivers. Honestly, it’s infuriating how good he is at everything.

Spiderlight is a must-read (or must-listen) for fans of clever, self-aware fantasy that challenges the genre while celebrating it. Come for the classic quest — stay for the existential spider musings.

I liked this book a lot. I think that some people might go into it expecting a humorous, lighthearted fantasy, but, while it has moments of humor, this is a dark story about the danger of fundamentalist religions. I fully Hated most of the characters for most the book. It may feel heavy-handed, but in our age which continues to have violence caused by religious extremism, I'm okay with that.

Adrian Tchaikovsky is a wonderful narrator, bringing unique voices to all of the characters. His narration absolutely convinced me to pick up more of his books on audio!

Actual Rating 2.5

This is a bit of a tricky one to rate. For the first 40%, I was sure I was going to completely dislike this work. It starts off painfully slow, full of familiar tropes, and the characters felt just as standard/tropey as the rest of the work. But things picked up a bit by the halfway mark, and some interesting philosophical points began to be explored. The exploration of human prejudice was well done. By the end of the work, I’d quite enjoyed where it ended up and how it was resolved.

I do think this is worth the read for the second half and the themes the author bended and explored. There was strong character growth in the second half as well as interesting (and some silly) events. However, the first 60% of the work really was a bit of a struggle to get through and felt largely pointless overall aside from some weak setup for the rest. The characters were difficult to like overall as most of them just blended into the background.

This was an okay fantasy overall that explored some interesting themes by the end, but there was a lot of mediocre to wade through to get there. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Spiderlight is a mix of sword-and-sorcery adventure and deeper commentary on human nature, morality, and the dangers of black-and-white thinking. At first, it feels like a classic DnD-inspired quest, with a mismatched party on a mission to defeat the Dark Lord, But, it quickly becomes something darker and more thought-provoking. Tchaikovsky masterfully explores themes of “us vs. them,” prejudice, and the hypocrisy that often comes with self-righteousness.

The standout here is the spider character, Nth. Tchaikovsky has a way of making non-human perspectives feel both alien and deeply relatable, and Nth’s journey is as heartbreaking as it is fascinating. While some of the other characters felt less compelling, the spider's arc carried much of the emotional weight. The audiobook, narrated by Tchaikovsky himself, adds an extra layer of engagement. His narration is solid, especially given the variety of voices required, though the frequent POV changes might have been easier to track in print. Overall, Spiderlight is a unique and enjoyable fantasy that combines sharp humor, biting social commentary, and an unforgettable spider protagonist.

WHAT did I just read?!?! Spiderlight is a wonderfully creepy and bizarre grimdark-lite fantasy. I kept expecting it to turn into a romance, and while I would have loved that too, I like how it was just this weird, dark book all the way through.

It's a great length! Not long, though some details could have been fleshed out more for better coherence. The cast of characters is BRILLIANT, and I LOVED reading their twisting dynamic throughout the story.

There is violence, language, and s3xual content.

The narration is excellent!

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an e-arc to listen and review voluntarily and honestly.

Spiderlight is a fantastic read that cleverly subverts classic fantasy tropes or pushes them to their logical extremes. The story follows a band of adventurers—a priest, mage, knight, ranger, and rogue—on their quest to defeat the dark lord Darvezian. At first, the plot feels like a typical Dungeons & Dragons-style quest, but Tchaikovsky shifts focus to the characters' histories, motivations, and convictions as their journey unfolds.

The group faces profound philosophical and moral dilemmas as their actions grow more ethically complex. Are their deeds inherently good simply because they are the "heroes"? Do the creatures they slay—some disturbingly humanlike—deserve their fate merely due to their association with evil? The story starts with humor and lightheartedness but gradually adopts a darker, more serious tone. The ending strikes a satisfying balance: it’s both realistic within the world’s rules and emotionally fulfilling.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Tchaikovsky himself, and it was a standout experience. His pacing was perfect—one of the few audiobooks where I didn’t feel the need to speed it up—and his distinct voice work for each character added depth and clarity to the dialogue. My only minor complaint was the occasional fluctuation in volume, requiring quick adjustments.

Overall, Spiderlight is a must-read, even for those who don’t usually gravitate toward fantasy. Tchaikovsky doesn’t rely on standard tropes; instead, he offers a thoughtful exploration of human nature and morality within a rich fantasy setting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Basically a sword and sorcery adventure, felt ripped from the 80s quest fantasy or a DnD campaign (would not at all be surprised if this idea started as a DnD campaign). Was short and enjoyable, but nothing to make it one of Tchaikovsky's best, especially in regards to characters, which were all pretty bland besides one.

And that one is where the book shines. What separates this book and makes it worth reading is the otherness that Tchaikovsky is so good at writing, taking a spider character and filling them with such interesting concepts (while feeling different from the spiders in Children of Time, and the spider kinden of Apt).

Also Tchaikovsky narrates the new audiobook and does a really good job. This book requires more voices than the other books of his he has narrated, and he does a good variety without being over the top about it.

This book was so well written, but also way to close and hits to hard given what is happening in the world today. The story really shows how even the heroes can be a bad guy, and I really loved the themes of consent and racism discussed.

While a re-release, someone still needs to stop Adrian Tchaikovsky, just for a year or two. "Spiderlight" continues his self appointed mission to make me care about spiders.

"The path to victory will only be seen through a spider's eyes" this piece of prophecy ruined an 8 legged horror's life. The Dark Lord waits stop his tower, doing evil, plotting and the like, to marshal the forces of Darkness against the Light. A chosen of Armes, God of Light, and her band follow the prophecies and garner some ingredients from rather large spiders. But needing a guide their wizard alters one, now not a spider and not a man he is assaulted by the humanity of things.

Narrated by Adrian Tchaikovsky, rather fond of a particular voice met near the end.

Reasons to read:
-Just because you are the "Light" side doesn't mean you are always the good guys
-Hey that's not going to haunt my arachnophobic dreams at all
-Rogues that have more kindness and empathy than the heroes
-Well that's a kick in the teeth

Cons:
-Stop making me empathic to spiders! He keeps doing it!

Received as an ARC from Netgalley:

This was the audio read by the author.

I LOVE this book, one of the few books I've read with TRULY 3 dimensional characters, with every character having heaps of realism. The back and forth of the characters as they justify their actions and then become fully aware that they have holes in their understanding felt incredibly true to life. So much of our lives are dictated not by logic but by emotion.

The plot and the idea of the book is really interesting. The point of view and the expansion of a normally villainous fantasy character isn't new per say, with hints of RA Salvatore's Drizzt series, the execution is where the book thrives. The point of view of a Spider is incredibly well thought out and feels real.

Where this book goes floored me. Don't want to spoil, just to say that it was unexpected.

It felt particularly encouraging to read today, in a day where the world looks the darkest, a book where hope still thrives, and the value of empathy is reinforced was really needed.

I love running across new ( new to me) books by authors who I am actively seeking out lately and Adrian Tchaikovsky is certainly one of those authors.

This is a high fantasy adventure which play out like a dungeon crawl and I love it. As an active D&D player, I enjoyed the character dynamics and the way the author weaves in tension with species differences creating an "us" vs "Them" mindset in many. However, there are some characters which are not on board with this dynamic and as readers we are constantly questioning if the "good" characters are actually good and if the "evil" characters are inherently evil due to their nature.

Questing stories will always be a favorite trope of mine as we are usually provided a misfit band of adventures, sometimes touted as heroes which s questioned along the way. And the end goal often seems fairly straightforward and just, but you never know until the end if they are truly fighting for the right side.

The narrator is the author and I thought he did a fantastic job. I love when they do that. I feel as though they are able to articulate what they envision a bit more than a narrator who did not write it. This is not to say other narrators do not do a good job, but I do feel Mr. Tchaikovsky did a phenomenal job and I hope to find more of his narrations in the future.

Ahoy there me mateys!  I adored this book!  It was first published in 2016 and the audiobook is being released in the U.S. today.  The blurb does not get into the delightfulness that is this novel.

There is a battle between the Dark and the Light that has been going on for centuries beyond count.  A prophecy has arisen that a champion will defeat the Dark Lord Darvezian with the help of the hidden path of spiders.

The book is set up as a traditional Quest.  There is the cleric, the magician, the thief, the knight, and the archer.  But this quest isn't like the others.  For one thing, the party doesn't seem to get along and all of them have their secrets.  They are weary, battle-scarred, and on the last leg of their journey.  They need the spiders.  And this is where the book really rocks.

The party of the Light needs a spider guide to help them find and survive the path.  Enter Nth.  He is a spider assigned to help the humans.  To communicate, he is transformed into a humanesque shape.  His forced inclusion into the party and his interactions with the others (and how they affect each other) was so well done.  The points of view do change but Nth remained the favorite.  It is heart wrenching and funny at turns.

The tone of the story feels like an old fairytale but the inclusion of the alien spider viewpoint, the humorous aspects, and the insights into human character make this something special.  I was especially delighted with the turn the plot took when it is time to fight the Dark Lord Darvezian.  I cannot really say more about the plot due to massive spoilers but I loved the blend of the traditional quest and how the author then avoids/plays with clichés.

Basically I highly recommend this novel and also the author's narration.  Like all of the author's works, it is thought-provoking and fascinating.  I will continue to read his stories.  Arrrr!

Playing with an idea common to epic fantasy: warriors of the Light must vanquish a Lord of the Dark, author Adrian Tchaikovsky kicks that overused trope over to look at its less salubrious underside, such as the misuse of power, bigotry, and who has value in society.

A party arrives in a forest because a prophecy says they must gather travel the spider’s path to the lair of the Dark Lord, who in this case is terrible and nasty and must be deposed. They’re there to collect a spider’s tooth, and find a way to find a secret path to the Lord’s lair.

The party is made up of:
-Dion, a priest of Armes, who has Right on her side, and is full of tiresome virtue and rightness
-Penthos, a man who may be a powerful magician, but can’t read the social temperature of a room
-Cyrene, an terrific archer who battles male prejudice constantly
-Harathes, a pompous prick, I mean priest, of the Church
-Lief, a thief, who is a lot smarter and unexpectedly kinder than the others.

They manage to convince the mother of a brood of spiders to give them what they need, including one of her sons, whom Penthos transforms into a sort of man. The others are repulsed by Nth, as 1) he’s a spider, who is naturally on the side of the Dark, and 2) he does not fully resemble a human, with his too long limbs, greyish skin and multiple eyes. Nth has his mother’s imparted knowledge of a secret path to Lord Darvesian’s castle, and though the party needs his knowledge, Nth is mistreated, feared and misunderstood as everyone knows spiders are bad.

The party stumbles its way on their journey, while Nth gradually gains control over his body, learns to speak with the others, finds a friend in Lief, while quietly contradicting their beliefs about their cherished beliefs by his very existence and behaviour.

Tchaikovsky also points out the inherent unearned superiority and imperialistic attitudes and bigotry baked into these fantasy archetypes and religions; the humans abuse everyone they designate as not human, or monster, and feel they have every right to invade, take from and kill them.

Tchaikovsky holds a mirror to our perception of what a hero is, and it looks pretty ugly, as it takes much of the novel for the party to treat Nth as something more than a piece of garbage. What good is virtue or virtuous thought if one’s behaviour leads to abuse, exclusion and violence?

I love reading this author’s work, and this novel is no exception. I actually listened to this book, and have nothing but compliments for the author’s narration. The voices of each character is unique, and my favourite was Nth’s. The transformed spider’s confusion, pain, and gradual acceptance of his terrible situation is wonderfully conveyed, while Penthos’ voice was my second favourite. I liked the way Tchaikovsky communicated Lief’s sly humour, and Cyrene’s quiet anguish during her difficult conversation with Dion. I definitely recommend the audiobook to experience this entertaining book.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Macmillan Audio for this ARC in exchange for my review.