Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky (2015)

At first glance, this is a sweeping space epic about humanity’s desperate search for a new home. But what makes Children of Time truly brilliant is its daring premise — a terraforming experiment gone wrong gives rise to a civilization of hyper-intelligent spiders. Across centuries, we follow both the remnants of humankind and these evolving arachnids as their stories inevitably intertwine. It’s bold, philosophical, and surprisingly emotional, exploring evolution, faith, and the nature of intelligence. By the end, you may find yourself rooting for the spiders.

Rating: 5/5