Plot Overview

"Children of Ruin" continues the saga generations after "Children of Time." Humans and Portiids, a species of intelligent spiders, have formed a shared civilization on Kern’s World. However, some humans resist this harmonious coexistence, choosing to live in isolated reservations, while younger generations readily adapt to their new reality.

As the story unfolds, a joint crew of human and Portiid astronauts ventures to the outer reaches of another solar system, responding to a mysterious signal from an inner planet. They soon discover a spacefaring society of octopuses orbiting an oceanic world. These octopuses were brought to this solar system by ancient human terraformers, who inadvertently spread a version of the uplift nano virus previously encountered in "Children of Time." Following the collapse of human civilization, the octopuses inherited the terraformers’ unfinished projects.

Yet, Damascus, the octopuses’ oceanic home, isn’t the only terraforming candidate. The nearby planet, Nod, initially appears to be an even more suitable habitat, but it harbors a relentless parasite. This parasite replicates the biological functions of any organism it infects, gaining sentience by mimicking human cognition.

As fate would have it, an infected human from Nod eventually brings the parasite to Damascus. For eons, the parasite remains dormant at the bottom of the ocean, while octopus civilization flourishes. However, when it is eventually released, the octopuses are forced to evacuate to their massive, water-filled space vessels.

Upon the arrival of the Human/Portiid crew, the octopuses intervene. This leads to a series of high-stakes interactions and intense space confrontations, as both civilizations grapple to comprehend each other’s intentions. The octopuses, understandably, are apprehensive about any contact with Nod, fearing the resurgence of the dangerous parasite. But can they convey this urgency to the humans and spiders?

Themes and Insights

The core narrative of "Children of Ruin" navigates two intertwined storylines: the interactions between the Human/Portiid crew and the octopus civilization, and the shared struggle against the parasite from Nod.

Focusing on the Human/Portiid/Octopus interactions, a central theme emerges regarding the distinct forms of intelligence among these species and the challenges this poses for communication. Philosopher Peter Godfrey-Smith, in his work "Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness," explores how octopus intelligence diverges from that of mammals, despite their remarkable cognitive abilities.

A significant distinction lies in the structure of octopus nervous systems. While humans have a concentrated brain, octopuses distribute a substantial number of their neurons throughout their tentacles. This suggests that octopuses operate more as a collective entity rather than a singular being.

Tchaikovsky cleverly incorporates this concept in "Children of Ruin," portraying the octopus consciousness as divided between what he terms the Crown and the Reach. The Crown is associated with emotions, while logical reasoning is attributed to the Reach. In octopus society, emotional depth is considered a hallmark of intelligence, expressed through intricate color patterns on their skin.

Upon their first encounter, humans struggle to interpret the octopuses' vibrant chromatic language, often perceiving only basic emotions such as fear or anger. In contrast, the octopuses question whether the humans possess any profound emotional experience at all, given their seemingly simplistic displays.

This exchange echoes the thoughts of philosopher David Hume, who argued that reason is fundamentally driven by our emotions. It also resonates with Lewis Carroll’s essay, “What the Tortoise Said to Achilles,” which posits that logic and emotion are intertwined; logical reasoning stems from a complex web of emotions encoded in language.

The second major storyline revolves around the dangerous mimicking parasite from Nod. Initially content with infecting simple organisms, the parasite gains an insatiable desire to spread after it infects a sentient being, driven by the realization of the vastness of the universe.

However, it lacks self-control, perpetually seeking new hosts to alleviate its wanderlust, which ultimately leads to the consumption of its hosts from within.

Faced with this existential threat, the humans, spiders, and octopuses grapple with the challenge of containing the parasite. Yet, Avrana Kern, the digitally uploaded consciousness of a human, devises a more effective solution that intertwines concepts from Buddhist philosophy and highlights the significance of diversity within any society.

Next week, I will share insights on the trilogy's concluding volume, "Children of Memory." Thank you for joining me on this exploration!

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