Tarkani

Tarkani is a fictional species featured in the science fiction novel "Children of Time" by Adrian Tchaikovsky. In the novel, the Tarkani are a sapient species that evolved on a planet terraformed by a long-vanished human civilization. They are insectoid in appearance, resembling large, intelligent spiders with multiple limbs and complex social structures.

The Tarkani society is characterized by a unique form of collective consciousness, where individuals share knowledge and experiences to a degree that blurs the lines of individual identity. Their development is marked by a slow but steady progression in technology and understanding, driven by a philosophical outlook that emphasizes patience and observation. They are not inherently warlike, but their survival and territorial instincts can lead to conflict when their existence is threatened.

The narrative of "Children of Time" often contrasts the Tarkani's slow, deliberate evolution and societal organization with the more rapid, often chaotic, and sometimes destructive advancements of the human remnants. The Tarkani represent an alternative path of sapient development, one that values communal knowledge and long-term thinking. Their interactions with the human protagonists highlight themes of interspecies communication, understanding, and the diverse possibilities of intelligent life in the universe.