The Heart of the Reproach

The Tyrant Philosophers

by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Of all the weirdness in City of Last Chances nothing grabbed people’s imagination as much as the Reproach, the haunted district of ghosts centred about the palace of the city’s usurped rulers.

Whilst the books of the series will absolutely return to Ilmar and its spectres, this story paves the way by taking a closer look at the forsaken place, those who dwell beside it, and those who come to steal from it. The Heart of the Reproach is a wicked little piece, and while it can absolutely be read on its own, it also forms a bridge between the first and the last books in the Tyrant Philosophers series for those interested in the series. Enjoy!

Genres: Fantasy, Short Stories, Queer, Ebooks

29 pages, ebook

First published July 1, 2025

About the author

ADRIAN TCHAIKOVSKY was born in Lincolnshire and studied zoology and psychology at Reading, before practising law in Leeds. He is a keen live role-player and occasional amateur actor and is trained in stage-fighting. His literary influences include Gene Wolfe, Mervyn Peake, China Miéville, Mary Gently, Steven Erikson, Naomi Novak, Scott Lynch and Alan Campbell.

Reviews

[aria ✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

They say that, in Ilmar’s time of need, even its own cursed devils remembered their patriotic pride.

‘The Heart of the Reproach’ is a story of obsession and the lengths we would go to satisfy that fixation. Back in Ilmar, years after the events of City of Last Chances, the Hermit is revered as a guardian to the Reproach, holding the ghosts at bay. When this beloved returning character is approached by a boy with money, means and an intense obsession, we find ourselves once again in the middle of a deadly dance.

Mr. Tchaikovsky, I love you. I’m currently reading House of Open Hounds and I saw this being sold for free by Subterranean Press and just had to delve into it (I also really miss Ilmar) ALSO THAT ENDING?! MR. TCHAIKOVSKY, YOU CAN’T DROP SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND LEAVE US HANGING!! I CAN’T WAIT FOR BOOK FIVE!

“They ask me what the ghosts are doing. They know, next time things kick off, it won’t start in the Gownhall or the Hammer District. It’ll start here. The boy comes back, clad in moon shadows, and there’ll be a girl with a fiery banner, and after them, all the ghosts. All the old things out on the streets. And who’ll be safe then, eh? Maybe not anyone, but not the Pals. They’re afraid of it. And they’re right to be. And they know it’ll go worse if they cause me harm, so they pay their respects and then they let me be.”

[Charoi · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful glimpse into what this series still has in store. Can't wait for the next installment!

[Peter Baran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its a nice tale twisting short story set after, and on the fringes of the City Of Last Chances, and the setting is almost irrelevant beyond the actual existence of ghosts and demons. The usual happens, someone thinks they can break the rules, they can't. Pleasingly gothic while his at it though

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. A brief look at the ghostly Reproach, the section of the city of Ilmar populated by the ghostly presences of past rulers overthrown. Very much enjoyed this.

This is a short story that falls within Adrian Tchaikovsky’s excellent series The Tyrant Philosophers. I would suggest reading the novel The City of Last Chances prior to picking this up for maximum enjoyment and necessary context. I’m not sure how well this would read as a standalone.

[Shyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

And he's a thug turned mad recluse, but in that speech, those words, it's like the Reproach's own composite ghost has gone into him. His eyes blaze and his voice booms and he's the crazed prophet about to stride into the city and tell each and every Pal soldier that their personal doom is here. And then it's gone, and he shrugs once more, and is just the Hermit.

So good, together with Holy Fools we're getting a strong collection of short stories following City of Last Chances.

[pareidolia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this short entry into the Tyrant Philosophers series last year, directly as it was published. It brings us back to where it all started and to one of my favorite characters, so what's not to love?

[Zach Laengert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes!! Love the update on Ilmar, getting a brief look at these characters again four years after 'City of Last Chances'. Wouldve liked at least a hint about Blackmane but whatcha gonna do.

Great little plot of another obsessed noble acting as our lens, and a fitting end for him.

Wonder whether book 4 will spill back into Ilmar or if this'll still be further down the line.

[nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

four years.

[Alex Sarll]

Is two Tyrant Philosophers stories within a week too much? Possibly, but I took receipt of them both within 24 hours of each other, so really I'm being quite restrained. On one level this is a quick tease of a revisit to characters from the series' first book, City Of Last Chances, and the setting of occupied Ilmar which we already know Tchaikovsky will be revisiting at greater length when he wraps up the saga. Beyond that, it also offers one of fantasy's more dubious pleasures, in scenes reminiscent of an RPG player desperately trying to rules-lawyer ('Well, where does it say a ghost can't possess a demon?'). Underneath, though, there's something more unpleasantly topical in the spectacle of a rich prick idolising the old regime despite the whole business of their being notoriously and rightly cursed and shunned, an entitled man convinced a woman he doesn't know will be his if he can only find the right lever to pull.
(Yes, obviously it irks me that the cover makes no attempt to match the vibe of any of the other books. But for saying that Subterranean's whole schtick is fancy limited editions, they generally seem to be on an aesthetic wavelength that doesn't work for me at all when it comes to their art choices)

[Mayumi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interessante o suficiente, mas faltou contexto pra mim. Depois de ler eu vi que esse conto tem relação com o livro City of last chances -- e mais, com a série, no geral --, que eu não li. Achei também que a escrita foi meio besta e às vezes meio arrogante, com palavras e construções frasais difíceis só pra parecer mais do que realmente é. Gostei de entender a relação do ermitão com o rapaz revolucionário que está preso no tal do reproach, mas fiquei sem entender a relação de Firitzy com Lady Keretskaya (e talvez isso esteja exposto na série) e achei que faltou. Gostei das vibes, dos vislumbres desse mundo, mas acho que o conto poderia ser um pouco mais autocontido.

[Anurag Sahay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tchaikovsky continues to amuse. This was (1) free, given out by Subterranean Press and (2) exactly what I needed to get back into this series, whose first book was a standout in that I enjoyed every element of the expansive cast and plot. Unfortunately, when things are so expansive, it is easy to forget things, but the novella was quite good at jogging my memory and whetting my appetite for more in the series.

The novella itself feels like an epilogue for a small subset of the characters of book 1, though it did seem to be setting up the return to Ilmar as a setting eventually.

[Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short story set in the world of Adrian Tchaikovsky's Tyrant Philosopher's fantasy series, published separately by Subterranean Press as a free ebook. In particular, it's set in the Reproach, a mysterious and deadly neighborhood in the city of Ilmar that features in the first book, City of Last Chances. The Reproach was one of the more memorably enigmatic parts of that book (which was full of similarly weird stuff), so I was definitely interested to see more in this short. What's inside is a decent and serviceable short story - not the kind that'll blow your mind, but certainly entertaining and poignant, without overstaying its welcome.

[What the Sam Hill are you reading? · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5. A solid little short story, and cool visit back to Illmar. It was interesting to read about the city after the failed revolution, and the foreshadowing of potential events of book 5 “The Grave of Perfection” (even though book 4 has not released yet). Tchaikovsky is never at a loss for imagination, like exploring the concept of a ghost trying to posses a demon, and the twist at the end was poetic justice.

[Asia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this will probably make you want to reread the series, or at least the first book. And it's a great time to reread, or listen to the masterfully narrated audiobooks, because another book in the series is on the way! The short story really set the mood and told a satisfying story in 30 pages.

[Gyalten Lekden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really wonderful story that has all of Tchaikovsky's wit and emotion, with a cheeky sense of action to boot. It is able to expand our understanding of the world he has created and also open up some doors into what looks like it may be a path back to Ilmar for the conclusion of the series. Definitely worth reading for anyone who enjoyed City of Last Chances.

[krejn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ilmar my beloved

[Peter Csanadi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25⭐️

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tidy little novella about Ilmar, the main city in The Tyrant Philosophers books by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Nice little story and entertaining.

[Tam · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Pedro Marroquín · Rating 2 out of 5]

Relato olvidable del enamoramiento de un tio con un fantasma. Y de los intentos que hace para que el fantasma se vuelva corpórea. D

[Trent · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will always be happy for more of this series, even if it is only 25 pages.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Abi Pellinor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a novella set in the Tyrant Philosophers world and this one is set following someone who we did learn about in the first book of the series, intending to link us further into the third book.

I don't want to spoil the plot of these 30 pages, but it does link in with the first book. We are following them as they are kind of a boundary between the magical stuff and the police state. I'll say that much. I don't want to spoil it!