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Cover of Children of Time by Adrian TchaikovskyChildren of Time
Modern · Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Children of Time

by Adrian Tchaikovsky
2015 · 600 pages · Fiction
75.9Must-Read
Score Modern
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 15 hours to read · about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Adrian Tchaikovsky's novel tells of humanity's battle for survival on a terraformed planet, where the last humans, fleeing a dying Earth, find a world that has evolved without them, and a new kind of civilization has risen there.

Why it's worth reading

It won the Arthur C. Clarke Award. It's an ambitious, inventive science fiction epic about evolution and what makes a civilization.

You'll love it if you liked

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HyperionDan Simmons

Good to know

It spans thousands of years and alternates between two points of view. It's the first of a trilogy, with Children of Ruin next.

By the numbers

75.9Must-Read Score
  • Readers92 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller39 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Shortlisted
Goodreads Choice (science fiction) finalist (2023, for Children of Memory)

Reads as

Epic, Adventurous, Thought-provoking

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 2010sTop 25 · 736 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is Children of Time worth reading?

Yes. It won the Arthur C. It ranks #717 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 75.9 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Children of Time about?

Adrian Tchaikovsky's novel tells of humanity's battle for survival on a terraformed planet, where the last humans, fleeing a dying Earth, find a world that has evolved without them, and a new kind of civilization has risen there.

How long does it take to read Children of Time?

About 15 hours (600 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Children of Time?

If you liked it, try Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu or Hyperion by Dan Simmons.