The Final Architecture

The Final Architecture is a science fiction trilogy by British author Adrian Tchaikovsky, comprising *Shards of Earth*, *Eyes of the Void*, and *Lords of Uncreation*. The story follows humans battling the Architects, moon-sized beings that devastate inhabited worlds, including Earth. The series earned critical acclaim; *Shards of Earth* won the 2022 BSFA Award for Best Novel, and the entire trilogy was a finalist for the 2023 Hugo Award for Best Series.

The Architects avoid planets containing ruins from the ancient Originator civilization. Only the Essiel, an alien species, can move Originator artifacts without breaking this protective effect. Many human colonies join the Essiel Hegemony for safety. Humans develop Intermediaries—modified individuals who can fight Architects. Intermediary Idris Telemmier helps defeat an Architect at Berlenhof, shifting the conflict decades after Earth’s destruction. Later, he and other Intermediaries contact an Architect, which appears to notice humanity for the first time, after which all Architects vanish. Ships travel through unspace for faster-than-light travel, but only Intermediaries can navigate anywhere in this dimension; others must follow established Throughways.

In *Shards of Earth*, decades later, the Parthenon (a society of female clones) and the Council of Human Interests (a human government nicknamed the CHI) clash. Parthenon soldier Solace is sent to recruit Idris, now a salvager on the ship *Vulture God*. Its crew includes engineer Olli, lawyer Kris, and accountant Kittering. After saving Idris from the Uskaro family, Solace joins the crew. They are hired by the Hegemony to find the lost ship *Oumaru*, discovering it was attacked by Architects. Both ships are hijacked by the Broken Harvest crime syndicate. The crew reclaims their vessel on Tarekuma and learns the *Oumaru* carried Originator artifacts that could protect entire planets. An archaeologist confirms their authenticity, but Broken Harvest captures the crew near Berlenhof. The Parthenon rescues them, and as the CHI and the Parthenon argue over Idris and the relics, an Architect appears. Idris contacts it, learning an unknown force directs the Architects to destroy inhabited worlds. The Architect takes the artifacts and leaves. Idris and his crew join the Parthenon to train new Intermediaries before the Architects return.