Children of Time

by Adrian Tchaikovsky

I was in the mood for science fiction (which in retrospect is the status quo), and saw this recommended by a handful of acquaintances. The novel's start had the breath and awe of the Three Body Trilogy, but the depth of science became shallower as the book progressed - not necessarily bad, but the first chapter readied me for some hard science fiction. Although some of the unique concepts held fast (sentience evolving from humanity's own biological experiments), some of the novel concepts were glossed over.

I've noticed that many of the most gripping novels, especially in this genre, follow the pattern of chapters alternating timelines rushing towards a collision in their narratives. It works - there were some nights where I would read well past midnight.