Kaltevana

Kaltevana is a fictional celestial body featured in the science fiction novel "Children of Time" by Adrian Tchaikovsky. In the narrative, kaltevana is a planet located in a distant star system, serving as the origin point for the uplifted spider species. The planet is described as having a unique ecosystem adapted to its specific environmental conditions, which are crucial for the spiders' evolutionary development. These conditions, though not exhaustively detailed, are implied to be harsh and challenging, contributing to the spiders' resilience and intelligence. The concept of kaltevana is central to the novel's exploration of alien biology, societal evolution, and interspecies relations. The planet's name itself is a creation of the author, designed to evoke a sense of the alien and the unknown. It represents a world where life has taken a radically different path from that on Earth, offering a fertile ground for exploring themes of adaptation and survival. The narrative uses kaltevana as a backdrop to examine how different environmental pressures can shape not only physical characteristics but also the very nature of intelligence and civilization.