Shroud (2025) by Adrian Tchaikovsky crafts a first-contact narrative grounded in meticulous world-building, vividly depicting a high-gravity moon's alien ecosystem and humanity's interstellar ambitions. The setting evokes awe through its intricate environmental and technological details, anchoring the novel's speculative scope. However, the narrative, dominated by protracted interpersonal conflicts, falters. The characters, ostensibly intrepid explorers, exhibit excessive emotional volatility—marked by neuroses and trivial rivalries—undermining their credibility. The plot, while initially gripping, grows oppressively bleak, and the resolution, echoing Tchaikovsky's earlier first-contact works, feels formulaic and uninspired. Production quality is adequate, but the novel's predictable trajectory and overwrought drama diminish its impact. 2/5 Stars.
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