Departure from logic

Previous books were focused more on the evolution and adaptation of different species, with possible space travels, with a few faults.

This one?
Spoilers ahead

It's about the Miranda. And a AI system that runs simulations it creates about being it finds.
And here is the problem. OK let's assume this AI can do this...no, wait I can't imagine it.
The theory/idea broke apart when the story mentions how Liv's uncle beats her. The original crew crashed. How would this AI understand humans enough to simulate that (h)umans would beat their kids? Let alone what their structure would look like or that the entire colony would fail anyway? Wouldn't it start correcting the circumstances instead of repeating the arrive, build, live, die scenario over and over again? What sort of sadist...

It's these parts of the story where your listening experience is interrupted with rational thought and you lose the immersion.
It's an OK book, but it feels like it was written out of necessity.

Oh and could one of the (h)umans please empty a can of RAID into Kern? She is starting to get insufferable.

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Why is book?

Considering the other two titles in this series were masterful tales about possible evolutions and new societies that came to be without human interference. Amazing world's created with social structures, conflict and just really great world building.

This book feels like a complete departure from the above.

I'm trying to figure out how to say why I don't like the book without spoilers but that seems impossible so:

**SPOILERS**

It was all a dream essentially, everything that happened didn't matter. You spend 12 hours in confusion just to be told it was a simulation which to me makes me wonder, why have this book at all. It doesn't really advance anything, no new species, no new society, nothing new in the world, just 12 hours of book flushed down the toilet for no reason. I really enjoyed the first two in the series but this, the entire time I was struggling to keep going and now at the end I wish I had just stopped.

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After 2 great books, a disappointing sequel

First two books in the cycle were focused on ecology and evolution, both natural and stimulated by humankind. They were excellent, probably among the best sci-fi of the last decade. I pre-ordered Children of Memory as soon as I learned it is going to be issued.

Then, a big letdown. It could be described as a fictionalized essay on sentience - what is sentience, where to find sentience, can sentience be created artificially, whether it may be transferred etc. A bit of a departure from the previous two books. Worst of all, after such a sequel I started wondering if there is any potential for a continuation of the series?

not nearly as good as previous books

Struggle to finish it and follow it. Lacks the amazing scientific detail and imagination of the previous books.

Beat book of the year 2022 for me

Bueutiful story with relatable characters and an unexpected flow. An adventure you won't forget

what is sentience, really?

like the previus book in the series, nothing makes sense at all untill the last few chapters.
But unlike the previus two books, this one also digs into the question of who and what are sentient, and what that means.

Philosophy students may recommended to read this book as a case study.

Disjointed and disappointing

I loved Children of Time.
I liked Children of Ruin.
I wanted to love this too but the story is just a confused mess. There’s a narrative reason why this should be so, but a) that doesn’t help it be any more readable, and b) that reason is so overused in science fiction by now that it is an insult to the originality of the previous books.

Great story & Great performance

Excellent continuation of the Series! It does not flow quite as naturally as the others, but it is still well worth your time and money.

Deeply disappointed by third book

I loved the first book as much as I loved my first Sci Fi book, Dune. I thought this author would never disappoint. Even if he did, I loved the first 2 books so much, I would still give him credit. But he ended up doing the one thing I cannot tolerate in storytelling "art" ( which when you do this, clearly becomes less art and just a poorly unfinished, rushed, commercial product that you just have to get out the door ).

What disappointed me so much, and what I can't tolerate? STOP READING TO AVOID SPOILERS.

Basically the one thing that actually triggers me at this point, because it's been done by so many writers who disrespected our attention span, is what I call: "Pamela dreamed a whole season"

In the soap opera Dallas many years ago, they lost an actor for a season, and when he came back, they basically made an entire season be the dream of his wife, so they could fit him back in the story.
In the series Lost, the same type of commercial impact upon the story, where after several seasons of building intrigue, they hit you with "oh they were all dying and waiting to go to heaven, it wasn't real"
The Dark guys did it too this year with their new series. This whole fictional element of "here's an unbelivable story, with intriguing elements that will grasp your curiosity and keep you interested, until the point they explain to you that it was so intriguing because it didn't happen, it was just some sort of a dream.

This story building method seems to be driven by finances and corporate constraints rather than driven by one's inspiration for artistic expression.

I am much more sad and disappointed that a series that I loved so much ended so badly, than I am for wasting my time with this book. There was great potential, and great momentum to build upon from the first 2 books that I don't feel was leveraged at all in this last book.

Mel's performance is amazing as always btw.

Brilliant

Absolutely loved it! I could write tons about it but perhaps I shouldn’t not to give up spoilers.

Beginning tries to introduce you to the universe and predominately succeeds. There were however two occasions when it was repetitive.
It does not give you much information at the start and it felt a little slow paced. Like walking in the dark room touching your way forward.

But then in the middle it shines as it brings up the pace.
Story grips you and never let’s go. There are revelations and twists in the story at the end when it all fits nicely together.

Alien perspective is a hallmark of authors genius and it truly shines. As well as perspective of little girl (which I failed miserably to capture on one occasion in literary contest I took part in).
Provides ethical side of living in post scarcity society clashing with struggling colony on half terraformed planet.

Splendid word craft and imagery.
Performance of the voice actress is of the highest quality. With only one occasion showing different sound as a result of a break in recording days.

Remarkable achievement from one of the greatest sci-fi writers.
Recommend it to every sci-fi fan.