Spiderlight

This new recording of Tchaikovsky’s 2016 novel proves that the author’s interest in spiders is not limited to his beloved “Children of Time” series. An adventuring party embarks on a quest to destroy Darvezian, the Dark Lord. After subduing a nest of giant spiders, the mother spider provides them with a spider guide called Nth. Perhaps not surprisingly, giant spiders are not considered paragons of virtue—even when the group’s mage transforms Nth into Enth, a vaguely human figure (minus his multiple eyes and fanged head). Tchaikovsky quickly blurs the lines as he explores ethics and morality throughout the novel’s generally straightforward questing plot. He narrates this audio edition himself, demonstrating a talent for a wide range of accents and emotions. Listeners quickly come to know each character, even if they may not love them all. Tchaikovsky nimbly takes the narration from horrific to humorous to epic and back again. It’s a treat to hear him pronounce the intricate fantasy names his readers might gloss over in print.