This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot & Librarything by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: A Time for Grief
Series: Tales of the Apt #2
Author: Adrian Tchaikovsky
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 350
Format: Digital Edition

Synopsis:

A collection of short stories about the Apt world that ranged between the opening chapters of The Empire in Black in Gold all the way to after the Seal of the Worm.

Many minor characters from the series are given more prominent roles and several characters from the first book in this series of Tales of the Apt make a return.

My Thoughts:

I did not enjoy this as much as the previous book. It felt like Tchaikovsky was simply letting all the story telling out that he wasn't able to fit into the Shadows series. Characters and situations that were important to him as the author were allowed out on the page, whereas I the reader couldn't have cared less about them all.

That doesn't mean the stories weren't interesting or were poorly written, but they simply didn't grab my attention the same the previous collection did. I think part of it was just how depressing it all was, even the authors little afterwards about the history of each story. More of these stories ended happy than not but even still Tchaikovsky just seemed to revel in writing, in the afterwards, about how depressing everything in the story is. He doesn't seem like a depressed man, but just someone who likes to tell depressing stories.

I think this is typified in the story about a fly boy. He and his parents are workers in the city of Helleron and they can barely afford to even live in the poor section of town. Then the street they live on changes hands to another gang and said gang raises the rates, hence forcing everyone to move. The fly boy tries to hire someone to fight a battle with whoever the gang chooses but being so poor, no one will even give him the time of day. Until he runs across Tisaman, who wants to die. So Tisaman takes up his cause and kills the fighter the other gang hired and so the street goes back to the original gang. The kicker? The fighter the other gang hired was a man who lived in the same building as the fly boy and who the fly boy looked up to as a hero. Every story has some depressing angle like that.

It isn't nihilism, but it is more subtle and insidious and it wore me down. There are 2 more books in the series and I'm really hoping they trend more towards the action of the first than the mentally depressing of the second.

★★★☆½ ( )

Tchaikovsky never fails to impress and he does so mightily with this collection of short stories further informing his already colorful and inventive world. He never coddles the uninitiated, so if you are not familiar with his work, you might want to take a step back to the first book. I have never read a writer quite like Tchaikovsky; he draws you in and masterfully spins tales of conflict, of peace, and the consequence of both.

A Time for Grief is a collection of short stories taking a look, for the most part, during "peace time" at what some of his previous characters deal with rather than in the midst of their various wars. But in times of peace does anyone touched by war ever have a peaceful life, much less war veterans? What work do you find when all you know is being a soldier? What do some resort to just to try to diminish the memories of acts of the past? Must you always look over your shoulder for those seeking revenge? Can you just enjoy a night at the theatre? Can you ever go home again or can you make "home" wherever you hang your hat?

Each tale held my rapt attention from start to finish leaving me wanting the story to go on! Even if you've never read one of Adrian Tchaikovsky's books you'll find this a fascinating, engrossing read. With Tchaikovsky's unique kinden characters , humans with aspects related to the insect world, and his talent for enthralling story telling you won't be disappointed! ( )