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The City of Lost Chances
Ilmar has long been shrouded in darkness, but never more oppressive than it is now. The city groans under the Palleseen occupation's iron grip, the criminal underworld's stranglehold, the factory owners' exploitation, the weight of its impoverished citizens, and the yoke of its ancient curse.
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About the author
Adrian Tchaikovsky
197 books18.5k followersADRIAN 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.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 26, 2026
Did Not Finish
The 3rd of AT's books I've started to read - unlike the first two of the children series (3rd to be read this year) - I had to DNF this and put it back on the shelf.
I thought a quick word on WHY - as the book and concept is not bad - it is just not for certain people.
AT's style in this book is very dense information heavy - the narrative really isn't flowing, rather built by a constant stream of facts about the world, information on the characters, the situation and the world. There were too many actors, all trying to be in depth - and through that, the narrative flow and story telling felt lost.
This led to it being a very robust and exhausting read - I was about 25% through and just had to stop - I didn't want to pick the book up most days and found myself forcing it.
BUT - for some - this book will be wonderful. What was dull and trying to me - will be a rich and wonderful world of characters.
The 3rd of AT's books I've started to read - unlike the first two of the children series (3rd to be read this year) - I had to DNF this and put it back on the shelf.
I thought a quick word on WHY - as the book and concept is not bad - it is just not for certain people.
AT's style in this book is very dense information heavy - the narrative really isn't flowing, rather built by a constant stream of facts about the world, information on the characters, the situation and the world. There were too many actors, all trying to be in depth - and through that, the narrative flow and story telling felt lost.
This led to it being a very robust and exhausting read - I was about 25% through and just had to stop - I didn't want to pick the book up most days and found myself forcing it.
BUT - for some - this book will be wonderful. What was dull and trying to me - will be a rich and wonderful world of characters.
March 8, 2026
Didn't finish it - found it quite exhausting. I liked a lot of it - the world its set in, the characters interesting, the plot thickens... and thickens .... and turns into mud. I got lost in the mire, and though I struggled like a dinosaur in a tar-pity, it was to no avail, the mud closed over my nostrils and I .... stopped reading.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews