Search
Log in
  • Home

  • Categories

  • Audiobooks

  • E-books

  • For kids

  • Top lists

  • Help

  • Download app

  • Use campaign code

  • Redeem gift card

  • Try free now
  • Log in
  • Language

    🇨🇭 Schweiz

    • DE
    • EN

    🇧🇪 Belgique

    • FR
    • EN

    🇩🇰 Danmark

    • DK
    • EN

    🇩🇪 Deutschland

    • DE
    • EN

    🇪🇸 España

    • ES
    • EN

    🇫🇷 France

    • FR
    • EN

    🇳🇱 Nederland

    • NL
    • EN

    🇳🇴 Norge

    • NO
    • EN

    🇦🇹 Österreich

    • AT
    • EN

    🇫🇮 Suomi

    • FI
    • EN

    🇸🇪 Sverige

    • SE
    • EN
  1. Books
  2. Sci-Fi
  3. Contemporary science fiction

Read and listen for free for 30 days!

Cancel anytime

Try free now
3.9(54)

Children of Ruin

It has been waiting through the ages. Now it's time . . .

‘Asimov or Clarke might have written this’ – Stephen Baxter, co-author of The Long Earth

A scout ship discovers a human outpost lying derelict in space – and a planet better left unexplored. Set in the same universe as Children of Time, this is a thrilling narrative from the award-winning Adrian Tchaikovsky.

Thousands of years ago, Earth’s terraforming program took to the stars. On the world they called Nod, scientists discovered alien life – but it was their mission to overwrite it with the memory of Earth. Then humanity’s great empire fell, and the program’s decisions were lost to time.

Aeons later, humanity and its new spider allies detected fragmentary radio signals between the stars. They dispatched an exploration vessel, hoping to find cousins from old Earth.

But those ancient terraformers awoke something on Nod. Something better left undisturbed.

And it has been waiting for them.

‘Books like this are why we read science fiction’ – Ian McDonald, author of the Luna series

Children of Ruin follows Adrian Tchaikovsky's extraordinary Children of Time, winner of the Arthur C. Clarke award. It is set in the same universe, with new characters and an original narrative.

Praise for the series:

‘Entertaining, smart, surprising and unexpectedly human’ – Patrick Ness, author of A Monster Calls

‘Brilliant science fiction and far-out world-building’ – James McAvoy

‘A fabulous sense of scale that only someone as talented as Adrian Tchaikovsky can pull off’ – Peter F. Hamilton, author of Exodus: The Archimedes Engine


Author:

  • Adrian Tchaikovsky

Narrator:

  • Mel Hudson

Format:

  • Audiobook

Duration:

  • 15 h 27 min

Language:

English

Categories:

  • Sci-Fi
  • Contemporary science fiction
  • Sci-Fi
  • Utopias and dystopias

More by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Skip the list
  1. Children of Memory : Action-packed alien adventure from the winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award

    Adrian Tchaikovsky

    audiobook
  2. The Tiger and the Wolf : Epic shapeshifter fantasy from the award-winning master of SF/F

    Adrian Tchaikovsky

    audiobook
  3. Children of Strife : The unmissable next instalment of the highly acclaimed Children of Time series, from award-winning master of science fiction Adrian Tchaikovsky

    Adrian Tchaikovsky

    audiobook
  4. Shroud : A gripping first contact story from Arthur C. Clarke Award winner Adrian Tchaikovsky

    Adrian Tchaikovsky

    audiobook
  5. Spiderlight : A fantasy adventure quest where good and evil are at war

    Adrian Tchaikovsky

    audiobook
  6. Made Things : A whimsical fantasy tale of how the most unlikely characters may become the most heroic. From award-winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky

    Adrian Tchaikovsky

    audiobook
  7. Saturation Point

    Adrian Tchaikovsky

    audiobook
  8. Alien Clay : An incredible science fiction tale of first contact with the unknown, shortlisted for Best Novel at the 2025 Hugo Awards

    Adrian Tchaikovsky

    audiobook
  9. And Put Away Childish Things

    Adrian Tchaikovsky

    audiobook
  10. Elder Race

    Adrian Tchaikovsky

    audiobook
  11. Lords of Uncreation : An epic space adventure from the master storyteller

    Adrian Tchaikovsky

    audiobook
  12. Eyes of the Void : The thrilling sequel in this award-winning space opera series

    Adrian Tchaikovsky

    audiobook

The Children of Time Novels Series

Skip the list
  1. Children of Memory : Action-packed alien adventure from the winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award

    Adrian Tchaikovsky

    audiobook

Others have also read

Skip the list
  1. The Left Hand of Darkness

    Ursula K. Le Guin

    audiobook
  2. Foundation and Earth

    Isaac Asimov

    audiobook
  3. Forward the Foundation

    Isaac Asimov

    audiobook
  4. The Wolfe at the Door

    Gene Wolfe

    audiobook
  5. The Satsuma Complex

    Bob Mortimer, Sally Phillips

    audiobook
  6. The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi

    Shannon Chakraborty

    audiobook
  7. Thornhedge

    T. Kingfisher

    book
  8. Within the Sanctuary of Wings : A Memoir by Lady Trent

    Marie Brennan

    book
  9. Prelude to Foundation

    Isaac Asimov

    audiobook
  10. Lud-in-the-Mist

    Hope Mirrlees

    book
  11. The Tropic of Serpents : A Memoir by Lady Trent

    Marie Brennan

    book
  12. Halo: Fractures: Extraordinary Tales from the Halo Canon

    Troy Denning, Christie Golden, John Jackson Miller, Tobias S. Buckell, Joseph Staten, Matt Forbeck, James Swallow, Frank O'Connor, Brian Reed, Morgan Lockhart, Kelly Gay, Kevin Grace

    book

Help and contact


About us

  • Our story
  • Career
  • Press
  • Accessibility
  • Partner with us
  • Investor relations
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

Explore

  • Categories
  • Audiobooks
  • E-books
  • Magazines
  • For kids
  • Top lists

Popular categories

  • Crime
  • Biographies and reportage
  • Fiction
  • Feel-good and romance
  • Personal development
  • Children's books
  • True stories
  • Sleep and relaxation

Nextory

Copyright © 2025 Nextory AB

Privacy Policy · Terms · Imprint ·
Excellent4.3 out of 5