Shroud

A gripping first contact story from Arthur C. Clarke Award winner Adrian Tchaikovsky

By: Adrian Tchaikovsky

Narrated by: Sophie Aldred

Read by Sophie Aldred (Doctor Who).

‘Thrilling, terrifying and fascinating’

Tim Peake, British ESA astronaut

They looked into darkness. The darkness looked back . . .

An utterly gripping story of survival and first contact on a hostile planet from Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of the Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning Children of Time.

A commercial expedition to a distant star system discovers a pitch-black moon alive with radio activity. Its high-gravity, high-pressure, zero-oxygen environment is deadly to human life, but ripe for exploitation. They named it Shroud.

Under no circumstances can a human survive Shroud’s inhospitable surface – but a catastrophic accident forces Juna Ceelander and Mai Ste Etienne to make an emergency landing in a barely adequate escape vehicle. Alone, and fighting for survival, the two women embark on a gruelling journey across land, sea and air in search of salvation.

But as they travel, Juna and Mai begin to understand Shroud’s unnerving alien species. It also begins to understand them. If they escape Shroud, they’ll somehow have to explain the impossible and translate the incredible. That is, if they make it back at all . . .

* * *

Praise for Shroud

‘Clever, vivid and terrifying . . . No one has an imagination like Adrian Tchaikovsky’ – Jim Al-Khalili, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s The Life Scientific

‘Crunchy, conceptual SF at its best’ – Richard Morgan, author of Altered Carbon

‘This is hard-edged science fiction that never loses its soul’ – Sue Burke, author of Semiosis

‘Makes Andy Weir's vision of Mars in The Martian look like a Caribbean beach resort’ – The Fantasy Hive

Critic reviews

Thrilling, terrifying and fascinating in equal measure. A gripping story of survival and human endeavour against all odds. The most thought-provoking book I've read in a long time (Tim Peake, British ESA astronaut)

Crunchy, conceptual SF at its best . . . the best alien contact novel I've read since Peter Watts' Blindsight, and that is high praise indeed (Richard Morgan, author of Altered Carbon)

. . . [Aldred] delivers a haunting, moody voice for Shroud as it ponders the inexplicable and stupid alien invaders. Her tight rendition of the women’s desperate trek amps up the tension, making this an addictive listen (AudioFile)

Clever, vivid and terrifying. Shroud is probably the most alien world anyone could possibly imagine. But no one has an imagination like Adrian Tchaikovsky (Jim Al-Khalili, presenter of BBC Radio 4's The Life Scientific)

The most inventive alien world I've ever encountered in SF . . . Pure Tchaikovsky. I swear the man is some kind of genius (Peter Watts, author of Blindsight)

Adrian Tchaikovsky explores worlds where no one else would dare to go, and the unimaginable becomes believable . . . This is hard-edged science fiction that never loses its soul (Sue Burke, author of Semiosis)

A terrifically gripping story of survival and First Contact on a pitch-black death world . . . Bravo! (Paul McAuley, author of The Quiet War)

Tchaikovsky is writing at the very peak of his powers and he is fizzing with more interesting ideas than any one human has a right to

Simply put, Shroud is the best first-contact novel I have read in years

A pacy adventure that keeps you thinking (SFX, 5* Review)

Makes Andy Weir's vision of Mars in The Martian look like a Caribbean beach resort

This is one of the best books I've read this year . . . I can't remember the last time I was this impressed – or moved – by a sci-fi book (5* NetGalley Review)

There's so much I want to express but I'm speechless . . . That Adrian Tchaikovsky can spin another sci-fi tale this detailed and yet so distinct is mind-blowing (5* NetGalley Review)

Alien mind

the author always delivers my favorite aspect, the alien minds, in such beautiful detail. it's always a treat to read.

An epic tale

An epic tale of unbelievable imagination and style that transports you across the galaxy into the possibilities of how life can evolve - equal to shards of earth and children of men a must read for Adrian's fans Loved the story, the characters, the ending the reading absolutley everything about it a must read for Adrian fans

Adrian’s best work yet

All his works never fail to intrigue and surprise, and this is no exception.
The exploration of what can be a mind, and how alien worlds can meet and interact is exceptional. Very recommended.

I want more, what happened next‽

I loved getting properly alien aliens for once! I disliked that the book ended...

Epic world-building and narrative perspective!

If you have read/listened to other books from Adrian, and liked his style of multi-sided narrative, explaining viewpoints and perspectives from different angles, you will love this one.
The chapter structure, where you get to know past events, split into two sided narratives from either 'side', is to me, brilliant.
Also, Sophie Aldred, the narrator, is now one of my favourites. She narrates with a clarity and understanding like she has read, and felt the story, a hundred times.
Perfect score from me ❤️