Children of Ruin

Another case of interstellar evolutionary uplift, but this time with octopuses. Given their unusual neurology (where each tentacle is somewhat independent of the central nervous system), this makes for a lot of fun chaotic genius. And there's actual alien life which is a bit too hungry for assimilation. The spiders and humans get a look in as well as they attempt to come to peaceable terms. Excellent nerdy scifi.

I also really enjoyed volume 2. However, I should point out to others that, unlike the first volume, it contains a horror element. But I enjoyed the ride and the new alliances. Oh, and unlike in the last book, I was more attached to the human characters.

The epilogue is somewhat strange but optimistic. That's why I read sci-fi!

This is a terrific follow-up to Children of Time.

Adrian Tchaikovsky is great at writing characters that think differently from how you or I might think  but who you can still grow attached to.

Like all of the other books of his I've read, In this one, he managed to find four or five major science fiction ideas I've never come across before.

And this book has octopuses!

Tchaikovsky's Children Of Series focuses on the lifeforms left behind by mankind's self-destruction. The sentient spiders from Children of Time are back, and are exploring a solar system caught in a civil war. One of science fiction's strengths is being able to imagine other beings, and Tchaikovsky's depictions of their life and thoughts are excellent here as well.

Decent read! Unexpectedly enjoyed having previously read one of the author's reference books (if you have gotten into Children of Ruin you might be able to guess which topic it concerns :) Less bombastic storyline than Children of Time, a larger focus on cognition in general